Sky sports understands we have opened contract talks with Catts over a contract extension. Settles that one. He's obviously key in Mons plans.
I hope they include a comprehensive list of rules & penalties in it to punish him financially should he get carded or bring the team or club into disrepute. Not just the normal contract!
If mon can get catts playing like he did against man city at home Iam more than happy for him to stay.
If he can go a season without a ban he will be a very valuable member of our team and we will be a better team for it. He needs to learn how to shoot though because at the moment he is adding nothing to the attacking side of the team.
Cattermole = good without the ball, useless with it. Think he will be ok for next season but after strikers/left-back/right wing the central midfield must be looked at next summer as we cant compete against most teams as that area just doesnt offer any goal threat.
Well this could be the second minor mistake by MoN, the first was not bringing a back-up striker in Jan (even on loan would have been OK), now unless Catts finds a couple of yards of pace, the ability to pass more than 5 yards and can actually manage to get a shot of target now and again, and not get yellowed/redded in every game. As defensive midfielders IMHO Jack is ahead of him and we need to see if Meyler is now fit and OK cos, he is quicker and taller than Catts so he can win more headers. So as DMs go I think Catts could end up as 3rd choice DM. Still what do I know MoN is awesome the way he rescued us from the spectre of relegation last season..so he will probably turn out to be right.
Not sure I agree with you that bringing in a loan striker in Jan was a mistake, the team was flying even with Bendtner out injured the day after the window closed and Frazer came in and was great for 4 games until he was back. The Bridge loan was also partly successful as Ricco went out injured so there was no more space for loanees as we took up the allocation of 2 loans and whos to say that the striker would have even scored? Plus MON did try to bring in Davies its just sometimes you cant get what you want, hardly a mistake from big Marty O. Agree with your other points though about Catts.
MON gambled in January and lost when it comes to a striker, did we go down, no, would we have finished top ten with a striker, probably.
What was available though? Davies seemed the only option, we asked the question but he chose to stay at Bolton. Don't think we could have gone and spent alot of money in January either
How did he lose? you cant predict the future and like Parker says, who was available? We might have finished below 13th if the new striker missed some of the chances that Bendtner put away and if they played against Norwich instead of Frazier we might not of won so you just cant say. Its a fine line, if that linesman didnt flag off-side against him at Villa we would have been top ten.
Before MON took over I'd have been happy to let him go due to his woeful distribution. Now though he has sorted that part of his game back out (though I bet the majority will never realise this) I'm glad.
