I'll not be too bothered if we don't make any changes to the squad this Jan. I think we've got the manpower to deal with the rest of this season. I'm not against new signings but I get the feeling that some feel it will be a disaster if we don't get on and sign up some un-exceptional new players just because it's the done thing. I'm not blind to some of the potential improvements that could be made across the squad but at the same time I think the squad as it stands has the capability to keep us up. Holt's just about back and Ruddy won't be long. I'm not blown away by some of the rumoured names and I suspect that most of the noise is just that - rumour. Regardless full faith in Hughton & McNally to make the right call. Summer with a wallet full of new Sky money, that's a different story.
As long as we stay up then I guess you will get the majority sharing this view, however................ I am feeling a little nervous even though 15 points should see us home and dry. We have some good home games coming up where points ought to be collected but nothing is a given so until we cross the line I reckon I will remain a little nervous.
Well said Hairy only spend when you need to this squad got us where we are they are close knit and working as a team and got 25 pts in the first half can't predict the future but why try to fix what ain't broke
Don't kid yourselves, it's going to be as tight as a duck's arse at the bottom of the league come the season's end and we will probably be in the mix. I firmly believe that we need someone to help Holt, we look so inept up front that without a new face to freshen things up we will only survive by the skin of our teeth if we are damn lucky
If we end up going down then we will have deserved to, but from where we are now that would mean a terrible run. If you look at how many teams have to overtake us then the question takes a different shape. Villa, Reading, QPR, Southampton and Wigan. Three of these will need to overtake us and surely that cannot happen. Can it?
Much less likely if we invest NOW in a striker who can play on his own up top and score a few goals too Holt can not be expected to carry a whole season's workload on his own - and at present we have no able deputy.
...............and I might add, with the new TV deal kicking in next season it is imperative that we stay up, it would be folly not to do everything in our power to ensure this. McNally is not stupid and regardless of the soundbites that come out of the club with regard to finances, he'll splash the cash if he has to
Whereas we don't need to go out and do a lot of strengthening we do need another striker to take the load off Holt - if he gets injured again (or suspended) then we are in the soup I'm afraid and we do need someone who can play a lone striker role as effectively as Holty and contribute some goals. As nice as it is to think the squad is good enough, which in most departments it is, we are too reliant on Holt as our front-line and he is only human (as we have seen recently) and could break down at any time - maybe even for a longer spell next time (a la Ruddy) - to me, that's too great a risk to take and therefore I think it is imperative that we sign someone who can support Holt and take some of the pressure off. There will be a big tussle at the bottom as KIO says above and we'll be in that mix for sure - we cannot sit back and wait for all that "wallet full of Sky money" as we have to earn the right NOW to get our hands on it and with other clubs below us investing and now picking up useful points (both QPR and the Saints have now come away from Stamford Bridge with something) anyone who thinks we are sitting pretty is sadly mistaken.
We are in a decent position but with the system we currently play, and will likely play for the rest of the season we are vulnerable to any Holt related issues be it injury, suspension, fatigue or even loss of form. Given the potnetial rewards for staying up at the end of the season it has got to be worth punting on a striker more suited to playing our system than the current back-ups. There are other issues in the squad but the forward line for me is where we are thinnest in terms of quality. I would happily see Hooper brought in to share the load - the guy has scored in the Champions League for a Celtic team we know are not that good so I don't see it being a massive risk. If we have the cash then I would say go for it. When you buy any player they may fail but I don't want us not to try and then go on a bad run and potentially go down wondering what if? As a footnote I do agree with the OP that I think regardless of whether we bring in a striker we will probably have enough to stay up, I just think that if we were to bring in a forward it would tilt the odds further in our favour.
i think that other than qpr (who have certainly bought better players but have ultimately bought two more dodgy characters), none of the teams in the lower reaches of the league have purchased any players who will make a big difference, at least, not yet anyway! as i've just mentioned on another thread, there is no point buying anyone unless they actually improve us, so in that respect, if the right players aren't available then i'm happy to go with what we've got. we have good depth - certainly no weaker than any other teams down there. what we really lack is a bit more creativity but its a very, very big ask to add that kind of quality in january - that will have to be a summer project. so for the time being, a centre forward is the aim but if no improvements are made then so be it. whats the point in buying someone who is on a par with what we already have? how would that improve us? we don't need to buy just for the sake of buying. we have more than enough already here to stay up and stay up comfortably, but at the end of the day, all we have to do is the first part.
I agree with the basic logic here, but still feel City need a striker to replace Chris Martin. CH strengthened every position except Striker and LW. Now that Surman has recovered from injury, I feel that he and Lappin are sufficient cover there. The injuries to Holt and Moro (and Kane, for that matter) have highlighted a vulnerability. The fact that the same players are playing most of the games also suggests that the fatigue factor will probably increase over the rest of the season, and possibly injuries as well. Add another quality striker and I will be happy.
its that word again - quality. we'll all be happy with that, but what if its not possible to sign a quality striker? do we settle for simply adding an extra body, no matter who he is?
That's the contentious issue, though PJs. When Holt's hamstring went, we had Morison at Posh, (I think) and Jackson last week vs the Toon. OK, neither got a great deal of useful service, but Holt in addition to his other attributes will drop deeper and make himself available These are not qualities that Moro or Jacko possess - many on here are arguing that to avoid any late season glitches, that we recognise and address this now BEFORE we risk getting drawn into the relegation morass. The old cliché 'spoiling the barrel for a ha'porth of tar' springs to mind - although that is far too simplistic and melodramatic. It's excellent that we've been tighter at the back, but unless we start scoring goals, comfortable survival will mean drawing 14 out of our last 16
at this time the outcome of our season seems to rest on the shoulders of one player, G.Holt. i doubt there is any other team that is relying on just one player for their success this season. it is imperative that we recruit at least one player to help ease this burden. if anything serious happens to Grant on the 1st Feb and we haven't got a new striker in, then we could be in deep trouble.
I think that seems to be the general concensus of fans on this forum. The question is who, within our budget, is available - and will they fit CH's preferred system.
so we're a one man team now then? honestly, i feel like the only sane person on here today! makes a change...
Nope, but we're relying on one man up front because we don't have enough quality if he gets injured that's the point.
so say we couldn't bring in a decent striker, would you sign glenn murray, simply to boost numbers, or would you do what i would do and what i think the club will do (assuming main targets aren't signed), which is stick with what we've got and save the money for a much better player in the summer? its not as if jackson or morison are hopeless - they are both capable players and i don't see the point in financing another forward if they aren't actually any better than what we've already got. all we'd be doing is adding an extra player to sit on the bench. i don't think you need to be a brain surgeon to see the dilemma the club have
