I reckon that here are a few things that O'Neill will need to sort out and sort out fast - given that managers have no time in the current game: 1. Decide if anybody will partner Bentdner in the majority of games and if so who? Wickham or Ji or Campbell when fit or Noble. 2. Decide if we need a fifth striker in the January transfer window. 3. Sort out the players who didn't feature under Bruce but have been around for several years - something that only our club seems to do. Was it Keane or Quinn who set up silly money contracts so that players don't want to leave even though they aren't getting a game? i.e. decide if Nosworthy, McCartney, Kilgallon, Angeleri, Riveros and Gyan are to leave or to stay at the end of the season. All of them being loaned out for so long is a ridiculous situation - maybe the contract situation is more complicated than I think? 4. I fear that Cattermole is struggling (as much as I like him as a player) is he to retain the captaincy? I think the middle of the park should be Colback and A.N. Other - but who? I think Gardner has struggled but Vaughan and Myler could feature. 5. Decide what Richardson's and Sessegnon's best positions are? 6. Does he welcome back Bramble with open arms after his misdemeanours and give him a clean slate? 7. Does he give the boy McClean and the boy Laing a game and some experience? We've heard great reports about them both but Bruce didn't give them a sniff. It's not going to be an easy job. I'd love to hear what others think is a top priority. Hopefully he will interrogate Black and co for insider info and we will get that vital win against Blackburn at home when he first takes charge. I'm not an O'Neill fan but I will back him and wait to see - considering a ball hasn't been bloody kicked yet! Finally, I have always thought he is a bit of his rocker at times (maybe thats part of being a great boss). I found this interview interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SVpwFMd0OY&feature=related Roll on 4 o'clock! Peace Out!
Well he will be the manager so erm *looks up* yup i agree that and a lot more, but thats why he is the manager!
On Bendtners performance today I think he would be looking at who partners Ji. I don't think Cattermole is struggling the problem is he is having to do to much, said elsewhere Colback was totally anonymous today and he should have been subbed just after half time. Not dissing the young lad he just wasn't on the ball today. I think MON is smart enough to realise we aren't good enough to carry passengers. Which is what we normally do with Richardson with our central defenders being dragged out of position to make the tackles he should have.
buy around 20 new players for next season's 25man squad? lmao! joking aside there is only Mignolet, Westwood, Brown, Richardson, Sessegnon and Larsson that I would stick with from the first team squad as for the rest they are available for the right price I aint saying sell them all as this aint football manager but in 2 or 3years time I would hope the ones that I have named are the only ones still at the club
Earl grey or pg? It would have been so different have wolves not cleared Sess's chance near the end of the 1st half.
He needs to get to grips with the fitness levels, too many times this season we have lost the game in the last 30 minutes. You could visibly see it yesterday, Larsson ran out of steam as did Cattermole, Ji, Bendtner, Ricco & Bradsley and Wes Brown looked paggered towards the end as well. It's not good enough at this level, even the Korean manager blasted Bruce for turning Ji into an unfit player. Get the fitness levels right then work on who we keep or who we get rid of.
That was the thing about Keano Welder. He said that the squad he had back then wasn't the most gifted technically. And so to make up for it, they would be the fittest. And how many times in that championship winning season did we score goals in the final 10mins? It was a big reason why we shot up the ladder and won it imo. Everyone one the pitch yesterday looked jaded and lethargic. Bendy just stood and watched the ball half the time, and never ran in to space. The only ones running were Bardo, Richardson and Super Sess. The rest were to busy gasping for air.
First of all he needs to think of a new central midfield. Neither Cattermole or Colback are good enough to be in the team every week, I'd have them both backup at best. People will say they are both good players. My opinion is we've got the worst centre midfield in the Premier league this season with them two being regulars, when was the last time we dominated a midfield battle? Cattermole runs round like an 8 year old chasing back trying to catch someone and Colback is turning into the new Tommy Miller by trying to play Casper the friendly ghost in the middle of the park. Sooner we can get Meyler fully fit the better and give him a run of games with Vaughan, I can see that being a much better partnership. I really do think that the midfield is the reason we are doing so badly. If we had someone who could pass a ball in there and break play up we will be a much better side. Oh yeah, we could also do with at least 1 new striker in January.
Mingolet makes shop dummies look like they move their feet more, far to many goals we conceded were down to him. Richardsons goal yesterday, thanks to dreadful keeping it has to be said, is going to gee up some more support like when he scored against the Mugs. Totally over riding the fact of the matter he is crap where ever he plays the vast majority of the time.
For me we need to sort the middle of the park out, Gardener is a quality goal scoring midfielder and he has not been given a sniff yet, is it any surprise that our 4-0 win came with him in the side. Personally I think Meyler is the man to partner him in the middle. We lack any threat from midfield with Colback and Catts. At the moment I think our best strike force would be Wickham and Noble. Bendtner has not done it since he came here but Wickham looks dangerous and Nobles record in the reserves speaks for itself. Having said that I think we will end up buying someone in Jan. At the back Bardo and Richardson are doing well at full back although I can see Oneill using Richardson further up the pitch. A centre back is a must, Oshea looked dodgy again yesterday and Turner will not be able to stay fit all season. In short we need 2 players a striker and a defender. I can also see MON selling a couple and bringing in a full back or winger. Personally I think MON will get the best from Richardson and we might see him finally become the player he has occasionally shown he could be.
We've got players who can control midfield, we just haven't used them yet, Meyler for one, Gardner, Vaughan and even Cattermole if we can get him to calm down a bit butfor me, we are caving in too easily in the later stages of games. That's all down to fitness, when you're tired you make mistakes and it was blatantly obvious yesterday.
See you ommited Colback from that list mate.. You a fan or his or not? Personally i think he's been hyped up to something he ain't, but maybe that has been down to how bad the team has played, and he does have extra in his locker...We'll see.
I personally don't think ANY of our players are performing to their abilities and that's down to poor management, whether it is Bruce or Black. I do expect big changes from MON and i think young Colback, as well as Meyler will flourish under his management. At the minute i'm not a fan but i beleive there is more to see.
