fredbob

We're not though as we don't have a manager competent enough to achieve this. That doesnt change the fact that its a first team capable of finishing in the top 6. I dont think we have the squad to fininsh in the top6 but we definitely have the first team.

People want to complain about the squad being thin but dont want to acknowledge that the first team has been the best in 4 years. Personally in terms of priority, id rather the first team was sorted before we squad built. Either way one thing categorically isnt more imporant than the other so the wiegting in cirticsim should be equal. We're 1 or 2 players away from being a top 6 first team but a little bit more from being a top 6 squad. When was the last time we could say that? where does the credit go for this?

That's not a fact at all. IMO he's been looking to sell since January. The thing about this situation is that there are many questions and situations which undermine the negative view that most fans are portrying. Questions which arent even being considered let alone answered. Ashley was always keen to sell. So why not sell to ADUG and numerous other reported takeover attempts "for the quick profit he was always after" Ashley had no intention to spend money. Well why put in huge bids forplayers such as Modric, why spend club record moeny for Collocini when they could pay £1m for another Bassong and make an even bigger profit on the Milner sale? Keegan was only here to accomadate players signed by people above him. He had no say on players. Well why did they act so late in the window? Why didnt they just undermine him from the start of the window if that was always there intention? How come Keegan was allowed to say no to Zayatte and Skeljbred? No one who has negative views on Ashley has actually given me a viable answer to any of these questions let alone an legitimate scenario which would explain the chain of events. All ive heard is the same lines of thought over and over again - Our squad is shit (which it isnt) becasue Ashley made a profit this summer rahter than investing heavily in the team, therefore he;s only interested in making a profit and Ashley has "lied" to us therefore he is always lying to us, i dont see anyone questionng why what happened, happened. The evil genius. Good job we have some wise old heads supporting the club otheriwse he'd of taken over the world.

To be fair, i cant understand Kinnears logic with Enrique, the only thing i can think of is that he;s crap in training. He;s now part ofa settled back 4, why change it?

Didn't he score a cracker last season (think it was the smogs away) with his right? I'd also like to see them swap wings to see how it works. Haha, yeh he did to be fair, but unlike Jonas he doesnt have a tendency to mover the ball onto his weaker foot.

Sigh What? Am i wrong?

What was different when Kinnear took over? Not a snappy question, as I'm not particularly in the know We weren't as shit. I see your point, but we were woeful under Hughton. Not comparable and i agree with you, i see Keegans tenureship as 2 parts as well. 2 in 11 is a telling stat though.

Precisely. All the credibility they gained from that well written statement they released a few weeks ago has been undone completely. ironically that well written statement has also undermined there credibitliy aswell, they'd of been more effective just sticking with being a "militia group". This whole thing is an embarressing farce.

If we go down, ill blame a third on it on Ashley, a third on it on Keegan and a third of it on these jokers. Infuiriating how good they could of had it and how badly they;ve fucked it up, that goes for all three. I want to know whats happened/happening to the £10k thats been raised from the membership fees. The 10k was just an example i was using of them having a 1000 members, i'm not sure if they have those numbers though. I'm sure i read it somewhere else, either way, whats happening to it? i cant figure out what they're spending it on.

I hope you've got your tin hat on. Its kind of sad that he actually needs one.

Losing only 2 in 11 is fantastic, we havent actually been comprehensively beaten yet. Took a penalty at Fulham, and a free-kick at Sunderland, to actually beat us. The thing thats impressed me most with him is that he actually has us defending as a unit, we've been able to absord lots of pressure and not rely on attack to get us out of sticky sitautoions. Even Keegan and SBR couldnt manage that. In recent years, going down a goal has knocked the wind out of us but he does seem to be geting some excellent performances out of our back unit.

Zog must stay in the side, he's given our flanks a good balance, last seen with Robert and Solano, nowhere near the complete player but he's just so dangerous on the counter, reminds me off Lennon (who i rate highly) just a better delivery. If he wasnt so one footed id have im on the right and jonas on the left, those 2 cutting in on there stronger foot would allow our fullbacks more space on the wing.

One thing i notice is that Martins takes too many touches when he dribbles, always dabbing at the ball which slows him down, there was a few times when he ought toof got away fromthe defenders but becasue of his techniqu he caouldnt. Seen it in many of his games to be honest, i havent seen him getaway from a players as cleanly as the likes of Zog or Jonas do.

Losing only 2 in 11 is fantastic, we havent actually been comprehensively beaten yet.

If we go down, ill blame a third on it on Ashley, a third on it on Keegan and a third of it on these jokers. Infuiriating how good they could of had it and how badly they;ve fucked it up, that goes for all three. I want to know whats happened/happening to the £10k thats been raised from the membership fees.

Forget how good Martins finish was, loved the little dummy that sent James on his way.

Would like to see him in a more DM role, just reminds me of Makelele loads, could be our Gary Speed.

No. Come on, the guy reckons Guthrie is the future of our midfield. He's prone to exaggeration. Am I really the only one that sees something different in him? His technique is excellent, his vision and range of passing is impressive, and he works hard and reads the game well! Super finish today as well, and can take a decent set-piece. I really see a lot more potential in him than I saw in some of the recent incumbents like Parker and Jenas I think people would be fawning over him if he were foreign. Really like him as a player, has everything that Carrick does in my opinion, i genuinly think we have a gem of a player here, he has star DM written all over him.

Contrast that with what we had under Roeder which was only a year and a half ago. The trouble with that is contrast Everton, Villa, Spurs, Pompey squads to a few years ago and they too have improved... beyond what we have. Our squad is still small, rather average and for me more significantly still unbalanced. Absolutely, 100% agree with you there but i dont want to get into why this is the case..... I wouldnt say the squad is average to be honest, we have some cracking players, we just need a spark or 2, like we were before SBR signed Bellamy and Robert. We've had 4 years in the footballing wilderness dont forget. Problem is that our squad at the moment isn't all that sustainable. Beye has a season or two left in him at most, Enrique will get sick of Kinnear giving him s*** sooner or later, Butt is pretty much done already, and Owen is leaving. I don't know what the Zog's situation is but we'll probably have to replace him with a RW and put Jonas on the left. Major question marks over some key components in the squad there. Short term I think we're solid as long as we fill up the CM position, long term, we might actually need two fullbacks, two cms, a right winger, and two strikers in the summer, which is a tall, tall order. Like i say, our squad isnt top6 but our first team could be. We're not as far off as people are making out. That has a lot to do with some decent work in the transfer market despite not spending much. The new players are for the most part excelling at the moment. Bassong and Coloccini have stood up to the aerial test last two games which was my one doubt about them. Its a shame we have so much turmoil at the moment, id of loved to see the club actually working proficiently in the transfer window. We've had three crap ones in terms of circumstances during the window.

Id go for a fully fit Bellamy, he's got such a good footballing brain and a pain in the arse to play against, Martins is good and keeps you on the edge of the seat but Bellamy posed simlar threats that Martins does but has a bit more to his game. Bellamy also proved at Blackburn that he does have a decent amount of goal in him. I love Bellamy but Martins is more of a goal threat, quicker and much more diifcult to defend against. A lot more physically imposing too Id disagree with that, Bellamy was an intelligent footballer, his movement was good and he knew how to use his pace. I cant think of the number of times he's assited Shearer. He was also a defenders nightmare with his attitude. your right about Martins being more of a goal threat but i think Bellamy did offer more for the team.

Contrast that with what we had under Roeder which was only a year and a half ago. The trouble with that is contrast Everton, Villa, Spurs, Pompey squads to a few years ago and they too have improved... beyond what we have. Our squad is still small, rather average and for me more significantly still unbalanced. Absolutely, 100% agree with you there but i dont want to get into why this is the case..... I wouldnt say the squad is average to be honest, we have some cracking players, we just need a spark or 2, like we were before SBR signed Bellamy and Robert. We've had 4 years in the footballing wilderness dont forget. Problem is that our squad at the moment isn't all that sustainable. Beye has a season or two left in him at most, Enrique will get sick of Kinnear giving him s*** sooner or later, Butt is pretty much done already, and Owen is leaving. I don't know what the Zog's situation is but we'll probably have to replace him with a RW and put Jonas on the left. Major question marks over some key components in the squad there. Short term I think we're solid as long as we fill up the CM position, long term, we might actually need two fullbacks, two cms, a right winger, and two strikers in the summer, which is a tall, tall order. Like i say, our squad isnt top6 but our first team could be. We're not as far off as people are making out.

Id take Bullard, he's on the verge of a Fabio Capello picked england squad for fucks sake.

Contrast that with what we had under Roeder which was only a year and a half ago. The trouble with that is contrast Everton, Villa, Spurs, Pompey squads to a few years ago and they too have improved... beyond what we have. Our squad is still small, rather average and for me more significantly still unbalanced. Absolutely, 100% agree with you there but i dont want to get into why this is the case..... I wouldnt say the squad is average to be honest, we have some cracking players, we just need a spark or 2, like we were before SBR signed Bellamy and Robert. We've had 4 years in the footballing wilderness dont forget, its no wonder those who were lagging behind us have caught up.

Id go for a fully fit Bellamy, he's got such a good footballing brain and a pain in the arse to play against, Martins is good and keeps you on the edge of the seat but Bellamy posed simlar threats that Martins does but has a bit more to his game. Bellamy also proved at Blackburn that he does have a decent amount of goal in him.

Contrast that with what we had under Roeder which was only a year and a half ago.