Half of our team on Saturday played together in Division One. You can't buy that kind of unity. Of course we will need to strengthen but I don't think you should underestimate the togetherness of our current squad and how important that can be when asked to put in that extra bit of effort. The difference between us and Manchester City was obvious in this regard. They are a bunch of (very talented) mercenaries, we are a team. I agree that the manager has some responsibility, Mancini's body language has always been awful when his side isn't playing well.
Bit early for this, but I think we will get in 3-5 players in the summer, but suspect the core of the team will be kept together. Team spirit has been forged during the last couple of seasons and is something you can't buy. Evolution not revolution.
You missed my point. I know how good and important the unity is, however the last few posts had suggested no need to sign anyone, or don't sign anyone or we won't sign anyone. My point is that the squad is currently not at the level that the clubs expectations are and so additions to improve it will be made.
Garth picks Puncheon in his team of the week. In defensive midfield. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21405640
You realise that he just picks the best 11 players of the week? it's not specific to certain positions.
The template is obvious with what has happened at Swansea over the past 2 seasons. They too have kept a core to the squad (Williams, Rangel, Britton, Dyer, Routledge, Monk, Tate, Augustien, Moore) but have suplimented it with real quality to fit the style of play and add to the quality. What's more they have don't this whilst losing players to big money deals (Allen, Sinclair, Graham) and bringing through the odd gem - it's worked beautifully. Thankfully we are in a position where I don't expect any/many of our key players to willingly move in the summer (with the possible exception of Schneiderlin, Ramirez, Boruc, Puncheon and Cork if a big club came in, but unlikely). We also have a better youth system than Swansea and a better profile in europe (although, granted, laudrup gives swansea profile). I'd be over the moon if we spent good money on 4/5 first team players next season and that's fully what I expect to happen. Who says you lose the unity by doing that? Chaplow, Fox, Lee, De Ridder and others will doubtless be moved on and Puncheon, Ramirez, Rodriguez, Yoshida and Lambert will have to flight for their places - but that's no bad thing if it's done correctly. We have to strive to improve.
Only 3 of our starting XI vs City played together in League 1 (Schneiderlin, Puncheon, Lambert). Hooiveld, Fox and Cork were signed in Championship pre-season and Boruc, Clyne, Yoshida, Davis and Rodriguez didn't even play for us in the Championship. Nevertheless, yes, we definitely have very good continuity of players. Our rise through the divisions makes it especially impressive, as some of our long-term players of course were League 1 players not too long ago. One may expect a team to have risen as rapidly as ours to have signed virtually a new starting XI having reached the Premiership.
You could add that subs, Frazer Richardson and Adam Lallana were also League One colleagues, so throughout the match, Saints fielded 5 Saints League One players. Then there's Fonte, Guly, Chaplow, possibly Butterfield and SKDavis, if people get injured or lose form. I'd actually forgotten how many of the guys were still around the first team squad. I count 10 players, without the guys on loan elsewhere. It kind of gladdens the heart somewhat to have them all with us.
I don't think that the number of incoming players can be predicted, because we will looking for specific players. Some will come, some won't and as the quality of our targets rise, the more we compete with the glamour clubs. If we only signed two players in the summer, that would be because those were the players who were willing from our target list. Others might come in January or the following year. I am not impatient about this. It's the direction not the speed which matters to me. Provided we control costs and maximise income to stay on a proper footing financially (who doubts that with NC at the helm?) we should be climbing the Premiership over the next few seasons. Looking forward to it
