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Lack of quality activity...


Dibden Purlieu Saint

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Is anybody slightly worried at the quality of footballers we're being linked with? Personally the players we've bought are alright, but I yhink they're lacking in real quality, even compared to mid table Prem teams. Players like Scott Dann for instance. We need to be aiming higher than poor Premiership players who had one lucky season sat in a 10-0-0 formation. I wonder if we're struggling to attract players due to the amount of money we're willing to spend/pay in wages, or due to Adkins not being a big name draw?

 

Anyone else a little worried?

 

Have to say I'm a bit worried too. I'd like to have seen us move for a few more players with Premiership experience. Players who are in the late 20's or even early 30's who've played at the highest level. All of our strikers are unproven at this level. On paper our defence looks very dodgy. We desperately need 1 or 2 CB's. The Midfield is the only thing that looks ok. And I use the term, 'ok' because that's all it is.

 

It's going to be a very long season.

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Is anybody slightly worried at the quality of footballers we're being linked with? Personally the players we've bought are alright, but I yhink they're lacking in real quality, even compared to mid table Prem teams. Players like Scott Dann for instance. We need to be aiming higher than poor Premiership players who had one lucky season sat in a 10-0-0 formation. I wonder if we're struggling to attract players due to the amount of money we're willing to spend/pay in wages, or due to Adkins not being a big name draw?

 

Anyone else a little worried?

 

 

I'm quite happy to let NA make HIS choices, and I don't care if they are "well-known, and /or " quality players, or someone we've never heard of as long as they CDAJFU....

 

who is So'ton had heard of Jos Hooiveld or Tadanari Lee 12 months ago?

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I'm quite happy to let NA make HIS choices, and I don't care if they are "well-known, and /or " quality players, or someone we've never heard of as long as they CDAJFU....

 

who is So'ton had heard of Jos Hooiveld or Tadanari Lee 12 months ago?

 

Not the best examples as hopefully neither will be starters for us in the Premiership.

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Have to agree to an extent. I think everyone is in agreement that we need a replacement for fonte. Davis I have a lot of respect for and would love to give him a go, but I do have my doubts. Don't agree about Davis and Morgan though, think they'll be fine. Someone equally as good for competition would be welcome though.

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Starting to get a bit uncomfortable.

 

3 weeks to go, spine of team (GK, CB, CM) is still for me a bit suspect. Are Davis K., Fonte and Schneiderlin/Davis S. strong enough for this level ? I have my doubts.

 

K Davis and Fonte agreed but how can you say that about Steve Davis? How many times have you seen him play? He did fine at Villa in the Prem.

The manager has said there will be new signings - we have reported shown interest in Dann/Olssen and the seasons doesnt start tomorrow.

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Starting to get a bit uncomfortable.

 

3 weeks to go, spine of team (GK, CB, CM) is still for me a bit suspect. Are Davis K., Fonte and Schneiderlin/Davis S. strong enough for this level ? I have my doubts.

 

Based on the past two seasons Alpine, I take your discomfort as a sign of impending success! :)

 

Davis S I know nothing about (always a bit dubious about Scottish imports) - Davis K has something to prove (which is a good position to be in), Morgan has got better and better and I think he can step up. The one I have the most doubts about is probably Fonte. I thought he had some patchy form last season and it will be interesting to see if this is temporary or something more worrying.

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we have bought quality compared to our rivals such as reading. we are a newly promoted team so players will be mindful of our chances of remaining in the PL. We have enough quality to stay up as long as we sign a decent CB with a little bit of pace. if we stay up then next season will be a lot easier to attract "big name" targets.

 

 

Compared to Reading! They have bought Gutherie who has good prem experience, Nicky Shorey (a fan fave and again played alright in prem) and that striker who scored quite a few goal for Fulham on loan! We have a decent squad in first place we just need a couple of centre backs and another goalkeeper and were sorted

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Not the best examples as hopefully neither will be starters for us in the Premiership.

Actually two very good examples, Jos will be in the first team, no doubts there (barring injury), it is Fonte that is debatable. As for Chung, he will be in the match day squad as soon as he is fit, and I fully expect him to be in the 1st XI before long.

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Actually two very good examples, Jos will be in the first team, no doubts there (barring injury), it is Fonte that is debatable. As for Chung, he will be in the match day squad as soon as he is fit, and I fully expect him to be in the 1st XI before long.

 

Adkins has said that he plans to bring in 1 or 2 defenders, so its by no means at all a given that Hooiveld will be the fist choice. It's entiely possible we could have a brand new starting CB partnership for the season.

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Adkins has said that he plans to bring in 1 or 2 defenders, so its by no means at all a given that Hooiveld will be the fist choice. It's entiely possible we could have a brand new starting CB partnership for the season.

 

There are several options I think. It's tough to remember but I think Fonte hasn't really been the same player since Jos arrived, and that may or may not be a coincidence. I actually thought that Fonte played quite well yesterday, apart from his horrible error, so I'm not sure that Adkins has as negative a view of him as some on here. But NA needs to get this sorted soon or else he might nor get it sorted at all before the window closes. The two CDs were the only players not changed yesterday.

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Adkins has said that he plans to bring in 1 or 2 defenders, so its by no means at all a given that Hooiveld will be the fist choice.

 

It's entiely possible we could have a brand new starting CB partnership for the season.

 

 

Can't say I go along with you on that one Kraken...." possible." ...but hardly likely.

 

Managers say teams are built from the back. We have one new face ---with Clyne, but I can't see Adkins " breaking in" TWO new central defenders in such a short time, though I do expect at least ONE experienced CB before 19th August.

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Can't say I go along with you on that one Kraken...." possible." ...but hardly likely.

 

Managers say teams are built from the back. We have one new face ---with Clyne, but I can't see Adkins " breaking in" TWO new central defenders in such a short time, though I do expect at least ONE experienced CB before 19th August.

 

Adkins has said he wants to bring in "1 or 2 new defenders", and before the Man City game. Those were his own words; I doubt he was lying. Especially so as I don't consider either Fonte or Hooiveld to be good enough first choice options for an upper to mid-table Premier League team, so its an area that very much needs improving.

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Definitely gone a bit quiet, it seems to me.

 

We are still 2 or 3 players short of where we need to be, with CB being most urgent. I assuming GK has gone quiet because Kelvin has done enough to convince NA - for now.

 

Agree -and with Davies rumoured to have signed as third choice then reckon GK is sorted - whther we like it or not.

 

For me its 1 x CB and 1 x wide man which is crucial - and if the signings are at the same level as the others then I will be happy.

 

Second Cb would be ideal after that.

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As GiveItToRon said the other day, the season doesn't start tomorrow, but it does start 3 days sooner than when Ron said that and there are now only 2 more week-ends before the Prem Kick-Off. Signings by other PL clubs continue to be of quality players with high level experience. Our signings of Gazzaniga and Adam Davies if true, are about future potential, not about improving the sidec that starts against Man City.

There are suggestions that we should sign a new defensive pairing of 2 CBs, moving Jose and Jos to 3rd/4th choices but with time so short that now looks far too much of a risk against last seasons champions. The reason that time is short is what this thread is about, that signings should be early not late. Those who think that the success of the last two seasons in L1 and the NpC mean we can afford to be complacent need to look at the teams in this season's fixtures list compared to the last 2years!

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Agree -and with Davies rumoured to have signed as third choice then reckon GK is sorted - whther we like it or not.

 

For me its 1 x CB and 1 x wide man which is crucial - and if the signings are at the same level as the others then I will be happy.

 

Second Cb would be ideal after that.

 

I hope for our sake the signings are better than this, or we are going to have a struggle this season. We NEED CB's with Pace and Top Division experience. If we don't, then we are screwed.

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I hope for our sake the signings are better than this, or we are going to have a struggle this season. We NEED CB's with Pace and Top Division experience. If we don't, then we are screwed.

 

I meant if we signed a CB and a winger that I felt were as good signings as Clyne and Jay Rod then I would feel they had the right sort of quality that we need. Not sure they necessarily need top level experience but agree we need some pace in the team - IMO the key reason we signed Clyne.

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I meant if we signed a CB and a winger that I felt were as good signings as Clyne and Jay Rod then I would feel they had the right sort of quality that we need. Not sure they necessarily need top level experience but agree we need some pace in the team - IMO the key reason we signed Clyne.

 

Can't agree, because much as its great to have players with potential in the side, there is a crucial need for top level experience as well. We may have that in Steven Davis, except it looks like he may not be fit for the start of the season and it takes more than one player to provide that experience factor. Two established CBs with top level experience here or abroad would be ideal but its already looking to late to bring in a completely new pairing for the Man City game. My confidence, based on the intentions stated by Nigel Adkins a week or so ago, is beginning to fade as things remain quiet and the days get tickled off.

PS. Hope they are also looking for that fast RW.

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I meant if we signed a CB and a winger that I felt were as good signings as Clyne and Jay Rod then I would feel they had the right sort of quality that we need. Not sure they necessarily need top level experience but agree we need some pace in the team - IMO the key reason we signed Clyne.

 

I meant that the quality needs to be better than those two, great prospects but not Premiership quality yet. This is what worries me.

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Yep we just have no quality its all down to Nigel, and its his fault we only have two gold medals.

 

He did say we were bring others players in after the AJAX game tho

 

 

He does seem to have a habit of saying players are going to come in and then they don't - he hasn't got a lot of control over it. We are looking yes, but he can't guarentee players coming in.

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I meant if we signed a CB and a winger that I felt were as good signings as Clyne and Jay Rod then I would feel they had the right sort of quality that we need. Not sure they necessarily need top level experience but agree we need some pace in the team - IMO the key reason we signed Clyne.

 

I meant that the quality needs to be better than those two, great prospects but not Premiership quality yet. This is what worries me.

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I meant that the quality needs to be better than those two, great prospects but not Premiership quality yet. This is what worries me.

Quality to do what in the Premier League?

 

Clyne is definitely good enough IMO, he's not one for the future, he's one for now. JRod similarly will feature a lot for us this season (if he doesn't its a complete waste of money).

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Quality to do what in the Premier League?

 

Clyne is definitely good enough IMO, he's not one for the future, he's one for now. JRod similarly will feature a lot for us this season (if he doesn't its a complete waste of money).

 

IMO, from seeing him last season, Clyne is not good enough to play every week in the Premiership. The same can be said for J Rod.

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IMO, from seeing him last season, Clyne is not good enough to play every week in the Premiership. The same can be said for J Rod.

 

How many times did you see them play to make this decision, out of interest?

 

I have a number of Palace supporting mates, and they're convinced Clyne will be one of our best players now, and will continue to improve. They all think he has the potential to play for a top 4 club within a few years.

 

I'm more wary about Rodriguez's prospects, but only insofar as I've rarely seen him play to make a decision one way or the other. But adkins certainly seems to have faith in him, and I'd be shocked if he didn't start more games than not in the league.

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IMO, from seeing him last season, Clyne is not good enough to play every week in the Premiership. The same can be said for J Rod.

 

Why? Is someone like Geoff Cameron looking too high? Michu? We're being told we're putting together a side to get us challenging for the top 10. No chance with the quality of players, and if we don't strengthen soon it looks like relegation to me. Just because Norwich, QPR and Swansea stayed up at the expense of 3 utterly awful sides (that half the players in each side would get into ours). This years Prem is harder.

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How many times did you see them play to make this decision, out of interest?

 

I have a number of Palace supporting mates, and they're convinced Clyne will be one of our best players now, and will continue to improve. They all think he has the potential to play for a top 4 club within a few years.

 

I'm more wary about Rodriguez's prospects, but only insofar as I've rarely seen him play to make a decision one way or the other. But adkins certainly seems to have faith in him, and I'd be shocked if he didn't start more games than not in the league.

 

Went to Palace 9 times last season (best mate is a Palace fan and it's my nearest team) and he is a great prospect. However, for this season? He will be in a back 4 that concedes a lot of goals and he is young. I don't think he's good enough and this season could break him. Look at Hanley at Blackburn. He is an amazing prospect but struggled last season.

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Went to Palace 9 times last season (best mate is a Palace fan and it's my nearest team) and he is a great prospect. However, for this season? He will be in a back 4 that concedes a lot of goals and he is young. I don't think he's good enough and this season could break him. Look at Hanley at Blackburn. He is an amazing prospect but struggled last season.

I think we'll agree to disagree then. Like you I've seen him a fair bit over the past 2 or 3 years and I think we're really lucky to have him. I think he'll do a very good job for us; his 45 minute cameo against Ajax was certainly very promising. As I said earlier I have more concerns over Rodriguez, sheerly for the fact I know much less about him.

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As I said earlier I have more concerns over Rodriguez, sheerly for the fact I know much less about him.

 

I can only go by a Burnley season-ticket holding colleague of mine who says he clearly has the potential to be something special but he is far from the finished article right now. Hopefully he's in a good place to develop as a player with us.

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I think we'll agree to disagree then. Like you I've seen him a fair bit over the past 2 or 3 years and I think we're really lucky to have him. I think he'll do a very good job for us; his 45 minute cameo against Ajax was certainly very promising. As I said earlier I have more concerns over Rodriguez, sheerly for the fact I know much less about him.

 

I guess so.

 

Th biggest issue for me is that other teams around us are strengthening, QPR, West Ham and Reading, as well as sides like West Brom. The players we have bought are improvements on our side, but I don't think they're improving us enough. The defence will be utterly ripped to shreds like this, and I also feel we desperately need a pacwy, exciting right winger. I just hope we don't get found out because we weren't prepared to spend a bit of money.

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This is a consolidation season on so many levels. Not only the stadium expansion, but perhaps we will find it easier to attract real quality players once NA and NC have demonstrated over this season that our set-up and management is good enough for the rigours of the PL.

 

Provided all goes well, I expect next season to be our break-out season.

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I disagree with this idea that top level experience is essential. I think its important to have experience in the side, certainly, to keep younger heads calm under pressure and to organise them, but whether they got that experience in the Prem, Championship or overseas is pretty irrelevant.

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I disagree with this idea that top level experience is essential. I think its important to have experience in the side, certainly, to keep younger heads calm under pressure and to organise them, but whether they got that experience in the Prem, Championship or overseas is pretty irrelevant.

 

How is it irrelevant ? The Prem is one of the top leagues in the world with a lot of the world's best players in it ? How exactly is playing 300 Championship matches going to give you the experience to cope with Aguero running through you for 90 minutes ?

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How is it irrelevant ? The Prem is one of the top leagues in the world with a lot of the world's best players in it ? How exactly is playing 300 Championship matches going to give you the experience to cope with Aguero running through you for 90 minutes ?

If you're good enough you'll be able to adapt to an individual's qualities pretty quickly. 300 games in the champ or the prem aren't going to make you able to run any faster, or think quicker.

 

Its fair enough if you don't think the players we're signed are good enough or experienced enough, but I just don't think where you get the experience is all that relevant. Countless players have thrived in the Premier League without having played in it before.

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Went to Palace 9 times last season (best mate is a Palace fan and it's my nearest team) and he is a great prospect. However, for this season? He will be in a back 4 that concedes a lot of goals and he is young. I don't think he's good enough and this season could break him. Look at Hanley at Blackburn. He is an amazing prospect but struggled last season.

 

So you went to Palace 9 times last season and know that Clyne might struggle in our defence. You went/saw Blackburn loads so you know Scott Dann isn't good enough for us. Did you manage to fit any Saints games in at all?

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As GiveItToRon said the other day, the season doesn't start tomorrow, but it does start 3 days sooner than when Ron said that and there are now only 2 more week-ends before the Prem Kick-Off. Signings by other PL clubs continue to be of quality players with high level experience. Our signings of Gazzaniga and Adam Davies if true, are about future potential, not about improving the sidec that starts against Man City.

There are suggestions that we should sign a new defensive pairing of 2 CBs, moving Jose and Jos to 3rd/4th choices but with time so short that now looks far too much of a risk against last seasons champions. The reason that time is short is what this thread is about, that signings should be early not late. Those who think that the success of the last two seasons in L1 and the NpC mean we can afford to be complacent need to look at the teams in this season's fixtures list compared to the last 2years!

 

I have said it for the last two seasons, we are not decisive enough when it comes to summer transfer activity. This complacency will do for us, I am sure !

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I must admit I am a little less positive now the signings have dried up. But we have to be aware that often clubs wont sell for reasonable prices until the end of the window as they are hoping someone will come in with a bigger bid than we can offer. Equally we are hoping they will be forced to drop their price when the deadline approaches.

 

Its frustrating but we have to be patient. If we haven't signed a couple more quality players by the end of August then we can worry

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This is a consolidation season on so many levels. Not only the stadium expansion, but perhaps we will find it easier to attract real quality players once NA and NC have demonstrated over this season that our set-up and management is good enough for the rigours of the PL.

 

Provided all goes well, I expect next season to be our break-out season.

 

I disagree. I believe we are happy to grab the Premier money and accept relegation before building again in the NPC. I have been convinced for a long time that we will employ the yoyo strategy !

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I must admit I am a little less positive now the signings have dried up. But we have to be aware that often clubs wont sell for reasonable prices until the end of the window as they are hoping someone will come in with a bigger bid than we can offer. Equally we are hoping they will be forced to drop their price when the deadline approaches.

 

Its frustrating but we have to be patient. If we haven't signed a couple more quality players by the end of August then we can worry

 

Why worry ? Maybe your expectations are too high. I am going to enjoy this season and if we get relegated then am confident it is part of our yoyo strategy.

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This is a consolidation season on so many levels. Not only the stadium expansion, but perhaps we will find it easier to attract real quality players once NA and NC have demonstrated over this season that our set-up and management is good enough for the rigours of the PL.

 

Provided all goes well, I expect next season to be our break-out season.

Alpine. This is not like you at all. Have they put you on medication?

Consolidation is all very well at times, if you have security, but for SFC it could mean dropping back to the Championship, which is one hell of a league to get out of. We should be grasping this opportunity and learning from what clubs around us are doing. Adkins has clearly identified where he needs new players, and we've all been quoting them regularly - 2xCB, 1xLB; 1xRW; GK. The three signings made (plus a reserve GK) fall far short of those ambitions and time is getting very short. In fact its already too short to bed new players in before the first match. Must we be in the bottom 3 in Sept before anyone takes it seriously? And even then you can already hear the excuses about playing top teams. In the Prem you have to compete against every team, as QPR did at Man City onn the last day of last season.

I hope my fears are proved wrong, but I'm getting more concerned at the lack of progress.

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Why worry ? Maybe your expectations are too high. I am going to enjoy this season and if we get relegated then am confident it is part of our yoyo strategy.

 

You're the one who said the club was complacent and indecision will do for us! I don't particularly think they are working on a yoyo strategy as they have built up expectations for European place, but I do I think they're being unrealistic about what we can achieve.

 

Personally I'll be happy with 17th and even relegation wouldn't be a disaster, so not really that concerned. Anyway, I think we'll stay up with a couple of solid signings, but time will tell on that.

Edited by Ex Lion Tamer
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The way I see it is that we have in place a team of mostly untried/untested at this level players and that seems to be the strategy with the new signings,now this could go 1 of 2 ways,either it's going to bite us on the knob and get us shamefully relegated or it will be an element of surprise,much the same as Norwich or Swansea and keep us up.

Spending big and buying experience doesnt always work,just look at QPR they spent loads and bought some good players but IMO they also paid too much for average players and they only just survived.

I'm happy for us to pick the cream of the lower leagues but I'm convinced this won't be good enough,we need a mix of experience and raw untried talent and we need it fairly quick otherwise we could be in serious trouble before the January window even opens.

IMO 3 experienced players need to join the ranks just to keep us afloat.

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So you went to Palace 9 times last season and know that Clyne might struggle in our defence. You went/saw Blackburn loads so you know Scott Dann isn't good enough for us. Did you manage to fit any Saints games in at all?

 

Yep, cos thats the way football works, Blackburn, Saints and Palace all play at the same time every week!

 

If you must know, I went to 5 Blackburn games, and a lot of the Palace games I went to, for instance Palace v Saints in the Cup, were midweek.

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