Mort - "Squad much stronger than it was last season"

[johnnypd]

"Whilst I appreciate we have had a poor run of results, we have a much stronger squad of players now than that with which we finished last season. So we will also have the advantage of adding new players to a much stronger base.”

 

Do you agree with the chairman and do you think this attitude might impact upon how much we spend in the summer? If he thinks we have a much stronger base then maybe he's of the opinion that we just need to add one or two players to the team, rather than the good half a dozen first-team players required.

 

For me, while we probably have more squad fillers, hard workers who can play multiple positions and graft, we're significantly weaker when it comes to attacking positions. We lack pace, creativity, vision, skill. Our midfielders don't particular score loads either. Dyer and Solano (in good form for west ham) are big misses in particular.

 

Even the new players who might theoretically strengthen us don't play for a variety of reasons so while Viduka, Enrique and Barton might be decent, their impact over the whole season has been marred by fitness concerns, selection mysteries and being a nutter, respectively. Next season i can only see Enrique's situation improve, but Viduka and Barton's deteriorate. Viduka and Smith's role as the withdrawn striker is an important one but neither have convinced for a variety of reasons, and together they've been worse for us than Sibierski and Dyer were last season in the same position. Even the two best signings Allardyce made - Faye and Beye, have been part of a defence that have conceded 5 more goals than were let in during the whole of last season.

 

Then looking at the players still here, Given is getting worse at an alarming rate, as is Butt, Taylor's shown no improvement, Martins was better last season, Zoggy wants out, Duff still looks past it, Milner has been dreadful etc. The squad doesn't look any better than last season, it's only that there's different problems to be addressed.  We need a massive overhaul, if Mort thinks last summer was serious rebuilding then he is mistaken, that was just a few minor tweaks to some of the less important  or less valuable cogs in the engine room. This summer we have to buy better than what we already have in positions where such players cost a lot.

[EthiGeordie]

    I respect Mort to great deal but this is wrong assumption. Startin with Shearer we lost our SPINE in the past 3 years the team e have right now have no Spine and thats why I fear relgation very much.

[Mick]

I agree with him to a certain extent but life isn't that simple.  The loss of the creativity and speed of Solano and Dyer is having a massive impact on this season.  Those two players would have made a huge difference against a lot of teams because they offered what we're struggling for, something different, something that can change a game.

 

Dyer blew hot and cold but he could keep the opposition worried because of his pace, Martins can do that but he's as erratic as Dyer and doesn't play enough, again, like Dyer.

 

Nobby could find a pass better than anybody at our club and could so easily turn defence into attack with one ball.  We rarely do that these days, if ever.

 

We’ve got too many cloggers in the team and have no balance, we’ve too many players who are the same type of player and because of that they cancel anything out that the other brings.  Butt, Barton and Smith are terrible together but would offer something different if they had a Solano or Dyer in with them.

 

[Mick]

    I respect Mort to great deal but this is wrong assumption. Startin with Shearer we lost our SPINE in the past 3 years the team e have right now have no Spine and thats why I fear relgation very much.

 

We didn't have Shearer last season.

[shido]

    I respect Mort to great deal but this is wrong assumption. Startin with Shearer we lost our SPINE in the past 3 years the team e have right now have no Spine and thats why I fear relgation very much.

 

We didn't have Shearer last season.

 

http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/images/1/12/O_RLY.jpg

 

I think Ethigeordie was well aware of that.

[Mick]

 

http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/images/1/12/O_RLY.jpg

 

I think Ethigeordie was well aware of that.

 

What relevance has Shearer to the topic?

[shido]

well i'd assume ethigeordie was illustrating that since shearer left....we've had no spine to the team. We didn't have a spine last season either, which is perhaps a hole that needs filling. (the hole was created when shearer left).

 

I think.

[Mick]

well i'd assume ethigeordie was illustrating that since shearer left....we've had no spine to the team. We didn't have a spine last season either, which is perhaps a hole that needs filling. (the hole was created when shearer left).

 

I think.

 

OK.  

[johnnypd]

Another example. Butt last season was one of our better players and when he paired up with Emre the two of them had a decent partnership. I can't see him doing the same next season, he's past it and only getting worse. We've failed to replace him properly so his position is now one of those we have to fill urgently whereas at last august you might've thought Geremi and Butt could see us through the year.

 

Yet another major position we'll have to fill in the summer, along with the withdrawn striker, right winger, attacking midfielder (barton an off the pitch liability and emre rarely plays) and centre-half. that's only first-team positions and the conservative outlook. someone with a more radical view would also see the likes of N'Zogbia, Enrique, Given and one from Owen or Martins as players who need First XI replacements.

[Mick]

We would probably get told to piss off but I'd try for Mascherano, Carrick, Bentley and a forward, I doubt we'd get any of them though.

[heero]

    I respect Mort to great deal but this is wrong assumption. Startin with Shearer we lost our SPINE in the past 3 years the team e have right now have no Spine and thats why I fear relgation very much.

 

i think the same

[The College Dropout]

We would probably get told to piss of but I'd try for Mascherano, Carrick, Bentley and a forward, I doubt we'd get any of them though.

 

Spurs & Everton and the like have built good teams from a few established players but mostly from lower ranked clubs. Roughly half of both sides starting XI have come-up from the Championship.

 

There are players out there in the lower divisions that can do a good job (Chimbonda, Cahill).

 

 

Why can't we sign the next Aaron Lennon or Lescott?

[matta]

4 words,.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i

love

alan

shearer

.

[Jamie]

4 words,.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i

love

alan

shearer

.

Can " I " really be classed as a word ? 

[oldtype]

4 words,.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i

love

alan

shearer

.

Can " I " really be classed as a word ? 

 

If it's not a word, what is it then?

[Gash]

4 words,.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i

love

alan

shearer

.

Can " I " really be classed as a word ? 

 

If it's not a word, what is it then?

A Letter?

[NE5]

"Whilst I appreciate we have had a poor run of results, we have a much stronger squad of players now than that with which we finished last season. So we will also have the advantage of adding new players to a much stronger base.”

 

Do you agree with the chairman and do you think this attitude might impact upon how much we spend in the summer? If he thinks we have a much stronger base then maybe he's of the opinion that we just need to add one or two players to the team, rather than the good half a dozen first-team players required.

 

For me, while we probably have more squad fillers, hard workers who can play multiple positions and graft, we're significantly weaker when it comes to attacking positions. We lack pace, creativity, vision, skill. Our midfielders don't particular score loads either. Dyer and Solano (in good form for west ham) are big misses in particular.

 

Even the new players who might theoretically strengthen us don't play for a variety of reasons so while Viduka, Enrique and Barton might be decent, their impact over the whole season has been marred by fitness concerns, selection mysteries and being a nutter, respectively. Next season i can only see Enrique's situation improve, but Viduka and Barton's deteriorate. Viduka and Smith's role as the withdrawn striker is an important one but neither have convinced for a variety of reasons, and together they've been worse for us than Sibierski and Dyer were last season in the same position. Even the two best signings Allardyce made - Faye and Beye, have been part of a defence that have conceded 5 more goals than were let in during the whole of last season.

 

Then looking at the players still here, Given is getting worse at an alarming rate, as is Butt, Taylor's shown no improvement, Martins was better last season, Zoggy wants out, Duff still looks past it, Milner has been dreadful etc. The squad doesn't look any better than last season, it's only that there's different problems to be addressed.  We need a massive overhaul, if Mort thinks last summer was serious rebuilding then he is mistaken, that was just a few minor tweaks to some of the less important  or less valuable cogs in the engine room. This summer we have to buy better than what we already have in positions where such players cost a lot.

 

showing himself to be an utter tit

 

Good PR but f*** all else since they came into the club in fact.

 

 

[Troll]

Last season we often played Pattison, O'Brien, Huntington, Onyewu, Babayaro and Bramble.  We also went nearly the whole season with our only recognised strikers as Martins and Sibierski.  The squad is better now, but mainly in terms of depth.  It still needs a lot of work.

[johnnypd]

Last season we often played Pattison, O'Brien, Huntington, Onyewu, Babayaro and Bramble.  We also went nearly the whole season with our only recognised strikers as Martins and Sibierski.  The squad is better now, but mainly in terms of depth.  It still needs a lot of work.

 

Pattison is no worse than Alan Smith in midfield, O'Brien hardly played, Huntington was shite i'll give you that but Babayaro at LB is better than N'Zogbia playing there, while Bramble and Onyewu (no worse than Rozehnal and Cacapa) were part of a defence far more solid and dependable than the one we have this season. even the much vaunted faye and beye haven't helped our defence improve. the only thing we have more of now are mediocre squad fillers who can work hard, in terms of first-team talent in key areas we're worse off. Parker, Sibierski, Dyer and Solano are better than Barton, Smith, Viduka and Geremi. there might be more bodies but there's less balance to the squad. as for the players who are still here, i can't really think of anyone who has improved, only Zoggy and he's been shunted to left-back. tho there are a fair few who are only going to get worse through age, Butt, Given, Duff etc, as well as most of Sam's signings who tend to be on the old side, then there is Barton who will probably be in jail next season.

 

hardly fits with Mort's suggestion that the squad is going to be "much stronger" at the end of this season. at best it is better staffed but more unbalanced with a poorer first-team, at worst it is actually weaker.

[Guest shaun11177]

What does Mort know about football-bugger all, i suggest he lets the Manager decide how strong the squad is.

[Doug]

Solano was irreplacable in terms of skill, guile, authority on the pitch and dedication to the cause.

To say we are missing his influence is an understatement.

I was gutted when he left.

 

Doug.

 

[johnnypd]

What does Mort know about football-bugger all, i suggest he lets the Manager decide how strong the squad is.

 

agree. hopefully Keegan knows that the squad needs an overhaul, 5 or so first-team players brought in and a couple more squad players on top of that, as well as replacing those who may leave. Worringly i read in the papers this morning that Keegan thinks we don't need "8 or 9 players" but that "2 or 3 will do". just pray that he doesn't believe this and is only saying it to maintain morale.

[Guest Phil K]

What relevance has Shearer to the topic?

Backbone ?

Guts ?

Determination ?

What is actually missing in this team of jerks ?

[levelsevenlee]

"Whilst I appreciate we have had a poor run of results, we have a much stronger squad of players now than that with which we finished last season. So we will also have the advantage of adding new players to a much stronger base.”

 

Me next on the crack pipe, Chris.

[Taylor Swift]

We're not that far off from being a good team (3 or 4 players imo), so in that respect, I agree with what Mort is saying.

 

Two CMs and a right-winger. If all of them are top-class, I think we'll be a good team next year. And if Mort feels like it, we could spend some money on a striker as well.

 

But anyway, our team doesn't need a full overhaul. As shit as the players have been, it's about the team coming together. We don't need galacticos in every position to be a team that can challenge for Europe. We finished 13th in two consecutive seasons with SBR before he bought Bellamy and Robert and that vaulted us up to 4th.

 

I really feel we've got the fundamental aspects of the squad down. We've got a decent defence, one which I rate more than the ones which finished 4th, 3rd and 5th (excluding Woodgate's rare contribution), and our strikers are all capable, on their day, to score goals.

 

In the same way as Shearer needed a partner like Bellamy, Owen also needs a partner who will do the work for him.

 

Our main weakness is keeping hold of the ball, and that's because our players lack pace (= defence tightens up = no space = less time), and many of them lack the required intelligence level to pass and move (Smith and Butt *sigh*). If we can sort out those two things, and of course give them some time to gel, we'll be a good team.