Interesting if true

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I would argue fervently that LJ was left a better squad than Holden was or Pearson looks to be. Apart from Bentley we do not have a single player worth more than when we signed him and certainly the only player capable of stepping up to the prem.

Below is a list of 11 players that LJ had when he walked in through the door.

Williams still a 1st teamer at Blackburn.
Flint back in favour at Cardiff under Mcarthy.
Ayling playing in the prem.
Smith a mainstay for Swansea.
Reid playing in the prem.
Freeman on loan to Forest from prem club.
Baker on loan from Villa (LJ eventually paid 4.5mil for him)
Wibraham.
Pack back in favour at Cardiff.
Kodjia (scored 20 goals).
Bryan at a prem club.

There is no way that there is 11 players of similar calibre in our present squad.
Maybe, so why couldn't Cotts manage them in the Championship?? Should have been, by right a much easier task..!!!
 
I would argue fervently that LJ was left a better squad than Holden was or Pearson looks to be. Apart from Bentley we do not have a single player worth more than when we signed him and certainly the only player capable of stepping up to the prem.

Below is a list of 11 players that LJ had when he walked in through the door.

Williams still a 1st teamer at Blackburn.
Flint back in favour at Cardiff under Mcarthy.
Ayling playing in the prem.
Smith a mainstay for Swansea.
Reid playing in the prem.
Freeman on loan to Forest from prem club.
Baker on loan from Villa (LJ eventually paid 4.5mil for him)
Wibraham.
Pack back in favour at Cardiff.
Kodjia (scored 20 goals).
Bryan at a prem club.

There is no way that there is 11 players of similar calibre in our present squad.


and yet Pack and Smith have been part of the midfield you claim has been a problem for 3-5 years. Make your mind up...
 
and yet Pack and Smith have been part of the midfield you claim has been a problem for 3-5 years. Make your mind up...

Yes I did say that and it's true, but to be totally accurate I also said the were great individual players, but 1 they don't play together anymore and 2 there is far more to putting 11 very good players together on a Saturday, the goalkeeper and his defence, the strikers and especially the midfield have to compliment each other. And because we have been incapable of that we lost players like Eliasson.
 
Because that argument doesn't fit the criticism :emoticon-0105-wink:

I know I'm being pedantic, but you are correct, so much criticism of a certain manager, yet when you break the arguments down, such as above, you notice 'their arguments' have no basis, other than their opinion, very few of the digs at him are backed up, or compared against the current climate, or in any way in context. As an example, the anti-LJ brigade will constantly bang on about his 65 odd signings across 4.5 years, but how does that compare to other Championship clubs? No idea, as they never verify it, but use it as a weapon as it' suits their narrative.
 
I know I'm being pedantic, but you are correct, so much criticism of a certain manager, yet when you break the arguments down, such as above, you notice 'their arguments' have no basis, other than their opinion, very few of the digs at him are backed up, or compared against the current climate, or in any way in context. As an example, the anti-LJ brigade will constantly bang on about his 65 odd signings across 4.5 years, but how does that compare to other Championship clubs? No idea, as they never verify it, but use it as a weapon as it' suits their narrative.

Where was the criticism? please show me, it was an observation.
 
SL wanted shot because of their summer fall out and cut his legs off in the transfer market.

That is your opinion and you're entitled to it, I don't recall it that way. I agree that City screwed up the Maguire transfer for SC, but that wasn't the case for Gayle, or Gray. It simply came down to they chose more established clubs that presented less risk to them.

It's the same for manager's, maybe we didn't look past LJ, but perhaps SL, also knew until we were established - which was far from a certainty when SC was cut loose, he knew we had to look at a cheaper stop-gap option. To me, LJ did better than SL and most of us expected for the vast majority of his time at City and only really failed his brief in the final year. What would we give to be going into the last game of the season with a shot (albeit slim) of the play-offs as we did several times under LJ.
 
Wasn't aimed at you per say, it was a general sweeping statement.

With the present squad only Bentley would better himself at the moment, Kalas might get a similar type move, a couple of youngsters might get a 'one for the future' type move, DaSilva would need to prove his fitness, the rest would struggle to get a transfer to a better club.

The squad is weak in skill and weak in physicality. The recruitment has been getting worse and worse and the investment never comes when needed, January.

That's why we are where we are.
 
With the present squad only Bentley would better himself at the moment, Kalas might get a similar type move, a couple of youngsters might get a 'one for the future' type move, DaSilva would need to prove his fitness, the rest would struggle to get a transfer to a better club.

The squad is weak in skill and weak in physicality. The recruitment has been getting worse and worse and the investment never comes when needed, January.

That's why we are where we are.

Agree completely
 
That is your opinion and you're entitled to it, I don't recall it that way. I agree that City screwed up the Maguire transfer for SC, but that wasn't the case for Gayle, or Gray. It simply came down to they chose more established clubs that presented less risk to them.

It's the same for manager's, maybe we didn't look past LJ, but perhaps SL, also knew until we were established - which was far from a certainty when SC was cut loose, he knew we had to look at a cheaper stop-gap option. To me, LJ did better than SL and most of us expected for the vast majority of his time at City and only really failed his brief in the final year. What would we give to be going into the last game of the season with a shot (albeit slim) of the play-offs as we did several times under LJ.

The Gray deal was set up and the then CEO similar to the Maguire deal tried to get him cheaper, Brentford needed the money for their own recruitment, closer to the deadline they sold him for 50% more than the offer they accepted from us. Gayle was a panic negotiation and has never been worth close to price that he has been touted for.

Yes he did do better than expected, I have always said that but then he didn't and it has been downhill ever since, certainly product wise and recruitment wise.

The similarity between every single SL managerial appointment has been control and that has not worked, it is time for a change to a different policy.
 
The Gray deal was set up and the then CEO similar to the Maguire deal tried to get him cheaper, Brentford needed the money for their own recruitment, closer to the deadline they sold him for 50% more than the offer they accepted from us. Gayle was a panic negotiation and has never been worth close to price that he has been touted for.

Yes he did do better than expected, I have always said that but then he didn't and it has been downhill ever since, certainly product wise and recruitment wise.

The similarity between every single SL managerial appointment has been control and that has not worked, it is time for a change to a different policy.


I thought we went after Gayle first? Do you really think that Gayle hasn't proven he is/was worth £9 million in the Championship:emoticon-0108-speec:emoticon-0108-speec
 
I thought we went after Gayle first? Do you really think that Gayle hasn't proven he is/was worth £9 million in the Championship:emoticon-0108-speec:emoticon-0108-speec

Nope Gayle was a panic negotiation after the sabotage of the Gray deal. In fact SL tried to get Gray again leading up to deadline day but the price had gone up.

Well he's still at Newcastle and rarely playing after being offered for transfer on multiple occasions and strikers are always coveted by championship teams vying for the play offs, there has to be a reason.
 
Nope Gayle was a panic negotiation after the sabotage of the Gray deal. In fact SL tried to get Gray again leading up to deadline day but the price had gone up.

Well he's still at Newcastle and rarely playing after being offered for transfer on multiple occasions and strikers are always coveted by championship teams vying for the play offs, there has to be a reason.

My mistake, I always had it in my head it was the other way around - I stand corrected. WBA wanted to buy Gayle last season but Newcastle wanted £20million.

I would say his return of goals to games in the Championship is/was worth £9m every day of the week....

He is another example of knowing your level, deadly in the Championship, not so good in the Premiership.

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