With talk soon to start about who we are going to be linked with in the summer it got me thinking with how good we are playing at the minute as a squad with players getting injured and the lads who have came in proving to do just as good of a job were will we strengthen? With regards to our squad, when the season ends we will be left with... GK - Mignolet, Westwood, Carson RB - Bardsley, Angeleri LB - Richardson CB - O'Shea, Brown, Turner, Kilgallon, Bramble, Laing, Egan CM - Cattermole, Vaughan, Gardner, Colback, Riveros, Meyler, Knott W - Larsson, McClean, Elmohamady, Cook PM - Sessegnon CF - Campbell, Gyan, Ji, Wickham Looking at that squad were do you think we need to strengthen? IMO GK - Unless Gordon who will be out of contract signs a new contract we will need a new goalkeeper to come into the squad. RB - Need more competition at that position and even though Bardo has done quite well would like us to bring in a really good RB. LB - Its upto Bridge when he gets a chance to show what he has got if he doesn't we need someone to challenge Richardson. CM - Depending on Gardner, if he goes and I think he will we need another central midfielder. Would love to see someone who is different to anyone we have had before, someone with pace and good techical ability, someone who can pick a pass and get a few goals. W - MoN loves pace in his side and in counter attacking football it is a must, someone like N'Zog on the right would be fantastic CF - Depending on Bendtner really, if the lad wants to stay and would drop his wages to fit into our wage budget I would keep him, knows the setup and has been good this season. CF - IF Gyan is prepared to come back then we don't need another a striker but if as it looks like he will stay at Al Ain would love us to go for a big money, top class striker he will get 15-20goals for us. As for players leaving I would like to see the back of... Carson, Angeleri, Riveros, Elmohamady Laing, Egan, Knott, Cook and Ji all to go out on season long loans to gain some experience.
We need to buy players who bring more quality but equal levels of commitment and energy the players are now showing with O'Neil. In my opinion this is where in the past we have always gone wrong. We build a strong squad (2 top 7 finishes with Reid) but then buy 'bigger' players who fail to take us to another level. Keepers look in great shape, defence is what 3rd best in the league?? Why would you change that now? Midfield is strong also. Maybe 1 world class striker (are they going to come here?) Not being negative and certainly trust O'Neil to buy the right players. Just hope the expectation levels dont go up too rapidly as that is where we have failed in the past. Looking forward to tonight like!!
I think I would prefer to wait till seasons end and see how the actual players perform. As for challenge Richardson, one game where he actually managed to make tackles does not a good left back make.
Thanks to the loan signings I'm currently happy with the squad however if they's one position we really need to strengthen it's up front. After that I'd be looking at full backs on either side. Pointless signing players who aren't going improve the first team though unless they are academy players.
Highest Scorer Sessignon Scored 9 assisted 10...Next comes Richardson assisting in 8.....Hes done that mainly from LB out of position....Not Bad???
Got to say I didn't think Ricco had contributed that much to be honest. A pleasent surprise. Let him battle his midfield/Left wing slot with the other midfielders and get a natural left back in for me though.
Not sure where you getting your stats from but the official Barclays premier league stats state Sess 7 assists and it dosn't even list Richardson (it only goes down to 5assists) Can't remember the last time Richardson had a good game, and when Bridge gets up to speed can see a long spell of bench warming coming his way
So Richardson has miss kicked the ball to a Sunderland player on 8 occasions. Stats mean absolutely nothing! Same as possession having the ball for 70% of the game means nowt if you did nothing with it.
Wasn't sure where he got his stats from, I just took his word, me I go by what I see on the pitch, always have always will.
I am not going to argue with Mackems rule again about Richardson, I rate him but I still think we need to buy a LB. In my opinion we need to go for real quality. I guess it depends what happens with Gyan but I think we need to get a quality striker in, like when we signed Bent, like when we signed Cisse, like when we signed Gyan. Bendtner is not good enough for me, Campbell has shown the sort of player we need. I would also like to see us go for Samba, the lad is quality would improve our side. If Bridge proves himself and will take a pay cut then fine, if not we need to be looking at maybe someone like Ryan Bertrand from Chelsea, a quality young player who cannot seem to get a game for them but is a regular for the 21's Our biggest signing in the summer will be Sess if he signs a new deal.
You bloody will argue with me. How dare you say you wont argue with me! Are you too good to argue with me now? Are my opinions valued so lowly, they're not worth correcting?