Yeah I think borini is a massive miss. Cattermole too. Last season's kirchhoff is massive too. This season's not so much (can't work that out though). Sad reality is that we may be too far behind when they're back and the team heads may be down
Injuries are not 'bad luck' though, that's why you have big squads. All clubs have injuries, if you don't have cover you'll get bummed.
I think Kirchhoff doesn't look as good because he's got more to do, which is exposing his weaknesses more. I'd imagine he's missing M'Vila too, some players can do it all themselves and some work a lot better with a clever player alongside them and I think Kirchhoff needs people to be on his wavelength which we're sorely lacking.
If we'd have built on where were at the end of last season though, we wouldn't be in this state. Most of those 'first teamers' who are out injured wouldn't be first teamers. Yes, the injuries have hindered us but we'd still be relying on players who were only just good enough and we'd still be weaker than last season because we lack M'Vila and haven't adequately replaced Kaboul.
Totally accept that injuries are all part of the game and we are short on quality players to replace lost players but when you get them by the bus load it takes some getting around. Further, we were turned down by additional players at the beginning of the season so we have a difficulty in more than one area.
Aye I was meaning along the lines of the squad as it is but yeah the real problem was not buying enough and selling too much.
It does take some getting around but clubs at this level have to have big squads for that very reason. Your bench against WH was the weakest I've seen in this league. Sometimes there's a silver lining though, if Will Keane didn't get injured we may have not given Rashford a shot yet.
Problem is we're so limited we don't have a great deal of options to change things. The midfield is timid and incompetent, defence mistake prone and lacks concentration and out striking options are an embarrassment. Can't help believe we'd be in a much stronger position had we signed M'Vila like we should have. Not sure if it was Moyes, Bain or both to blame but a massive massive **** up.
two weeks before the start of this season the FA bent the club over , from that moment onwards its been dismal for sure,i think to move PVA into the left hand midfield role for me would be an improvement as he just cannot defend but going forward always looks handy.
Moyes has been charged then, what's he gonna get a fine or a touch line ban? It'll be typical if he gets a touch line ban and you whack Arsenal.
No doubt our options are limited, but he didn't have to tell the players to sit behind the ball and play for the draw against West Ham and he should be telling to them to closer players down faster and give the opposition less space. Agree with you about M'Vila. Getting a player in who wanted to be here and who would definitely have improved us should have been the very least we could have expected. At the minute, the whole thing seems to be a complete balls up. Massive changes are needed in the January window. But I don't see that happening.
Me too. He's ****ing things up with **** tactics.... and has done in several games now. So much for creating his team identity - it's not an identity i want, thanks Dave. Be positive Davey, yer stubborn twat
Yes we would be better if we had our injured players fit, but injuries happen we're not the only team to strugle with injuries we just have to deal with it like everyone else has to. I still look at the line ups from the other night and see us fielding a relatively strong 11 against their reserves, but **** it onwards to the arsenal game tomorrow and let's hope we find a way to pull a result out of our arses.
How many players who took part in Weds game will be involved tomorrow against Arsenal? A fair few would be my guess. We changed nine players, that's how we have protected ourselves against a raft of injuries. There's no luck about it, its called squad management.
I reckon seven of the players who started the game will play tomorrow, our squad is pretty weak to begin with and already had 7 first teamers out injured. Moyes wanted a morale boosting win and he blew it. So how did Southampton turn around their season in 1998-99 when you had 2 points after 9 games?
To be fair HR we have the squad to do that and I think that's what their issue is in a nutshell. Short has failed to invest properly into having an actual squad (rather than a team) and for what he has invested, the recruitment has generally (bar a few) been poor. Not signing M'Vila was absolutely criminal, I genuinely think that that one signing alone would see them with an extra 5/6 points in the league imo. They'd have seen out the game at St Marys for a start Also failing to sign a striker was a shocking decision. As good as Defoe is (and let's be honest he's quality), relying on a 34(?) year old for the entire season stinks of Short either not having a clue, or not giving a ****. Sadly for the fans I think it's a bit of both. I do feel sorry for the fans as you've got great support and to get the numbers turning up week in & out that you do despite the constant dross is commendable We may be doing well now but most Saints can sympathise as it was only 7 years ago we were in the 3rd tier and have had shocking owners in the not too distant past too. Genuinely hope you get it sorted. Dunno why but developed a bit of a soft spot for you in recent years. Probably cos your fans aren't arrogant and don't have the sense of entitlement that your neighbours have. Good luck
****ing hell just read that back it turned into a bit of an essay Sorry lads didn't mean to go on like that, was only supposed to be a short post but had a few drinks n just kept writing what I was thinking
