How many more times! We do not have the strength in depth to change games! We are pretty much down to the bare bones of an 18 man squad! We are thin on quality and there aren't many options available to Mick on the bench. This idea that we can some how flick a switch and bring on some game changers is really laughable!
ME used more money on getting rid of duff players during the summer than he did on buying them in. That was his 'investment' in the last transfer window, getting rid of overpaid players that Mick didn't want. The players brought in, although freebies, are all on pretty good wages I would imagine, again, an investment. In transfer fees it looks like not a lot was spent but I'm sure that there was a still a good amount of cash taken out of ME's pocket to make all these in and outgoings happen. As Weighty says, you don't just go from being a lower half team that has been fighting relegation for the last three years into top six material overnight. Now that we have got rid of the unwanted players and Mick has put together a team that is at least competing in every match we just need to add the quality each transfer window. I know progress has been non-existent over the last few years but now is the time for a little patience as things are put back together, for some it won't be quick enough though.
That's absolute bollocks mate when a) the likes of Marriott are out on loan and b) we showed against Blackpool we can change games.
We spent the money and sold all them players on again. Of Sven's signing only Kasper Schmeichel, David Nugent and Paul Konchesky remain in our plans. The rest we cant get rid of them because their contracts Last season some of our fans was calling for Pearson to go and now no one calls him to go. I have always been behind him because I think he operates in the best way. We play decent attacking football and his recruitment is top class
That's the problem some people on here have though, we're not playing attacking football but some feel that we have the players in the squad to be a bit more adventurous. We need to be careful what we wish for as nobody really has a good idea who would replace Mick if he was to go.
Mick got rid of a few players which change games (aka JET, Martin, Scotland)and has replaced them with similar players to what hes already got and doesn't often take a chance on mixing it up, Blackpool is the first time he's proper switched it around and it worked, he even put Edwards at RB which I think is a worthwhile thing to do if we're chasing a game. He has fairly limited options but there are more dynamic players who he could've used a bit more even just from the bench i.e Taylor, Wordsworth, Marriott, Hewitt who may not have set the world alight for us but there have been players who he continuosly uses who do nothing most games, i.e Murphy, Hyam, Edwards, Anderson and nouble and he's often just replaced like for like. Think he could be a bit more dynamic with his team selections subs and formation. I think although those players mentioned haven't set the world alight it's worth puttin them in or on because those who they'd replace haven't exactly either
Oh no I'm certainly not wishing for Mick to leave, i think it could be pretty disastrious for us if he did but as you've said just want him to be a little more adventurous. It's something which has always annoyed me about him throughout his career, i.e converting Tommy Miller to a DM (I mean wtf) and then when he put out a reserve team against Man U in the PL, that'd annoy me if he did anything like that with us i want to see my team set up to try and win a game. That was what was great with Burley, Royle and the early days of Jim, whoever we played we went out to try and win the game!!!
PTC, all those players you have mentioned were on big wages in comparison to what we have now. It is clear ME wanted rid of those high costs, when you weigh it up against return/value for money you cant really blame him, can you....It probably did not take much to persuade MM, he is not known for his use of "luxury" players after all.!
Most of the games I saw JET come on last season we created more chances in the usually 10mins he was on the pitch than the entire team had done previously. I'm not lavishing Martin with praise, he wasn't the best for us but at least he showed intent which contributed to the mometum of the team every now and then. I do see why Mick got rid of them both (although would've liked to have kept JET) the problem for me is we've replaced them with hard workers but players who offer even less in an attacking sense and we still have Edwards, who offers no intent. SO what I'm saying is whilst JET and Martin didn't exactly pull up any trees I think they did more in an attacking sense than those who occupy those positions this season!!!
100% agree with you on the Mikey I mentioned earlier in the season that we were getting 'Paul Jewell' style results, start well and take the lead but concede late goals and look a bit fragile... Very Un-Mick McCarthy like
Also, as a side to the Mick discussion... One of the biggest impacts he made when he came was to play everyone in their strongest position. No round pegs in square holes etc. as we had with Jewell who didn't seem to understand the idea of a balanced side and we all lauded Mick for his impact (and rightly so) Fast forward a year and 2 transfer windows later and we have 3 centre backs and 3 central midfielders (+Anderson*) in the starting line up.. Something that we seem very capable of criticizing Jim, Roy and Jewell all for * I am unsure of Anderson's favored position... though I would hazard a guess at being on the bench
WTF are you on about! I must have missed all those 4,5,6 Nil tonkings that we have been given so far this season!
