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Reality check: just how good are these players?


TRon

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So we got relegated and one of the few crumbs of comfort was that we wouldn't have to watch games where we were out-classed by Premier league sides any more. Now we are watching players on Premier league wages struggling to get the best of second rate league sides. It's all very well for players to call for more investment, but when we are paying the highest wage bill in this division, what are they giving back in return?

 

 

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harper

simpson

colo

Staylor

enrique

raylor

guthrie/nolan

smith

jonas

lovenkrands

ameobi

 

that 11 is good enough, look beyond that and theirs practically nothing. carrol and ranger are decent strickers, and geremi would be ok for a few games, but we simply dont have the strength in numbers or quality beyond the first team

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harper

simpson

colo

Staylor

enrique

raylor

guthrie/nolan

smith

jonas

lovenkrands

ameobi

 

that 11 is good enough, look beyond that and theirs practically nothing. carrol and ranger are decent strickers, and geremi would be ok for a few games, but we simply dont have the strength in numbers or quality beyond the first team

 

Most teams in this divison don't have strength in numbers. Bit of a weak excuse imo.

 

 

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So we got relegated and one of the few crumbs of comfort was that we wouldn't have to watch games where we were out-classed by Premier league sides any more. Now we are watching players on Premier league wages struggling to get the best of second rate league sides. It's all very well for players to call for more investment, but when we are paying the highest wage bill in this division, what are they giving back in return?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average championship side nothing more.

 

Saylor and Harper is all i'd keep if we were promoted.

 

The rest are gash! 

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So we got relegated and one of the few crumbs of comfort was that we wouldn't have to watch games where we were out-classed by Premier league sides any more. Now we are watching players on Premier league wages struggling to get the best of second rate league sides. It's all very well for players to call for more investment, but when we are paying the highest wage bill in this division, what are they giving back in return?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average championship side nothing more.

 

Saylor and Harper is all i'd keep if we were promoted.

 

The rest are gash! 

 

that's just complete nonsense. A team is only as good as it's worst 1 or 2 players and sadly those players are in key positions

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Goalkeepers, fine.  A.

 

Adequate in defence, but woefully short in numbers.  B.

 

Poor up front, but adequate for this level.  The idea & myth of Carroll & Ranger seems to be a lot more productive than the actual football players, but with Harewood, Lovenkrands (in the correct position) and a fit Ameobi it should be good enough as a unit.  B-, C+

 

Shockingly, horrendously, and laughably terrible in midfield.  Geremi and Butt wouldn't make it in most of the teams in this league.  Smith is still shit.  Jonas has checked out.  No talent at all.  F.

 

 

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We've got a paper thin squad, we all know that. Lose 3 first team players to injury and we're reduced to playing players out of position to cover.

Taylor, Collicini and Shola are so important to our team that it doesn't really surprise me we've looked and played shit without them.

 

We also still have the same problem we've had for 3 seasons - no pace out wide and up front and no creativity in the centre of the park. It doesn't matter what league you're in, pace will always cause problems.

 

IMO the best chance we have to win games is to drop Carroll, stick Lovenkrands and Harewood up front, stick Jonas and R Taylor out wide and keep the cunting ball on the cunting floor. This long ball shite isn't working and it's driving me fucking mental

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We've got a paper thin squad, we all know that. Lose 3 first team players to injury and we're reduced to playing players out of position to cover.

Taylor, Collicini and Shola are so important to our team that it doesn't really surprise me we've looked and played shit without them.

 

We also still have the same problem we've had for 3 seasons - no pace out wide and up front and no creativity in the centre of the park. It doesn't matter what league you're in, pace will always cause problems.

 

 

 

 

IMO the best chance we have to win games is to drop Carroll, stick Lovenkrands and Harewood up front, stick Jonas and R Taylor out wide and keep the cunting ball on the cunting floor. This long ball shite isn't working and it's driving me fucking mental

 

 

We haven't got a paper thin squad at this level. FFS Harewood, Lovenkrands and Butt were on the bench and they are probably on far higher wages than the players who have been out-playing us for the last few games. What does that say about the players picked as first choice?

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We've got a paper thin squad, we all know that. Lose 3 first team players to injury and we're reduced to playing players out of position to cover.

Taylor, Collicini and Shola are so important to our team that it doesn't really surprise me we've looked and played s*** without them.

 

We also still have the same problem we've had for 3 seasons - no pace out wide and up front and no creativity in the centre of the park. It doesn't matter what league you're in, pace will always cause problems.

 

 

 

 

IMO the best chance we have to win games is to drop Carroll, stick Lovenkrands and Harewood up front, stick Jonas and R Taylor out wide and keep the c***ing ball on the c***ing floor. This long ball s**** isn't working and it's driving me f***ing mental

 

 

We haven't got a paper thin squad at this level. FFS Harewood, Lovenkrands and Butt were on the bench and they are probably on far higher wages than the players who have been out-playing us for the last few games. What does that say about the players picked as first choice?

we do have a paper thin squad, only one proper winger 1 left back and 3 cbs. Beyond our first 11 barring in the centre of midfield where we actually have cover we're relying on players out of position or completely unproven young players

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harper - OK

simpson - on Loan

colo - Not suited to physical play

Staylor- OK

enrique- Best we have

raylor- Average at best - only skill is dead balls, has scored once

guthrie/nolan- OK(In this league)

smith - Wholehearted, but not going to create much

jonas - Not productive enough

lovenkrands - Free T; what more is to be said ?

ameobi - More false dawns than the Liberal Party

 

that 11 is good enough, look beyond that and theirs practically nothing. carrol and ranger are decent strickers, and geremi would be ok for a few games, but we simply dont have the strength in numbers or quality beyond the first team

 

That makes at least 6 players needed if promotion is achieved unless the team is to go straight back down, and even in this league only the midfield is up to the job apart from having no creativity.

 

Nowhere NEAR good enough....

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We are okay with GK's.

 

Defence: Simpson gets stuck in & that is about it. Zurab is Blackburn squad player not much more. Jose has had a very ropey games lately but at times has been light years ahead of any player in this league. Colo was finding a bit of form before his knock. Taylor is our best CB. Ryan Taylor looks rank at right back.

 

Midfield: Ryan Taylor is our most creative player............that says it all.

 

Attack: Missing Shola..................that says it all.

 

Still 2nd in the league must not grumble.

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The one thing no-one has mentioned is the staggering lack of pace throughout the team. I can only agree with earlier comments on our midfield as it is appalling. We desperately need a playmaker as there is not any one remotely close to that in the present lot

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Hmmm, i think with the addition of one or two really pacy players we are a promotion side.  Infact no doubt.

 

What is fucking us up is the fact we dont have a proper manager and the fact the owner is giving no guidance or leadership from the top.

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As bad as we are and as bad as the squad is, we are probably only about 2 signings (as in signings, not more and more loans) from being a top-two side. I really do believe that. It is amazing what a difference a couple of players can make to a team, as well as fresh blood fighting for places. Our only summer signing was to bring back an old player on a freebie!

 

If we're still up around the playoff places come January, we have the status as a club to attract good up and coming players, hungry players who will do a job at this level. Whether it's Premier League cast-offs or pinching good Championship players off other clubs.

 

A good right winger and a decent striker and we'll turn these narrow losses and draws into wins.

 

But it all comes down to the root of all our current problems; Mike Ashley. If he didn't spend a penny in summer, he certainly won't in winter.

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How good are they ?

With a decent, talented manager, they'd go up, no question.

Then come straight back down.

With Hughton it's touch and go if we could go up (looking less likely with every game now)

They're a poor quality bunch, some WERE decent, now aren't. Some never will be.

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As bad as we are and as bad as the squad is, we are probably only about 2 signings (as in signings, not more and more loans) from being a top-two side. I really do believe that. It is amazing what a difference a couple of players can make to a team, as well as fresh blood fighting for places. Our only summer signing was to bring back an old player on a freebie!

 

If we're still up around the playoff places come January, we have the status as a club to attract good up and coming players, hungry players who will do a job at this level. Whether it's Premier League cast-offs or pinching good Championship players off other clubs.

 

A good right winger and a decent striker and we'll turn these narrow losses and draws into wins.

 

But it all comes down to the root of all our current problems; Mike Ashley. If he didn't spend a penny in summer, he certainly won't in winter.

 

Ashley isn't going to spend because we already have the most expensive squad in the division. Unfortunately they are not as good as their salaries would suggest, and until the under-performers are off the wage bill I can't see any more investment happening, although if Ashley has any sense he will see that Shearer was right - an investment of £10m or so on the right couple of players will be worth millions if it means we go up. At the moment though, I wouldn't trust anybody at the club to identify the right players.

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Ashley isn't going to spend because we already have the most expensive squad in the division. Unfortunately they are not as good as their salaries would suggest, and until the under-performers are off the wage bill I can't see any more investment happening, although if Ashley has any sense he will see that Shearer was right - an investment of £10m or so on the right couple of players will be worth millions if it means we go up. At the moment though, I wouldn't trust anybody at the club to identify the right players.

 

10M spent on a winger and a striker and we'd be straight up no problem. Shearer knew that, came out and said it and went from Ashley's "best decision yet" to not getting the job. Now a yes man has been put in place and you just know there will be zero investment in January.

 

If we blag our way up with this squad, Ashley will have his eyes on a sale but any buyer will take one look at the squad and think "christ i'd have to buy a whole team nevermind a squad, he's left the thing in a state" and would expect a low asking price because of what they're taking on. Cue months of haggling before a sale takes place as he fights for the best possible deal for himself. And that's our best case scenario. Failure to get promoted just doesn't bear thinking about; Taylor, Coloccini, Enrique, they'll all be out the door in a flash.

 

I really don't see a happy end to this. It'll take years to get back to even the struggling mediocrity we had under Roeder.

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