I think we can survive with the current squad but we will be in a relegation battle. We need better players to consolidate and improve our position next season. I do not believe we will see new arrivals in January, the main reason is January is not the place for bargains unless someone is coming to the end of their contract. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/cardiff-city-debate-bluebirds-actually-6428766
We have a first team that is more than capable to beat the drop but not so sure about the fringe players. If we get injuries or bans we might struggle.
What players do we need though? We have plenty of strikers but at the moment there not getting the service they need. For me it would be a creative midfielder someone who can pick passes out to Campbell and if i was being greedy another winger. However if Malky is not going to change the style of play i.e. defensively (which at times is needed) then what's the point in bringing in attacking players? I think we'll do just enough to stay up (fingers crossed)
I think we have enough. As was pointed out on another thread Cornelius will be like a new signing if he's played. We do have a lot of pressure on Noone though. Seems an odd comment as we haven't used him, but he's played in 2 home games. 15 minutes against Utd and won the free kick for a point. 1 start against Brom and he made the goal, whilst being the only way we were going to score all game. His value to us is already apparent and with the bottom half of the table to come at home in the 2nd part of the season he's the one player we do not have a replacement for except for, maybe, Harris......
The question is are we buying for this season or next Of course we should consider buying, what we have isn't doing enough, we still need more pace. We have players not being utilised to their potential and doing that would go someway to revitalising the side, but an injection of quality will always be welcome.
It's a fair argument that the system needs changing as much as we need fresh legs, but it's also arguable that we wouldn't have 17 points on the board by now if we had. It's the best way to go from here that's the question. Try to amass another 23 points or so with what we've got with the prospect of failing a real threat, or fill the obvious gaps in our setup to give us a better competitive chance against the bottom half clubs - that's where the battle lies. Will Tan want to buy some "insurance" to help safeguard his huge investment, or is he going to stick to his guns and chance his arm that we have already spent enough to stay up? If it was just a question of money, Tan is probably right given the apparent waste of some of the dosh he's put up so far. The reality of the possibility of a drop back to the Championship should focus his mind. I reckon he'll spend whether we sell anyone or not.
Personally I think Tan will come down off this, once he has been shown what the alternative of not consolidating could mean. But I don't believe we need a striker, we need to feed the strikers we have, even Odemwhatshisname will score if he gets the ball to feet, I feel sorry for Frazier in this area, been working hard but not suited to the role he has to play. Of course we have no idea what Corny is able to do in this department, we have Mason available in January as well, so we know where we should be looking for new players.
There's little doubt that Tan expects instant success and also expects his investment to be spent wisely. Unfortunately, success is never guaranteed and his dosh seems to have been treated without respect. Both factors are alien to Tan's business culture. Failure on the other hand would be much harder to take, and blaming others won't cut a lot of ice in his business circles. He will do what he thinks necessary to avoid failure. I just hope he takes and accepts some advice from knowledgable people about this being football, and not selling bloody burgers and Coke.
As I have said before he has to inject some commercial sense into this. To not invest in the squad will lead to a very good chance of relegation back to the lottery of the championship. His millions spent in getting the club into the riches of the PL and broaden the brand in Malaysia could thereby be wasted so he needs to accumulate again to give the club the biggest chance of remaining there an to enhance the brand in his country. Whether he gives the money to Mackay or a successor though may be a more relevant question.
Well said Ninian. If VT knows anything about business he will understand the need to protect his investment - unless he has been a very successful gambler? I don't think he wants to sack Malky bringing the cost that would involve plus the cost of poaching a manager from another club, if he went down that route. Malky has said he won't resign. If he goes he wants some cash in his back pocket from being sacked and maybe claims for unfair dismissal. So unless they do a deal we have a Mexican standoff. I can't see VT losing face by stumping up a few million so the only option seems to be to offlaod a few players and reinvest the proceeds into loaners who might be better quality and ensure we stay in the Prem.
Blue, funny enough I can see Tan doing just that, and he can do it without losing face, he simply says he has had a word with the manager and has sorted things out, inferring he has put MM in the picture as to who is in control, all worded carefully of course, he will then go on to say the manager has his full backing as he always has and that he has decided that money should be made available. Well maybe not, but there is something wrong with this picture, Dalman all but says it is unlikely we will spend in the sales, then MM says he would like 3 players in the window(Malky isn't a fan of the January sales?), then we have Tan(through Lim) saying there will be no money available to spend. It all seems like the lady doth protest too much to me. Expect some signings come January then
What are the chances of this happening? To be honest if both parties had been a bit more diplomatic, this mess could have been avoided. In answer to the threads' question, I think we've just got enough (a few injuries to key players though and this will change).
In answer to the actual thread question, the answer IMO has to be "no." Reason being that City will likely have 20 odd points by Dec 31, the half way stage. They'll be up against teams in the 2nd half who by large will strengthen their squads next month. plus and this is a reality, City have little chance of away points for the whole 2nd half. A couple of draws meaning the pressure on getting home wins will be too much. With the existing squad against teams with more experience at this level (save CP and Hull) that is just too much to ask for.
I think that is a bit negative Nin. Other teams will have their problems too and be under pressure - loss of form, players out through injury/suspension. I agree on the away point front with 8 of the top teams to be visited, including Southampton in that and Spurs - pity we haven't got them next week. However, surely it is within our ability to get at least 18 points from the remaining home games and, as you say, nick the odd point from away matches?
Go on fill up your pint, it's Christmas!!!!! The time for negativity is around the middle of January when everyone runs out of money, has Christmas bills to pay and doesn't get paid themselves until the end of the month.
And we've played Arsenal, City with Utd to come in 3 of our 4 PL games that month. Never mind half full, we'll be on the dregs by Jan 29th!!
Default Do we need new signings in January to survive in the Premier League? Absolutely YES you do. you are weak at the back and light up front. Dont fall into the same idea that Blackpool who won more games than you or us in the first half of the season and were confident they were safe to only fall like a stone and were relegated. hull, derby and reading went the same way over recent seasons. January is the time to strengthen as you will know where the weak spots are and if you ignore while others around you strengthen then you will be in big trouble...
