We already had Austin when we were sniffing around Duvan Zapata. Austin signed on August the 1st, the Zapata stuff was a few weeks later: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/fo...join-ex-Liverpool-boss-Rafa-Benitez-at-Napoli Remember that picture of him at a nondescript airport which a QPR fan managed to locate.
Still, it doesn't change the fact he had three months to fix the striker and CB position and failed dramatically and instead bought ****e like henry and O'Neill.
I would settle for another striker. We are well covered with attacking midfielders, Kranjcar and Benayoun.
After the last two seasons, I always thought that our big test would be when we lost a couple of games. Everybody at the club, including the players and us, the fans, had our confidence shot to pieces. I'm sure that when we went a goal behind at home to Wednesday we all feared the worst. Fortunately we had a good run of results instead, but we still expect it to go wrong. If we had lost the first few games I believe we would have struggled badly and would be looking over our shoulders now, not at the teams in the playoff places but in the relegation places. I, personally, think that most of the players who weren't playing last season have done well: Simpson, Barton, Austin, BAE, Dunne, Phillips and I don't think that is a coincidence. We need to get behind the team now. Its easy to support the team when we are winning, but now is the time to encourage and support the team, not moan and groan the first time hoilett shoots straight at a defender. Then again I might just be talking crap.
Failed to fix the striker position....Austin seems to have done well to me. We will hopefully see another arrive in January. I would guess we wanted another preseason but couldn't get one Harry wanted or Tony would pay for. Failed to fix the CB position....broke a club record didn't we? Or did I imagine that? Either way the defence has been one of if not the best in the league. Considering the amount of change in the squad/team I think that's pretty damn good. I'm clearly confused about what you are moaning about (again lol) Flyer!
Agree with this! One more striker required and someone to make things happen please. Carrol can go back to Spuds sorry not been good enough for us IMO.
Carroll has probably been thrust into a position of greater responsibility and expectation due to the unfortunate injury to Ale who was getting back to his best by the looks of things. Don't think HR can be overly blamed for this; last season we were fortunate to get a fantastic (and much more experienced) loanee in from Spurs thanks to HR's connections, this time things haven't worked out as well but there are extenuating circumstances.
Yeah don't disagree with any of that mate. I was certainly not laying blame anywhere, was just stating that the kid hasn't cut it and we would be better trying someone else IMO Maybe that's why benayoun has been brought in.
Carroll, Granero, soon Benayoun, all ****ing useless, not good enough for us, not built like oxes or with the disciplinary record of Ronnie Biggs, must be crap. No heart, mercenaries. Beats me what Harry sees in them. Footballers perhaps, but thats not going to get us out of this league is it, playing ****ing football!
Not interested in this guy personally. He was at Millwall wasn't he? Don't recall any rave reviews from his time there but I may well be wrong
A touch too far maybe mate lol Carroll hasn't cut it IMO... But that's all it is, my opinion. We have some gifted footballers at the club who have cut it. Benayoun may well be the best bit of business we have done in years...let's hope so!
Just preparing myself for the inevitable 'we need to be more direct' calls.......fact is we have loads of good footballers at the club (Henry about the only exception), we are a whisker off the automatic promotion places, and yet we are playing a very inconsistent, strange brand of football.. The only place to look is the coaching staff. I don't think Carroll would be passing sideways all the time (he doesn't by the way) or Simpson or BAE would be refusing to overlap unless they had been told to hold on to the ball at all costs and risk nothing, ever. We rarely get enough bodies in the box, and haven't for a very long time - going back to Warnock. I love passing football, but this version needs to be beefed up and get some intent and risks in there.
We have one good forward and our cb pair has a combined age of 70. We need 3 forwards and 2-3 CBs. Both still need to be fixed. Both clearly weren't fixed as proven by the desperation signings of chevanton and oneywu.
Being 'more direct' doesn't necessarily mean aimless long balls. We could be more direct by passing the ball forwards more often.
