The countdown is almost over

[Ozwhites]

A great calm falls over the board The calm before the storm.

As always and for ever I am looking forward to our battles ahead. Out with the old, in with the new and all that.
More (much more) seasons behind me than ahead….I will not let anyone destroy my support for my club in any way shape or form. As always I am predicting a promotion season. No ill feelings on anyone, our player, managers and us our great fans.

Shame some others on here don't share your outlook, George. Simply appreciate we have a team to follow....for better or worse! 👍

[Rev72]

Yep
Excited to see how we do again this season, not sure I agree about a weaker squad Rev - sure we lost Archie, Kamara and Somerville - but we have gained a good right back, got a stronger looking defence with Struijk and Wober both fit and ready, Ampadu back in midfield with Gruev and Rothwell looks like a decent addition, Joseph looks like an upgrade on what we where playing up front last season - he looks ready and I predict he will shine, both Gnonto and James are established international wingers and Georginio on his day is brilliant - just expect a bit more from Peroe who looks like he has a bit more competition from Joseph already, Think we need a further couple of additions - Midfield and a spare winger but other than that cant wait to get going - and without Somerville we might mix it up a bit more this season and not just play to the one trick pony on the left who didn't have a left foot.
bring it on!

Fair points made mate , and agree we need a few more in , rumour has it we only got 10 million to spend so we need to be clever in the transfer market.

We'll see how it goes.

Starting with 3 points Saturday...hopefully.

[WTF11]

Shame some others on here don't share your outlook, George. Simply appreciate we have a team to follow....for better or worse! 👍

You may not believe it but George and I share more than you will know and a regard for LUFC is amongst those things. Long years (followed LUFC since i was 8, 60 years ago) of high expectation and low experiences make it hard to be "enthusiastic" without evidence that those you follow are as passionate about the badge they wear as those who support them.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Well the countdown ended - could and should have won the game.

Combination of factors

Meslier 🙉🙈👀
Bogle got caught out a couple of times but will get a better understanding
Rodon wasn’t as good as he normally is
The bar saved them
Joseph was a bit unlucky
Aaronson missed a sitter
Not convinced their pen was a pen - started outside the box and six of one, half a down of the other
ref wasn’t the greatest

If we keep up that level of performance overall we should start turning teams over.

[spaldy]

Blaming the ref seems a mantra for us. Understandable since they have been very poor over the years but...

let's face it, if you don't hit sitters when you are playing attacking football you fail. Some of the shots we miss regularly beer league players can hit.

we really need to move away from Bamford and move on to a fresh start. Sometimes the lack of confidence and constant "support" we ahve to give to our lead striker rubs off on everyone. I think of strikers as being that arrogant obnoxious selfish person that has only one job and that's putting it in the net. it's not a popularity or beauty contest.

[WTF11]

Blaming the ref seems a mantra for us. Understandable since they have been very poor over the years but...

let's face it, if you don't hit sitters when you are playing attacking football you fail. Some of the shots we miss regularly beer league players can hit.

we really need to move away from Bamford and move on to a fresh start. Sometimes the lack of confidence and constant "support" we ahve to give to our lead striker rubs off on everyone. I think of strikers as being that arrogant obnoxious selfish person that has only one job and that's putting it in the net. it's not a popularity or beauty contest.

Agreed regarding refs. I think on balance over a season we get as much crap as any other team, more or less.

Also agree on the striker/conversion rate, but I think singling out Bamfird who only came in as sub relatively late on is a bit unfair. We had nearly 30 attempts, most from those who were being "promoted" as successor to Bamford, and we converted 10%. Just not good enough as a team.

[norfolk white]

Seems to me it’s the same old problem going back to bielsa, can’t score with the endless chances we create, and give sloppy goals away backed up by a dodgy keeper.

[Tichi1]

Agreed regarding refs. I think on balance over a season we get as much crap as any other team, more or less.

Also agree on the striker/conversion rate, but I think singling out Bamfird who only came in as sub relatively late on is a bit unfair. We had nearly 30 attempts, most from those who were being "promoted" as successor to Bamford, and we converted 10%. Just not good enough as a team.

Not quite true
we had 22 shots, 10 on target 6 blocked - their keeper saved 7 - 6 off target included 3 that hit the bar.
They had 5 shots 4 on target none blocked our keeper saved 1

Dont think Dan James, Willy Gnonto, or Gruev can be considered "promoted" as successors to Bamford, only really Joseph and Piroe can claim that title - Piroe had one attempt from distance Joseph 2 .

The problem seems to me to be the poor performance over quite some time now of Meslier. He doesn't seem to make many if any real saves and that has been the case over the last 10 or so games

Conceded 3 from 4 shots.

just saying

[WTF11]

Not quite true
we had 22 shots, 10 on target 6 blocked - their keeper saved 7 - 6 off target included 3 that hit the bar.
They had 5 shots 4 on target none blocked our keeper saved 1

Dont think Dan James, Willy Gnonto, or Gruev can be considered "promoted" as successors to Bamford, only really Joseph and Piroe can claim that title - Piroe had one attempt from distance Joseph 2 .

The problem seems to me to be the poor performance over quite some time now of Meslier. He doesn't seem to make many if any real saves and that has been the case over the last 10 or so games

Conceded 3 from 4 shots.

just saying

Lies, damned lies and statistics huh? We can discuss the total shot count but the key issue is we didn't convert enough and they did. Bamford wasn't the problem, the chances as a whole that went begging was.

And Meslier? Same old same old, been the same for the last two seasons, probably why he is still at Leeds. Not sure Darlow is any better, but just by playing him it might give Meslier the kick up the arse he needs?

[Rev72]

Was concerned when I saw Langford was the ref but in truth we only had ourselves to blame for not picking up all 3 pts against an up for it pompey and as tich rightly points out Meslier had a mare especially with the 1st goal.

Maybe this division won't be as weak as many think its going to be as well , few decent teams who will be more than up for playing us.

I don't know the ins and outs of the Summerville situation but we beat pompey if he had played , a regrettable decision to sell him in my opinion.