Getting any result against Arsenal and Tottenham, even at home was never going to be easy. Losing or draws against Palace and Everton and the writing will be on the wall I guess, probably meaning the Championship next year. Whatever happens we have failed to cope well with the premiership again. Harry for me is the main reason, not ensuring our squad was adequate. You can't play a season with one main striker and have players not fit for purpose. Zamora. Ferdinand, Kranjcar, Wright-Phillips, and unfortunately, Hill and Dunne are just too old or not good enough. You can probably add Traore and Hoilett to the not very good. Taarabt for whatever reason has been a waste of a squad place all season. Green and Austin have been the standout players, and Fer just stated playing good when he was injured. Whatever happens I hate to say it but there is a massive squad rebuild needed.
Sadly, I somewhat agree. Yet, I don't think an overhaul of the size you suggest is in order. I think we have suffered more from having a lack of players for the right positions rather than simply having players who are not good enough.
The oldies will need replacing but I'm still pretty happy with our squad (not the injuries though). I wish we'd have hung onto Mutch though because we never saw his best and he'd probably have started one of the last two games. Part of my ideal for the club is letting players fall in love with it and playing for many years. Wholesale clearances don't allow that
Unfortunately in the modern game its hard to keep the good players long enough for them to fall in love with the club and you can be left with the dross. Like Remy last year if we go down its likely Austin and Fer will be off.
I agree with Matt's reservations about making wholesale changes, but wouldn't shed a tear if the eight you've listed leave the club, with the possible exception of Clint Hill (but that's just inconvenient nostalgia on my part). Whether we stick with Chris Ramsey or not, I'd like to see the likes of Furlong, Doughty, Ehmer, Greco-Cox etc. given extended runs in the first team in the Championship. We simply have to see what they're made of, don't we? It would be great to hold onto Green, but McCarthy is decent enough, certainly at that level. No way is Austin going to want to stay if (when) we go down. I wouldn't blame him for wanting out; it's taken him an age to get to the PL, so why drop down again just when he's proven he can hack it there? Besides, we'll get a decent wedge for him too, I'd imagine.
Green McCarthy Furlong Harriman Ehmer Donaldson Onuoha Caulker Yun Robinson Doughty Henry Fer Faurlin Sutherland Greco-Cox Phillips Hoillett Manning Comley Petrasso There's the basis of a squad there. Add some Premier loanees, a couple of old heads and a 25-goal striker and we could have some fun.
I would shift Green, Phillips and Hoilett from the above. Green has been good for us but it would be time for McCarthy as no 1.
Top Post North - at last someone who actually can see the wood for the trees. I remember one of our most famous 'sages' who actually said Andrew ' the cripple' Johnson over Charlie Austin any day of the week. Top post North.
Squad yes that's right let's dream up a new list of players I like to think in a future and it's not over til it's over Our fan base is dreadful currently Get behind the team until the maths says NO only then is it over Honestly can't understand people We were so lucky to get up and the ego of one man did for us but it's changed now so get behind what we have now and think about dream football in the summer and if we fall then we go again However long it takes we should rejoice the Pratt is behind us
My list was supposed to demonstrate that the OP was wrong and that under Ramsey we wouldn't necessarily need to rip it up and start again.
Hoping we can still make it to safety but seven losses out of the last eight suggests we need to change it fast.. That said strange things happen in football, but like I said with Palace and Everton up next we need at least one win. I won't give up hoping and supporting until its impossible. However this is about the squad we need to rebuild should we stay up or not. For me this squad does not have depth.
You're quite right of course, it's not over until the fat lady does whatever she does. But, to survive we need to win 5 or 6 of our remaining fixtures, do you really think that is going to happen? Heart says maybe, head says not a chance!
Unless we give new contracts to failures and the walking dead a massive squad rebuild is inevitable, we haven't got much choice have we? Isla, Vargas, Zarate, Krancjar, Barton, Faurlin, Henry, Zamora, Dunne, Murphy, Hill all out of contract. May not miss some of them, but it's a lot. Austin will surely leave, plus Fer. Rumour that Chelsea are after Green as cover once Cech leaves. We have Caulker until 2018 though.
All of them if they can't be replaced. Only if we find good replacement would I let them go. I actually don't care about a player's age, etc. I care if they can do the job and want to be there. If we can't get a young player to replace, we still have to make up a squad so I'd keep them until replaceable.
