I'm Really Impressed With Our Transfer Business This Summer

and in my opinion a great deal of credit has to go to OGS for firstly not moaning about the loss of last seasons "Headline" signings and secondly for moving swiftly to get some real quality signings into the squad.

With the addition of the two signings today we look to have a squad with cover in virtually every position on the pitch, maybe a third goalkeeper is needed in case of injury to either Marshall or Moore and maybe another natural wide player would benefit the squad. But other than that surely this squad has greater quality and depth than any other in the history of our club when playing at Championship level.

What really has impressed me is that all of this has been achieved whilst spending less than the £10m VT gave MM a few seasons back with the instruction to get the team promoted. No doubt VT has given OGS the same mandate this time around but having brought in approx £25m in transfer receipts this together with the £23m PL parachute payments and the monies spent on new players will see us safe in respect of FFP regulations.

I suppose the task facing OGS now, besides getting us promoted, will be to find a pattern of play to supply the undoubted forward talent at the club with the chances to score the goals to fire us to promotion. Surely somewhere amongst Le Fondre, Guerra, Mecheda, Jones and Maynard there is a player to score 20+ goals this season, maybe 2 of them to score 30+ goals as in my opinion that will be what's needed to get us promoted this time around. For me Le Fondre is the player we need to get firing as he is a proven goalscorer at this level and the player most likely to get the 20+.

As important of course is we keep the back door closed and the signing of Morrison today will be a massive help especially with Ben Turner our for 3 months. Getting Dikgachoi fit and sitting in CM protecting the back 4 will be equally important in my opinion and with the wealth of talent OGS has amongst the midfield players I really don't envy him having to choose who plays, who is on the bench and who is left sitting in the stand and I just hope he can keep everyone happy.

But one thing is certain with the depth in our squad he will be able to rest players and that should be a massive plus come the last 15 or so matches where our teams have tended to run out of legs, I just can't see that happening this season.

I'm looking forward to this season and normally I would wait until 12 games in before making a prediction on how our season will pan out but looking at our squad I believe our worst final position will be top 6, but I really fancy us to be top 2 and return to the PL automatically.

Along the way I believe will be plenty of goals (for), fewer goals against and loads of entertainment hopefully inside a packed CCS.

We already have a third goalie. Horton.

We already have a third goalie. Horton.

Championship standard

Great read as usual Gary

We now have a Superb Squad,Ole has done fantastic in the transfer market,now it's got to be done where it matters on the pitch

Got to applaud OGS .
Each signing looks quality.
Just got to get the best blend and tactics, and ensure each player knows he is not a certain pick, and will have to work his socks off to get in and then stay in the team.
When all are available, it is going to be impossible to pick the best X1.

Don't worry about goalie - we can always borrow Bywater or Dimi if we really need to cock up our season again!

Ole has done well but it's down to them to perform now. I'd still like to see some leave and still feel we lack a pacey winger kind of in the Noone mould but we have some many options we can play a number or ways.

Where can I buy a pair of those rose tinted spectacles ?

Where can I buy a pair of those rose tinted spectacles ?

Specsavers.


Got a good line in Blue tinted lenses.

Got to applaud Vincent Tan ?

Champions

Where can I buy a pair of those rose tinted spectacles ?

What's rose tinted about it? If we don't get promoted with this squad it should be seen as a failure

My opinion the signings made have been good quality and shows real intent,just hope we can get a settled first 11 that will take this league by storm and mix it up when needed ie injuries opposition style of play.

and in my opinion a great deal of credit has to go to OGS for firstly not moaning about the loss of last seasons "Headline" signings and secondly for moving swiftly to get some real quality signings into the squad.

With the addition of the two signings today we look to have a squad with cover in virtually every position on the pitch, maybe a third goalkeeper is needed in case of injury to either Marshall or Moore and maybe another natural wide player would benefit the squad. But other than that surely this squad has greater quality and depth than any other in the history of our club when playing at Championship level.

What really has impressed me is that all of this has been achieved whilst spending less than the £10m VT gave MM a few seasons back with the instruction to get the team promoted. No doubt VT has given OGS the same mandate this time around but having brought in approx £25m in transfer receipts this together with the £23m PL parachute payments and the monies spent on new players will see us safe in respect of FFP regulations.

I suppose the task facing OGS now, besides getting us promoted, will be to find a pattern of play to supply the undoubted forward talent at the club with the chances to score the goals to fire us to promotion. Surely somewhere amongst Le Fondre, Guerra, Mecheda, Jones and Maynard there is a player to score 20+ goals this season, maybe 2 of them to score 30+ goals as in my opinion that will be what's needed to get us promoted this time around. For me Le Fondre is the player we need to get firing as he is a proven goalscorer at this level and the player most likely to get the 20+.

As important of course is we keep the back door closed and the signing of Morrison today will be a massive help especially with Ben Turner our for 3 months. Getting Dikgachoi fit and sitting in CM protecting the back 4 will be equally important in my opinion and with the wealth of talent OGS has amongst the midfield players I really don't envy him having to choose who plays, who is on the bench and who is left sitting in the stand and I just hope he can keep everyone happy.

But one thing is certain with the depth in our squad he will be able to rest players and that should be a massive plus come the last 15 or so matches where our teams have tended to run out of legs, I just can't see that happening this season.

I'm looking forward to this season and normally I would wait until 12 games in before making a prediction on how our season will pan out but looking at our squad I believe our worst final position will be top 6, but I really fancy us to be top 2 and return to the PL automatically.

Along the way I believe will be plenty of goals (for), fewer goals against and loads of entertainment hopefully inside a packed CCS.

Great read nice one

Surely that squad is a top two squad, I agree Ole has done an outstanding recruitment job in terms of the quality of players.

After last seasons finish, I still have doubts in Ole's management ability. But will give him 100% support and hope he comes through it as The Championship Manager of the season

great signings but surely now the pressure is on him, he's spent and brought in a much better team than malky did when we won the league, if he fails with this squad then surely as a manager he must go and never come back

With the double signings yesterday our squad is now nearly 30 players so the question now is who are the players OGS will be looking to ship out, either sold or on loan;

Goalkeepers -

Marshall, Moore

Defenders -

Brayford, Fabio, Cala, Hudson, Turner, Morrison, John, Connolly, KTC.

Midfielders -

Whittingham, Dikgacoi, Noone, Pilkington, Kim Bok Yueng, Eikrem, Gunnarsson, Adeyemi, Daehli, Ralls, Burgstaller, Harris.

Forwards -

Jones, Le Fondre, Macheda, Guerra, Maynard, Velikonja

Compared to the season when we won promotion;

Goalkeepers - Marshall, Lewis, Parish.

Defenders - Hudson, Turner, Connolly, McNaughton, Taylor, Nugent, Lappin, John, Barnett.

Midfielders - Whittingham, Noone, Mutch, Conway, Cowie, Gunnarsson, Kim Bok Yueng, Kiss, Harris, McPhail, Ralls, Smith, Frei

Forwards - Bellamy, Maynard, Frasier, Gestede, Velikonja, Helguson, Mason.

In my opinion we are so much stronger and with far greater quality than when we won the Championship so that's the challenge for OGS. That season 27 players took part in league games but only 20 took part in 10 or more games. Will OGS make more use of the squad than MM did 2 seasons ago but either way there does appear room for at least a couple of players to move out. Who are they

That's why I believe the worst result for us this season will be the playoffs but surely, rose tinted lenses and all that, we have a real shot at automatics this season.

It's one thing looking at our own team, but surely you have to take into account the strength of the other teams? Comparing us to what we had 2 years ago is pretty arbitrary when what really matters is what are we up against.

It's one thing looking at our own team, but surely you have to take into account the strength of the other teams? Comparing us to what we had 2 years ago is pretty arbitrary when what really matters is what are we up against.

Fair point and of course it matters what we are up against but again compared to 2 seasons ago we will be meeting only 7 new clubs and with the greatest respect Bournemouth, Brentford and Rotherham should'nt present a serious challange at the top end of the table, although I have no doubt they won't be easy to beat.

Of the other 4 clubs Norwich, Fulham, Wigan and Reading I would worry more about Wigan than any of the others. Reading in particular have had to do major surgery on thier squad this summer with 14 players leaving and only 3 in. Fulham have also had major surgery with 21 players out and 11 in, will they be easy to beat absolutely not but are they stronger? Norwich have lost 8 players with only 3 in are they stronger.

There are loads of other teams who will fancy making a promotion challenge, it wouldn't be the Championship if there were'nt, but we are one of only a couple of teams who are stronger than we were last time around, Wigan is the other.

In my opinion any team that finishes above either of us will probably get automatic promotion.

Excellent read, guys! Good points sums it up.

It sure looks like an interesting position for Cardiff. Also for OGS's future Manchester United manager dream.

Ogs is a smart cookie in the transfer market. He has a good network and contacts through Man U and Norway, and experience at spotting promising young players. He is also a drawer, and players want to join him, which is why we don't have to over pay.
Hate to be negative about MM, but he didn't have the contacts, and nobody wanted to join a manager who was a Championship defender, and we were made to pay extra to get players or were just messed around. The Jacks are suffering this season for same reason - players would sign for a legend like Laudrup, but Monk-ey boy is no drawer.
Ogs new players may not all work out, but I think a few should be Mutchs level at least, and we are going to have a core of players capable of playing a decent style of football in the Prem. c'mon City!

Ole has done well but it's down to them to perform now. I'd still like to see some leave and still feel we lack a pacey winger kind of in the Noone mould but we have some many options we can play a number or ways.

Pilkington?

Ole has done well but it's down to them to perform now. I'd still like to see some leave and still feel we lack a pacey winger kind of in the Noone mould but we have some many options we can play a number or ways.

Pilkington?

Yeah but Noone and Pilkington both injury prone and to have someone from the bench. I'm not saying we don't have options, this is pushing the squad to its extreme.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer " THAT MORE OR LESS ME DONE "
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It's one thing looking at our own team, but surely you have to take into account the strength of the other teams? Comparing us to what we had 2 years ago is pretty arbitrary when what really matters is what are we up against.

Fair point and of course it matters what we are up against but again compared to 2 seasons ago we will be meeting only 7 new clubs and with the greatest respect Bournemouth, Brentford and Rotherham should'nt present a serious challange at the top end of the table, although I have no doubt they won't be easy to beat.

Of the other 4 clubs Norwich, Fulham, Wigan and Reading I would worry more about Wigan than any of the others. Reading in particular have had to do major surgery on thier squad this summer with 14 players leaving and only 3 in. Fulham have also had major surgery with 21 players out and 11 in, will they be easy to beat absolutely not but are they stronger? Norwich have lost 8 players with only 3 in are they stronger.

There are loads of other teams who will fancy making a promotion challenge, it wouldn't be the Championship if there were'nt, but we are one of only a couple of teams who are stronger than we were last time around, Wigan is the other.

In my opinion any team that finishes above either of us will probably get automatic promotion.

I guess it also depends on OGSs policy on the cup competitions, Malky ruled them out in our promotion season, OGS may decide to really go for them and keep a larger squad
The really good teams who got promotion in the past also seemed to have good cup runs as well, quality was apparent throughout the squad not just the 11 first teamers, I would love us to do both