Cajun Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 When we lost Raylor, I honestly thought that might open up the kitty a bit to buy. No such luck. What I'm really worried about is January. What will our starting 11 look like without Tiote, Ba, and Cisse? Throw in an injury - which is likely - and we're on thin ice. Maybe, hopefully, Ashley knows he'll have to buy then, and decided to save for that point. Erm.. Maybe he meant one of them might be injured, before he mentioned injuries... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Our first team isn´t complete and our second team isn´t good enough. That´s my view. Looking at yesterdays match I can´t say many of the players can fill in comfortably in premier league. I also have doubts about our overall football. Not good enough. A lot of hoof balls, long distance between players, no movement and isolated forwards. delighted Obviously you wouldn't want to put as many reserves into a premier match as we did yesterday. But considering we fielded a second team it was an encouraging display for me. As for the hoof ball that's down to Pards tactic of playing two big strikers together IMO. I think we've got the players to go 4-3-3 if needed and the football will look better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATB Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Our first team isn´t complete and our second team isn´t good enough. That´s my view. Looking at yesterdays match I can´t say many of the players can fill in comfortably in premier league. I also have doubts about our overall football. Not good enough. A lot of hoof balls, long distance between players, no movement and isolated forwards. delighted Obviously you wouldn't want to put as many reserves into a premier match as we did yesterday. But considering we fielded a second team it was an encouraging display for me. As for the hoof ball that's down to Pards tactic of playing two big strikers together IMO. I think we've got the players to go 4-3-3 if needed and the football will look better. That´s true. But if you look at the players performance individually you can easily see that the quality drops fast. And as soon Gosling, Willo, Shola will be playing we are in deep shit that in the long run will end in tears. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanji Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Wonder whos head supposedly was turned a bit.... We'll probably find out in January if heads are turned after finishing 5th unless we do better than expected again. Yeah, but honestly I don't really care to know. We lost nobody, we did not secure CB, RB, or Striker depth. Now lets do with what we've got and hopefully those thinner areas don't become a problem for us. I'm over this sort of "bleh" feeling about the end of this window - we've signed Bigi, Good, Amalfi and Anita. Here's to hoping they prove to be the same hits that most of our recent transfers have been and I can't bloody wait for SJP to come alive on Sunday v Villa. Hope we batter them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATB Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 I can definitely think that players like Ba and Cabaye isn´t happy. Tioté, as said, doesn´t seems to be a player that would force a move or would drop in quality over a waiting move. Though, it´s absolutely wonderfully that Ben Arfa doesn´t seems to have been "turned", he´s just fantastic Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggs Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Gutted we didnt get a quality forward and could blow up in our faces but no stars lost so thats a plus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Roy the Irish Magpie Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I must be easily pleased then because I voted happy. I am Happy because we still have the same top class team from last season. Say what you like about not adding and all that jazz, but I said before the window losing no key players is the biggest thing and we haven't. Here's hoping we get a least a top 7 finish with this good team we still have. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I can definitely think that players like Ba and Cabaye isn´t happy. Tioté, as said, doesn´t seems to be a player that would force a move or would drop in quality over a waiting move. Though, it´s absolutely wonderfully that Ben Arfa doesn´t seems to have been "turned", he´s just fantastic Yeah, slightly surprised that Pardew has suggested that some players' "heads were turned" by interest, and creates a bit of a guessing game as to who he could be talking about. The only player who hasen't been 100% in my opinion is Cabaye, who has looked sluggish compared to what we have become accustomed to from him. Tiote has been injured. Ben Arfa has started in great form, looking up for the games. Ba has looked good. Cisse looks like he needs a goal to kick him off again. I would question why Pardew would say these things though, as all it will do is make us fans question who he is talking about? We have kept all our big players, we don't want to hear that heads have been turned. So in my opinion, it can only be aimed inwards, i.e. it's to get a reaction from some of the players. But still, it suggests that some did have their heads turned. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubaricho Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Could've been much worse. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheHoob Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Not read much of this thread so sorry if giggs. I think this transfer window has been more of a missed opportunity than a failure. Pretty pissed at the management, cba to expand and everyone knows what I mean anyway. I realise we have a business model but it has really been laughable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miercoles Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 At the end of the day I'm happy we didn't lose players. Obviously dissapointed, but I'm a pessimist so I expected us to lose Tiote and maybe Ba or Cabaye and bring in some bullshit player like Michael Owen to compensate, so at the end of the day I am angrily satisfied? Overwhelmingly indifferent? Ready for some fucking football? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 The only way we were realistically going to improve the first-team was a right-back, and possibly a centre-back. We need a right-back in January bare minimum, and it's a big gamble trying to get to that point with just Coloccini, Taylor & Williamson for the second year running. Big opportunity for Adam Campbell to get a few appearances now as well, and for us to see this 4-3-3 given the lack of out-and-out strikers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nufc4eva Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 The only way we were realistically going to improve the first-team was a right-back, and possibly a centre-back. We need a right-back in January bare minimum, and it's a big gamble trying to get to that point with just Coloccini, Taylor & Williamson for the second year running. Big opportunity for Adam Campbell to get a few appearances now as well, and for us to see this 4-3-3 given the lack of out-and-out strikers. Big gamble and as you say opportunity for Campbell as well as vuckic, tav, fergie, good, Sammy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miercoles Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I'd be curious to see a midfield diamond with our current squad... Something like Tiote Jonas Cabaye Ben Arfa Ba Cisse could be pretty slick, they are all good on the ball and we might be able to hold possession for more than five seconds. Could see HBA drifting left or right as his fancy takes him, Cabaye able to surge forward with Jonas doing the heavy lifting behind him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 We have the players there to switch to 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-2-1-2, etc. at ease as games pan out. We showed last season if plan A wasn't working, we'd switch to a plan B in the second-half. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I am just glad the transfer window is over. Now we can move on with a squad that at first glance looks marginally better than it did this time last year. I've put the squad this year against the squad in September last year. Also I have put a + or - next to players this year who I expect to have better or worse performances than their performances for us last year, e.g. a better season for Cabaye as he has adapted to the PL. Krul Krul+ Second full season, going to keep improving Harper Harper- Deteriorating, yet has somehow overtaken Elliot as preferred second choice Elliot Elliot Simpson Simpson Santon Santon+ Building on last year's experience R. Taylor R. Taylor-- Out for season Tavernier Tavernier++ Ready to make the step up to a fringe player Ferguson Ferguson+ Expect to have more impact Perch Perch+ Looks like he can pick up where he left off and give us a full season Coloccini Coloccini S. Taylor S. Taylor+ Fit again Williamson Williamson Kadar Good Coaches seem optimistic that this is an upgrade. Cabaye Cabaye+ Can expect a better second season, if he sorts his fitness out. Tiote Tiote Gosling Gosling Abeid Abeid+ Someone who now has that little extra experience and could see more games. Guthrie Anita Different styles of player, but replaced a steady Englishman with a Dutch international. Smith Bigirimana Youth to replace player on the way down. Jonas Jonas+ Stating to show he can excel in other positions e.g. CM Marveaux Marveaux+ Fit again, hopefully Ben Arfa Ben Arfa+ A full season of a player that has finally got fit and fitted into the starting XI Obertan Obertan Not a completely lost cause as Atromitos showed Sa. Ameobi Sa. Ameobi++ Nearly fit again, last season will have really benefitted him. Amalfitano Ba Ba Ameobi Ameobi Best Cisse Huge improvement, and we get a whole season. Loven Campbell Might excite a few fans Vuckic Vuckic++ Stay fit, and he's going to shine this season in my opinion. So up front, we have actually strengthened. We can expect improvements from our wide attackers, which gives us the further option of utilising one of these in a more advanced strikers role. We have consolidated our central midfield, which can be more robust in the event of injuries. Centre back is about the same with improved yout cover. However there is also Perch who as our versatile defensive player is highly improved and can cover all defensive positions strongly. Full back has some good points and bad points compared to last season. Losing Taylor is a real blow and creates depth vulnerability. We could have done with another first team player but it wasn't to be. Tavenier, Ferguson and even Jonas at full back may be seen more often than people like. In goal I think we are most vulnerable if we were to lose Krul for a bit, but we just have to hope for Krul to stay fit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I think we are stronger than we were at the start of last season. plus if we get a full season out of S taylor, this is also an obvious improvement on last. My biggest concern is not getting a replacement in for R Taylor. That said- the fact we didnt move our best players on is positive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Well this is a first, I had to take a double-take at that post to make sure it was James because it was a pretty good one. Time to take time off from this forum to get over the shock I think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Well this is a first, I had to take a double-take at that post to make sure it was James because it was a pretty good one. Time to take time off from this forum to get over the shock I think. ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I'm disappointed we didn't bring in another right back, because I think Simpson is holding us back. Apart from that, okay. It's annoying when you see other clubs throwing money around, but our strategy still makes sense. If you're going to try and bring young players through, there's not much point in spending lots of money on ready-made players who aren't significantly better than the ones you've already got. They'll only block the development of the youngsters. The other way of team building is to sell players whose reputations are temporarily inflated (eg Carroll), and bring in players who are temporarily under-rated. Tiote for £20m would have been a good move, if it had been on the cards. Either those opportunities weren't there, or we turned them down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varadi Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 So up front, we have actually strengthened. We can expect improvements from our wide attackers, which gives us the further option of utilising one of these in a more advanced strikers role. We have consolidated our central midfield, which can be more robust in the event of injuries. Centre back is about the same with improved yout cover. However there is also Perch who as our versatile defensive player is highly improved and can cover all defensive positions strongly. Full back has some good points and bad points compared to last season. Losing Taylor is a real blow and creates depth vulnerability. We could have done with another first team player but it wasn't to be. Tavenier, Ferguson and even Jonas at full back may be seen more often than people like. This is a very good post - in amongst all the disappointment about lack of signings it's easy to forget that we've kept all our best players and the young lads and foreigners should all be stronger for last season's experience. For instance I've seen several complaints about Best not being replaced but he hardly played once Cisse arrived anyway so that's effectively his replacement. Anita looks to be an upgrade on Guthrie and Campbell, Vuckic and Sammy can easily match what Lovenkrands offered. Fully fit seasons out of S Taylor, Marveaux and HBA and at least one of the African lads staying put and we're well ahead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SweMatt Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I agree with James, our squad is stronger this season, but EL will cost us more injuries and fatigue. Right back position is a worry, Simpson should not be more than a backup. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I'm pinning a lot of hope on Sammy coming through this season. If he continues to develop like he has been over the last year or so, we'll have a very effective player who would be well suited to 4-3-3. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
duo Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I am disappointed - not lest for the fact we were supposedly linked with some good players yet bar Anita got none through the door. Anita for me is a strange buy, yes we lost Guthrie but Midfield in one area we have reasonable strength. Can't help but think he was a replacement for Tiote and they'd planned to use money from that sale to fund some of our targets. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploppy43 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Pardew is becoming very predictable approaching a transfer window , initially making noises about how many bodies he would like to bring in then as the end of the window draws near he backtracks whilst telling us that he hopes he loses no one. Same story as last season, on the plus side , we have not lost anyone but we have hardly strengthened with one first team midfielder while losing Guthrie, Lovenkrands and Best- for me that is 3 out and 1 in + the loss of Raylor. Overall not a depressing window for us but not a great one either and with more games to play can we be confident about this season , I think not. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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