Lack of Investment

[Jack Flash]

Some players know they're guaranteed a game due to the lack of talent in the squad and that can only breed laziness. Cabaye should have been dropped months ago but there's nobody who can come in. When Cisse/Ba come off it's Shola, a player who hasn't "worked" in over 10 years.

 

Next summer should be interesting, one way or the other, with all that extra money coming in.

[littlelunchbox]

can Steve Clarke also ask the chairmen the question of a 'Lack of Investment'

 

considering WBA are above NUFC.

[Guest BooBoo]

How many sides move forward after failing to strengthen their squad in a summer?

 

We've done this plenty of times before and went backwards in most circumstances.

 

Happens every time. Some of the squad weaknesses haven't been addressed three years after promotion FFS.

[Dave]

The players are complacent because there's little or no genuine competition for places.

Injuries and suspensions hit us doubly hard because beyond the purple players most of the rest are shitty brown.

The manager's options are limited; a particular problem when things aren't going so well.

There's no new energy or ideas around the training ground.

Players wonder if the club is actually going places or not.

 

It's by no means the only problem, but of course the lack of investment matters.

[Parky]

He's running out of press conference fodder since the "Hatem's a naughty boy" days. Lately it's been europe is tiring...But today he said that wasn't so..This week europe hasn't been tiring...This week it was if we'd scored a goal we probably would have won... All with a straight face and a hint of a smile.

[matta]

"We've given everything we can and we've come off losing today."

 

 

This is worrying.

 

Not really, you can't expect him to come out, say we played shite and we'll do better next time. He needs to keep the squad confidence up as it's low at the moment.

 

nah, these are grown men. After 6 shit home games they should be able to read "We were poor, and need to do something drastically" in the papers and use that as a confidence booster. Prove the critics wrong.

[madras]

"Sod all" might be over-egging the pudding a bit.

really ? yes more investment would be nice but if we played as we 'know' we are capable would this conversation be happening ?

 

In truth, we played to our supposed capability about half-a-dozen times last season. The vast majority of the time was a struggle similar to this, except we were conceding a few less and scoring a few more.

 

There is at least one glaring weakness in the first team, quite probably two, and we are woefully lacking options up front.

 

To say our current situation has "sod all" to do with a lack of investment (or ambition) is wrong. It has a fair bit to do with it.

wrong, we played with fluidity and got away from the stock rigid 4-4-2 nfor about a hlaf dozen games last season, like everyone of us who watches was screaming out for and guess what, it worked like we all knew it would, then we go back to rigid 4-4-2 and we get what we all knew would happen.

 

it's no surprise.

[littlelunchbox]

He's running out of press conference fodder since the "Hatem's a naughty boy" days. Lately it's been europe is tiring...But today he said that wasn't so..This week europe hasn't been tiring...This week it was if we'd scored a goal we probably would have won... All with a straight face and a hint of a smile.

 

he's smart he knew we would have slaughtered him had he used the same excuse.  silver fox.

[Guest BooBoo]

There was nothing on the bench today who you could consider a game changer. Shola was as good as it got from the subs and that should say it all about the squad.

[Parky]

The players are complacent because there's little or no genuine competition for places.

Injuries and suspensions hit us doubly hard because beyond the purple players most of the rest are shitty brown.

The manager's options are limited; a particular problem when things aren't going so well.

There's no new energy or ideas around the training ground.

Players wonder if the club is actually going places or not.

 

It's by no means the only problem, but of course the lack of investment matters.

 

Agreed.

 

I personally think the lack of investment has had a bigger pschological impact on the players than we realise. The better ones are surely wondering about their future.

[madras]

The players are complacent because there's little or no genuine competition for places.

Injuries and suspensions hit us doubly hard because beyond the purple players most of the rest are shitty brown.

The manager's options are limited; a particular problem when things aren't going so well.

There's no new energy or ideas around the training ground.

Players wonder if the club is actually going places or not.

 

It's by no means the only problem, but of course the lack of investment matters.

 

Agreed.

 

I personally think the lack of investment has had a bigger pschological impact on the players than we realise. The better ones are surely wondering about their future.

even more simple...we aren't doing what we done at our best last season and everyone can see it.

[Guest BooBoo]

"We've given everything we can and we've come off losing today."

 

 

This is worrying.

 

Not really, you can't expect him to come out, say we played shite and we'll do better next time. He needs to keep the squad confidence up as it's low at the moment.

 

nah, these are grown men. After 6 shit home games they should be able to read "We were poor, and need to do something drastically" in the papers and use that as a confidence booster. Prove the critics wrong.

 

You'll do well do a find a single manager who'll come out after a defeat and publicly lambast his side. Bollock them in the changing room by all means, but dont make it public. Ferguson has made it a cornerstone of his management all his career.

[littlelunchbox]

There was nothing on the bench today who you could consider a game changer. Shola was as good as it got from the subs and that should say it all about the squad.

 

shola was twice the player Cisse was, and thats him replacing a 8-10 million pound player we invested in not that long ago.

 

the modest money we invest should not excuse the shower of shyte we display every week. 

 

teams with less money have performed better.

[Mick]

Some players know they're guaranteed a game due to the lack of talent in the squad and that can only breed laziness. Cabaye should have been dropped months ago but there's nobody who can come in. When Cisse/Ba come off it's Shola, a player who hasn't "worked" in over 10 years.

 

Next summer should be interesting, one way or the other, with all that extra money coming in.

 

Should we have dropped Cabaye before the Liverpool game when he turned a defeat into a draw?  Should we have dropped Cabaye before the mackem game when de did the same thing?  Should we have dropped him before the Everton game where he played a class ball through to Ba when Ba went on to score?

[Guest BooBoo]

The players are complacent because there's little or no genuine competition for places.

Injuries and suspensions hit us doubly hard because beyond the purple players most of the rest are shitty brown.

The manager's options are limited; a particular problem when things aren't going so well.

There's no new energy or ideas around the training ground.

Players wonder if the club is actually going places or not.

 

It's by no means the only problem, but of course the lack of investment matters.

 

Agreed.

 

I personally think the lack of investment has had a bigger pschological impact on the players than we realise. The better ones are surely wondering about their future.

 

Yep, you can bet a lot felt let down. Reading all summer about Debuchy, Carroll, Douglas and we actually ended strengthening where we were already fairly strong in terms of numbers.

 

 

[Rich]

"Sod all" might be over-egging the pudding a bit.

really ? yes more investment would be nice but if we played as we 'know' we are capable would this conversation be happening ?

 

In truth, we played to our supposed capability about half-a-dozen times last season. The vast majority of the time was a struggle similar to this, except we were conceding a few less and scoring a few more.

 

There is at least one glaring weakness in the first team, quite probably two, and we are woefully lacking options up front.

 

To say our current situation has "sod all" to do with a lack of investment (or ambition) is wrong. It has a fair bit to do with it.

wrong, we played with fluidity and got away from the stock rigid 4-4-2 nfor about a hlaf dozen games last season, like everyone of us who watches was screaming out for and guess what, it worked like we all knew it would, then we go back to rigid 4-4-2 and we get what we all knew would happen.

 

it's no surprise.

 

Took me a while, but I understand what you mean now.

 

Of course Pardew has to bear the brunt of the responsibility for the way we've been playing, but I can't help but feel he could've done with at least one extra player of genuine quality to help us along. Dave's points are all valid in that we have given the impression of stagnating over the summer instead of grasping the nettle and attempting to kick-on from a very nice surprise finish.

 

We still have the likes of Simpson, Williamson and Perch getting very, very regular games (not just in the Europa either).

[matta]

"We've given everything we can and we've come off losing today."

 

 

This is worrying.

 

Not really, you can't expect him to come out, say we played shite and we'll do better next time. He needs to keep the squad confidence up as it's low at the moment.

 

nah, these are grown men. After 6 shit home games they should be able to read "We were poor, and need to do something drastically" in the papers and use that as a confidence booster. Prove the critics wrong.

 

You'll do well do a find a single manager who'll come out after a defeat and publicly lambast his side. Bollock them in the changing room by all means, but dont make it public. Ferguson has made it a cornerstone of his management all his career.

 

Good point.

 

Hopefully Pardew now makes some new decisions to atleast help us improve over the 3 or 4 next VERY winable games.

[Guest BooBoo]

I hope fwiw that Pardew gave the players what for in the dressing room. We HAVE to see a reaction next week v Swansea.

[Guest Dontooner]

Actually hope the Players give Pardew a bollocking for his lack of tactics and inability to use them. aka. Ben Arfa criticizing  his tactics and style last season. Time to put a bit of pressure on the source of the problem.

[Jack Flash]

Some players know they're guaranteed a game due to the lack of talent in the squad and that can only breed laziness. Cabaye should have been dropped months ago but there's nobody who can come in. When Cisse/Ba come off it's Shola, a player who hasn't "worked" in over 10 years.

 

Next summer should be interesting, one way or the other, with all that extra money coming in.

 

Should we have dropped Cabaye before the Liverpool game when he turned a defeat into a draw?  Should we have dropped Cabaye before the mackem game when de did the same thing?  Should we have dropped him before the Everton game where he played a class ball through to Ba when Ba went on to score?

 

That's all with hindsight. He's massively underperformed almost all season and he'd have been dropped if we had another good player in his position (and a manager with a backbone). The nearest player is Gosling and he's both not very good and injured.

[Guest BooBoo]

Yeah, like that would ever happen.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Actually hope the Players give Pardew a bollocking for his lack of tactics and inability to use them. aka. Ben Arfa criticizing  his tactics and style last season. Time to put a bit of pressure on the source of the problem.

 

Do you think Hatem putting a bit of pressure on him is what eventually made him go to 4-3-3 and a more passing game for that short period of time? i don't really have an opinion on it either way but i'd like to know what people think.

 

Because it was quite a drastic change and quite frankly i never saw it coming.

[Guest BooBoo]

I get the feeling if Ben Arfa ever put pressure on Pardew he'd be quickly told where to go.

 

You can't have players telling the manager what to do. The sort of shite has undermined numerous managers at Chelsea for example.

[matta]

I hope fwiw that Pardew gave the players what for in the dressing room. We HAVE to see a reaction next week v Swansea.

 

absolutely. 3points is only thing worth having vs another good side. Thankfully ALOT different to westham.

[Guest Dontooner]

I get the feeling if Ben Arfa ever put pressure on Pardew he'd be quickly told where to go.

 

You can't have players telling the manager what to do. The sort of s**** has undermined numerous managers at Chelsea for example.

Well thats the problem AVB lost the dressing room because he got them playing too safe and defensive. The Players were crying out loud to express themselves but he stop them. I think better players which had played for better Managers would know this instantly, not that i think Pardew should loose the dressing rooms but i think someone has to be there to put pressure on him.