As soon as we lose everyone does panic. It's true! That's mostly down to our high expectations and the fact most of us believe, deep down, that we are not quite strong enough for top four this season and don't like it when this is shown up. I believe we should not have expected too much this year with the amount of changes we have made to the team and the fact that we generally spent poorly on the like of Downing and Carroll who were always going to struggle to improve the team. Carroll might change it around, but Downing will never be good enough as a first teamer for us. He is a back up, and a bloody expensive one at that. The problem we all know is we need someone to do the job Caroll is not doing. But to admit that would be horrendous due to the price tag and the fact he would probably never show any form from then on. Thus we do not score enough and it's massively costing us. Imagine how many more points we would have had he scored a couple more; or the rest of the team for that matter. It's no coincidence we leak goals in the second half. We start well, don't reap the rewards and then sit back and let our opponents back in in the second half. In my opinion we need to concentrate on getting a goal scorer to put with Suarez. I know most didn't like the suggestion of Anelka, but the fact he would be temporary (due to age) might not be so damaging on Carroll as he wouldn't be seen as a direct replacement. We also need wingers. We have needed one on the right for about 8 seasons now and we still havent got one! That is just poor. I believe we also need a left winger. But this can wait as Maxi and Bellamy can fill the role for the time being. I'm happy with defence. Lucas is good enough in midfield, and Adam by the looks of things. Whether Gerrard can recover will have a large bareing in the centre. If he doesn't then we will need a creative midfielder. There are a lot of things up in the air at the moment and I believe we should be patient. So much relies on Carroll performing. If he can start smashing them in then it will take the pressure off everyone. Untill he does everythings will remain a bit uncertain and we will remiain inconsistant. What are your views on the bigger picture? YNWA
I think you're right in a way. It's not that we're not good enough for the Top 4, it's just all the teams around us are very strong too and unfortunately 2 teams will have to not be in there, and I'm afraid it could well be us. But it's not over yet, we was on a good run before the Fulham match, and don't forget we're always much better in the second half of the season
bigger picture? simply put the bigger picture to me is a lot more than playing staff. 1. stadium. this needs to be eventually resolved to have a long term future. even chelsea see this with their attmepts to get battersea park. the planning is running out so this will be interesting to see. 2. coaching structure. I am unsure if we've enough support for kenny in terms of real coaching (not fitness staff) I also have to wonder about borrell being promoted so much. Is it taking him away from where he needs to be? 3. Merchandising/image rights/revenue. We need to see the work continue to expand the revenue streams globally. 4. results. we need to get more success to be in a position to attract better players 5. then the squad..... it is fairly obvious that the squad under hodgson was not even as impressive as the resources that say stoke have available. (bar about 3 players, reina, torres gerrard) we have to improve further but the work done so far is good and i don't see how much quicker it could have been done. I see the left wing thing, well the fact is (as unpalatable as it is) that we could not get mata or young or whomever cos they were not interested. so we have to spend on downing and then get what we can out of him until we can attract better. this is the plain fact, so to be honest bar the flop that is carroll (and i'll still say this is what he's gone and done thus far) is the only disaster we've had in 7 buys... thats pretty good even though the biggest moeny was the flop. on anelka, sorry but his game is not about getting in the box, france flopped with him up top and cheslea do too... he's not the guy as he plays right side for chelsea for a reason. it'd be nice to see more players come in and we do need a forward and to improve generally on where we are but only so many guys are available. I think we'l ltake 3 years of improvements (this being one) to be a big threat in the league again. it can be done but henry and his guys need to see that. heopefully along the way (like the league cup) we can win a pot or two to keep us all very happy.
