This is a major factor, plus flexibility. The squad should be increased not reduced. That's despite some here buying into the Allam's stinginess and saying we only needed one more signing. It's always the lazy easy way out to blame players as well. The fact is the management tactics we've had the last few seasons have been patchy at best, with players apparently not even being trained much on attacking moves.
People seem to missing the point. Before this transfer window we are probably around 7 players short of a decent Premier League squad size. Niasse and Evandro are welcome but untested additions. If we get rid of Livermore & Snodgrass we are back to square 1 - albeit with 2 better performing players replaced by 2 untested ones. That's a gamble of epic proportions. The only sense of Marco rubber stamping the Livermore sale is that he cannot add 7 players without funds (with the 5 loan players in a squad rule). I'm hoping this is the case, and judging by Marco's start, I would trust him to spend £10million wisely (Ehab interference notwithstanding!).
He can't really play on the left can he. Of course you can put him there, but he's been **** every time he's played there.
You'l soon get used to the emperor, darth vader and the storm troopers Change is not good is their religion
Crikey... I left home at Page 132 this morning and have been playing catch up... many differing opinions and some valid points on both sides. Whenever a fans favourite leaves its disappointing, BUT as Tigress has said this has to be great business for someone who 18 months ago was having his contract ripped up and was an £8 million black hole for the club. As others have said, Jake has been steady rather than brilliant, anonymous sometimes and couldn't hit a cows arse with a banjo when shooting much of the time and watching him turn and change the point of attack for me was always his biggest weakness. We did the right thing by him the season after he had been here on loan, because without City he'd be at somewhere like Charlton now IMO. OLM raises the point about bite in midfield and I'm very much of the opinion that if the game calls for it Harry could easily step into their and flatten a few people, he's probably a bit quicker than Jake too. I'm a total covert to MS in a short period of time and whatever he decides is good enough for me.
As a new coach you inherit a squad thats unbalanced You have no right sided defender, no wingers, no real creativity, poor strikers Some in the squad probably arnt your tyoe of players that will fit your preferred style of play One of those you can recieve decent funds for that will allow you to strengthen in the areas youve identified as lacking Seems sensible to me Systems overall are more important than individual players But i would be gutted if we lose snodgrass, hopefully he fits marco silvas footballing philosphy
I think your bang on the money about maguire, ready made replacement plus it keeps him a little bit away from our penalty area
7 players to give us squad depth - you think 15 is enough. Rule of thumb is 2 players for every position and with a few players able to double up you should have enough cover for injuries. Huddlestone & Livermore centre back partnership? Dio having to play up front on his own. I'd suggest were easy 7 short of a full strength squad.
You know we ended up filling our 25 man squad? Unbalanced yes, we need a couple in key areas. Not squad fillers of which we have plenty (along with injuries). We need first team quality. And that costs.
Bury have signed former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant until the end of the season. How the mighty fall.
It surprises me that people expect a new coach to love the same players as much as the ones that signed them , he will have his own favourites and his own ideas what he wants from a player - whether it ends up right or wrong is what he is paid for , should he just ring Steve Bruce and Ask him who to play midfield every week?
I'm not too concerned with Jake leaving. I've seen a few people talk as if he's been our player of the year. He really hasn't. £10m is a decent wedge as long as it is reinvested. I've just seen that Lansbury has gone to Villa for £3m, shame we couldn't nick in on that.
