Can we do it with this squad if there are no more transfers?

The tone/subtext of Dougie's interview and the BE article imply to me that we won't be doing anything in the transfer window - maybe one more in and possibly a few out- so could we get promoted with this squad +1?

There is a case for it - a rather spurious case but a case nonetheless:

• End of season form was much improved (but hardly dominant)
  
• New look back 4 (but we have yet to confirm Baptiste and we don't know how he and Tierney will shape up)
  
• More  development players capable of competing for a place this season after a clear out and a couple of signings (but we'll need to see improvement and opportunities)
  
• One more signing (suspect DF is after Hall but can't be sure)
  
• Starting with fewer injuries (but the return of Mavies and the rehabilitation of Stuey are critical and so far Stuey isn't showing anything of the player we knew)
  
• Dougie's style and tactics more embedded in the team
  

If everything comes together and we don't offload the better players, we could be challengers but at this stage it looks like we'd be dependent on huge improvements all round the squad.

Is Baptiste not a done deal ?

scottjames30 wrote:Is Baptiste not a done deal ?

"Defender Alex Baptiste’s move from Blackpool is still to be rubber stamped, but it appears the transfer will only be made official once his contract runs out.
Reports in Blackpool claim that their former captain is tied to the club until June 27, and should be clear to report for training with his new team-mates after that. "

We will be in the Prem next year.

Mr Magoo wrote:We will be in the Prem next year.

I think so, i'm looking forwards to next season, I just hope DF stays with us.

'kin right you should.

Even I could get a squad like Bolton's promoted from this league.

Copper Dragon wrote:'kin right you should.

Even I could get a squad like Bolton's promoted from this league.

QPR, and Reading will be favourites , there are some big clubs in this league .

So nobody will get too upset if we don't wheel and deal in the transfer window then?

I will this lot are not good enough

We are going to get a 'big striker' - not necessarily a big name, though - the other signings are mostly supplementary. A good pre-season and hungry players working with Douglas' system and we will go up.

Not in the least bit confident, defense needs tightening up, midfield needs to work as a unit, and we need somebody up front with a knack of scoring goals, not seen any evidence yet that we are in for one.

MartinBWFC wrote:Not in the least bit confident, defense needs tightening up, midfield needs to work as a unit, and we need somebody up front with a knack of scoring goals, not seen any evidence yet that we are in for one.

Need Dawson... end of story.

Dawson won't be the end of the story.

If we go into the season with the squad as it stands we'll get relegated.

Same shit defence that can't defend (without Dawson) and same shitty forwards who can't score to save their lives.

Haven't seen any suggestion in the DF interview or PR coming out of the club to suggest any more than 1 further transfer. Therefore it can't be both Dawson and a striker.
There was also talk of bolstering the midfield (Jedinak) so it looks like DF is banking on improvements in the players we have in two of the 3 areas.
IMO I reckon if Baptiste and Tierney can perform, the back 4 should be OK.
Midfield seems to depend on Mavies and Holden coming back and/or Vela upping his game to supplement Medo et al.
Strikers - if that's where the purchase is (Beckford?) it still doesn't mean that we don't need substantial improvements in the form of our current strikers and attacking midfielders to sort out what was a fairly impotent attack last season. And if the transfer DF wants is Hall then the others will definitely have to get it sorted.
Apart from that we have a bunch of development players who may make the grade this year.
Ad reckons the current squad isn't good enough. I'd agree they weren't quite there last year and suspect that DF is banking on them to be better next season - which is a gamble. But if we haven't got the money to throw at it, it's probably the best we can hope for.

There will be no more transfers. Just rumours that will fizzle out to fuck all.

We may get a striker from some reserve team on 6 months loan but that will be it.

Im not getting my hopes up.

The club always tell us there is money available for the right players...

Then the right players seem to get snapped up by other clubs instead and we are left scraping the barrel for scraps.

Similar to what happened with Medo?

Baptiste to replace Ricketts at right back. Tierney to replace Alonso. Wheater to partner Knight at centre half. Eagles and CYL to play wide. Medo to play with Holden/Vela/Pratley/MDavies. Ngog to partner Sordell/CDavies. 

I imagine this working apart from: the injured/injury prone midfielders potentially leaving Medo with just Pratley to play with, who still isn't good enough; the absence of a left footed winger - I think Freedman thinks CYL on the left works, but it doesn't.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Similar to what happened with Medo?

Medo was an interesting one. TBH he looks OK, probably good enough for the Premiership and at a bargain price. When Dougie pulled that one out of nowhere it got me thinking that there'd be a whole string of talented players that he's got lined up that have somehow slipped under the radar of the money clubs. That feeling was compounded when he loaned Jan Gregus who looks a decent prospect. I still hope Dougie has a surprise or two for us but the tone of the messaging seems to suggest not although he could be playing it cannily by managing expectations and deflecting attention away from his targets. At this point however, I'm not so sure. Don't even know if Gregus is staying with us. Every transfer window there's a load of unwanted speculation which usually leads to disappointment or despair so I posted this thread on the assumption that we will be working with what we have and anything else would be a bonus. OK we still don't know who will be leaving apart from the seven? already announced, so maybe we'll be raided and have to do some fancy footwork in the market, but as Natasha points out ad nauseum, it's difficult to see who would pay decent money for the players we have - or at least enough to replace and improve. It's clear that Dougie has focussed on the pipeline of development talent so far, and there may yet be an interesting signing or two, but this thread is all about how we might go on with the squad as it stands. And I think that we'd have a chance if miraculously everyone played to the best of their ability. I just don't think we have a lot of options if they don't. It would be good to find out what people think about this as in just over a week the silly season will begin and we'll have to deal with all manner of unsubstantiated rumours, theories and downright bullshit.

Oh ye of little faith. IDWT.