I'm not surprised we're not spending this winter judging on Short's recent spending, the man won't take anymore risks. But if we do stay up that's another 70m to us and this time it's disposable income. No excuse for not spending heavily this summer.
I don't think Short has spent as much as some people are saying pal. summer just gone, spent about 14m, the summer before that PDC broke even, yes O'Neill spent over 23m but Short must of got that back with the new Tv deals. bruce broke even & Keane spent loads but that was under that Irish Group.
I'm not so sure that spending too much is the answer we need. A lot of bottom half teams will look at Giaccherini, Rodwell, Alvarez, Van Aanholt, Vergini, Johnson & co and wish to god they had a squad like that. It's not the spending that's wrong here. We're not organizing what we've got and not getting the best out of them. I'm not seeing a team here.
I agree about we not getting the best of the players we got & Poyet gets the blame for that but this squad will not keep us up. we need a wing & a goal scorer.
I think this squad will keep us up Ginge, pivotal game coming up against spurs this wknd & is it an omen to kick us on like last season?
I can see us getting smash again & Poyet will moan again. if you think we stay up then thats your opinion but I can't sorry.
The first year of tv deals cleared our debt mate. He's not given much to Gus. considering he's worked on keeping a zero net spend while he sorts the books out it meant Rodwell was the first player we've actually spent money on under Gus. So he's given Gus 10m. In fact that10 million is the first real player investment that Short has made since the window we brought DG in. That's tight. I understand it and I'm happy to know we're not a financial disaster waiting to happen but if the right player comes up this window he has to take the risk and release some funds. He has to, not only that he has to give us a war chest in the summer.
Ok, but let me put it another way. Fletcher has never been a Darren Bent level scorer, and he's just come back from injury early this season. But is 4 goals what you'd expect by January? Wickham is coming on - he was someone to lend out to lower Championship teams last year, and at least is looking a capable Premiership squad player now - but the goals have dried up. Altidore can play for U.S.A., score goals against e.g. Germany, Nigeria, and a hat-trick in Bosnia - but he can't do it here. Do you see what I'm getting at? It's all well and good going out and blowing £20 million on a new proven striker - but is he going to deliver here any better than £13m Fletcher, £8m Wickham and £6m Altidore? We're talking £27m total there - and not one out of the three of them can do it at Sunderland! It's easy for us to come on a forum and have a slate-Altidore week, or slate-Johnson week etc. But when none out of three strikers can do it, it begs a whole new question, doesn't it? Would a new expensive striker do any better - at Sunderland? Why can't we get players to do as well here as they can for other teams? - that's the question.
Well not because we don't create enough chance. Our front three needs a lot of investment. Inside forwards who have pace and can create and a striker that can actually play football. A lot of investment needed. We need hell of a lot more than one striker you're right mate. This is something we can't blame Gus for. His obvious tactical limitations on the other hand we can blame him for.
Fair enough but I got this feeling Mr Short is doing what the Villa chairman is doing & that is to spend nothing from now on. I think Mr Short is happy with 4 from bottom pal.
Maybe, but still not sure, funky. Giaccherini could do it at Juventus. Alvarez has a couple of Argentine caps (and let's face it, with Messi, Tevez, Higuain and Aguero about, that's not an easy attack to get into at all, is it?) Ok, it's still early days yet for Alvarez, and Giac has been injured. But we're still not hitting Juventus and Argentina levels with them. We have players who could do it better elsewhere. I don't have any answers. It's the question that worries me.
I think most of us know it's Poyet style of play whats killing some of our players & we all know Poyet isn't going to change the style so if we don't bring in some players what can play his style then we going to struggle pal.
They're quality players fella, but they're both slow as hell. the lack of pace is crippling and as much as rate the two lads they'll never bring the pace we need. Technique alone isn't enough, just like Buckley's pace alone isn't enough.
So what's he going to do with the 60 odd million profit we'll make this season? Leave it in the bank to gain interest? Give the board members a nice pay out? He can't take it for himself, we don't owe him anything as he converted his investment into shares. They'll be hell on if we don't spend in the summer. Hell on.
Spot on, like I said on the other thread, both are slow & weak to play on the wings. both can do a job in the hole tho
