TRon Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Today game highlighted one thing and that is how close we actually are to building a competitive squad. For a fair few years now we've had a poor first team with the odd star player dotted in for good measure. Given Given Given Griffin/Hughes Beye Carr Woodgate Collocini Taylor O'Brien Bassong Bramble Bernard Enrique Babayaro Solano Jonas Milner Jenas/Dyer Guthrie Emre/Butt Speed Butt/Barton Parker Robert Zog Duff/Zog Shearer Owen Sibierski /Shola Bellamy Martins Martins If you ask me, that is a very good first team, are we actually that far away from building something worthwhile? 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. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredbob Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Today game highlighted one thing and that is how close we actually are to building a competitive squad. For a fair few years now we've had a poor first team with the odd star player dotted in for good measure. Given Given Given Griffin/Hughes Beye Carr Woodgate Collocini Taylor O'Brien Bassong Bramble Bernard Enrique Babayaro Solano Jonas Milner Jenas/Dyer Guthrie Emre/Butt Speed Butt/Barton Parker Robert Zog Duff/Zog Shearer Owen Sibierski /Shola Bellamy Martins Martins If you ask me, that is a very good first team, are we actually that far away from building something worthwhile? 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. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 We can now add Guthrie to the list of players who have scored more than Alan Smith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Cor, i'd loved to have seen 2008 Martins given a go with 2003 Shearer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 a cliche i know but the first goal was vital as it was very even till then(i'd go so far as to say they probably created the better chances up to that point) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhatTheFunk Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 havent read the thread or reaction yet, but for my money Jose Enrique was the best player on the park by a country mile. Guthrie had a forgettable first half but a storming second. He really is the future of NUFC in midfield. Coloccini had his worst game in our colours, and Bassong keeps growing in stature. Beye back to his best in this one. Needs to attack more though. Owen's movement was superb throughout and his finish was sumptuous. Hard-working yet lucky first half, but the team played nearly our best football this season in the 2nd. Only Villa 2nd half, and Stoke first half were better, but considering it was away from home, it was probably our most important performance of the season. Good to see Kinnear has learnt one or two things by leaving Taylor out of the side, and not bringing on Viduka for Martins on 50 minutes. Get the fuck in. Bring on the sour spuds Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 a cliche i know but the first goal was vital as it was very even till then(i'd go so far as to say they probably created the better chances up to that point) I thought we had the better chances tbh. I also thought after a shaky start we pretty much controlled the game considering they were the home team. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhatTheFunk Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 One more thing: The traveling support!!! Absolutely magnificent. Thanks and well done boys and girls Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest timmy boy Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Was Coloccini THAT bad? I thought his only real mistake was when he passed a ball straight at Defoe when under no pressure, apart from that he was fine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugazi Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 a cliche i know but the first goal was vital as it was very even till then(i'd go so far as to say they probably created the better chances up to that point) Their finishing was terrible, so many wayward shots. Would have expected Defoe to put at least one of his chances away, especially the one when he turned Enrique. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syrette Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Was Coloccini THAT bad? No. Come on, the guy reckons Guthrie is the future of our midfield. He's prone to exaggeration. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugazi Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 We were lucky Crouch's touch was so shit when Bassong tried that scissor-kick, rather than just heading the ball away. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhatTheFunk Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Was Coloccini THAT bad? No. Just a few hairy moments by the high standards he had set this season. Must say though, he recovered very well and cruised in the 2nd half. No doubt about his supreme quality when compared to any of the defenders we have had in recent memory. Good to see that Bassong looks like a quality footballer too, and not just a tackling defender Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crumpy Gunt Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Has anything been said about Martins injury? Looked like a stomach muscle problem. I think he must have had it 5 minutes before his goal (which was celebrated in muted fashion) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhatTheFunk Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Was Coloccini THAT bad? 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 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Probably broken three ribs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredbob Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Was Coloccini THAT bad? 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. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugazi Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 http://i37.tinypic.com/fjgpcw.jpg Loved Oba's dance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley17 Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Great to see us win a game, especially away from home - and so comfortable in the last 20 minutes for a change. Today wwe saw the benefit of leaving Martins on when the opposition are chasing the game, he was an out ball constantly an even though he didn't get much from those break aways second half, it relieved the pressure. Then of course there was the second goal, after he lashed miles wide and then finished cooly past that idiot James. Guthrie is so useful to have in the middle of the park, earned his goal just for how composed he is on the ball. He's not fantastic or the next Gerrard or anything, but he's very useful to have around. Good to see him get a goal aswell, although that moron James should have saved it. Owen's finish was top drawer, obviously I'd like him to stay but I have no faith in the buffoons making the decisions at the club and as somebody else alluded to, it's quite possible he'll stay with us as there's no better option. A third clean sheet in a row away from home aswell - Bassong and Colo are a decent partnership and they're gettign a run together, something we've lacked in recent times - too much chop and change has undone us. Beye was steady and Enrique was impressive, especially attacking - that was a great ball through for Martins. Defensively he was ok, still got done a few times but something to build on. I still think a club in Spain is monitoring him and nearly had him in August, and Kinnear has said to him he can go if a replacement is found. We'll see I guess. 14th then, and if we can just build on this with a home win next week, then things will look a whole lot brighter. It's all well and good picking up these surprise points but it's our home form that we will live or die by, also I can't stand f***ing Spurs and the thought of them winning up here next week would be grounds to cancel Christmas. Probably. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
olliemort Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Anyone know the line up for match of the tonight?I presume we are on second? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley17 Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Was Coloccini THAT bad? 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 Guthrie's set pieces have been consistently the most threatening of our entire team since pre-season, yet for some reason he doesn't always take them. He clears the first man which is more than Geremi, N'Zogbia, Duff and anyone else who's had a go can say Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Anyone know the line up for match of the tonight?I presume we are on second? Chelsea will be on first. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugazi Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Was it Guthrie's corner that lead to Beye's headed chance? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley17 Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Was it Guthrie's corner that lead to Beye's headed chance? Was a free kick near the corner flag, but yes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Is that a support strap, typething, on Oba's arm there? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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