As I said before^^^^ Youth is the way forward but the opportunity we currently have is way too good to risk.
We are in a great position but must now make the final push. No one knows what injuries and suspensions are just round the corner. Better to have one too many strikers than one too few.
Yes,that's true but we shouldn't spend loads of money on lots of players,neither should we play loads of youngsters all at once. Buy one or two players and slowly play our youngsters,mix it up a bit.
It's a perfectly reasonable point of view which deserves a respectful response, even if I disagree entirely. Nigel already agrees that we have a great squad, and he is not interested in buying similar standard players in just to strengthen the squad. He has said he wants to bring in better players, those who can compete in the EPL. They will have to fight for their places against the current players and the up and coming youth. Competition for places is what keeps the standard high. When all our players recover from injury I hope Nigel has a difficult problem or two. The youth players need to get match experience under the right level of pressure. Cup games, last 20 minutes in a game already won are great for this. Some players may not be helped by being forced into a pressure game due to an injury or suspension. If they good enough, then they are old enough but it may set them back if they have a bad performance in a vital game.
glad to have stired up the passion. I can understand those that want to `strengthen`, but with who? Rhodes div 1 hotshot, Hooper has had 2 good season in 7 years-is it worth taking the risk or breaking the bank. I would say Connoly is a better player than these guy but has his fitness problems, but we have Guly and now Lee in reserve. How much depth do you guys want. We almost went broke by trying to buy the title. Who is on the market that would improve our midfield- who would improve our defence? For me it is better to wait until the summer, Jan is the wrong time to buy as the player normally has the edge over the club
Hooper won't want double what our top earners get. That would be 5 times more than he currently gets at Celtic (although Celtic are talking about improving his deal.) If we doubled his wages he would still be behind Fonte, Lambert and Lallana. I would assume we would make an offer for him at around the same as those 3 which would be 2.5x what he is currently on. Pretty reasonable for a player such as him to be amongst the top earners at Saints. I agree about not buying many more though. We need backup players in the main. Looking to the future Guly, Lambert, Davis, Richardson, Butterfield, Connolly, Hammond, Fonte, Hoiiveld are all 28+. Several are getting ever closer to the time when they may start to become past it. Hate to say that but some may be able to play on like Giggs and Beckham while others may start to wane in the early thirties. Yes the kids will be coming through at the same time but we can't bank on that. We must have options whilst allowing the youngsters to also have a chance.
Hooper 2 good seasons in 7????? Hooper aged 23 GS = Games Started SB = Started on Sub Bench S = Goals 2005/2006 - Grays Athletic GS = 16. SB = 19. S = 9. 2006/2007 - Leyton Orient/ Southend. GS = 7. SB = 22. S = 4. 2007/2008 - Southend/ Hereford GS = 30. SB = 6. S = 13. 2008/2009 - Scunthorpe GS = 30. SB = 0. S = 30. 2009/20010 - Scunthorpe GS = 33. SB = 6. S = 20 2010/2011 - Celtic GS = 35. SB = 1. S = 21. 2011/2012 - Celtic GS = 27. SB = 3. S = 16.
And that list starts when he was 17. those last 4 seasons from 20 years old. that is a good record IMO
I would say 1 goal in every 2 games is the minimum a lead striker is aiming for so yes his 2008 season was excellent 1 goal a game, but at Celtic its a little over 1 goal every 2 games ( do not know if he takes penalties) so I would say he is slightly higher than what is expected . Will not get him anyway- why would he want to come to us, and people are saying buy him for 7 million. We have gone through a rough patch but we are still top and the team to beat, stop panicing- this squad is strong enough to get us promoted. From then its a different story
Whether you think we need new players or not, we're going to be signing some so...happy days really. We could cope without anymore, but if we're really serious about going all out for promotion this season, which Cortese, Adkins and the players clearly are, then we have to aim high and strengthen in certain areas to make sure that performances like the one at the weekend are consistent.
Having gotten ourselves into this position in a league that is notoriously hard to get promoted from then we must do everything we can to take that chance. If we 'just miss out' we can all say oh well we'll try again next year but like I said on another thread. I would not be betting any money on us repeating what we have done so far this season. Once in the position we are in we have to take the chance.
Isn't it a bit of pot calling the kettle black calling people idiot when you have been asking for people not to bully or be condescending towards others. I don't think we should sign players if they are not a step up in quality, there is no point in spending money for the sake of it. Still if we can grad a few bargains I will not complain at all . Finally it is worth mentioning that in the Premiership 7 subs mean that there is more scope to include youth members in the squad.
I dont entirely disagree with this point of view although I can also see the need for perhaps one or two additions. For people to say he's mental just for having a different and contrevisal opinion is ridicolous and it isnt even like he's being negative!
13 irst team players out I believe, yet we are still getting the points, squeaky bum time yes but still top and doing better than anyone would have thought. Unlikely that we will have such problems again this season.Adding new players may spoil the mix, look at the Foxes good individuals but not a good team
we should always be looking to improve where we can, lets not stagnate, Im sure NA would not buy just for the sake of it
it is quite strange, we still have a small club mentality, when Arsenal paid 12 million for Oxo alot of us said he will be worth it, yet when people here start talking about buying a player for more that 5 million then our arseholes contract, (when I say arseholes, this is not directed to you JOEY B personally), if we are to spend then we should aim for someone that is head and shoulders better than what we have (within reason) and not just add more names to the payroll.
How bout if the head & shoulders price tag does not live up to his reputation. How bout if it upsets the whole continuity of the team. Its not just a splash of cash, theres more to risk than just beans. I'm all for improving, just think we need to consider the consequences of spending £7M on one player.
