I have given this a bit of thought in the last 24 hours and I think we have suffered very badly from Steve Bruce's and Roy Keane's to some extent, policy of huge personnel changes every 6 months in the transfer windows. You simply cant have real growth and development by overhauling your squad and team every 6 months and there is a distinct lack of cohesion and understanding within our team at times and it was eventually a major factor in SB losing his job. We may need to hang on to quite a few of the current squad that some (me for one) would rather see the back of and actually adding to rather than selling. Players like Gardener, Vaughan, Turner, Richardson and Gordon should be retained and maybe a couple of forwards, a left back, central defender and a pacy midfielder will be the only additions this summer, with a further 1 or 2 players coming in January for the first season. There will be some who have to go and some who will not be retained of course and that's fine but the core of the current squad may well be better kept and built on. We don't have a great squad but we have a better one than we maybe give credit to and with 4 or 5 key additions they could be improved as a bunch that have had a full year together. With only another 4 wins all season for instance, and it was the the lack of strikers not chances cost us most dearly, we could have finished with 57 points? That's not a hard ask or that hard to achieve with some 'tweaking' not major work. To move 5 or 6 on and recruit 6 or 7 in, means a whole new gelling period again and that isn't what we need. We've been there and its not a place I want to go back to. Marty knows best of course but massive changes may have a negative effect not a positive one imo. Thoughts?
The key will be how much money Ellis lets go. But I think he will do right by us, then again, other clubs might offer more for players than we can afford to turn down. And the problem arrises, if those players are the ones we want to keep the most, prety sure bids will come in for Sess and Gyan, one Id like to keep, and the other can **** off.
the most sensible post for a long time, read i still like gardener post its realy the same train of thought as you , feet on the deck
I have to disagree, the team isint how MON usually sets up and a lot of players are not gelling. The Man Utd game showed just how disjointed our team is, i think major surgery is needed to break into the top 10. I really do fancy around 7 to 8 coming in and up to 12 leaving.
Maybe we have to be realistic mate and realise that massive changes are not good for the long term development. A bit of realism would be good for us all I think. Me included. However, I dont see this as a negative stance but one that may pay dividends witha bit of team spirit and bonding they are all going through.
A few will go like Richardson, Gordon, and probably one of Turner or Bramble. Depending on how many forwards he brings in I can see Ji going out on loan with maybe Wickham as well. Hopefully a good and natural left back will be brought in which we have need for about 5 years. We have cover at the back over loaded in midfiled so i can see maybe one or two of them going. It is going to be an interesting summer and MON turned Villa around from a midtable side (when he first took over they finished 13th I think) to a top 6 side over a summer and he did not spend big in his first season.
We all know two strikers and a LB are deffo's but think the rest of the squad although not brilliant are OK. Looking at some results this/last season we did OK against some top teams and at one time were not that far away from the Europa league so the nucleus of decent players is there. More time to gel and a pre season with MON will imo see major benefits next season. Would like a bit more pace but would be happy with 3 or 4 players in as opposed to wholesale changes.
Have said it on many post's recently , I honestly think MON will bring in 3-4 max , players who will walk straight into the first 11, followed by a couple to strengthen the bench. Really don't see many more coming in. Regardless what others think about our defence the stats show that we were not bad in this part of he pitch, better defensive record than Arsenal , better than Newcastle and equal with Chelsea , that is three of the top six, so in reality our defence and defensive mid-fielders did a decent job. Our main problem as we all know has been at the other end of the pitch, if you look at the stats from Sess and the chances he creates and the delivery we have from both flanks I think we would all agree with the benefit of a genuine goal scorer we would have easily finished in top 8. Because of all this MON has stated his priority will be 2 C/F , throw in a creative attacking M/F and the luxury of a real L/B and I think MON feels he has enough to push top 8 to 6. As Cest asked in the OP this is not the time for wholesale changes, that is because they are not needed.
For me, a player who knows where the back of the net is has got to be our highest priority...As has been said previously, we need quality rather than quantity, so just a couple of quality signigs should do it...
dont understand why everyone wants 1,2 or 3 defenders we have one of the best defenses in the league it's strikers we need and maybe a very good attacking midfielder and were sorted imo.
Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has told Scotland international Craig Gordon he can leave the club. The record British signing is out of contract at the Stadium of Light and has played just one game in the last 18 months. Belgium keeper Simon Mignolet, who is due to play England before Euro 2012, has been established as the Sunderland Number One under O'Neill this season. The Sunderland boss wants competition from Republic of Ireland keeper Keiren Westwood, who is expected to fight for his place next season after losing his place through illness on New Year's Day. Gordon has attracted interest from Scottish champions Celtic although his £35,000-a-week wages could put them off. There are also concerns about Gordon's fitness after he spent so much of the last three years recovering from serious injuries. Firm favourite: Mignolet has claimed the No 1 jersey as his own Mignolet, who made three outstanding saves in the final day defeat to Manchester United, said: 'It's way too early for me to say that I have shown people in England that I'm a top goalkeeper. 'I learn new things in every game and in every day's training. 'Since I arrived at the club, I played the majority of games and as a goalkeeper that's what you want to do. I am going to work hard in pre-season once again and show the gaffer that I am ready to play again.
Have no problem with Mig being number 1 keeper, getting better week on week and at only 23 in goalkeeping years still a baby. Gordon has been unlucky with injuries and whoever gets him will be getting a very decent keeper.
yes i agree its not easy to move on the dead wood as proved in the past untill we get rid of some we cant buy and improve and keep adding to the squad at the moment the squad is of fairly good quality but not good enough to take us to the next level MON will buy and build us that squad
Gordon is, in my opinion, surplus to requirements, and it is sad that we are not going to get any return on the huge fee we paid for him...
totally agree with this post, constant re hauling is a factor that is halting our progress, we need a left back, some decent strikers, and RM. That an replacement for whoever will leave obviously.
