When everyone is available what is our best team (on paper),now that we've got our new January signing, I'm assuming there won't be any more additions,will you put naughton in,will cork play before leon (if fit),is gomis starting? Is shelvey out in the cold in our new look midfield,and do we think the team as a whole is better or worse than before Xmas.
Fab Naughton Fernandez Williams Taylor Ki Carroll / Cork / Leon (take your pick, although would go with Cork as Carroll isn't ours - yet, and Leon is getting on, need to get the younger guys playing) Siggy ??? Montero ??? Would like a new winger and striker please.
The fact that there are two sets if question marks in this line-up says every thing about our current squad. Due to a drop off in output (Dyer and Routs), inferior quality signed (i.e. Gomis - technically and mentally), and as yet unrealized potential (i.e. Barrow and Gorre) we really have these two gaps to fill. The rest of the season is going to be all about filling these gaps by getting underwhelmers to kick it into gear, potential to realize, and execution to meet need. As goes this effort goes our season because it's at the goal production end of the team - no goals = no points.
Bob, just try to knock that black dog off your shoulder it must be quite a burden for you . If the results start turning for us and we finish safely mid table then mission accomplished for this season ,if not the yes the ain problem will still exist .But if the former happens then at least it buys the Board time to reassess their options
That would also show that Monk is learning from this experience. We knew Monk would go through a difficult patch, most managers do. Over the coming weeks we will finally see what Monk is capable of. If he can get us through this bad patch and get us winning and playing well again, he will have taken a lot of invaluable experiences from the past few weeks.
I would still give Gomis a chance although he is walking on thin ice. I like Oliveira from what I have seen of him and did notice he had one shot on target in the Blackburn game which was one more than Gomis. So my team. Fabianski Naughton, Fernandez, Ash, Taylor Dyer, Siggy, Ki, Cork, Montero Gomis
"If"; "would"; "could"; "should". (I know,only "if" is used above). All words used to hide the situation that currently surrounds the team and it's abject performances. "If" Laudrup had been served better by Jenkins,as "should" have been the case,we "could" have got through the lean period that so dogged the end of Laudrup's reign,and we "would" now be in a better place.
No burden - I like my dog. I've seen and heard enough of Monk to know that even if the players turn it around we will continue to play brand of football that reflects the manager - boring and limited. Indications are he doesn't learn from mistakes and is arrogant to the point of blaming everyone else for his failings. A good manager (in any walk of life) learns from experience. Some managers have 20 year experience others have 1 year's experience 20 times - I'm convinced Monk will be the latter.
That's all we've got at the moment is conjecture , all teams suffer at some point , look at Villa today how poor are they with a more experienced manager who can't buy a goal atm .This season hopefully will see us safe and then we'll see how proactive the Board are in the summer in terms of support to Monk and the squad . IMO I don't believe Monk is the right man for the job , too much too soon and said so when he was appointed but to keep going over old ground when it comes to previous managers is unproductive .I. I'm just looking toward to when everyone's back, fit and see what sort of results and just as importantly performances are into the latter stages of the season .
Bob . I don't disagree that the way we've been playing has been poor and sometimes cringing but in some cases it's what the players are doing rather than what the manager isn't .The latter stages of this season will give a good indication whether Monk is learning quick enough , he has improved on certain aspects of the game then shoots himself in the foot two games later by repeating the same mistake but then again so are the players .As I responded in Vetch's post , I don't believe Monk is or was the right man for the job but he's the manger at the moment and better people than I will judge whether his best is good enough.
I wasn't going "over old ground",since the soil is being turned over regularly. The four little words I highlighted have been much used in the last year or so,e.g.,Laudrup "would" have got us relegated. Now,how is that for "conjecture"?
And this is what some fans are forgetting. Monk is still learning and will make mistakes from time to time but tell me a manager with years of experience who dont do the same thing. There is nobody, Ask any top manager if they would be chuffed if they could have done as well as monk has in his first full season especially straight in at the highest level. It is outstanding achievement for a young manager in his first ever job and credit to him for not being afraid to give the job his best shot.,...
To get back to the original thread,we seem after today's match to have to try to pick a team devoid of wingers with only dyer fit....now what's your team and more to the point your formation?
