I have been reading the posts over the last few days and not commented as was truely a bit gutted on saturday as i felt that a win would have meant no matter what happened in the rest of 2011 i could have been content. Now i feel we are right in the thick of things and have actually played better than our results would suggest. I just feel that we reach moments in games where a change is needed to freshen things up , change of tact almost , touch of flair, a plan B. I fear we don't have the personel to change things around if things arent working out. Ive looked at our bench on the last three games ( and tarbs aside in the last game who was never going to come on ) i can't see where a flash of inspiration or a goal would come from. That game was there for the winning on saturday, as was the norwich game at 1-1 , the blackburn game at 1-1 and the newcastle game. The last 20 mins of prem games is the most impotant part of the game, and usually where games are won or lost. I Just don't see much past our starting x1 at present, so if that doesnt work we are stuffed.
Think we all know we're a bit light weight when it comes to strength in depth. I was optimistic though that come January, 4-5 new good players would come in and sort that out. However, after reading that Warnock has apparently told TF that there's no desperate need for players in Jan, as he's content with what he's got, I'm a little worried. I thought at the start of the season and even after we made the last ditch signings that by Xmas we'd probably be in the relegation zone or a point or two off it and I still think that'll be the case sadly. We have to win these games, thats Newcastle, Villa, Blackburn, WBA, Bolton now that we've failed to beat at home and we struggled against a 9 man Chlesea for the most part. We really need to sort this home form out - sharpish.
Warnock's publicly saying that he's happy with the squad, because he wouldn't sensibly ever say anything else. a) We have a month to go before anyone else can be brought in, and he's got to keep the current players interested, loved, and engaged. Saying he's going to spend in every department would send them the wrong message. b) We'll be linked with every single player under the sun anyway, but saying we are looking to buy a keeper, two defenders, a midfield dynamo and two strikers simply allows agents to target us. Saying that we're in the market for every agent to effectively spam us with the latest 'superstar' would send out the wrong message. c) Warnock's a canny bugger. He'll play his cards close to his chest as far as the media goes. He's certainly not someone who will give the game away regarding specific targets, as this will just push the asking price up, and sends (you guessed it) the wrong message. I wouldn't worry about what gets said in public. It's only what's being discussedin private than really matters.
I think we do have a plan A and B and Warnock is a 'tactically aware' manager, but as you say, the personnel isn't there yet to carry B off successfully. The squad will definitely be added to in Jan and I think Willy is spot on with his reading of Warnock's recent comments. Bright times ahead methinks (rose tinted spectacles back on).
What? He's spent the last few weeks saying he needs 4-5 players in January. That's hardly saying he's happy with current squad. I don't get the massive U-turn all of a sudden.
Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I'm saying that's what he's reportedly been saying over the past few days, but previous to that all I've been hearing is him and TF stating that we need/are going after another 4-5 players in Jan. That's what I was saying worried me a bit, the U-turn from saying we need 4-5, to now being content and in no desperate need of additions. In my opinion we're in dire need of 4-5 new faces to cement our place in this league. Am I being fick?!?!?!?
GMG, I just think your opinion is different to Warnock's. You can afford to stress the 'dire need' you see without worrying about the consequence of such dramatic language on the current players. Warnock has no choice but to temper his language. He's not saying we won't buy anyone, because of course we will. However, he has six or so games to get through in December, with the current squad, which would seriously damage our chances of survival were we to drop too many points. And three of those games are against Liverpool, Man Utd and Arsenal. All he's doing is sending the right message out to the players and the fans - he needs to be building the team up, not telling them that they will be shipped out in January. It's called management, and it's something he's very good at.
Well he hasn't been doing this for the last 1-2 months then has he, stating that he's going to bring in 4-5 players. I know professional footballers aren't the sharpest tools in the box, but I think they'd be able to remember what the manager was saying only a few weeks ago. I completely agree with building up the players, what I don't agree with is contradicting yourself so completely within such a short space of time. How does it build players up when one week they read we need 4-5 new faces, then the next we don't need any signings at all. Sounds like poor management to me.
What a manager can and will say just after a transfer windlw closes will be different from what that same manager can and will say just before a window opens, especially when a very important series of games are coming up and the team has just let three points slip through late goals conceded. After the Norwich and WBA games, the players needed bolstering, and so he's being specific with the way he phrases what he says. He's not saying we won't buy anyone, just that he's happy with the guys he's got.
