Summer Clearance

To be fair to BamBam Sow signed for Fenerbache in Jan, fairly cheaply too. We are sure to have a fight to resist offers for Tiote. Ba will sign a new deal and Guthrie, Lovenkrands, Smith and Simpson will leave. Krul is one player who isn't going anywhere.

We need a RM, 2 x CB's, LB, Striker who can play wide (not Sturridge but a player like him)

 

I think Guthrie will stay, though we'll have to wait and see. If we make Europe and he gets a couple more starts (with or without Tiote he should start against WBA) then I expect hsi contract will sort itself out

 

No it wouldn't be fair. We have finally found his role and I think we need to let him stick to it. Personally I'd put Santon in for Williamson. Comfortable with the ball, and that is the thing that is causing us the most problems at present. Williamson is so shot confidence wise, he is scared of the ball. Once he drops his first rick we just go long and lose control of the game. Santon of course is a right back but I think Colo could mmarshall him through and allow Willo to get himself sorted out up top.

 

When Perch played at CB he did a good job and with Collo beside him he seemed to get a bit of confidence.
Williamson since his injury has become sloppy and I'm fed up with him hoofing the ball back up the field to the opossing team.

 

It is awful once the long ball starts. The thing is, we usually start quite well which is why its even more frustrating! But as I say he'll drop a rick, and then he doesn't want the ball and they're scared to give him it. I think Perch has done alright on occasion at cb to be fair and against certain teams he might do ok. But any team that whips in crosses and has a presence up top and he struggles. Not his fault though because he is 100% a defensive midfielder for me. He is better with the ball than Willo, and if you gave me the choice of either Santon, Perch, Kadar or even young Streete instead of Willo at present I'd take it. I actually think Willo can get back to doing a decent job if gets taken out of the firing line. He'll never be any great shakes at this level but he is well below his best.

 

I swear that free-kick where we lump it forward to Williamson to head across the box never works.
Williamson, is the best natural CB we have at the moment.
Watching him against Norwich, was horrible.
I was expecting him to hoof it, but he dilly dallied. We were lucky not to conceed.
But we got the important 3 points, and hopefully Pardew and annihlated him in training and after the match.
West Brom next week should be a very difficult game, hopefully we don't play the suicidal high line.

 

If its Long and Odemwingie, then Willo must come out. They'll murder him in current form. Again I see Santon and his pace as the answer.

 

That may well be the answer, but we all know Pardew is going to play Williamson and Colo at CB, Simpson RB i'd like to see Gutierrez at LB again as he was awesome!

 

Jonas didn't surprise which pretty much sums him up. Different class. If it wasn't for Perchino playing out of his skin, I'm sure he'd have got a lot more attention.

 

Another great game against Norwich. Always gives 100% too.

 

Santon is having a hell of a time with the defensive side of the full back position. He is a confidence player as well. Sending him to play CB will just end up bringing his confidence as low as Willo's.

Perch would do fine in CB is he can grow 6" by Sunday. Otherwise, there's no one but Willo, unfortunately.

Tell him "When in doubt, hoof it out" and leave it to Collo to do any interesting work needed.

 

Poor old Colo's brain is going to be tired out with all the work he's having to do, never mind his body.

 

Gutierrez worked so hard, brings a tear to ones eye.
Him and Colo obviously work stupidly well together, nice to see such cohesion.
All we need is Saylor back.
I hate hoofball but for Williamson, that's should be his gameplan.

 

Not convinced it will. He is having a torrid time playing out of position at left back. In an ideal world I'd be getting in his natural role at right back (noticible improvement when he went right side on Saturday) The problem he has at full back, particularly on the left, is getting too far forward. That won't happen at centre back (unless he starts thinking he is Albert). Santon looks a confident boy and rightly so because he is comfortable on the ball. I watch a fair bit of the Primera Division and a lot of Spanish sides don't worry about putting full backs and midfielders at centre back. They take the view the best form of defence is to have the ball. I tend to agree.

 

Possession is nine tenths of the law.

 

He's having a hard time adjusting to a new league, a new language and perhaps a position which isn't his best, though it is one he has played for a lot of his career. Giving him a brand new position to play, one that he has almost never played in, is likely to just make things worse.

If he was working nicely at full back, then I could see that he might be able to take on a new role. Asking him to try an unfamiliar role while he's still tring to get to grips wit his familiar role is likely to result in a horrible performance at CB and interference with his progress at full back.

if we are talking about playing someone out of position at CB,I'd go with Tiote. he isn't small, is decent in the air and he knows how to defend. We have replacements for him at midfield in Guthrie and Perch.

I'd still start Willo over Tiote, but I'd prefer Tiote to Santon

 

To be honest I saw him play centre back at Inter on occasion and he did well. But to be fair he had a lot better defenders around him at the time! I also think Tiote is an option but I'd have no quarms about Santon either. I am pretty much 100% that Willo has to come out. Its killing him at present. He is isn't as bad as some are making out or his current form suggests. He needs protected. As long as they are comfortable in possession I think they can do a job at centre back. They key for us is to start like we have the last few games in terms of moving the ball around and playing out from the back. The difference is huge.

 

If he was relaxed and happy, then he'd be a good option. Maybe next season, I just think now wouldn't be a good time

 

Can I quote you on that?

 

if those 4 go I'll put my arse in Fenwicks window