Quote:
Originally Posted by ms21
(Post 15939995)
Well if you’re using 2 players for one spot & including players we already have at the club then I guess you could argue we replaced Van Aanholt with Mitchell and Cahill/Dann with Andersen. I’m not saying we need to sign another CB given the other priorities in the squad and even at left back there are bigger priorities. But to say we’ve replaced everyone in the context of signings is not true. We also haven’t replaced Barshuayi and if you were to look at the vast majority of PL clubs you’d see at least 3 strikers in the squad. That’s even more pertinent for us given the type of strikers we currently have at the club. Then you move onto CM and IMO we’re not in a position to dominate the midfield against anyone in the PL with the current midfielders we have in the squad.
In an ideal world it’d be more than 3. But 3 is the bare minimum the club should be aiming for before close of play IMO. But as I said, I’d expect it to be 1-2. Just hope one is a central midfielder.
The squad would be in very good shape if Roy were still the manager. But it’s different with someone like Vieira, he needs a certain profile of squad to play the way he wants to and that squad is still quite short. And he said so himself in the post match interview at Watford.
|
I don’t think there is a fan of the club anywhere who wouldn’t want more and better players, especially in some positions. But…as fans we are lacking information on the opinions and logic being applied by the management across the club.
We know that there have been three priorities in this transformation - that will run over 2 or 3 windows. 1) Reduce the age & wage bill 2) Open doors for young players to come through and 3) Get a manager that is more willing to play more expansive football - but not crazily so.
Number 1 has certainly been achieved in anyone’s eyes and number 3 seems to be there in pre season, but the real test is still to come.
Point 2 is the crucial one, combined with what the club management think of the players we have. We will never have home grown players in every position, no club will, and at varying times the ones waiting to break through will not be in positions we need resources so we need to go and buy players. But as fans we have opinions on players that may be wildly at odds with the view of the pros, for existing players and even more the case with youngsters.
LB is the debate this window. We have Mitchell, Hamman and Adaramola at 22, 21 and 17 respectively. The considered opinion of Derry, McCarthy and Dougie may well be that those three are currently likely to be good enough to cover that position long term for the next 8-10 years, or else be the next AWB funding stream. And, options like Clyne, Schlupp etc as injury cover is fine for this season.
Similarly, PV may see the player we all thought we bought in Jairo finally emerging - he is still only 25 after all - and that he can add the final touches with coaching to make him a top flight DM.
Between them I trust PV to tell DF & co what he needs, after the past couple of windows particularly, DF to find players to match, and, with the wages back under control, the owners to come up with the money. Textor is an additional piece of the jigsaw on funding
The glaring gaps that fans and some BBS posters claim to see may be considered no issue at all by the management, coaching and ownership team. Who do this for a living, and whose jobs depend on making the right decisions.
