How we shaping up?

[Kebabus]

Encouraged by the Bromley result - what's everyone's view on our prospects with the new squad?

[Nobby2]

the squad to me looks better than the start of last season but still feel we need another striker with height to him,have been impressed with brodie for someone who is so young he does not look out of place

[Happy chappy]

On paper the Bromley result looked good.
Do we know if they put out a team of first team players or was it a mix of first team players with trialists and academy players?

[DA Mikey]

Not sure I felt less confident this time last season. Was looking forward to the prospect of Pugh / Sheringham / Sam-Yorke / Wall up front and there was also the boys Philpot and Onyeuga waiting in the ranks. Not much of this worked out for various reasons, we were in fact threadbare in front of goal and our best players were mostly old guard - Bradbrook, Noble, Vint, Bonner with pretty much only Greenhalgh proving a good addition until the loan of Wynter. Some of the signings were frankly train wrecks, yet still we managed to secure a play-off place by the start of March, barring a complete capitulation...
Even when we did our best to run away screaming from the playoffs, other teams around us lost games they shouldn’t, leaving the door wide open, but we just ran faster. Five points from the last eight games I believe it was?

Well, returning to the question, I am not confident that we will improve on last year’s performance. The goals look few and far between in what most would consider a tougher league. I expect the top eight to be populated by H&W, Maidstone, Chelmsford, Welling, Bath, Billericay, Hemel Hempstead and Wealdstone. That’s excluding Braintree and dismissing the promoted clubs which can always be wildcards. If we are able to break into that group, I will be pleasantly surprised. Just don’t think the firepower is there.

[BANANA BANANA]

I see Billericay have signed Matt Rhead from Lincoln.

[Lincoln exile]

A bit of a surprise! He has been excellent for Lincoln during their rise from Non League to Division 1, but he is 35.
He played for Mansfield in that televised match at Princes Park.

[Arthur Horsfield]

I will have a pint with you DAMikey that Welling finish in the bottom half and for the double reckon that Maidstone wont be the force people think. Some strange signings there

[Arthur Horsfield]

As for DFC once again we have been hit hard with a bad injury to a key player, one the management were building around. Similar to losing pughy last season. It is going to be an ultra competitive and tough division and could well be a roller coaster ride with possibly more downs than ups. That's where the fans come in. Let's get behind everyone at the club and give them our full vocal and keyboard backing. I think they have been credited by most on the forum for this pre season signings so hopefully that's one angle of criticism they may be safe from, but I feel some still out there are itching to .... well you know what I mean. Anyhow no criticism of Arthur please as after all it's what everyone says my opinion.

[TheLongHall]

Well I for one have an itch that I have yet to scratch. Despite your cheerleader like approach, it does not take away the fact there were times last season that were positively embarrassing and we are starting from a very low point. Undoubtedly we have seen some positives in pre-season, but I think it may take a lot more before supporters start to feel optimistic that the team management are taking us in the right direction. We saw so many crazy and baffling team selections last season that sometimes I just feel were waiting for the next one. In my opinion I still feel the jury is out and we need a positive start or the pressure will just build again.

[JCJ]

I for one is feeling quite confident, but then again i did last season as well,

Shame about Blackmans injury but the lad who came on looked good and personally do not think he will look out of place in this league, Also the left back who came on i thought did well, my concerns are the injuries we are getting again and the lack of height in our attack, also centre backs how are we going to keep three of them happy.