Paper Thin Squad/ Transfers

I sat back and listened to various phone ins and watched message boards and everyone seems to think our squad is in a terrible state once you get past our starting 11, but I think otherwise.

Firstly looking at the squad registered with the FA we have a total of 64 players (including the under 21's)
and think we have plenty of cover in ALL positions. People seem to forget we have a lot of versatile player who can and will play where ever they are told to and are mostly happy to do this and Pardew has got the team playing in different formations to accommodate (4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-4-1-1)

Starting up top with the Strikers: Ba,Cisse, Shola (though people right him off), Ben Arfa (alongside or behind a striker) Adam Campbell - I know he's still young raw and learning the trade, but Rooney and Owen were thrown in at younger ages on bigger stages so why not. If push comes to shove, play him along side one of the big lads. Even Harris Vuckic can play in advanced or behind the striker, if we are struggling with injuries. Hell we even have Xisco and Ranger if we are really struggling, still think Xisco never got a chance.

Midfield - we are fit to burst with midfield talent Jonas,Marveux,Cabaye,Tiote,Bigi,Amalfitano,Obertan (who I'd like to see played through the middle),Anita, Gosling,Ferguson (who can also play left back),Abeid, Sammy Ameobi.

Defense - Santon,Saylor,Williamson,Colo,Perch (who can play anywhere),Simpson, Good, Tavs the last two if we are struggling. But you have Jonas and Anita who can drop into defense if you need them to as well.

People are going on about Simpson out, his cover was Raylor who got an injury you can't account for, but you have: Perch,Anita,Saylor who can also slot into that position to. So had we signed Debuchy (as much as I'd have like to) we would have had 7 players who could play there plenty of cover.

The emphasis is on bringing the youth through and the only way to do that is to play them, which is what Pardew is trying to do in the Europa league by playing the odd first team player and putting fringe players and youth in there. which can only bode well for NUFC, cause with the more matches they play the strong the whole team get's.
People may say he's not taking the Europa serious, he may start playing more first teamers as we progress. But he also said we were ahead of plan, we are somewhere we didn't expect to be and it's giving NUFC chance to blood a lot of our younger hungrier players.

The first team are looking average at the moment, so maybe the competion coming through may give them the push they need.

Alan Hansen famously said about Manu, "you can't win anything with kids." But they did!!!!

So before people panic about what team we have, I think we need to consider how versatile the team is and what great young talent we have chomping at the bit to prove themselves.

 

No one could have seen this amount of injuries happening to one position, and no one can really prepare for it, but we should have signed another fullback and another CB.

Our squad isn't paper thin, it just needed 1 addition to 3 different areas, then I was set.

 

No you can't account for the injuries but RB you have Simpson (hamstring), Raylor (cruciate), Anita, Perch,Saylor who can cover there. LB is the weakest side, Santon, Persh(again),Ferguson,Anita(again), Jonas if needs be.
CB - you have 3 out and out in Colo,Saylor,Williamson. Perch again can play there so still quite a few options as cover.

You can't bring in world class players and expect them to sit on the bench.

I just don't things are as bad as people are making out.

 

Hansen mustn't have heard of the Busby babes.

 

I agree. If you can recall, I've always been saying that we don't have a paper thin squad, all we needed, really, was just a fullback and a CB.

The thing is, we're in Europe now, and if we had a couple more additions, I'd say we'd have a chance, which means a lot of games, which means your whole squad is very much involved in the campaign, not just your starting 11.

That's the beauty about being in Europe. It's not about who's your strongest 11, it's about who's your strongest 20+.

So if we brung in Douglas and Debuchy, well Debuchy would get a game easily. Douglas could easily challenge with Saylor for strongest 11, but the one that turned out 2nd best would still be heavily involved.

So the players that I think we could have brought in, wouldn't have been disappointed bench warmers.

 

Agree with this 100% and this is what I've been urging people to consider. There is no point in having a youth system if we are going to buy squad depth and rule them out of the equation. They need opportunity. Also we have to show some faith in the likes of Perch. As noted on another thread we are not Man U etc and cannot expect to have 2 for every position and then a raft of young players to back it up. Our squad depth has to come from youth and utility players.

In an ideal world we'd have signed Debuchy and knocked Willo down the pecking order by one by signing a CB. But we are not desperate in any area. If people think we are then I can only assume they don't consider Willo, Perch, etc and the young uns as realistic options. That being the case you'd have to sell them. We are slowly improving the quality of our squad window by window.

 

Yeah can see your point mate, he's doing a decent enough job of rotating the squad for now.

Just getting hacked off with the moaners on Total Sport giving it the I told you so we should of signed x,y & z and Ashley is lining his pockets bullshit

I heard a rumor that we tried to bring Micah Richards in on the last day of the window, whether that is true I don't know.

 

Don't think so, he's injured, that's why they got Maicon.

If he was fit, he'd be a fantastic buy, but I think he'd cost too much and be on too much wages.

 

Bang on the money, we can never keep up with the like of ManU,Chelski etc. who have to full starting 11, one for Europe and one for the league.
The way we are going about it is spot on, and though the players stepping for the injured may not be on par with who they are replacing once the full squad are all pulling their weight they'll pick it up and cover the short fall.
We have some **** hot youth players as well, Anita is looking good (Better at RB IMO), Bigi was class when he came on against A Vile, Amalfitano looks promising from what I've seen.
I don't think Pards has been sold short at all, I think they've looked at their targets tried to get them and it didn't all come off. But we had players who can fill in and provide the cover.

People need to back off a bit and give some of the players a chance, as frustrating as Obertan is you have to remember he's only 23. I'd like to see him played in the center of a 5 man midfield and be allowed to run through the middle and have the confidence to shoot cause his crossing is terrible.

 

Like I say just a rumor, might have been a loan move it that is the case. Not sure if he is injured or not.

 

this

 

I have this to say....
Firstly, our squad is not paper thin. Compared to 1 or 2 seasons ago it's already strengthened reasonably. However, bear this in mind: We are competing in the Europa League. Also, We are challenging for Champions League.

How does a squad improve.... The most important thing is to have COMPETITION among the positions. Which is why I am unhappy that the board refused to bring in any FBs(utmost importance) or CBs(lesser importance because of Perch). Is there anyone remotely giving Santon and Simmo a run for their money at those positions? No. What if one of them goes down now? We have no quality backup. Given that you guys say the Anita, Perch(stop mentioning him, he can play anywhere, but can't play everywhere) can play there...Granted they could. But with the schedule we are having, we could easily play 5 games in 2 weeks and I don't think you guys expect Perch to play 450 minutes of football in two weeks can you.
Also, we're not asking for world-class players to sit on our bench...we're not even asking to buy world-class players. EVEN IF we did get world-class players, what's wrong with them having to beat out our decent starters? If you told me we are bringing in Kompany, I'd gladly bench Saylor because Kompany is a better player than Saylor. Plus, you can't foresee injuries. Look at Man U last season, they lost Vidic halfway through the season, they did not have enough cover(something like us now), had to play Carrick there and were horrible and exploited.

Furthermore, it's not as if we don't have the money. Its the board refusing to move out of their rigid setup. If you had a terrible headache would you take the bus to the hospital to save a few dollars, or would you hail a cab/taxi and relief yourself of that misery earlier?