[Post edited 4 Mar 0:56]

I effin' love our squad by BlueBoots 9 Aug 2023 19:15
Seems like an appropriate day to write this post, as quite a few players are making their first appearances of the season this evening.

Having read a few posts on here straight after a hard fought win at Sunderland, was a bit disappointed with some of the reaction (Highlight for me was a thread along the lines of "What have we learned from today's match?", to which one of the replies was that Edmundson and Jackson need replacing...[doh])

Can't remember if it was the same thread, but other posters thought we needed to bin off JD after the game because he gave the ball away a couple of times and didn't stop the cross that came into our box for their goal (at a time when he was probably seeing 2 footballs after being clattered by Hladky and starting to cramp up too). Few digs at Hladky's performance too; most of which seemed to be based on the fact that he isn't Walton. Already mentioned on another thread, but Hladky's reaction at the final whistle is already going into my highlight reel for the season; for me he's done what all good No.2 keepers do - train as if you're going to be playing every week anyway, and if the opportunity comes along to fill in, come in and do an outstanding job.

I think it's fair to say that Walton and Clarke would have likely played if available, but they weren't; just wanted to say how incredibly lucky we are to have players as good as Hladky and JD to step up when needed.

K McK / Ashton have alluded to our transfer policy being to bring in players who are an upgrade on what we have; could it possibly be the reason we aren't seeing signings is because we already have some damn good players (and people) in the building?

So cheers to Edmundson and Baggott who will get chances to fill in for a pair of centre-backs who contributed to a ridiculous run of clean sheets at the end of last season, Evans and Harness who helped us to get off to a flyer at the start of last season, and Ball and Aluko who have come back from injuries to bring their experience at this level to the group for a new season (on and off the pitch) To Jackson for making life hell for any left back who stupidly leaves a few yards of space empty behind him (despite the fact he'd probably prefer to be playing as a centre forward) To Edwards, who is probably desperate to start games, for coming off the bench so many times instead and making tiring opposition defenders wish they were heading in the opposite direction. And lastly to my favourite player Greg Leigh, who I was looking forward to seeing last season after watching the pre-season friendlies, only for us to sign one of the best young left backs in the country a few weeks later; with the kind of shifts our full-backs put in, 9 subs allowed on the bench, and 15 minutes of injury time looking to become the norm in matches, I hope to see more of you this season.