I still believe if this current team had Green, Bartley and Wood in it then we’d be top 6 as we’d still have had TC as well. That’s also assuming Bartley had remained injury free
Orta has had problems in the past with his signings who come good later, like Bamford and Trarore to name just 2. So it is possible that Gomez, Grot, Cibicki, Ekuban & LDB will do the same? LDB looked great and what we needed when he arrived, Grot has scored 3 in 3 for the U23s and Cibicki has scored 2 in 1 and both he and Grot do look different class in the U23s. I expect PH to give both a run out and you never know they may be bargains. Ekuban looks impressive when he puts himself about as he is a pacy powerful striker, but has fired blanks. Confidence and goals are missing. Been on long term injury twice, so can he do it and the kid Gomez I have no idea why he is the first team squad, but ....
I think he was to complacent thought it was easy to get into top 6.Hopefully he has learned a big lesson nothing comes easy in this league.Look at the money Villa WED Wolves Boro have spent and 3 of those will be here next season
Football fans always want to blame the management. Usually it’s the coach, if there’s a DOF then he’s another target, after that it’s the owner. Specific players come in for vitriol especially if their commitment appears less than 100%, but rarely the team as a whole. I would suggest we follow the money more. The fact is the 4 clubs with a squad worth over £70m are all in the top 6 - Wolves, Fulham, Villa, Boro. Ours at £47m puts us outside the top 6 (which is where we are). Not saying you CAN’T get top 6 with a cheaper squad, Cardiff and Derby say you can, but 4 of the top 6 are the most expensive squads in the league. Money talks. Next, look at our signings. You can follow the money again, in the main. Our spend has been £25m. Of that the top spends have been Forshaw 4.6, Jansson 3.6, saiz 3.2. All 3 I rarely hear anyone moaning about. After Roberts who hasn’t played (2.6) it’s Alioski at 2.2 another player I think adds something. The problem is where the rest of the money went: Sacko 1.5, Klich 1.5, de Bock 1.5 FFS, Grot 1.4, Cibicki 1.4, Wubble 0.5, Ekuban 0.5, Halme 0.5, Ideguchi 0.5 I don’t think Orta has signed a lot of gold, in fact I think the signings have been largely disappointing, but we don’t know what brief he’s been given. On signings, Rad has spent a net £4m, that’s all. He bought ER which is good, as it’s now rent free but obviously has no impact - this year - on the team. Rad did spend £25m on new players before deducting sake of Woods and compensation for Taylor. Seems to me we need another £25m spend, this time on about 5 players (we know the positions). Following the money says they are much more likely to perform and also (with no good players leaving) would give us a squad worth over £70m. No I’ve no idea if Rad can find that money nor if he has the appetite, but I think if he does not then we will continue to pray we can be the one club like Cardiff that bucks the trend.
Sad to hear the news that Ken Dodd died yesterday aged 90. An amazing and natural comedian that loved to make people smile
Was Orta responsible for Traore or was that down to the previuos manager Kranker I think he was responsible and what a player he his unlike Ashley Fletcher a complete £8m flop
Morning Eire. So many players say what they think fans want to hear; I think I'd put Forshaw in that category. For some reason I think Jansson is sincere.
Morning ristac. Well said. The guy has a young family ffs. Absolutely unacceptable. They should be ashamed of themselves. Social media needs to be better policed.
I was about to point out the exact same and you saved me the bother. Its amazing some forget our best players being sold and not replaced, thats the real reason were a shadow of last seasons team and likely reason Pontus is pissed off. And of course hes not gonna hang around for another season of this
As about 10m was spent on players who either have not featured, or we wish they hadn’t (see my long post above) it’s really a negative spend, in a sense
