We have the semblance of a solid if somewhat unspectacular squad, very capable imo of being a boring mid table team next year. What we lack in finesse, we more than make up from sheer hard effort and guts. Yes we are extremely short on striker options, we know that and so does the boss and there are irons in the fire to rectify that glaring problem but we are a much more stable established EPL club these days and 2 or 3 new faces, especially strikers and the clouds will lift. Mon has been around a long time now and does anyone really think he is not capable of recognising where our weaknesses are and strengthening them for the future? Anyone? I hope we make the breakthrough this week but if its in 1 week or 2 weeks, or in the very last hour of the window, that will be fine with me. I have no doubts about it. This will be a good season.
Get in mate! Finally somebody with a little bit of realism. People don't like to look back, but I do. Have a look where we were 5 years ago and we were dreaming of where we are now, a mid table secure side who goes into each season without the fear of relegation. We must keep going forward now but tiny little steps will do me. You have also mentioned O'Neil and his experience, I am sat here unbelievably comfortably, knowing fine well come September we will have another striker or 2, which is what we all know we need. So does O'Neil and I would almost put my house on the fact he will not, not sign a striker. Cest, this will be a good season. I have no doubt about that.
Mid-table at the moment. Very solid at the back and we have goals in midfield, so we shouldn't be relegation contenders. But we're not going to frighten anybody until we have more firepower up front. Hope something unplugs this log-jam soon...
Sorry. I can't think of us a secure or stable mid-table. We haven't addressed the left-back problem for 3 seasons. We haven't replaced Bent. We continue to buy or acquire players from relegated teams, or 30-somethings not required by our peers. x
Aye disco. We cant even do a Soke. Cup finalists. Lets talk relegated. Bolton, Boro. League cup finalists. Winners? West Ham. In for Carroll. Look in good shape. So do Reading. Norwich and Swansea look set. Southampton - cup finalists when we couldn't do it. Everton can sign Pinnear. Good old Cuellar is our headline signing to date. Go on Disco. You internet warrior. Keep going. x
Well. ok. Instead of simply taking a contrary stance to anything I say, back it up with reasoning. I think unless we get some quality in we are lucky to have Wigan in the same league. See us progressing with what we have now? Discuss. Don't come back with "when MO'N makes his signings........" Talk about our position now. x
Bobby mate stop taking them pills there not good for you, give me your address and ill post you some happy pills. they'll keep you smiling for a week , however they have a side effect, down below you'll have a woody on for the same amount of time, but hey im sure your lass wont mind. a bit of light banter is just what you need right now
Ok, our position now doesn't look good. If we went into the season with our current squad I reckon we'd finish 16th, 17th. Our defence, as last season would be very sound. Our midfield, as last season would steal the show, Mac, Sess, Larsson would be our main source of goals I guess. Our forward line would be poor, unproven, blunt unless a great deal of improvement is seen. I like Campbell but I don't rate him very highly, I like the look of Wickham but think he needs another 6-18 months before he can develop into a premiership player. Ji, juries still out. I'm not worried though because we've got what 24, 25 days to sign. But mate if we have the side we have now come mid September I won't disagree with you in the slightest. That's not progress. I do however think our squad now is better than Wigans. West Brom have an unproven manager, Norwich along with Swansea overachieved and have lost their talismanic manager, Stoke are on a slide. I'm just hopeful of a few decent signings and about a 10th place finish.
We have a good defence and a solid enough midfield but is highly unspectacular, there isn't any real creativity excluding sessegnon and the striking situation is woeful, I think that Ji can be a really good player but I have little confidence in wickham (time on his side though) and Campbell to score or cause any real problems to top flight defences. Players like hoilett who woulda massively improved the side have Gone now, I'm concerned we've missed the boat here and might resort to Bendtner esque panic buys, I hope I'm wrong but time is running out and a bad result against a bouyant reading in the second game will make the crowd very nervous early in the season. We will see though
O.K. Disco but here's my main gripe. We have plenty of money sloshing around. Not many clubs do. Everton, Spurs, Villa et al don't. Nor do Stoke, WBA, Wigan, etc, etc.... Teams who do. Manure, Citeh, QPR(?) Wehave to make a bold statement. WE ARE SAFC! Pay the money! Why not Carroll? Why not Suarez? Pay the money for them. Pay the wages. They will come. I'm not talking even of putting our club into financial meltdown. Don't think we are bold enough Disco. We are literally underselling ourselves. x
I agree with you to a point. I'd love us to show some intent. Our short term thinking seems to be lacking currently. Long term, we look fantastic mind. Carroll I think we could maybe get. Suarez wouldn't come to us though. We can't pay £25m and then £80,000 a week wages. Leeds did that. **** that! I think we should be looking at names from abroad a bit more than we have been but it's not my football club!
I don't think I have mate, I'm just eager to see what MON does before judging our situation. Also, how much money do we actually have??? What are our overheads??? I don't want to assume we're flushed. I don't like the way transfers/wages/bonuses/agents fees are becoming less and less transparent. Just think it's a bit early for the negativity. If I've been a twat I've been a twat and I apologise. It wasn't my intention, I'm trying to point out we're not doomed. Not yet.
Bobby we made a huge statement back in December when we sacked Bruce and installed Martin O'Neill. What bigger statement of intent do you need. He hasn't had a successful and wonderful management career just to come here and fail mate. Spurs and Villa do have money (Lerner just pocketed a cool £600m last week for selling a rounders team) but there isn't much value about. Do you think Hoilett (with only one half decent season behind him) actually worth £40k to £50k per week + whatever a tribunal dictate his fee will be? QPR are just buying players like Bruce did, anything with a pulse. It wont work. As for West Ham (you mentioned they looked good) they just bought McCartney ffs man. O'Neill isn't a mug manager like so many we have had before and he has set his sights on his 3 or 4 targets and bids have been launched. This isn't Sept 1st mate its August 6th and there is a helluva long time to go yet. Can you honestly say with hand on heart that you have been gutted about ANY player that has moved clubs so far? Honestly? There needs to be a few chill pills dished out and a few deep breaths because we are far from a top 6 team at present but equally we are far from a relegation one either. We are what we all once dreamed about. A solid mid table club. That can be built on mate and will be imo.
Hoilett is, in my eyes well worth a five year contract on £40,000 a week. Tribunal fee will be about £5m I imagine.
I'm not sure what evidence you are basing that one though. A mere 80 games for Blackburn, of which only 10 or 15 have been that impressive last season, certainly wouldnt have my cheque book out for £40k per week and £5m fee? He still remains a huge gamble at those stakes for me.
