All the pre-season talk has been to bolster midfield and attack. However, I think a lot of people are glossing over our defence failings of last season................ A quick glance of the league shows the Toon goal Difference -1.............whereas Liverpool +15 in 6th place. Is Harper really a top 6 goalie............is Simpson capable of improving?...........will Coloccini get his positional play sorted? Thoughts?
Harper - Experienced PL goalkeeper & loyal servent. Simpson - Solid but unspectacular RB who can improve. Colo - Key player now & has improved loads since his debut season when we got relegated. I don't hear many fans saying Colo the ''Clown'' anymore. Edit: A versatile defender wouldn't go a miss though. Someone similar to Baird's(Fulham player) quality, not Perch's!
Its wierd because everyone's been saying we are too weak up top but our defence is good. Our last game finished 3-3. I think the standard of the defending generally has been quite poor though. West Brom, West Ham, Wolves etc were all taken apart easily by a suppousedly 'weak' strike force.
Harper, we dont know if he is top 6 but he only has one year left realistically and then I'm confident Krul will develop into a top 6 keeper. Colo is consistent, reliable, and generally excellent. Williamson is seen as cover IMO and given he's played nearly all season we've done OK, Saylor looked great last few games and looks like playing next year ahead of him. Enrique, nothing needs said, I'm sure we will replace quality with quality though. Also I think Simpson should have at least this season to sort out his backing off issue.
Wolves only scored two goals in two games - hardly took us apart. ahhh my bad, just re read your post lol
Attack and defence need strenghtening although the strengthening of the defence is not as important or as necessary imo.
Agreed. Part of the problem (especially once Carroll was injured then sold) is that none of the other strikers can hold up the ball, or really even control possession. Combined with a makeshift midfield for a lot of the season as well, similar problems. So with stronger attacking play, and less weak turnovers leading to counter attacks, I think the back line will look a lot better. Plus I don't think Colo, Simpson, or Jose have peaked
Have to say, if we judge our defence a lot of us do it with toon tinted specs. Harper - good keeper, not great. Krul slightly better imo. Simmo - average RB, improving all the time though. Was our weak link in the Championship and is now a decent Premiership RB. Saylor - on his day is our best CB easily. However has to prove he is consistent and not injury prone. Colo - decent, everyone overlooks that he is weak as piss and ****e in the air. Also still makes a fair few errors. Jose - Beginning of season = one of the best LB's in the league. End of season = pathetic. Was terrible. Willo - good Championship, good back up for a lower/middle Premiership side.
I wouldn't call Simpson solid. He's weak as piss, a very obvious weak link in our back four if you ask me. I agree about Harper and Krul too, great lads and Harper has been a very loyal servant of ours but they aren't great. Our midfield, when fit, is top six material imo. As are Jose and Coloccini. Taylor isn't the best defender but he gets goals and Simpson definitely needs to improve. I'd be delighted with the following... A quality right winger Keeping Jose New RB Two new strikers Job's a good un!
