The new season

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Kebabus
Posts: 130
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2021 11:25 pm

The new season

Post by Kebabus »

So here we are and here we go....

Are you happy with the new squad folks?
Whose impressed during the close season?
Only as good as last game so we have to put in a better showing down at Bath.
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Sleightly Deceptive
Posts: 579
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2021 1:53 pm

Re: The new season

Post by Sleightly Deceptive »

My gut feeling is that we are not yet ready. We need a few more quality players, with experience, on board and to take care of inevitable injuries and suspensions. I’m a tad concerned. Hope it comes to nothing.
Mark Sweet
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Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2022 11:44 am

Re: The new season

Post by Mark Sweet »

I do also feel were still 2-3 players short. I think we'll have slow start to the season and hopefully have a few more faces in by the time we're 5 or so games in and cam hopefully push on as we get closer to Christmas.

It was always going to be a tough ask for Dowse to pretty much completely rebuild a team thay had gone through 50 players last season, especially considering he had a late start to pre season too. I trust him and he certainly has the CV to back it up.

I'll take a point on Saturday
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JCJ
Posts: 235
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2021 1:08 pm

Re: The new season

Post by JCJ »

Got to say the team does not excite me as Kingy's teams did,

Agree we are a few quality players short but as been said Dowse not had a full pre season

I think we will start slowly and I hope it is just a slow start and all supporters get behind the Manager

I worry where our goals are going to come from this season but hopefully I am proved wrong.

Whatever I will be at Bath supporting the lads
JW Dart
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2021 10:09 am

Re: The new season

Post by JW Dart »

Has to be of concern that in the seven pre season friendlies we’ve only managed six goals including an og, but then our recognised strikers have really only played bit parts so far. I’m confident that with a fully fit squad we’ll be competing near the top, but as mentioned just a couple more experienced players are probably needed.
Will be supporting though whatever the results, have been for almost sixty years…
Skip
Posts: 124
Joined: Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:04 pm
Location: Felixstowe

Re: The new season

Post by Skip »

We will almost certainly require a couple of additional signings to sustain a play off challenge but I have every faith in Dowse, based on his previous managerial record. It will take a good few weeks for the team to settle into Dowse’s preferred style but I’m not too concerned with comparisons with King’s team. Last season we started like a runaway train but hit the buffers at Sudbury in that disappointing FA Cup defeat in October. After that I can only recall a handful of games that excited me and the defeat to Chippenham in the play off match was a damp squib. King signed some quality players though and I’m pleased that a number of those have stayed this season. It was a shame Jack Jebb wasn’t amongst them but I’m hopeful Samir will step up to the mark and provide the prompting from the middle of the park.

I’d definitely be happy with a draw at Bath on Saturday but we have a decent record against our friends from the West Country so you never know we might even nick 3 points.
Skip (now residing in Suffolk)
Dave T
Posts: 85
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2021 8:47 am

Re: The new season

Post by Dave T »

In answer to Greg's specific question, I'm a little bit disappointed by the apparent overall quality and depth of the squad to be honest. However, I've not seen any of the friendlies, so that may be a bit unfair, but just a gut feeling l guess.

I can only assume that there must be a fair amount of budget still available though (based on the comparative quality and quantity of last season's squad) so there may still be a few more recruits to come in the next week or two.

One new signing that does worry me a little though is Alex Wall. He's not had much luck with injuries in the past but Dowse was adament in his interview that he was satisfied with his fitness... then he misses the entire pre season programme with injury. I do hope that his contract terms doesn't mean that he ends up being the best paid spectator in the stands all season.

In summary though, l like Dowse's approach and l completely respect his proven record at this level and he certainly knows a lot more about building playing squads than l do! On this basis I am fully prepared to wait ten matches to judge both his performance and the quality of the playing squad too.

As always at this time of the year, I'm really looking forward to the new season. Come on you Darts!
KingKong
Posts: 209
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2021 6:21 pm

Re: The new season

Post by KingKong »

alex wall is non contract.
Harry
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Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2021 5:59 pm

Re: The new season

Post by Harry »

As always there are several teams that appear to have gone big, in terms of "high profile" signings at our level, H & W and Ebbsfleet to name two.

We appear to have gone a slightly different route, with a mix of a couple of experienced players and a few from our academy.

I am sure the squad will evolve over the next two to three seasons, personally I don't see us challenging for top spot but I do think we can have a realistic chance at the play off positions this year with a view to building a title challenging team in time. Essentially little different to last year, once we began misfiring after the Sudbury defeat.

I still expect us to be closer to the play offs than the the bottom half, but would very much welcome a good cup run, in either the FA cup or trophy.

To answer Greg's question directly yes I am happy with the squad in the knowledge that we are very much work in progress and I do think we will get better as the season progress.

For me Samir has been the stand out player in the three pre season fixtures I have been to.
Dave T
Posts: 85
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2021 8:47 am

Re: The new season

Post by Dave T »

KingKong wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 12:02 pm alex wall is non contract.
That's a relief then!
Wookie
Posts: 34
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 10:12 pm

Re: The new season

Post by Wookie »

Harry wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 2:20 pm
I am sure the squad will evolve over the next two to three seasons, personally I don't see us challenging for top spot but I do think we can have a realistic chance at the play off positions this year with a view to building a title challenging team in time. Essentially little different to last year, once we began misfiring after the Sudbury defeat.

I still expect us to be closer to the play offs than the the bottom half, but would very much welcome a good cup run, in either the FA cup or trophy.
That’s no good. Just finishing in the playoffs is seen as a failure and will get you the sack 😉
Tony H
Posts: 424
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2021 8:00 am

Re: The new season

Post by Tony H »

Let’s suck it and see! I believe the squad is light but happy that the Core of last seasons squad have re-signed. Inevitable that Jack Jebb was going to move on. Big signing is Luke Coulson who will bring absolute quality to the team.

Disappointments - not retaining the likes of Danny Leonard, Jernade Meade and Kory Roberts. The rest were just journeymen in my opinion.

Not as confident as I was this time last season but a draw at Bath and a win the following week at home to Cheshunt will be a very solid start for us.

COYDs
Tony H
Posts: 424
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2021 8:00 am

Re: The new season

Post by Tony H »

For me, I’m be to warmth is Dan Roberts. If I had one criticism of Kingy last season it’s that he didn’t give Dan enough opportunity to fulfill his boundless potential. Big season incoming from Dan who I believe will form a prolific partnership with Charlie Sheringha (provided of course that we can get Charlie fit!)
Tony H
Posts: 424
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2021 8:00 am

Re: The new season

Post by Tony H »

Bloody predictive text and doing more than one thing at once 😂
That last post should have started, “One to watch for me….”
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The Duke
Posts: 597
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2021 11:52 am

Re: The new season

Post by The Duke »

A decent squad with 18 signed , I reckon there is [ only] room for 2 more , a proven back up keeper and an out and out winger [ Danny Leonard style ] , we have cover everywhere else [ incl 5 strikers ] , looking forward to my 1st game [ Cheshunt] after solid performance at Bath !!!!!
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