Reports from the game yesterday and general interviews and chats with the gaffer in the last week, seem to suggest that Bruce is more than comfortable with his squad for the new campaign. He has used and looked at both Wickham and Won and seems to like very much what he has bought. I think Won looks to have been a bit of a surprising plus for him and adapted very quickly to the set up here. He has been singled out for praise by the manager and may just play a bigger part that he or we first thought. He was likened to a 'Peter Crouch' style player by Bruce in an interview yesterday, signs maybe that any thought of signing a similar player now are far from the mark. Sessegnon too has been highlighted as a striker rather than a midfielder and will, it would seem, be lined up to play alongside Gyan. They certainly wouldn't disgrace the EPL and indeed would represent a very fluid and pacy attack but my concern is what happens in Jan/Feb when the African Cup of Nations is on and we lose BOTH of them, maybe Gyan right to the final? Would Won and Wickham be capable of holding the fort for 6 weeks in that crucial time when the club has slumped badly for 2 years running? Could Bruce affords to gamble for a third year in that post Christmas period we seem not to be able to handle very well at the best of times? The N'Zog transfer saga rolls along week to week and its still very mush up in the air where he will end up and although we are linked to just about every striker in Europe at the moment, Bruce is either playing a very clever game of cat & mouse or, he truly does think we have the squad we need. Maybe he will keep his powder dry to the January window, in case of injuries? My feelings are that he would like to bring Welbeck back even on loan but that too is very much up in the air and may well be a January loan deal when Gyan and Sess head to Africa. I'm also convinced that he sees N'Zogbia as the final piece of his 2011/12 jigsaw and a major target but the fee involved is a sticking block. I dont think wages is the problem and I'm not convinced the tabloids have any idea of his demands in that department at all, unless of course they have hacked into his bank details? So, is our transfer business over? Maybe. If the deal isn't right for CNZ then it wont happen. I dont think we are actively looking for a striker over and above Danny Welbeck and if he cant be brought in, no-one else will be coming in this summer IMO. Its N'Zogbia and Welbeck on loan or its the end of the spree. Either way,IMO I feel totally confident we will be ready for the Liverpool game in 3 weeks and the derby game afterwards of course and that the 11 he could put out as it stands today, would be good enough to get us off to a good start.
Still expecting SNQ and SB to spring a surprise in August. I personally believe the squad is stronger and we will get DW back in January so not overly concerned if the spree is complete. Just bring the season on, excitement starting to kick in.
I hope not because i still dont feel we are as strong as last year, for one reason, no replacement for Judas Bent. I think we and Bruce can blame injuries as much as we like the end of last season but Bent hit us hard and i cant see a replacement for him. Yes i do agree the midfield should score more goals but without a top top striker i fear we may struggle to get any higher than last season. I hope im wrong!
Hope not. While our squad is no doubt much stronger than the start of last season, I think that our first choice XI is weaker. No Bent, no Wellbeck, no Nedum, no Mensah, no Jordan. No matter what we think of the different ways individuals left us they were all big players, straight onto the team sheet when available. I'm delighted with the signings, I just think we need one more player - someone who will win us an additional one match in every 3 or 4 games - the extra points that would provide us with a better finish than 10th last time out. Don't mind if that extra player is N'Zog or an out and out goalscorer - although I'm concerned that Gyan will miss quite a bit of the season, what with the occasional knocks he picks up, and international duty in January. Agree that, from the little I've seen and heard, Ji Dong looks the business - but it isn't very often that a young striker comes in and performs for a whole season. We might well need reinforcements by January.
IMO our starting xi is just as strong as last season I think that the new signings more than make up for Ned and Jordan leaving (Seb & Craig are just as good players as Jordan for all I love him he did have quite a few off days periods of games. Defensively we're stronger O'Shea is more experienced than Ned) however I'd still like us to sign another out and out striker as Sess is an attacking midfielder who can cover up front if necessary, but 4 strikers would give us more options and cover for injuries Gyan being away. Think that Won and Whickham will both quickly settle in and prove themselves. PS this was meant to be part of earlier post but my bloody phone posted before I could finish.
If SB is considering Sess as striker then i see us having plenty of options up front. 2 tall (ish) on Ji Dong and Wickham and 2 small agile players in Gyan & Sess, mix and match to suit the opposition and we have great flexibility up front
What I want is Welbeck on loan and left footed left midfielder, i dont care if its N'Zogbia or not, and tbh we should let Wigan lose him for free.
As much as that would be funny as **** to see, it's not going to happen. With Arsenal sniffing around Jagielka, if that happens Everton then have the money to put a bid in for Nzog, and by all accounts they will. I've read Villa area ready to up their offer to 10 million this week from 9! ... And then there's the usual links to SAFC and Newcastle. More than enough clubs interested to see N'zogbia on his way. Either way I wish he'd join someone sooner rather than later! ... Out of curiosity if he doesn't sign for us, wonder what sort of reception he'll get when he arrives to play against us??!
I'm happy with the squad and happy tp leave it to Bruce on the striker front, he sees Ji and Wickham every day. I can see him going all out for N'Zog and still think he will join us but if not, so be it. We then have the chance to look at the squad and spnd money in January if needed.
Would be a pretty awesome tiote-esque buy for you guys if Ji-Dong turns out to be very successful in the EPL. Although I obviously don't wish such things on my rival team, I always find those sorts of signings much more interesting than teams who throw mountains of cash at 'star' players.
Would be happy with Welbeck back Cest would rather we bought him though and he was a Sunderland player. I just hope Bruce doesn't go overboard with the loans or it'll be the same as last season rebuilding the team yet again to cover for the loss of the loanees. For me 2 loans tops then look again in January if injuries hit again then we have options and some sort of cover, which should mean we don't slump again for the third season running.
There is enough in the pot for one more 'big' signing IMO but certainly not 2. Its plain to see that N'Zogbia is the number one target still to be reeled in and its a very open field for that signature still. Likewise, I think its obvious that Welbeck is SB's number one striking target and he is prepared to wait for that one too. Welbeck wont be sold (this summer anyway) so a loan is the best we can hope for there and that may have to wait until January anyway. The N'Zogbia situation I would expect to be resolved one way or the other this week, then we can all move onwards and upwards, wherever he actually ends up. I think we are almost done now, unless a 'out of left field' style opportunity presents itself in the next 3 or 4 weeks and the team we shall see v Kilmarnock, Hartlepool and Hibs will start to have a much more 1st team feel to it. The Hibs team, you would expect anyway barring injury of course, should be the one to tackle the reds on the 13th of August. Gyan and Sess look like they will lead the challenge up front and Gardener and Larsson in midfield. Bardo, O Shea and Brown will secure places at the back and probably Mig will start the season. The other3 places are anyone's guess right now but Catts of fit will more than likely fill the holding role. Bruce has a few options he didn't have last season and its exciting to see how it will pan out.
