and I would be ok with that if we were still top 4 and trying to get the title, meanwhile doing a good job in the cl, but now struggling to get into the top 4 and cup success based on winning the carling cup? It's gutting.
What is different?
- Thread starter Magic Ted
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and I would be ok with that if we were still top 4 and trying to get the title, meanwhile doing a good job in the cl, but now struggling to get into the top 4 and cup success based on winning the carling cup? It's gutting.
I feel I'm being forced back on the woodwork excuse but it does have a bearing. Now I'm not nerdy enough to say how many extra points we would have gained had x or y% of them gone in but I'd be we wouldn't be in 7th and having this debate.
If last summer was our spending spree then I hate to think what this summer will bring when DC has stated there will be little activity. Can just see us buying another overrated brit from some lower league club while Goetze goes to Arsenal
I'll try and dig up the article mate, can't remember where I read it. But basically along the lines that the squad is good as it is and with only very few minor alterations in the summer. Left me feeling ****ing pissed off
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Super G Ted'inho
Guest
I don't think we need an overall. We need to swap two or three and add a couple. More or less a standard summer and not the twenty-four comings and goings we saw last summer.
Yeah; sorry that's what I meant. Spine of young players is there with a possible 3/4 younger players to phase in over next two years so time to be surgical in who we buy: only top quality .
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Super G Ted'inho
Guest
Isn't that the approach Rafa tried? We need to improve now so I would like to see more than one top signing. We have plenty of decent youngsters already.
Lol
I must be writing like mud today:
I meant we have all the youngsters at the club already: just need phased into the 1st team over next two years(if they can cope)
We have a young spine, mixed with some quality old timers in the senior squad. Now we need only buy very high quality when we can get them.
Under Rafa (and I was happy enough with him without idolizing every move he made just like any manager) I believe we bought players for the sake of buying players sometimes: just adds to the wage bill without adding anything to the 1st team. I have not thought that of KD because it was his first year. I WILL think that if he runs out & buys 4 more players this summer who are no better than current in reaction to a few impatient & frustrated (understandably) fans.
Wether you are in the "this years crop will come good" or "this years buys were a dreadful mistake" camp; the answer isn't "let's go and take the same gamble this summer"
You'll end up with another disjointed team next year.
So I'm saying only buy a player if he is world class or through long term injury or catastrophic loss of form (from someone we've already got)we have no choice but to gamble (educated I would hope) in the absence of a world class alternative.
I truly believe the following:
This team is not bad.
This team with a few exceptions(team wise) has not performed badly.
It is ok to criticise an individuals form in the first year but not ok to write that player off.(next years fine
Any squad looks to improve: and improve to world class standard when the opportunity arises. Patience is needed.
Everyone seems to be able to rhyme off a list of 7 players "better than we have" that we shoulda, woulda, coulda got.
If it was truly that easy we wouldn't be two decades and 7 managers on from our last title.
You have played with a pressure to perform this season, that was not there last year, when KD took over, your Season was already written off.
Left Back has been improved, no other position in your '1st XI' has.
Left Back has been improved, no other position in your '1st XI' has.
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Super G Ted'inho
Guest
See: sugared poison.
Any person that says a team playing Henderson and Bellamy rather than Poulsen & Janovic (spelling?) has not been improved is either wumming or insane.
If you'd finished with"still not good enough to compete" that would have been a fair appraisal, but to say no improvement at all is just an attempt at a stir.
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Super G Ted'inho
Guest
Come on Frank, you know as much as I did that Jovanovic and Poulsen wasn't getting a look in towards the end of last season. And that was despite us having injury problems etc!
PS - I know Schofield is on a WUM but I think he made good points in that post.
Absolutely not on a WUM
I would agree that Bellamy has been a good addition to the squad, but as he is unable to play more than 25/30 games a season, he can hardly be described as having improved the '1st XI' which I deliberately put in text-marks because it is hard to define these days.
Henderson, as you will see in a response to the other bit about 'never having a good word to say' (paraphrased) is a good young Player, but is he really any better than Kuyt on the right?
I would agree that Bellamy has been a good addition to the squad, but as he is unable to play more than 25/30 games a season, he can hardly be described as having improved the '1st XI' which I deliberately put in text-marks because it is hard to define these days.
Henderson, as you will see in a response to the other bit about 'never having a good word to say' (paraphrased) is a good young Player, but is he really any better than Kuyt on the right?
I think we're comparing apples & pears to be honest.
Last year, pressure off, Kenny made do with what was left him.
With the Exception of Suarez who was bought as part of now defunct plan including Torres and Carroll, bought as a reaction & I still believe more a symbolic reactive buy to the exit of Torres. Proof we still could. Good idea, maybe not. So the plan behind buying a possible works class player is gone.
So last Summers Kenny threw away a collection of previous managers squad players & brought in his own. As squad players I believe they are of better quality when appearing in the starting XI than those gone last summer.
I Still think many fans when they don't look at it in that way were always going to be left underwhelmed by this years results. I can only keep saying it. We now have a group of players who as a squad are more likely to dig in on a cold wet day than the Poulsens & Aqualanis of this world. We were lucky to get a gem in Enrique; it happens.
We WERE NOT going to buy the world beaters last year & if we had spent the money on a couple of them instead (& because we still had the Poulsens et al and aging players being forced to play all the time); how long would they have stayed if we missed out on the champions league this year? Torres all over again me thinks.
This way was the right way; now we can push on & start adding the sparkle to the newly acquired engine. An ordinary engine that has already won a cup that those previous squad players failed to do.(We'll see if they get another)
It's all how you look at it. In an Impatient/unrealistic way? & you'll be agreeing with Schofield for the rest of the year & possibly next.
View it as a complete rebuild, taking 3-5 years & I stand buy my argument that there has been improvement in the squad. As its the squad that eventually keeps you up challenging, albeit its the still to be obtained superstars that push you over the line.
Again as I said if anyone is arguing we're still not good enough; well you're stating the obvious & I agree.
But I can't agree that this Squad isn't better than the end of Rafa through to Hodgeson squad.
Last year, pressure off, Kenny made do with what was left him.
With the Exception of Suarez who was bought as part of now defunct plan including Torres and Carroll, bought as a reaction & I still believe more a symbolic reactive buy to the exit of Torres. Proof we still could. Good idea, maybe not. So the plan behind buying a possible works class player is gone.
So last Summers Kenny threw away a collection of previous managers squad players & brought in his own. As squad players I believe they are of better quality when appearing in the starting XI than those gone last summer.
I Still think many fans when they don't look at it in that way were always going to be left underwhelmed by this years results. I can only keep saying it. We now have a group of players who as a squad are more likely to dig in on a cold wet day than the Poulsens & Aqualanis of this world. We were lucky to get a gem in Enrique; it happens.
We WERE NOT going to buy the world beaters last year & if we had spent the money on a couple of them instead (& because we still had the Poulsens et al and aging players being forced to play all the time); how long would they have stayed if we missed out on the champions league this year? Torres all over again me thinks.
This way was the right way; now we can push on & start adding the sparkle to the newly acquired engine. An ordinary engine that has already won a cup that those previous squad players failed to do.(We'll see if they get another)
It's all how you look at it. In an Impatient/unrealistic way? & you'll be agreeing with Schofield for the rest of the year & possibly next.
View it as a complete rebuild, taking 3-5 years & I stand buy my argument that there has been improvement in the squad. As its the squad that eventually keeps you up challenging, albeit its the still to be obtained superstars that push you over the line.
Again as I said if anyone is arguing we're still not good enough; well you're stating the obvious & I agree.
But I can't agree that this Squad isn't better than the end of Rafa through to Hodgeson squad.
One stat that shocked me this season was that up until a few games ago Suarez, Carroll and Gerrard had never started a game together! Another massive factor is this: who are our best players? IMO Gerrard, Pepe, Lucas and Suarez. Collectively how long have we been without them this season? (Pepe aside)
I agree with some of the other posters on us being poor against the lesser teams. With Woy and to some extent with Kenny we lost these games whereas, love him or hate him, Rafa would get us a draw.
I agree with some of the other posters on us being poor against the lesser teams. With Woy and to some extent with Kenny we lost these games whereas, love him or hate him, Rafa would get us a draw.