The Lounge

[Colum]

“Could be a top 8 finish”? Now that’s optimism 🙂

[Singapore Don]

Another week has passed, and still no central midfielder signing. NA promised us a week ago at the MTM session that we’d get a “first name on the team sheet” CM signing, and I can’t help but wonder if he wasn’t banking on Millwall’s Jimmy Abdou – a free agent after refusing to sign a new contract at Millwall who has now gone and signed that new context with the Lions. I suspect a ten year testimonial there was a hook to re-sign. Anyway, he’s not coming – and the transfer rumour mill is eerily quiet. Two trialists are all we know about, neither that “first in the team sheet” player we were led to believe was coming our way. Let’s hope Neal has another iron in the fire that we know nothing about. If not, the worries mount that we face a serious fallout and damaging void from the gaping hole left at the heart of our team after Reeves’ and Bulman’s departures.

[onyadon]

Further your last Singapore Don, understand Ardley thought he had signed experienced midfielder Jimmy Abdou. Abdou trained with the Dons, agreed a deal this week then took it to Millwall and signed a better deal with them. Other words it appears we were played off. Think Ardley may have had Abdou in mind when he talked of a first-choice midfielder, but he says he has two others he’s talking to, so let’s see.

[Windlesham Don]

Pretty shabby behaviour, Rob, but something we have come to expect from the modern footballer. Let’s hope that he rots on the bench for the season and is then released!

I’ll be going along today and should post some thoughts on Sunday. I’m pretty concerned with how our ‘skeleton’ squad will cope with the Premiership quality of Watford, especially as our engine room of midfield is currently bare – let’s hope the Dutch triallist is up to the task or Dean Parrett is persuaded to track back. If not, memories of the 0-7 humiliation by Reading a few years ago may come flooding back!

COYD!!

[Singapore Don]

So Neal did land his “first in the teams get” central midfielder – welcome Jimmy Abdou. Rather odd turn of events, seemingly have failed to get him when he re-signed for Millwall – but if we can keep him for the whole of the season long loan, this is fantastic news. A depth of experience – 200 games in the Championship, 120 in League One including a League One play off winners’ medal – he was just what the doctor ordered to fill the Reeves void. Great news, and really lifts the mood!

[Windlesham Don]

Within 10 days my mood has gone from one of deep concern to one of guarded optimism.

Firstly, my apologies for wishing Jimmy Abdou ill. I have no idea how this particular ‘deal’ has been structured and the way the news came out was pretty poor, but I am happy to see that NA has recruited his fifth “first choice” signing, even if it is only a loan.

We now have the ‘spine’ of the team back in place. Having lost Shea, Bulman, Reeves, Poleon and Elliott, I was very worried that we wouldn’t be able to build a team with a solid core to compete in this league. I could turn out to be very wrong – Long, Oshilaja, Abdou, Appiah and McDonald, as a group look better than those who have departed!

I won’t give a blow by blow report of yesterday’s encouraging performance, just an assessment of some of the performances.

George Long must have had his dream debut. He made two superb one on one goal saving blocks, he commanded his area with assured handling, and when he couldn’t catch he wasn’t afraid to clear out all in front of him to punch the ball clear. At first sight NA appears to have been true to his word in taking our keeper situation to the next level.

Deji was an athletic beast. He is always going to make the occasional impetuous challenge, but he is so athletic he can generally make up for any mistake he makes. His pace should be a huge addition to our back line.

We know what we get with Callum. He probably won’t start when Meades is fit, but he is a steady understudy and he is well liked by fans and players alike. Morale will improve with Cal around.

Cody McDonald looks like an arch goal poacher, not dissimilar in many respects to Matt Tubbs. Largely anonymous in the first half he had two chances within two minutes at the start of the second half and bagged them both with good movement to nick past his marker.

Kwesi looked a bit rusty, but it must be remembered that he came on when the 10 behind him comprised Dean Parrett and a bunch of academy prospects. However, towards the end a couple of pinpoint passes from Parrett (who looked to have a point to prove) gave him one on ones with the keeper. That he failed to convert either will irritate him.

A further plus was the sight of the youngsters who finished the game. NA was slightly scathing of our academy kids at the MtM evening, but we finished the game with a whole host of them holding a Premier League squad team. Young Hartigan played the whole of the second half and settled in well. Sibbick and Egan probably looked the most comfortable at this level, though.

Of the triallists, the game sadly seemed to pass Esseboom by, a shame because he has all the physical attributes needed for a holding midfielder. Young Maloney had a millstone placed round his neck when NA described him as playing the game like Jake Reeves, but he looked neat and tidy without really imposing himself on the game. I hope that both get another chance to impress in forthcoming PSFs.

Finally, I cannot finish without a word of praise for Lyle Taylor. Once again he was given the wide right berth, when he may have been expecting to become our spearhead after the departure of Elliott and Poleon. However, he gave 100% to his task and he seemed to be happy with his lot.

I sometimes feel that Lyle’s mood can be a bellweather for that of the whole group and I feel that the entire camp may be a much happier place this season after cutting out much of the disaffected ‘dead wood’ in the close season. At the MtM evening NA made a point of identifying that the togetherness of the promotion season seemed to disappear last term and he was hoping to get it back this season. If yesterday’s first sight of the squad is anything to go by then we are in for a happier rollercoaster ride this term.

COYD!!

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