Unbelievable Jeff Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Yesterday was frustrating. Disappointing, but mostly frustrating. We should have had at least one penalty early on, Liverpool were able to sit back due to scoring a worldy very early on, they should have had their keeper sent off, and we couldn't break down a team that now hasn't conceded an away goal in 5 games, and are the leagues form side. As with both Swansea and West Ham, we are struggling to break down teams that sit back and hit us on the break. This is different to the start of the season when teams would set up to attack us, and we would destroy them. Yes, we probably won't get Champions League football. It was always a tough ask without a world class striker and/or creative midfielder. But that's OK. We have still had an outstanding season. We still have the chance to push this the whole way with Utd and Liverpool having very difficult run ins. Even then, we have next season. Fingers crossed we can keep the majority of our players in the Summer, bring in a new striker, re-group and go for it again next season. It feels like this board has lost all perspective on this season imho, and that our demands of our club/players is unreasonable. Anyway, that's all in my opinion. COYS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Lej Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Yesterday was frustrating. Disappointing, but mostly frustrating. We should have had at least one penalty early on, Liverpool were able to sit back due to scoring a worldy very early on, they should have had their keeper sent off, and we couldn't break down a team that now hasn't conceded an away goal in 5 games, and are the leagues form side. As with both Swansea and West Ham, we are struggling to break down teams that sit back and hit us on the break. This is different to the start of the season when teams would set up to attack us, and we would destroy them. Yes, we probably won't get Champions League football. It was always a tough ask without a world class striker and/or creative midfielder. But that's OK. We have still had an outstanding season. We still have the chance to push this the whole way with Utd and Liverpool having very difficult run ins. Even then, we have next season. Fingers crossed we can keep the majority of our players in the Summer, bring in a new striker, re-group and go for it again next season. It feels like this board has lost all perspective on this season imho, and that our demands of our club/players is unreasonable. Anyway, that's all in my opinion. COYS. Great post, very much my thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelman Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 We have done exceptionally well and those whinging (OK - that might be a tad harsh) should just ask themselves whether at the beginning of the season, they would have been content at the tail end of February to be in 5th place, 2 points behind 3rd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonjoe Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Top 6 would be an outstanding achievement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toomer Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 We need to remeber where we were five or six years ago, the clouds over St Marys were darker than yesterdays rain clouds then. To be where we are now is a great achiement a top six finish will be a step up from last season and lets not forget what happened last summer, the heart was ripped out of the club RK and the board have done a fantastic job. No doubt there will be a few leave this summer and if we can get the same quality replacements or slightly better perhaps next season we will break into the top four. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Should have signed another striker as be hard to get into this position again. Was board not ambitious enough? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dig Dig Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 I'm not sure that anyone is whinging or being overly critical. Surely fans are just commenting game by game which is how the management and players are dealing with this season? I think the fan base are fully behind the side but it is good to keep some perspective on where we are now vs where we could have been after last summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faz Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Beat WBA and we will go back in to the top 4 imo, and be back to 4 points ahead of Liverpool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedWillie Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 There's probably about 87 other clubs who would absolutely love to be in our position at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancake Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 There's probably about 87 other clubs who would absolutely love to be in our position at the moment. And 91 sets of fans who would also be ****ed off at the abject display of football from their team if in the same situation yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbelievable Jeff Posted 23 February, 2015 Author Share Posted 23 February, 2015 And 91 sets of fans who would also be ****ed off at the abject display of football from their team if in the same situation yesterday. I wouldn't call it abject though. Liverpool are the in form team in the league, and we dominated them. We should have had 1 maybe 2 penalties which would have opened the game up and given us more chances. Playing against an organised bank of 10 is bloody difficult. And really, this is the point. I'm not sure how you can judge that as abject. You need to keep things in perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxstone Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Should have signed another striker as be hard to get into this position again. Was board not ambitious enough? We keep mentioning that we should have signed another striker but I have to ask who would we have signed that had the necessary quality? Don't say Ings as Burnley clearly were not going to let him go in January, and all credit to the lad himself he wanted to stay and help their relegation battle.. I really cannot think of anybody else who would have fitted the bill at a reasonable price for January... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbelievable Jeff Posted 23 February, 2015 Author Share Posted 23 February, 2015 We keep mentioning that we should have signed another striker but I have to ask who would we have signed that had the necessary quality? Don't say Ings as Burnley clearly were not going to let him go in January, and all credit to the lad himself he wanted to stay and help their relegation battle.. I really cannot think of anybody else who would have fitted the bill at a reasonable price for January... I've asked this a number of times, you won't get an answer as there wasn't anyone suitable. We looked, but no-one was available, so we trotted the line out that we didn't need one. And that's that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 We've put ourselves in an amazing position and I think it's incredible how well we've done, given all the changes in the summer. We've punched about our weight for sure, but I think this currently represents one of the best ever chances we will ever have of finishing in the Top 4, that's why yesterday has left me so frustrated as it would have been a massive, massive win if we got it. It's not over though, not by a long way. Just look at how tight it is from 7th upwards, it's ridiculous. 3rd and 4th are up for grabs, on history you'd say Arsenal will get one of those slots - but between ourselves, Utd, Liverpool and Spurs....I think it could be any, we'll all drop points between now and the end. I think our run-in, on paper, is really good....but this is the stage of the season where you often see bottom sides beating the top teams due to what's at stake down there, so there will be plenty of twists and turns. I think we're a good side, with a good foundation. The basis is still there, but we need to speed up the attack, and the front 3 need to get their heads into gear as they are not providing any movement of note. Liverpool didn't play well yesterday, but on the occasions they did attack...they attacked with pace and purpose. We don't do that, we pass the ball around so slowly that any gaps just close up, our midfielders are guilty of overplaying at times and our front 3 are currently guilty of being too static. At the start of the season, and even last season, we moved teams around but we just look so rigid right now in attack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbelievable Jeff Posted 23 February, 2015 Author Share Posted 23 February, 2015 We've put ourselves in an amazing position and I think it's incredible how well we've done, given all the changes in the summer. We've punched about our weight for sure, but I think this currently represents one of the best ever chances we will ever have of finishing in the Top 4, that's why yesterday has left me so frustrated as it would have been a massive, massive win if we got it. It's not over though, not by a long way. Just look at how tight it is from 7th upwards, it's ridiculous. 3rd and 4th are up for grabs, on history you'd say Arsenal will get one of those slots - but between ourselves, Utd, Liverpool and Spurs....I think it could be any, we'll all drop points between now and the end. I think our run-in, on paper, is really good....but this is the stage of the season where you often see bottom sides beating the top teams due to what's at stake down there, so there will be plenty of twists and turns. I think we're a good side, with a good foundation. The basis is still there, but we need to speed up the attack, and the front 3 need to get their heads into gear as they are not providing any movement of note. Liverpool didn't play well yesterday, but on the occasions they did attack...they attacked with pace and purpose. We don't do that, we pass the ball around so slowly that any gaps just close up, our midfielders are guilty of overplaying at times and our front 3 are currently guilty of being too static. At the start of the season, and even last season, we moved teams around but we just look so rigid right now in attack. I think it's because we're relying on pace (Elia, Mane etc), where we need creativity. We miss an in form Tadic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 I think it's because we're relying on pace (Elia, Mane etc), where we need creativity. We miss an in form Tadic. I'd love to know what has happened to Tadic, he was providing that movement and the start and floated between the lines all game. He was a stunning player, but right now he looks as effective as Gaston. I think we're just too slow though, generally. We don't even utilise the pace we have. If you look at one of the free kicks yesterday, in the 2nd half I think, it was a decent delivery played in the box...but Durijic was too slow to react and it went out of play. Pelle isn't helping things by his constant overplaying and flicks, he needs to sort himself out. Do you know what I'd be tempted to do? Forster Clyne - Fonte - Toby - Bertrand Wanyama Morgan Mane Tadic Elia Long With Long, you've got someone who stretches the game and plays into the channels - which will open the space for the likes of Mane and Elia to exploit. Pelle doesn't give us that right now. He'd be a decent option off the bench but I think he's hampering our style at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 We keep mentioning that we should have signed another striker but I have to ask who would we have signed that had the necessary quality? Don't say Ings as Burnley clearly were not going to let him go in January, and all credit to the lad himself he wanted to stay and help their relegation battle.. I really cannot think of anybody else who would have fitted the bill at a reasonable price for January... no one at all mentioned Djuricic or Elia pre Jan 1st. Yet we signed those I thought we have scouts around the world.......and not for saints fans to name names it is a shame we never got another striker in but got yet another support forward in. never mind, we are doing really well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david in sweden Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Yesterday was frustrating. Disappointing, but mostly frustrating. We should have had at least one penalty early on, Liverpool were able to sit back due to scoring a worldy very early on, they should have had their keeper sent off, and we couldn't break down a team that now hasn't conceded an away goal in 5 games, and are the leagues form side. As with both Swansea and West Ham, we are struggling to break down teams that sit back and hit us on the break. This is different to the start of the season when teams would set up to attack us, and we would destroy them. Yes, we probably won't get Champions League football. It was always a tough ask without a world class striker and/or creative midfielder. But that's OK. We have still had an outstanding season. We still have the chance to push this the whole way with Utd and Liverpool having very difficult run ins. Even then, we have next season. Fingers crossed we can keep the majority of our players in the Summer, bring in a new striker, re-group and go for it again next season. It feels like this board has lost all perspective on this season imho, and that our demands of our club/players is unreasonable. Anyway, that's all in my opinion. COYS. ......and one that many of us seem to agree with. Disappointing, in a season that has produced some of our best Prem. AWAY performances, we are suddenly dropping points at home. Opposition teams are coming with packed midfields and at times with 10 men back defending, but TBH.....I'd much prefer a few more direct shots on goals instead of trying to find another player who " is better placed". Shoot on sight is a better policy than playing " dainty " football and trying to pass through a mass of legs inside the box. That " extra pass " gives defenders time to re-group and block shots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 assuming the title of this thread is directed towards fans... how do fans on a message board 're-group'...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbelievable Jeff Posted 23 February, 2015 Author Share Posted 23 February, 2015 ......and one that many of us seem to agree with. Disappointing, in a season that has produced some of our best Prem. AWAY performances, we are suddenly dropping points at home. Opposition teams are coming with packed midfields and at times with 10 men back defending, but TBH.....I'd much prefer a few more direct shots on goals instead of trying to find another player who " is better placed". Shoot on sight is a better policy than playing " dainty " football and trying to pass through a mass of legs inside the box. That " extra pass " gives defenders time to re-group and block shots. Agreed, especially with shooting from distance when the weather was like it was yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Garrett Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Ronald has got to come up with a team that can unlock stubborn teams who sit back and counter. It's what we're playing against every week now. I've got every confidence in him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucks Saint Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Agreed, especially with shooting from distance when the weather was like it was yesterday. Agree with the OP completely, although I am not writing off Top 4 just yet. The lack of shooting worries me though. 10 days of training to work on the issues from Swansea and W Ham and not much sign that we have identified this most basic problem yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_Jonny Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 This season has been magnificent I am still hopeful we will qualify for europe in one form or another, which would be incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOTONS EAST SIDE Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Pelle needs to be benched, so he can get his hunger/ desire back. Plus he might get his head right again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micky Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 First - we won't make CL and have probably 'ceilinged' over the first part of the season. As I said in a previous thread, the cream always rises to the top of the Premier League and we are not in that group - the usual suspects will make up the top 4 - 6 places. We may not be the 'cream', but we are certainly amongst the 'best of the rest', and can look forward to a good finish anyway. I think a lot of the problem is the fact that we started so well and for the first half of the season cemented a place in and around the top 4, and now, through injuries and loss of form are beginning to drop away from the top. However, look at it this way, had we started poorly and recovered to the position that we are currently in, everybody on this board would be bloody delighted. Yes it is disappointing that we are not able to mix it with the big clubs but we gave them a bloody decent run - 5th place going into March - can't complain. My only worry though is next seasons 'exodus' - it will surely come and again we will lose a fair amount of this squad. Funnily though, as I was watching the game yesterday I actually hoped that Jose Fonte would be part of it (strange I know), but if the likes of Loveren can play in a CL team, then Jose can easily, and deserves to. Don't get me wrong - I would love us to be able to offer those players the opportunities that other clubs can, but the reality is we can't, not in terms of money or CL / Cup opportunities. Overall though, my cup is more than half full, great season so far and I'm very happy with where we are at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonraker Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 We keep mentioning that we should have signed another striker but I have to ask who would we have signed that had the necessary quality? Don't say Ings as Burnley clearly were not going to let him go in January, and all credit to the lad himself he wanted to stay and help their relegation battle.. I really cannot think of anybody else who would have fitted the bill at a reasonable price for January... This, all those saying we should have done this or that need to recognise that their is no magic strker tree. We should only bring in players if the ones avaible are good enough to improve the squad not just to fill a hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano6 Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Is everyone seriously claiming that there wasn't one single decent striker available in the whole world this January? You realise there are leagues other than the Prem, right? And that we have people whose entire jobs are to watch them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JxgrSaint Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 The problem of course being that without Champions League football we will definitely lose Toby, Clyne & Morgan for a combined £55m..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxstone Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Is everyone seriously claiming that there wasn't one single decent striker available in the whole world this January? You realise there are leagues other than the Prem, right? And that we have people whose entire jobs are to watch them. Available quite probably but at a decent price... Most unlikely! We have been unlucky up front with Jay's return being delayed by his non-recovery and then Shane being injured in the way he was... Elia was brought in as a striker and in fairness he has done well, but I would rather wait to strengthen our strike force in a controlled and cost-effectiv emanner than adopt the Redknapp philosophy of over-spending for some journeyman donkey or some over-priced Brazilian who could not cut it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbelievable Jeff Posted 23 February, 2015 Author Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Is everyone seriously claiming that there wasn't one single decent striker available in the whole world this January? You realise there are leagues other than the Prem, right? And that we have people whose entire jobs are to watch them. Yes, and they obviously couldn't find one with the correct attributes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbelievable Jeff Posted 23 February, 2015 Author Share Posted 23 February, 2015 The problem of course being that without Champions League football we will definitely lose Toby, Clyne & Morgan for a combined £55m..... Yeah, but I think we'd lose Toby and Morgan anyway - we can't afford Toby's wages and Morgan is leaving whatever this Summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitch Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Yesterday was frustrating. Disappointing, but mostly frustrating. We should have had at least one penalty early on, Liverpool were able to sit back due to scoring a worldy very early on, they should have had their keeper sent off, and we couldn't break down a team that now hasn't conceded an away goal in 5 games, and are the leagues form side. As with both Swansea and West Ham, we are struggling to break down teams that sit back and hit us on the break. This is different to the start of the season when teams would set up to attack us, and we would destroy them. Yes, we probably won't get Champions League football. It was always a tough ask without a world class striker and/or creative midfielder. But that's OK. We have still had an outstanding season. We still have the chance to push this the whole way with Utd and Liverpool having very difficult run ins. Even then, we have next season. Fingers crossed we can keep the majority of our players in the Summer, bring in a new striker, re-group and go for it again next season. It feels like this board has lost all perspective on this season imho, and that our demands of our club/players is unreasonable. Anyway, that's all in my opinion. COYS. Well said. Time for a reality check! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Uwe Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Yesterday's result changes nothing in my mind - we have still got an amazing chance to get in the top four. Everyone is talking about Liverpool as the form team; they have still got to negotiate the Europa League and FA Cup as well. It's a huge ask for them to keep it going for the next 3 months, something will probably have to give. And if it doesn't, well fair play to them - but they have got it all to do to get a CL spot IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Tender Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 We've put ourselves in an amazing position and I think it's incredible how well we've done, given all the changes in the summer. We've punched about our weight for sure, but I think this currently represents one of the best ever chances we will ever have of finishing in the Top 4, that's why yesterday has left me so frustrated as it would have been a massive, massive win if we got it. It's not over though, not by a long way. Just look at how tight it is from 7th upwards, it's ridiculous. 3rd and 4th are up for grabs, on history you'd say Arsenal will get one of those slots - but between ourselves, Utd, Liverpool and Spurs....I think it could be any, we'll all drop points between now and the end. I think our run-in, on paper, is really good....but this is the stage of the season where you often see bottom sides beating the top teams due to what's at stake down there, so there will be plenty of twists and turns. I think we're a good side, with a good foundation. The basis is still there, but we need to speed up the attack, and the front 3 need to get their heads into gear as they are not providing any movement of note. Liverpool didn't play well yesterday, but on the occasions they did attack...they attacked with pace and purpose. We don't do that, we pass the ball around so slowly that any gaps just close up, our midfielders are guilty of overplaying at times and our front 3 are currently guilty of being too static. At the start of the season, and even last season, we moved teams around but we just look so rigid right now in attack. I agree with most of this. But I would add that the drop of form in recent games could just be down to something quite simple, like Bertrand being suspended and Long, Schneiderlin and Alderweireld being injured, as well as Targett latterly. Also Djuricic has not had much game time to meld with his colleagues. Without Bertrand and Targett, we have had a makeshift left-hand side, lacking the speed down the right-hand flank, so undoubtedly the cannier managers have exploited that. Although Reed has been excellent in midfield during the absences of Wanyama a Schneiderlin, those two must surely be our strongest partnering there. Yoshida has been very good as the replacement for Alderweireld, but would Liverpool have scored either goal against Bertand, Aldveireld, Fonte and Clyne, with Wanyama and Schneiderlin in front of them? With luck, all of those players will be back for the remainer of the season, plus Long and maybe Rodriguez soon. We also know that we have some decent deputies for them in the event of injuries and suspensions. But we have to get back into the habit of scoring goals and then we could hold our own for a top four place even now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwsaint Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Completely against the current transfer policy, but I would have had Rickie Lambert back as short term cover for Pelle. He is clearly on the way down (sadly), but would have done a job for us. And we would still have profited on the transaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coxford_lou Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Yesterday's result changes nothing in my mind - we have still got an amazing chance to get in the top four. Everyone is talking about Liverpool as the form team; they have still got to negotiate the Europa League and FA Cup as well. It's a huge ask for them to keep it going for the next 3 months, something will probably have to give. And if it doesn't, well fair play to them - but they have got it all to do to get a CL spot IMO. I agree, I think we've still got a great chance. Djuricic looked very promising, and Eli and Mane still have so much more potential. And we've got a good run in. I'm glad yesterday's game is out the way. Waste of energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS1980 Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 We will have (hopefully) Toby and Ryan back in the defence for next week and Big Vic and Morgan starting in centre mid. So we will get our defensive spine back again. It's a shame our attack have gone off form all together. At the start of the season i think everyone would have taken 6th or 7th, but i feel anything more than that we let slip when we didn't get an alternative to Pelle in the window. He is out of form, but we don't have a like for like replacement to enable him to have a rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 It's nothing to do with pace or lack of creativity, we've got forward and had potentially goalscoring positions from which we've failed to have a decent effort on goal. It's a bit of luck (ball falling a yard in front of Fonte on the bounce across the 6 yard box yesterday), some utterly sh01te refereeing (I think we might have scored at least 1 of the 3 penalties we could have had), moving the ball quickly enough that defenders aren't set and comfortable defending, and not taking some of the chances we have had (though usually they don't arrive to begin with - we were clean through on the keeper 3 times yesterday and only got one shot off). Most of all it's about not having a World Class player in the front 4 who can do the sort of thing Coutinho did yesterday, and we're not very likely to be forking out for one of those any time soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano6 Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Yes, and they obviously couldn't find one with the correct attributes. Well, obviously they couldn't find one they wanted since they didn't buy one. But that is entirely different from saying there wasn't a single decent striker available. The debate would be over whether it would have been better to compromise a little over their desired characteristics / price for the sake of making a decent push for European football over the run-in. That's an interesting conversation to my mind, and I'm undecided which way I fall, given our general strategy of chasing long-term value (think Billy Sharp, who wasn't a player with long term viability for us, but his purchase added massive value to the club in his short contribution). But to claim there simply wasn't a single person available that they could have possibly gone for is reductive and stifles the debate. To present it slightly crudely, you are claiming that there wasn't a single woman in a nightclub, when what you mean is you're not going to find your wife in there. There's no shame in making a short term play to keep you on the right tracks until the next opportunity...unless you haven't made yourself attractive enough to those on offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Grandad Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 It's nothing to do with pace or lack of creativity, we've got forward and had potentially goalscoring positions from which we've failed to have a decent effort on goal. It's a bit of luck (ball falling a yard in front of Fonte on the bounce across the 6 yard box yesterday), some utterly sh01te refereeing (I think we might have scored at least 1 of the 3 penalties we could have had), moving the ball quickly enough that defenders aren't set and comfortable defending, and not taking some of the chances we have had (though usually they don't arrive to begin with - we were clean through on the keeper 3 times yesterday and only got one shot off). Most of all it's about not having a World Class player in the front 4 who can do the sort of thing Coutinho did yesterday, and we're not very likely to be forking out for one of those any time soon. Courtinho is hardly prolific. I can't ever remember him scoring a goal like yesterday's, unlike Le Tiss who used to do it regularly. It was a fluke, but at least he had a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70's Mike Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 12 games to go of which 9 are definitely winnable, 27 points Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dellman Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Should have signed another striker as be hard to get into this position again. Was board not ambitious enough? Didn't we sign Mane and Elia and haven't they scored goals already and look like scoring more? And we've got JayRod nearly ready and Long as well. You can only play a couple at a time, they'll be getting splinters in their ar.. and wanting to move on in the summer. It's a question of getting the best out of what we've got, not just adding to the club's wage bill and the player's frustration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Munster Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 The problem of course being that without Champions League football we will definitely lose Toby, Clyne & Morgan for a combined £55m..... I wouldn't say definitely, but most probably (especially Morgan). Is everyone seriously claiming that there wasn't one single decent striker available in the whole world this January? You realise there are leagues other than the Prem, right? And that we have people whose entire jobs are to watch them. Agreed. Surely it was possible to get a decent target man, at the very least a back-up to Pelle. The difference could be a few extra points (0 goals in our last 3 home games suggests so), and that could be the difference between top 4 versus losing Toby, Clyne & Morgan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Is everyone seriously claiming that there wasn't one single decent striker available in the whole world this January? You realise there are leagues other than the Prem, right? And that we have people whose entire jobs are to watch them. There might be 10,000 strikers available but if you don't have the wherewithal then you can't buy any of them. We didn't have the money so we didn't get anyone. We got a couple of loans AMs because they weren't playing and their respective clubs were probably happy enough to get their 20000 nagwees/wk or whatever off the pay-roll for a few months. We have spent all of our money apparently so no expensive, shiny new striker in January. Paying Chelsea for Bertrand was probably the last of the loot from last summer, could it have waited a while so as to have the swans for a striker ? Who knows, certainly not me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Tender Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Didn't we sign Mane and Elia and haven't they scored goals already and look like scoring more? And we've got JayRod nearly ready and Long as well. You can only play a couple at a time, they'll be getting splinters in their ar.. and wanting to move on in the summer. It's a question of getting the best out of what we've got, not just adding to the club's wage bill and the player's frustration. Exactly. And Gallagher too. Looking at the posts below yours, it becomes apparent that the short-term solution was to sign a proven goalscoring striker, yet there are no suggestions as to who that might be, what he would cost, why he would be available if he was so prolific and what we would then do with him when others became available because they were fit again or got their goal-scoring touch back again. It would be nice to have somebody like Harry Kane, wouldn't it, but then of course he was unknown except to Spurs' staff and only became prolific once given the chance. Might one of our academy strikers follow suit? And then we have the claim that the club doesn't have the money to buy such a striker anyway, as they have spent it all. Quite how WC knows this to be a fact is beyond me, especially as we made a profit of about £30 million on the sale of those players during the Summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadoldgit Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 We may have lost yesterday but from what I saw we were the better team. Other teams have had a chance to do their homework on us and are treating us with respect. That alone is massive. It has been a wonderful season so far and no matter how it ends up, I am full of confidence that we are only going to improve next season. Still a happy bunny despite the result yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goatboy Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Exactly. And Gallagher too. Looking at the posts below yours, it becomes apparent that the short-term solution was to sign a proven goalscoring striker, yet there are no suggestions as to who that might be, what he would cost, why he would be available if he was so prolific and what we would then do with him when others became available because they were fit again or got their goal-scoring touch back again. It would be nice to have somebody like Harry Kane, wouldn't it, but then of course he was unknown except to Spurs' staff and only became prolific once given the chance. Might one of our academy strikers follow suit? And then we have the claim that the club doesn't have the money to buy such a striker anyway, as they have spent it all. Quite how WC knows this to be a fact is beyond me, especially as we made a profit of about £30 million on the sale of those players during the Summer. I suspect that £30m is in Switzerland and I think that's fair enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 Exactly. And Gallagher too. Looking at the posts below yours, it becomes apparent that the short-term solution was to sign a proven goalscoring striker, yet there are no suggestions as to who that might be, what he would cost, why he would be available if he was so prolific and what we would then do with him when others became available because they were fit again or got their goal-scoring touch back again. It would be nice to have somebody like Harry Kane, wouldn't it, but then of course he was unknown except to Spurs' staff and only became prolific once given the chance. Might one of our academy strikers follow suit? And then we have the claim that the club doesn't have the money to buy such a striker anyway, as they have spent it all. Quite how WC knows this to be a fact is beyond me, especially as we made a profit of about £30 million on the sale of those players during the Summer. WC knows this because the never wrong KBilly told him (and the rest of you) so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Munster Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 We may have lost yesterday but from what I saw we were the better team. Other teams have had a chance to do their homework on us and are treating us with respect. That alone is massive. It has been a wonderful season so far and no matter how it ends up, I am full of confidence that we are only going to improve next season. Still a happy bunny despite the result yesterday. Even if we lose Morgan, Nathan and Toby? That's a huge loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Munster Posted 23 February, 2015 Share Posted 23 February, 2015 If the reason we didn't get a front man was money, then to me that would be the ultimate in penny-wise pound-foolishness. Missing out on the CL riches, not to mention potentially losing 3 or more of our best players, is worth a minor gamble. A top 4 finish is a once in a lifetime opportunity for a club our size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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