Huddersfield v Watford Swansea v Everton West Ham v Stoke All winnable games for the teams around us, would be great if we could put some pressure on.
True, "Laces" but then I did not suggest that that was not the case. Just stated the facts that under CP he got the team to a major final, secured a top 10 finish whilst having to deal with losing (the then) defensive lynchpin, one VvD, losing his main goal scorer, one CA! Not to mention the turmoil being created by Mr. Fonte, the onerous fixture congestion & travel associated with European fixtures. In the circumstances, I only suggested that that was a rationale for CP (perhaps?) having to concentrate more on defensive set-ups than he could do on attacks. Even so, chances creaed stats were good...... taking them was a different matter! Fair point?
Tbf I get the Pelle/Mane thing. It is hard to just find another Mane or find a striker who will adapt as quickly as Pelle did. We tried with Redmond/Boufal/Austin. The negative against the board is after a season it should've been clear that we hadn't adequately replaced them so needed to buy 1 attacking player last summer at least, we didn't, huge surprise we still struggle for goals and with a less than motivated VVD and Romeu not being as good as last year our defence has turned to **** as well.
And, lest we forget, we also sold Jay Rodriguez, who has been excellent in a poor West Brom team. I still find that decision baffling, to say the least.
For me, much like the sacking of Puel/sale of Pelle/probably some other decisions I am forgetting, the J-Rod sale wasn't a bad move in isolation. We got £13m (from memory) for a guy who looked utter **** last year and was at best our 3rd choice, depending who you preferred between him and Long. Going into the season with Gabbi/Austin/Long when we play 1 up top didn't seem so bad in the summer. Sure everyone would've liked another forward, but I don't recall it being a major pressing point on here in the summer. I definitely remember me feeling that a number 10 was more important than another striker as I felt there was goals in those 3 if we gave them the chances. Again it hasn't worked out and with Austin's injury record, Long's goal scoring record you could definitely make a case for signing someone to replace J-Rod, but I don't think selling him was a bad choice.
How did you think we had goals in those three? Reason we were dull last season is because we couldn’t score. After Gabbi’s start he soon settled into the same form as our other strikers. Main thing we needed for past 2 seasons in my view has been a replacement for Mané and Pelle
I put the not scoring down to not having a good enough creative player in the team. Austin scores goals if he gets chances, has done everywhere he has been. Obviously the injuries are his downfall. Gabbiadini scored a few when he first arrived, then went dry in the last 8-10 games of last season, where everyone was saying he was isolated and not getting any service. Long is Long, but hit double figures when we were attacking and creating better chances. I don't feel that way now, but from memory that was my thinking in the summer. We didn't sign a number 10 either so the board still ****ed it up whichever view you take.
But he was far from excellent in what most are saying is a poor Saints team. Also, it looks like he has scored less goals than Charlie....... but has played many more games. So, on that basis, getting a good fee for him at the time (and releasing a squad place) would have made sense; and did.
Yeah I don't get the re writing of history regarding Jrod. Most thought the move was right for all parties at the time.
I've never had a problem with selling JRod. We didn't replace though and that's the real problem, as it so often is.
I can’t recall anyone slightly annoyed by that. We all just seemed sad that his injury seemed to have got the better of him.
Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t selling Jay that was the issue, it was the fact that we weren’t blessed with a whole squad of high-scoring strikers, and he wasn’t replaced.
Way I see it, palace are safe, WBA & Stoke are down. The last spot is between us, swansea and huddersfield. Huddersfield have the toughest fixtures but think their advantage over us at the moment will keep them above us
I still can't rule Brighton out (subject to them losing today- even them coming back just to get a point could be massive). Their remaining fixtures are hideous. Of course it does rely on us closing what is a worrying looking gap. But get something against Leicester, and it becomes just about possible. (Don't, and we probably forget it.) As I see it, we're a Watford goal away from having the perfect set of results around us today (as things stand). And despite the disappointment of losing three points, that would actually make it a good weekend for us in my book.
Whilst we play Leicester and Bmouth, Swansea play City and Chelsea. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...I mean, like a case of catch Swansea or catch no-one.
