It's not a question of buying players as good as or better. It's also not a question of the price of players in January. My point is simply that, for any Championship front runner, strengthening in January will almost certainly be a necessity (and possibly paying over the odds too), if we're to go all the way. That's if we're a front runner then, of course. For that, we will need significant funds. I agree, obviously, that it would be better to retain players of that level if we can or don't get a good price. But I'm trying to think realistically.
Mick McCarthy and Terry Connor haven't come on the cheap that's for certain! What pisses me off the most about us at the moment is that we don't seem to be recruiting enough players and I would like to know where the Cresswell money has gone!
the teams who tend to get promoted are those who add one or two quality players to what they already have in january, to push them over the line - not totally rebuild which if we sold a couple on deadline day is what we will have to do
Everybody scoffed at the idea of signing Holloway as manager yet he is on a 10 game unbeaten run with Millwall, until we get that first win under Adams we will continue to feel exactly the same as most of last season basically a team in limbo with no real guidance. I hope the players give us something to cheer soon because we look like a shambles at the moment.
No problemo! It's allowed... I'm with Supers on this one, but I accept it's not a hard and fast rule and the major problem with doing that is the fans would really kick off...
My point were you to concentrate and read the post rather than just rant on was that in my opinion the manager has picked the wrong players in the wrong positions which has caused us to perform poorly and lose against a very mediocre wolves side. I don't think we have a divine right to win every game at this level but I do think that given the resources at our disposal we could have done a lot better and if Adams keeps playing people out of position then my fear is that we will struggle. So far the season is one game old so no panic yet but a worrying start.
He's a very good bet for getting us promoted, of that I have no doubt. But he would certainly not unite fans...
very strange to hear pulis has left his position at palace. he's not everyones cup of tea but he did a superb job down there to be fair. i can see a certain mick mccarthy from binland being approached to replace him. meanwhile, i see neil adams has apologised for a 'misunderstanding' about pilkington's 'injury' (which never was). he also claims he was 'well down the pecking order' and therefore surplus to requirements. i must admit, i find this explanation even more worrying if he doesn't rate pilks and sees fit for him to move to a rival!
Can someone explain to me why rusty is playing cb? Top bloke and loyal servant to the club but so is ruddy and if he fancied playing up front I wouldn't let him. Rusty is a far better rb than Whittaker. We have at least two cb's in the squad better than rusty although one of them is now so disinterested that he is unlikely to play again but instead sit in the reserves drawing a substantial salary. I could be missing something but surely better to build bridges with bassong or get rid than what we have now. From an outside point of view it would appear that Adams has some players he likes/rates and others he seems to want out of the door.like many I don't get the sale of pilks to a rival as we currently do not have a similar player. Adams seemed keen to hold onto wes who has had his best years and did not show professionalism or loyalty last season but treated pilks pretty poorly. Clearly he and bassong have issues for a player of sebs obvious ability to be totally frozen out pre season. When Adams got the job he had a clean slate and could have got seb back on message but he has chosen not to. Currently we have a very capable player at this level who is also one of our top earners rotting in the reserves. I hate feeling so pessimistic this early in the season but I cannot fathom why we would keep surman and sell pilks and I am genuinely baffled by the team selection and lack of drive shown last week. I hope we bounce back and beat Watford but if we don't and have another couple of dodgy results I can see Adams reign ending pretty quickly. The board have shown they have the stomach for an early managerial change in the past and more recently shown loyalty to a dead man walking. I wonder which way they will jump this time?
Pilks - Already dealt with on other threads but Adams has not treated him badly. He was offered a new contract but wouldn't sign. He can leave for free at the end of the season and can talk to other Clubs in 4 months time. With his injury record he averages 20 games a season and bearing in mind that we have got to save £30m financial reality says he has to be sold now. Even huge Clubs like Arsenal have been forced by financial reality to sell players in the last year of their contract. Bassong - I do not know what has happened there but again it is nothing to do with Adams. He had lost interest when Hughton was here. You can only build bridges if he wants to and I suspect that he doesn't and wants to leave. Unfortunately he can only leave if somebody wants him and I am sure he would have been sold if somebody had made us an offer. I suspect that this is not the first time Bassong has found himself in this situation. Becchio seems to be in the same boat. Martin - Why does Adams play him at CB? Presumably for the same reasons that Scotland, Lambert and Hughton have. I don't rate him too highly as a CB and I suspect that with Bennett signing a new contract it is only a matter of time before he plays and Martin vies with Whittaker for the RB slot. I am sure we will buy a new CB once Bassong is sold unless Adams is happy that one of his youngsters can provide adequate cover. I think that in the dive for the doom and gloom option Adams is being blamed for matters that are not his of the making.
