Light in goals and thin in defence

[Village Idiot]

Your midfield looks great to be honest, it's hard to see even an average striker not putting away a few of the chances you should be creating.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

True, even Best and Shola aren't too bad at finishing simple chances, and Ba looks a machine. Still would want another stiker in, but that's as much for quality improvement than simply goals.

[healthyaddiction]

Your midfield looks great to be honest, it's hard to see even an average striker not putting away a few of the chances you should be creating.

 

U Jelly? 

[Guest neesy111]

One striker and we should be adequate up-front for once.  Should remember we could be playing just 1 upfront with HBA just behind in quite a few games.

[Colocho]

One striker and we should be adequate up-front for once.  Should remember we could be playing just 1 upfront with HBA just behind in quite a few games.

 

Depends if we sell Best and/or Ranger tbh.

 

Can see us playing a 4-5-1, which means they may settle for four strikers. Although, Ba, Best, Lovenkrands and Ameobi isn't too inspiring.

[BrettNUFC]

True, even Best and Shola aren't too bad at finishing simple chances, and Ba looks a machine. Still would want another stiker in, but that's as much for quality improvement than simply goals.

 

[Foluwashola]

Desperately need another striker.

 

If Best or Shola are starting for long spells next season, we'll struggle for goals.

[Guest Antec]

Desperately need another striker.

 

If Best or Shola are starting for long spells next season, we'll struggle for goals.

 

An injury to Ben Arfa and Gosling/Guthrie come into play. Ouch

[Ginola]

Negative thread shocker.

 

This is the best squad we've had in a while, there's a month to add more options and you still complain. Get a grip

[Guest WashyGeordie]

In defence I think we only need another CB or competition for Simpson. Obviously if Jose goes then a replacement for him but for all we know he could still stay.

 

And apart from that I'd say all we need is another striker with either Ranger and/or Xisco/Best going the other way.

[SEMTEX]

Perch and Raylor are "competition" for Simpson!

 

[UV]

While at the same time if they all stay fit and we add another striker that's a top 8 side imo.

 

Stop being so positive  annoyance disapproval disdain

 

It should be expected that once the season gets going there will be on average 3-6 injured players out for each game, and on top of that you will have suspensions for those who play regularly. It's not negative to factor this into your expectations, and it's not bad luck or poor medical staff when it happens, it's part of modern football where players are pushed to their limits in training and in games week in week out. On average the injuries & suspensions will be scattered around the positions, and around how important the players are. You can only count yourself "unlucky" if you have more injuries than normal for a significant period, or if the injuries are more concentrated in one area of your squad or on your best players.

 

Basing your targets for the season on having a largely first choice XI every week is completely unrealistic and doomed to disappointment.

[Village Idiot]

While at the same time if they all stay fit and we add another striker that's a top 8 side imo.

 

Stop being so positive  annoyance disapproval disdain

 

It should be expected that once the season gets going there will be on average 3-6 injured players out for each game, and on top of that you will have suspensions for those who play regularly. It's not negative to factor this into your expectations, and it's not bad luck or poor medical staff when it happens, it's part of modern football where players are pushed to their limits in training and in games week in week out. On average the injuries & suspensions will be scattered around the positions, and around how important the players are. You can only count yourself "unlucky" if you have more injuries than normal for a significant period, or if the injuries are more concentrated in one area of your squad or on your best players.

 

Basing your targets for the season on having a largely first choice XI every week is completely unrealistic and doomed to disappointment.

 

Works for us!

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Yeah, but at the same time, how many players can a club carry in each position? That fact is that we have a better and deeper squad then we've had for ages IMO.

[Ryan_Taylor]

Its da end of da wurld

[TRon]

While at the same time if they all stay fit and we add another striker that's a top 8 side imo.

 

Stop being so positive  annoyance disapproval disdain

 

It should be expected that once the season gets going there will be on average 3-6 injured players out for each game, and on top of that you will have suspensions for those who play regularly. It's not negative to factor this into your expectations, and it's not bad luck or poor medical staff when it happens, it's part of modern football where players are pushed to their limits in training and in games week in week out. On average the injuries & suspensions will be scattered around the positions, and around how important the players are. You can only count yourself "unlucky" if you have more injuries than normal for a significant period, or if the injuries are more concentrated in one area of your squad or on your best players.

 

Basing your targets for the season on having a largely first choice XI every week is completely unrealistic and doomed to disappointment.

 

We haven't had squad depth since Keegan was manager. Even when Shepherd was chairman the team was built on a few big stars with the back up being fairly mediocre.

[toontownman]

A lot depends on our focus on the youngsters. It has been the clubs remit to bring through and create stars since Ashley took over, now we are seeing a crop come through. On the word of the club's focus you could assume these players will assume a lot of the squad places.

 

This season and the next will be the litmus test to the clubs plans.

 

I think more than ever we do actually have a potentially exciting bunch of youngsters coming up. Time well tell if its money well spent or wasted.

 

Many people want us to go out and spend money but many of the same people have been critical of our academy and failure to produce our own stars in the past. With the money and time that has been invested it is coming to a point where we need to start relying on the Academy and reserves to step up and make the grade.

 

The club needs to spend wisely to keep experienced and quality older players at the club but still intersperse the club with younglings that can hopefully make the grade.

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Fair point mate, I'm looking forward to seeing Vuckic, Kadar and Abeid make an impact at least. Hopefully Lua Lua as well.

[buzza]

We still need a striker and most likely a right back or central defender who's versatile. Injury to Ba and and simpson or one of the CBs and we're up the creek....

[Benwell Lad]

Your midfield looks great to be honest, it's hard to see even an average striker not putting away a few of the chances you should be creating.

 

I also think that and theres a bit of depth to it too.

Hopefully Steven Taylor looking a much improved player at the end of last season is a reality and not a blip, and despite what the wrist slitters are saying it's very likely that a quality forward will be coming before the window ends.

All in all probably the best squad we've had for a decade or so unless you prefer the "Freddie's galacticos" type of signing.

Both full back positions still concern me though.

[Guest je85]

Has Stevie Taylor lost weight like?

 

This has gone unappreciated.

 

 

It helps having Sol leave too.

[biggs]

We've got the 6 goals in 12 appearances Leon Best. So that's a good 15 next season.

Pity Pardeau is selling him then  

[KaKa]

The players we have at the club who we expect to carry a threat have a poor goalscoring record (excluding the injury prone Ba).

Check out Ben Arfa, Marveaux, and Cabaye's record, very average.

Our two best scorers were shown the door.

And we are very thin on the ground as far as defenders are concerned.

If we do not sign two more decent defenders and two more strikers this squad is only 2 or 3 injuries away from a relegation fight.     

 

And so what were Carroll's and Nolan's goal scoring records prior to last season?

 

You lot go on as if they had been scoring consistently for years.

 

Their records prior to last season were no better than the players you mention.

 

What's to say they would have continued scoring goals?

 

Very simplistic viewpoint and a terribly weak argument.

[UV]

Your midfield looks great to be honest, it's hard to see even an average striker not putting away a few of the chances you should be creating.

 

I also think that and theres a bit of depth to it too.

Hopefully Steven Taylor looking a much improved player at the end of last season is a reality and not a blip, and despite what the wrist slitters are saying it's very likely that a quality forward will be coming before the window ends.

All in all probably the best squad we've had for a decade or so unless you prefer the "Freddie's galacticos" type of signing.

Both full back positions still concern me though.

 

[brummie]

Fucking hell.

 

With the exception of perhaps 2-3 clubs in this division, or anywhere else for that matter, everyone is 2 or 3 injuries away from not being able to achieve their start of season expectations.

 

Bang on the money.

 

Look at us last season. A horrible season and managerial madness was a large part of it, but we had a run of bad luck with injuries and ended up relying on lots of kids we'd never heard of for great chunks of the season.

 

We played Man U with a starting central pair of Barry Bannan and Jonathon Hogg, which says it all.

 

Almost all clubs are a batch of injuries away (and a relatively small one) from having to seriously reassess their expectations.

 

If you don't want to run that risk, then the only option is to have experienced, high wages players sat around doing nish for most of the season (like our Mr Beye, for example).

 

Clubs that are in the CL need that depth and have the money to pay for it (and can attract players willing to do it). Clubs which are not in the CL do not have that option.

 

Catch 22.