We lack athletes!

[Guest sicko2ndbest]

We currently have 3 athletes in the team:

 

Jonas

Jose

Loven

 

We are not sharp when we get the ball, we rely so much on the pace of those three. We are so easy to contain, double up on Jonas and Jose and it nullifies us. I know i am going over old ground and this has been mentioned numerous times but it was so evident tonight, especially second half.

 

If we had an outlet on the right we would be sooooo much more effective as the opposition wouldnt be able to double up on the left. In the match thread there are some people saying Jerome Thomas was more effective than Jonas. This was only the case because Jonas was being doubled up.

 

One of our priorities during this window is to get two players with pace in attacking positions, especially the elusive right winger.

 

In conclusion, too predictable, too easy to match up to, probably got too much for this division

 

[David28]

What about Guthrie? Did pretty much run the whole 90 mins today.

[Skeletor]

Our midfield needs the most work but it's not an area that's even being rumoured to be strengthened. Nolan scores goals but unbalances the balance of the midfield with his lack of work rate and stamina. Every thing goes down the left where Jonas normally fucks up the final ball. On the right hand side they probably pull a name out of the hat to see who plays there. I doubt it will be addressed even if we get promoted. Fuck Mike Ashley.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I've thought this for a couple of seasons at least. In central midfield and upfront we need a few more athletes and a to get rid of Nolan, Smith, Butt and Shola.

 

The speed the West Brom played at was embarrassing TBH.

[Guest sicko2ndbest]

What about Guthrie? Did pretty much run the whole 90 mins today.

 

Guthrie was class today i admit, but we have too many labourers, Nolan, Smith, Ameobi in critical areas

[Guest Heneage]

We have such an unfit team it's really bad, nothing more worrying than seeing a footballer who isn't lean.

[David28]

Still depressing that speed WBA were able to play for almost the whole game. And remember, we beat them twice last season, so we have much to do if we finally get back up to the Premier League.

[The Prophet]

It's been evident all season.

[Dokko]

We lack footballers, footballers with the mental capacity to create, to pass and to attack with grace. Instead we've got a load of sluggers, or headless chickens doing fuk all. No wonder we resort to long balls, the manager hasn't got anyone to put the ball on the deck and pass it about properly.

 

It's all nicely ready to implode, and the season to become a disaster imo, unless we sign some players which i now have no faith in us doing. Limp on till xmas we just about did, limp on till the summer is too much for this limited squad of crap.

[Parsley]

Pancrate's a possible solution. He's lacking somewhat technically, but the guy's undoubtedly quick and having him on the right means Guthrie can move infield, at least partially addressing our lack of athleticism in the centre. Hopefully Barton's return will give Hughton some food for thought.

[Keefaz]

We lack footballers, tbh.

[Dokko]

Pancrate's a possible solution. He's lacking somewhat technically, but the guy's undoubtedly quick and having him on the right means Guthrie can move infield, at least partially addressing our lack of athleticism in the centre. Hopefully Barton's return will give Hughton some food for thought.

 

Hughton will stick with what he knows, Barton might stand a chance on rep to get in to the team.

 

Nolan needs dropping, put guthrie there and stick Pancate on the right wing and Barton in Smiths role. Never happen.

[David28]

Pancrate's a possible solution. He's lacking somewhat technically, but the guy's undoubtedly quick and having him on the right means Guthrie can move infield, at least partially addressing our lack of athleticism in the centre. Hopefully Barton's return will give Hughton some food for thought.

 

Hughton will stick with what he knows, Barton might stand a chance on rep to get in to the team.

 

Nolan needs dropping, put guthrie there and stick Pancate on the right wing and Barton in Smiths role. Never happen.

 

Barton will definetly be back in the team once he is fit again. Hughton played him at the start of the season when he played poor and was injured.

[Dave]

Nolan won't be dropped on account of his goal tally.

[Skeletor]

It will be Guthrie on the bench once Barton's back. Hughton always prefers the ancient players to the younger ones.

[David28]

It will be Guthrie on the bench once Barton's back. Hughton always prefers the ancient players to the younger ones.

 

Either that or Barton on the left wing like at the start of the season.

[Jayson]

Pancrate's a possible solution. He's lacking somewhat technically, but the guy's undoubtedly quick and having him on the right means Guthrie can move infield, at least partially addressing our lack of athleticism in the centre. Hopefully Barton's return will give Hughton some food for thought.

 

Is whatd id want to see more of. Even with his tecnhique on the ball not being the best, you cant underestimate how much a quick player making runs can do to drag defences about a little. He purely needs to be told to stop shooting & he'd be useful imo.

 

Id use Nolan as sub & put Guthrie in the middle, obviously wont happen. But we can all see Nolan is a hinderance when hes not scoring, its not good enough.

[johnnypd]

i'm not sure we do lack footballers in all honesty, not at this level. we have better end product than any other side in the division, Nolan is a pretty good footballer in the technical sense, likewise with Guthrie and to a lesser extent, even Smith and Butt would best most central midfielders in this division in terms of first touch. And there's no way there's another centre-half in the Championship with the ball playing class of Coloccini. the one position i could see us improving with a better technical player is a striker in the hole who can create.

 

but the main problem is having a bunch of players all with the same problem in their lack of athleticism. come up against a side with a modicum of pace and movement and our lot can't get near to them.

 

At the best of times a player like Nolan (or Smith or Butt or Guthrie for that matter) needs to be alongside someone who can eat up ground to compensate for him, instead he's alongside players almost as sluggish as he is. regardless of how good our players are on paper they don't make a good team cos there is no balance in the squad.

 

it also doesn't help that we've got a non-entity as our manager.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I think we all have a responsibility to abuse Kevin Nolan when we see him out on the piss, and tell him to take a good look at himself and get down the gym.

[Ronaldo]

Pancrate needs to start now?

 

This forum man.

[lovejoy]

we looked a lot more mobile with loven up front.

 

him plus one for me.

[Big Geordie]

Agreed about looking a bit pacier up top with Lovenkrands in. However, midfield is the problem and it's been that way for years. Hughton obviously banking on the experience of Smith and Nolan to get us up and whilst Nolan has got goals, he just goes missing in games far too often. When will it be addressed? Christ knows. When we have an owner who will spend cash and a manager who isn't content to be a patsy.

[KaKa]

What is absolutely tragic is the fact that we will probably win the league with this team and therefore will hardly make any changes to it if we go up.

 

Can anyone honestly see us winning the league, getting promoted replacing Nolan and Smith in the summer just like that?! No chance.

 

What you'll hear is how they deserve the chance to have a go in the premiership.

 

Really makes you wonder if it really is at all worth it. Very depressing.

 

[Jayson]

Im hoping Hughton might secretly be quite capable & aware that Nolan/smith cant make the step up but are probably good enough at this level.

 

We'll be able to replace them with better players in the summer than any we could get while still in the champ if we do go up. Im hoping.

[junkhead]

What is absolutely tragic is the fact that we will probably win the league with this team and therefore will hardly make any changes to it if we go up.

 

Can anyone honestly see us winning the league, getting promoted replacing Nolan and Smith in the summer just like that?! No chance.

 

What you'll hear is how they deserve the chance to have a go in the premiership.

 

Really makes you wonder if it really is at all worth it. Very depressing.

 

yep, we should've used this season to clean up the wasters that got us here in the first place. I know it's easier said than done, but Ameobi, Butt, Nolan, Smith and Barton must be sold (and replaced) if we are to have any chance in the Premier League.. if we get there, of course..

 

Too bad that in the summer, Ashley will probably be too busy to sell the club in various casinos across the globe and Llambias will be too busy being the mute twat spokesman of the aforementioned fat twat. Hughton will probably be telling us how confident and together this group of lads is / Butt is an example to follow and all that crap.

 

Call it kneejerk but I have the feeling that even if we win the League, nothing good awaits us. A few hard decisions have to be made in the summer if we want the club to go in the right way. Trouble is, there's nobody to make them.