Was going to write a piece last night highlighting a few pre-season thoughts but felt that many of you would simply take my head off for highlighting what i see/saw as existing problems with our team. This is not a reaction to todayâs match but my genuine thoughts as to where i see us now with the players we have. Although i fully understand our confidence and enthusiasm for the coming season, I think too many on here were letting their heart rule their heads when predicting a top ten finish and European football etc etc. I love this club. I too am confident that we will have a good season this year, but maybe sadly for me i am also a realist. I don't often let my heart rule my head. Letâs look at some fact then. We finished 17th last year. We stayed up on the last day by the skin of our teeth. You have to ask yourself why? Simple answer is that we were not good enough across the whole team. As fans, we all love our club and too often look at it with rose tinted glasses. We don't like to hear neutral or negative comments about our club as we tend to ignore frailties or obvious problems that other fans can easily see about our team. Considering that we just stayed up, I expected to see quality signings. Our biggest weakness is in the heart of our defence and this has not been addressed. Ferdinand was Sunderlands 4th choice CB. He is not a leader and is inconsistent. Hill IMO is also not a top CB and is in his last season. He should only play when others are injured. He has great heart but no pace and turns like the titanic. With this partnership we are in big trouble. I really expected a new CB. Looking honestly and objectively at our summer signings i think we could and should have done better. You must consider that Green, Hoillett, Nelson, Fabio (Loan) were all free signings. No great outlay here. Here is my take guys. Rob Green. A decent buy. Considering that we don't have an unlimited budget, getting him for free was a decent bit of business. He may have had a shocker today but he will earn us lots of points this season. Fabio A strange signing for me. Just remember Macheda. This is a young player with promise but Utd are sending him ou to get experience. He will make lots of mistakes. Think we needed an experienced LB. IMHO not any better than Traore. Nelson I know we need more leaders but again I have doubts here. If he was still capable of playing at the top level then surely Spurs would have kept him. A journey man at this stage. Not the commanding CB we so obviously need. Diakite A good buy and a player with lots of promise. Too many on here see him as our corner stone but he is young and inexperienced and is by no means the finished article. Still has lots to prove. Hoilett Good buy. Great pace and still learning the game. No risk with this purchase. Johnson Another strange buy. Probably ok as a 4th choice forward but no real goal scoring record. Park Great buy IMO. Experienced, hard working and knows this league inside out. Considering all of the above, a strange set of purchases. Now ask yourself the question. Are we really that much stronger than last year. IMO, I think we have improved enough to stay out of the bottom six, but to talk about top ten etc etc with the above purchases is way way left field. Plenty to still be positive about. We have improved as a team and squad but remember where we are coming from. We are still weak in certain positions, once they are addressed we will be alright.
Was going to write a piece similar to this regarding our pre-season and todays game, but backed out at the last minute, seemed too knee-jerk. Spot on regarding Ferdinand/Hill etc, couldn't agree more. I highlighted our defensive problems throughout pre season and that was highlighted today. Holes left right and centre. Nelson is also not the answer. Also agree about Park, thought he gave a captains display today. So obvious that he's been plying his trade at United all these years. Disagree with a few points however, I think Fabio is a brilliant footballer, whilst inexperienced he is definitely not in the same mould as Macheda. Will give his all. A lot of worse full backs at many other clubs and I think its an astute piece of business by the club. Can also play left or right back and probably in midfield as well. Agree that Diakite has lots of promise but I personally believe hes overhyped by many at QPR. Technically poor and very clumsy. Will also give many fouls away, never ever seems to have his head on. Will come with age I guess but he's far from the player a lot of fans think he is IMO.
Good points NUTS, I have to think some were signed as squad players simply as they were frees. A Samba style centreback is absolute priority now and those who thought we were ok in that department will have seen the light today...
Got to agree, our central defence is awful Hill,Ferdinand and Onuha look Championship at best.Taarabt cannot be given a free role.For me he does not distibute the ball quick enough.When he gets the ball he has to treat us to his fabulous array of skills before passing it on.Everything slows down when he is on the ball.Swansea showed how to move and pass.Still early days and once again its all about survival, anyone who thinks otherwise should think again.
I fu*king hate when I see our fans doing that. It makes them look so fu*king childish. Yet every year its the same damn story.
