Dan Gosling

[Colocho]

Don't see how it effects your support of the team. Being frustrated by the fact that a massive windfall of cash isn't being reinvested (at the expense of a local number 9 who looked the fucking nuts) is pretty standard iyam.

 

It's not really standard, but understandable.

[David28]

ffs.

 

keeping the ball/possesion and not being overran saves alot of goals, its not just about scoring goals its about being solid and keeping the ball/momentumn in oppositions half. Nolan was basically a bystander away from home when we were deep and he couldnt "sneak in behind the defence" he lacked the pace to get beyond the front 2 when we were struggling. We now have genuine pace in the team and a much bigger threat away from home.

 

There will be at least 7 games next season where, after the game, people on here will say that, with Nolan in the side, we would have won because he would have score that 1 goal.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Seems a bit cynical to already be preparing the "we could have done better" criticism even if we do quite well.

 

It's not a giant stretch of the imagination to think that however we do, we could be doing better with more/better players that we could easily have afforded to sign. It's what every club does to climb the league. Hardly an epiphany, like...

 

Think you might have missed my point a bit.

 

I wasn't saying that we couldn't do better with better players or more spending. Of course we could. I'm saying that if we end up having a decent season I'm not going to be constantly thinking about what ifs and how much better we could be doing.

[Cronky]

Probably, yeah. That's just how i see it though. The squad we have now could win the league on goal difference next year, but if we spend the £35m, we could win it by ten points. Exaggerating, obviously. But with a bit of investment, the squad could mount a genuine attack on the top 6.

 

Currently, there hasn't even been 'a bit' of fluttering. And currently, i wouldn't say with any degree of certainty that we'll have a real shot at Europe. We might, sure, but an N'Zogbia and a Bendtner would make it pretty likely imo. We have a budget sat there that could certainly see us take our squad over the likes of Everton, Bolton, Stoke, the Mackems and whoever else is in that 6-12th melting pot - but it isn't being spent.

 

Admittedly, i'm looking into a crystal ball, but i'm just trying to sum up what i feel is most peoples' frustrations. Certainly mine.

 

I honestly don't think that Zoggy and Bendtner are better than the players we've already got for their roles / positions. If we'd signed them, they'd be having to compete for their places.

 

There's plenty of talk about how we should be spending the money, but realistically the players that could significantly improve us aren't available to us, generally speaking. They're either being chased by the CL clubs, or already playing for them.

 

I'd agree that there's still a situation vacant in the striker position. We've got a few centre-forward types, but only Lovenkrands for the more secondary position. (Arguably Ben Arfa, but I'd see him as operating more in a free role) However, it looks like we're working to sort that out.

[Cronky]

Seems a bit cynical to already be preparing the "we could have done better" criticism even if we do quite well.

 

It's not a giant stretch of the imagination to think that however we do, we could be doing better with more/better players that we could easily have afforded to sign. It's what every club does to climb the league. Hardly an epiphany, like...

 

Think you might have missed my point a bit.

 

I wasn't saying that we couldn't do better with better players or more spending. Of course we could. I'm saying that if we end up having a decent season I'm not going to be constantly thinking about what ifs and how much better we could be doing.

 

Agreed. It almost feels like we don't want to let an inconvenient fact like progress or success get in the way of disliking Ashley.

[SimplyAnth]

Don't see how it effects your support of the team. Being frustrated by the fact that a massive windfall of cash isn't being reinvested (at the expense of a local number 9 who looked the f***ing nuts) is pretty standard iyam.

 

It's an awful attitude, the team you support achieve success, but instead of celebrating it you think what if?

[Guest hobshobs]

For me it looks pretty good from back to front with the exception of the strike force (and I'm assuming Harper won't be first choice when I say it looks pretty good). Let's say we still have all of the £35 million in the kitty, spending it won't matter a jot if we have Demba Ba having to play alongside the likes of Lovenkrands or Ameobi, or worse still, those two jokers together. Lovenkrands has about one shot on target, usually with little or no power every 180 minutes or so. Shola, first minute header missed at Wigan, misses the target one on one with the keeper when clean through at Sunderland early in the game, heads the ball out the ground at Stevenage and that was only the opening part of the season. Both are third rate and that is what will cost us big time again.

[henke]

The whole devils advocate thing has been done to death of late, but here we go again. Had we not recieved £35m for Carroll then this summers transfer activity would be seen as quite (or even very) successful so far.

 

The players we've brought in, i'm more than pleased with. The ones returning from long term injury are the icing on the cake. The only negative for me is that we didn't pay £10m for Zoggy, but i'd concede that it's maybe a bit much for a player in his final year and it's a position that doesn't need filling anyway.

 

Dan Gosling, aye, looked good the other night.

[Yorkie]

Don't see how it effects your support of the team. Being frustrated by the fact that a massive windfall of cash isn't being reinvested (at the expense of a local number 9 who looked the f***ing nuts) is pretty standard iyam.

 

It's an awful attitude, the team you support achieve success, but instead of celebrating it you think what if?

 

Define success. Obviously, if we finished sixth and made it into Europe i'd be delighted. I'm speaking realistically (albeit hypothetically), though. If we're making up the numbers in mid-table again, it'd be extremely frustrating.

[mrmojorisin75]

The whole devils advocate thing has been done to death of late, but here we go again. Had we not recieved £35m for Carroll then this summers transfer activity would be seen as quite (or even very) successful so far. not have happened and other players with value would have been sold.

 

fyp

[buzza]

Do you think he will be in the middle with Cabaye today? Seems to merit a place after his games in US???

[BeloEmre]

Do you think he will be in the middle with Cabaye tomorrow? Seems to merit a place after his games in US???

FYP

[James]

What an absolutely terrible player.

 

Just kidding, looks like he's kept his attacking instinct that made him stand out at Everton, and makes a very tasty option to have.

[Revolution Number 9]

Don't think he could have done any better with his chance, a shame that he didn't score but ah well, looking forward to seeing him play more.

[Nordstrom]

Should have gone for the shot rather than waiting for the bounce, but otherwise I like how he pushes up. Wouldn't be a disaster if Barton left and Gosling took his place.

 

Like a new signing. 

[Guest BlacknWhiteArmy]

Decent little cameo that.

[Tooj]

I said in the match thread, although he missed the chance, it was encouraging to see him get in the position in the first place.

[Dave]

I said in the match thread, although he missed the chance, it was encouraging to see him get in the position in the first place.

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Don't think he could have done any better with his chance, a shame that he didn't score but ah well, looking forward to seeing him play more.

 

Thought he should have taken it earlier BUT like others have said got into a great position which is encouraging

[Newcastle Fan]

Could've been the 2nd year in a row that his inclusion directly results in us dropping the points had Sunderland score, that being said it was good to see him back on the pitch, hope he starts the Scunthopre game.

[matta]

tought his miss in front of goal would be costly.

 

 

 

i didnt :)

[Tooj]

I said in the match thread, although he missed the chance, it was encouraging to see him get in the position in the first place.

 

 

Don't think you can teach that anticipation, the kind of position you would have expected Nolan to get into.

[Dave]

I said in the match thread, although he missed the chance, it was encouraging to see him get in the position in the first place.

 

 

Don't think you can teach that anticipation, the kind of position you would have expected Nolan to get into.

 

Yep, I was gonna put that but thought better of it.

[James]

I said in the match thread, although he missed the chance, it was encouraging to see him get in the position in the first place.

 

 

Don't think you can teach that anticipation, the kind of position you would have expected Nolan to get into.

 

Yep, I was gonna put that but thought better of it.

 

You'd never see Nolan in that position, too much running required.

[Tooj]

I said in the match thread, although he missed the chance, it was encouraging to see him get in the position in the first place.

 

 

Don't think you can teach that anticipation, the kind of position you would have expected Nolan to get into.

 

Yep, I was gonna put that but thought better of it.

 

Even though we won, we missed that link today, somebody making those late runs. In the first half Taylor made a cracking header back across the box from a set piece, but nobody anticipated it. Hopefully Gosling can be the one to do that this season.