Hi all been away in Lanzarote for a couple of weeks so apologies if I am going over old ground. Well first and foremost we have been very busy boys while ive been away it seemed like every day i picked up a newspaper in the hotel we had signed somebody else. Our main problems last season were: 1. Lack of goals from midfield. 2. Lack of goals from set pieces. 3. Too many goals conceded from set pieces. We have in my opinion adressed all three of these problems with midfield goals coming from gardner, larsson and potentially gibson (If he signs) The man utd pair will stiffen us up defensively from set pieces and i seem to recall them popping up with the odd goal from them at the other end. This may also free up Turner from set plays as in my opinion he was our only threat last season so was doubled up on at every opportunity. Also connor whickham is a big lad so he may chip in with a few in this department. Still feel we need an out and out wide man for the left as as it stands i think sess will be seen as a striker by Bruce next season, mainly due to the lack of experience to partner Gyan. My team for Liverpool would be Westwood Bardsley Brown Bramble O'Shea Larsson Catts Gardner Sess Ricco Gyan Ive gone for the 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation as both Sess and Ricco both showed last season that they could do well and get goals playing in the hole behind gyan so give them both free roles it would certainly be exciting.
No No No thank you...don't need him now, See you've pushed Ricco up...Strange choice, but you never know... And your playing with one striker? I personally hope not, while we have Wickham and Dong in the squad..... So just a l/w and we are done in your opinion? By christ we need one
lets hope this season bring a lot more wins and better showings against the big boys, but i think it could take a few games to settle in
Rog, do you realise we took as many points of the teams above us, as we did below us (or near enough). We have to learn to take advantage of the so called lesser teams, and learn how to bury games. No good beating Chelsea then losing both home and away to bottom half teams........
Very happy with the signings, but would be looking to play with two strikers most of the time, but may be not at Liverpool. I would also have Mignolet in goal as I believe he will make that jersey his own this season..
I agree MRAWhite regards to Mignolet the reason i put Westwood in there ahead of him is that he is new and id like to see what he can do for a few games, but believe Mignolet has the potential to be brilliant given game time of course. I also agree with the two strikers policy with Gyan and Wickham being the main guys but feel for the Liverpool game that could leave us too exposed in midfield, after all theyve just signed Henderson lol. Commachio i have put Richardson in that position as i felt for 4 or 5 games last season when he played that role with Gyan he had his best few games for us and i think he got 4 in 4 or maybe 4 in 5 which at this level is an outstanding return. I feel he should be given an opportunity to replicate that form again this season and i think O'Shea will be our LB this season in the main. Whatever Brucie is thinking about players and formations i am optimistic this season (But then again i always am) that we can have a good solid season and hopefully no slumps. The last 3 seasons we have slumped around February time and i seem to recall we did this in our 2 7th place finish seasons under Reid which again just shows the value of a strong squad both physically and menatlly in the big time. Roll on the new season im getting bloody bored now on saturday afternoons!!!!
I can see what your saying mate, but with the new signings, i don't think there's a hope in hells chance that Bruce will play Ricco there... The new strikers will be (and must) be given a chance. Some won't even have Ricco in their team at all. At the moment for me he is l/b with Bardo on the r/b. withO'Shea in the c/b with Bramble/Turner.. But i'm sure it will all change either with signings, or pre-season trainig.
As a LB myself im a great believer in being a defender first and an attacker second. Mainly because im 5h!te at going forward lol. This is why i feel ricco will never make a good left back. I would love to be proved wrong cos id love to see our full backs bombing forward and creating opportunities but i currently dont think we are strong enough to do it which is why its O'Shea for me at the moment.
Fair one mate, but im always putting O'Shea in a C/D position, cos if he's at l/b that means Brown is in the c/b... And for me personally, i see him nothing more than a squad player...For that i will be shot down i'm sure.
Yeah mate i hope O'Shea is a CB for us too but also notice Bruce loves Turner and we would also have Bramble and Brown and i kno O'Shea played LB a lot for Man Utd so think thats where he will play.
Going to take time for the team to bed in, wouldnt be unhappy with a point at Pool, but we need all hree points at Noocarstle, otherwise all the wumming starts all over again, The team has got to give Roger his day.
