On the face of it, you're absolutely right. I share your concerns about the summer recruitment and you could argue that we seem weaker than the Wembley side in almost every position with the possible exception of the wing backs.
However:
- Only the 'most claret-tinted happy clapper' would have predicted promotion last year after 4 points from the opening 5 games (the same as we've got this year)
- Only the 'most claret-tinted happy clapper' would have predicted that Curle would develop Vadaine Oliver into a sought-after league-one-standard striker and Charlie Goode into a £1.5 million Championship centre back
- Only the 'most claret-tinted happy clapper' would have predicted that we would reach Wembley after the 2-0 home defeat by Cheltenham
- Only the 'most claret-tinted happy clapper' would have predicted that we would beat Exeter 4-0
My point is that 1. Curle has consistently defied expectations and 2. Curle has a strong track-record of developing and improving players (particularly centre backs - Pierre and Wharton being further examples).
A look on this site this time last year would have yielded very similar posts. We are not the finished article yet and it's too early to judge the impact that players like Horsfall, Racic, Sowerby, Rose and Seal will have once they are fully attuned to Curle's methods.
We've got quite a large squad now and I don't think it's necessarily the case that we need loads of new signings. However, I've said before that bringing in a couple of experienced, vocal leaders in defence and midfield could potentially be a calming, nurturing influence on the youngsters around them and would make a huge difference to our ability to compete at this level. These are also the type of players who would potentially be available as free agents.
Interesting and readable post. Don’t necessarily agree with some of the Claret comments but appreciate the point made. At least there is an air of positive reasoning. Good to read comments free from OTT posts.