I can't see things changing much I'm afraid...

[Guest Knightrider]

I agree with what I believe is the main point of the OP, ie that we should spend what money we have available on quality (aka "trophy" signings) rather than quantity. I'm just curious about a few things:

 

You defend Allardyce's Summer transfers where he did the exact opposite of what you're now saying, by claiming he "strengthened a very small squad into an average squad". Was this quality wise? - remember, the squad he inherited (minus Bowyer & an ageing Shearer but without Martins & Duff) finished 7th under a combination of Souness & Roeder - or quantity wise? - according to this it's 15 out, 9 in.

 

We finished 7th in 05-06. A position where you would think adding a few quality players rather than a bunch of average players would be the correct thing to do. Yet you and most others heavily criticised Roeder for spending most of the transfer budget on 2 "quality" players instead of spreading it around on a whole new defense and 2 cheap strikers.

 

In the Summer Allardyce did exactly what you wanted Roeder to do, and we now have a team which, comparing results against equivalent games in our injury-riven previous season, has the same number of points and has conceded 28 goals compared to 19 last year. Apart from the odd game (seemingly only when the team is motivated by intense criticism) we don't look like we're learning or improving at all as the season goes on, so in all probability the current squad would finish this season in a very similar position to last, ie bottom third. This season though we wont have the excuse of half the squad being injured for most of the season. Why in this position where it seems like we have a poor squad - or rather just one which can't play well in the managers desired formation - would you completely switch your view to one where you think a couple of quality players will fix everything? Even if they make a difference, what happens when those players are injured - we go straight back to the s*** we're seeing now.

 

It doesn't work like that though UV. We finished 7th with a small and average squad yes, which has since been improved to a degree, but we all know that 7th place finish was a false one or rather brought about by a feel good factor that kicked in because of Souness' sacking and with it the lifting of all pressure and expectations. That squad was never good enough nor large enough though and Roeder's subsequent dealings in the transfer market the season after didn't do anything to change that. For years Newcastle have been going from one crisis to another, in free-fall almost, you can't just fix that overnight. I think phase one has been completed or rather taken on which was to clear dead wood and bolster a very thing squad. We now need some quality as all clubs do. Liverpool have a very good squad but they lack the quality of Man Utd and Arsenal in their first-team and therefore won't win the league. Well for me we lack the quality that Blackburn, Everton et al have in their first-team and so we won't overtake them until we address that area. It's that clear. To me anyway.

 

How? How has the squad been improved? Please elaborate. I see no evidence of an improved quality on the pitch, in fact it looks a lot worse to me & I repeat, 15 out, 9 in. You do the maths.

 

I find it laughable that you can attribute a 7th place finish with a supposedly poor squad simply to a "feel good factor" because a manager was sacked and not permanently replaced. Souness was sacked because results and performances weren't good enough for the players we had. We had a caretaker manager for half the season, so there was no one there for the players to try and impress; if anything the uncertainty would unsettle the players. When Roeder took over we were in 15th looking like possible relegation candidates, and you incredulously attribute an improved performance to a lack of pressure! 

 

Feel good factor performances do occur, but they don't last half a season. Face it, we either had a decent squad who were well capable of European place finishes with a good manager, or Roeder (or maybe Shearer!) was a miracle worker. The correct thing to do then is to do what you are now saying we should do from a much weaker position where it is less likely to improve us. Yet you mercilessly criticised this approach and advocated the exact opposite.

 

What happened to the feel good factor for this season anyway? With the optimism of a new billionaire owner, our supposedly improved squad, new better manager, easy fixture list. Shouldn't we be much higher than 11th?

 

That's not quite fair is it as some of those 15 out were kids and players coming to the end of their contracts. It has improved though, you only have to look at the bench and each area of the squad, from defence to midfield and right up to attack. In terms of numbers anyway, or rather depth. The quality is still lacking though.

 

It wasn't half the season either, it was for the final 3rd of the season. And yes I do mainly attribute those results to Souness' leaving. You can't underestimate what effect that had on the club as a whole, the atmosphere on the stands and around the club was one of relief and when we all found out Roeder was to be in charge as a caretaker, I think fans suitably dropped all expectations for the remainder of the season resulting in zero pressure to perform. This had a bearing on performances and results.

 

If it was down to Roeder and the quality of the players as you're suggesting, then why didn't they build on that? And yes I did criticise Roeder's dealings in the transfer market (as did most) and no he shouldn't have done what I'm advocating now, because the squad badly needed added to in terms of quantity ahead of quality, and a lot of dead wood needed cleared too. That never happened.

 

It has since though, and now we need to add some quality. Or would you disagree?

 

What happened to the feel-good factor of pre-season? Good question. I personally think expectations have risen since the takeover to a high degree which means a poor start to the season or an average one which is what we're having, is not going to sit well with fans, and we all know the atmosphere on the stands (the negative one) hasn't and never does help.

 

I do think though the manager and even the players haven't tapped into that feel-good factor like they could have done and of course, they have contributed too towards dismantling that feel-good factor.