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Monty13

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Posts posted by Monty13

  2. Posted

    6 minutes ago, Fen Canary said:

    I half hope Leeds go up, spend £100 million quid on players and then finish bottom, just so this nonsense about Farke having no responsibility over those top flight campaigns can be put to bed.

    I loved Farke while he was here, but this rewriting of history seemingly giving him all the credit for the promotion campaigns while giving all the blame to Webber for the ones that followed I find tiresome 

    Why’s everything black and white? I don’t see many people (well maybe Lakey) thinking Farke was completely blameless, doesn’t change the fact he was given a pile of **** and asked to bake a cake.

    • Like 1

  3. Posted · Edited by Monty13

    14 hours ago, Mason 47 said:

    We'd have gone down in the 2nd Farke season even if we'd paid Emi a bazillion £/pw and had him for that year.

    Probably, didn’t make it any less stupid.

    Mine would be touting our best players for sale on promotion and then selling our star player pretty much guaranteeing relegation before a ball was kicked, and that was then the catalyst for everything that happened that season and after. 

    • Like 2

  4. Posted

    2 minutes ago, king canary said:

    I feel a bit sorry for Knapper with January in that he was put in tough position.

    On January 1st we were 13th and in average at best form having just lost to an average Millwall side who got reduced to 10 men. I was of the opinion January was ripe for consolidation and preparing for a proper promotion push next season by clearing out some dead wood. By the end of the month we'd picked up wins over Hull and West Brom and found ourselves 8th and in with a decent chance of top 6 which changed the plans.

    I don't think it would have been good to have thrown out pre existing plans and gambled on a short term resurgence at that point but we probably could have done with a loan or two who could have hit the ground running and added something straight away- not a big ticket guy like Carvalho at Hull but maybe someone like Mikey Johnston who ended up at West Brom or Sarmiento who went to Ipswich.

    The only thing I’d say, because I generally agree with all this. Is that Wagner was vocally warning about the number of bodies and that’s proved to be correct.

    Plus for a club that’s been pushing the top 6 message for so long to do nothing when we were and are actually competing for it was poor IMO. I agree 1 (maybe 2) good loanee could prove to have been the difference.

    • Like 1

  5. Posted

    What’s your thoughts on our January transfer window given our current squad situation @Parma Ham's gone mouldy?

    I’ll be honest I thought Knapoer had done pretty well, some deadwood gone, youth out on loan and a striker at a cut price with a very decent pedigree and lots of potential.

    The Idah situation was a weird one short term, but long term it made sense to me as you get regular games and goals for Idah plus get a close look at a good target at a good price without making it permanent yet.

    Also Placheta made some sense to reduce costs, but Wagner was warning in press conferences that bodies could become an issue.

    Springett scored the other day, a guy who desperately needs some confidence and experience from first team football but another winger who was in the first team squad.

    Everything’s always easier with the benefit of hindsight but my only real personal criticism of January at the time was the lack of any signing to push for promotion, I was really surprised Knapper didn’t have an Arsenal youngster lined up to inject another quality option.

    If Sainz card isn’t overturned we are looking threadbare at the critical point of the season. I guess it’s never easy being a Sporting Director but I can’t help feeling sorry for Wagner, he was warning against this very scenario. It also feels more and more like it could be a missed opportunity, we are genuine playoff contenders and while I’m still hopeful, another signing or two in January could turn out to have been the difference.

    • Thanks 1

  7. Posted

    45 minutes ago, BigFish said:

    The point is we have twelve games left and right now SVH is a clear downgrade on Idah. Idah was supposedly the best sub in the division, SVH is clearly not. The lack of that impact from the bench may cost us, and it would be worse if Sarge or Branes get injured.

    I think that’s a completely fair criticism. 

    I think SVH on paper has the potential to be a great long term signing. In the context of this season though, it’s an odd one.

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1

  8. Posted · Edited by Monty13

    2 hours ago, BroadstairsR said:

    If we fail to go up this season, which is probable, then this Summer is going to be sheer hell with rumour on top of rumour, and it's started already.

    Yep, it’s unfortunately probably going to be asset sales to pay off debt spun as a rebuild. That’s not a criticism, just the unfortunate reality of our failure to get back where we needed to keep them.

  9. Posted

    18 hours ago, lake district canary said:

    I clearly do understand the reasons for it. The reality of it with us though, is that Gibson and Hanley look so devoid of any confidence on the ball and only when Mclean or Sara take over does some meaningful forward pass happen. It is SO predictable. No variation, no imagination, no positivity.

    Sunderland were quite happy to sit back, we were happy to keep the ball at the back. Makes for a kind of non-football, hence the "walking football" jibes from commentators. Yes, we won, but lets not pretend our playing the ball around at the back is high quality. At times it looks completely inept.

    Gibson provided the cross for the winner. He’s also provided some good penetrative passes at times this season.

    While I agree that Gibson and Hanley aren’t the most dynamic ball playing CBs, I don’t think they are devoid of confidence particularly, they are playing the role they are asked to.

    As far as I can see McClean, Sara and Nunez take over 1 because they have a far better long pass, but also mainly tactically so the CBs can spread out and allow the FBs to range forward.

    • Like 2

  11. Posted

    Hull have very comparable fixtures but one more home game, not going to be easy.

    We need to pick up a much better return away from home and/or win all 5 home games including beating Ipswich.

    Think we may be looking for a favour from Ipswich in that penultimate week.

  12. Posted

    The conditions were horrendous and we weren’t playing well. Judging him harshly on that seems a bit premature.

    I think keeping Idah for this season may have been the better short term option but both seemed to be a longer term decision.

  14. Posted · Edited by Monty13

    30 minutes ago, Robert N. LiM said:

    Assuming that, given the injuries, this is basically the only team Wagner could have picked and there will be universal approval of the selection on here.

    Pretty much Dimi or McCallum is his only selection headache, rest basically pick themselves.

    One option could have been keep Kenny in defence and bring Sorensen or Gibbs in alongside Sara I suppose.

    Really looking threadbare unless some youth players step up, going to be a difficult run in.

    • Like 1

  15. Posted

    1 hour ago, yellowrider120 said:

    If he's that (which he's not) then the vultures would have circled and whisked him off in January window!

    No one was spending in January, and it’s all opinion but he is in mine. 

    They’ll be circling in the summer I have no doubt.

    • Like 1

  18. Posted

    6 hours ago, Fen Canary said:

    Hindsight is a wonderful thing though isn’t it. We could have kept him and then have him suffer an injury like he has this season, then we’d all be ranting at Webber for stretching the squad too thin. A club our size will always need a healthy dollop of luck unfortunately, or an owner willing to burn through obscene amounts of cash in vain bid for personal glory 

    There’s a distinct difference between being unlucky and self destructive. That’s not hindsight.

    • Like 1

  19. Posted

    6 hours ago, Fen Canary said:

    Nobody knows what was agreed with Emi behind the scenes though, for all we know there could have been a gentleman’s agreement to give us one more year after the first relegation then he could move on if a decent offer came in. We can all guess but ultimately very little genuine info ever gets out into the public 

    Michael Bailey specifically confirmed there was no gentleman’s agreement. 

    • Thanks 1

  20. Posted

    2 hours ago, Christoph Stiepermann said:

    @Parma Ham's gone mouldy Does everyone in professional football think along these lines and think in terms of a plusvalenza outcome when setting up a team and when signing players consider "weapons" extremely valuable or is this just something you've learned from the specific clubs you've worked at? What I mean is are there managers and sporting directors who just think better players=better results and don't take the same approach to setting up teams and signing players and do you think the important people at our club would understand and agree with your posts if they read them? Or do you think they'd rubbish them and think no we just need better players all over the pitch and that football isn't that complicated?

    I know you've often said that coaches look for certain things and when talking about Wagner you've referenced your own posts when talking about your interpretation of what you see he's trying to do so you've alluded to the fact that people at our club do think in these terms but I'm just wondering if this is the widely accepted way of thinking within football that you're educating us on or if it's more of a niche way of thinking that you've picked up from working in Italy? We don't know much about Knapper obviously by this point and I know we have budgetary restrictions but in the past looking at some of our signings we often seem to go for neat and tidy players who don't have one outstanding attribute and don't really cause the opposition many problems and if the people in charge of our transfers thought about football like you do I don't see the sense in a lot of those signings. 

     

    I mean, we know Webber didn’t.

  21. Posted

    5 hours ago, Parma Ham's gone mouldy said:

    I love playing for free kicks. Having dangerous free kick specialists is an absolute must for any side. A ‘strike one’ (Sara) from 25 yards and a ‘flip and spin one’ (SVH it seems, though Nunez had a nice ‘hybrid’ version at the weekend). They are different techniques and very few can do both. The ‘strike feeling’ (and technical dynamic delivery) is very different. 

    Here is a stat for you from Samuel Seaman’s article today. A good warning for your confirmation bias: 

    ‘Norwich City didn’t score direct from a free-kick for 552 days between August 14, 2022 and February 17, 2024’

    Parma

    Jesus I had no idea it had been that long, that’s crazy. 

    I always forget a weapon by your definition is not a good player that produces something, goals and assists etc. but someone that creates a specific problem to be countered.

    It’s super interesting in those terms so few players fit the criteria.

    • Like 2

  22. Posted

    45 minutes ago, Indy said:

    But last year a lot of people were saying if we were reliant on Sargent we are in trouble! So is Wagner to be praised in how he’s bought through the younger players? Rowe, Sainz, Sargent, Sara? How good would we have been if we actually spent some decent money on younger better players than those old free journeymen? Even Knapper has said he wants to change the squad!

    Just to be clear, I’m behind Wagner, regardless of today’s result being disappointing. He’s in charge for the rest of the season, I want him to succeed.

    My issue was with the idea we have a mid table squad, it’s not IMO it’s a top 6 capable squad with a handful of extremely talented players.

    Wagner has been unfortunate with injuries, without them we’d surely be comfortable in the playoffs. However I don’t think that excuses just how dire we were during that early season period when we had injuries to key men.

    My argument would be it’s those 5-6 players that get you there. I don’t think whether the more average players in the squad are 20 or 30 makes huge difference (other than resale/development), it’s those key players that are the game changers.

    Oh and personally I’ve never doubted Sargent, I thought he was a 20+ goal striker this year, and evidence says he was if he hadn’t been out.

    • Like 1

  23. Posted

    5 minutes ago, Indy said:

    Sorry Monty, in their prime say five years ago absolutely agree! But we have these players in their 30’s or heading past their best! We have a bang average squad in my opinion…that’s just what I see, look at those above us and see who has anywhere near as many old journeymen in their squads or teams! 

    Agree to disagree, I think in hindsight Webber’s been a bit harshly judged for the summer, not that he didn’t deserve it overall. By no means a great summer but not a bad one overall.

    Yes there’s a lot of older pros but the general mix of this squad should be enough for top 6 IMO.

    The issue is just how bad we were without Sargent for that run. If we’d been able to keep up a slightly better rate in that time we’d already be there.

  24. Posted

    1 minute ago, Indy said:

    See this is where I disagree, we have a very average squad bar five players, Sargent, Sara, Nunez, Rowe & Gunn. McLeans been very solid, Duffy OK, but the rest just about championship mid table level!

    Peopke forget the quality of players we lost last season and replaced with very average players.

     

    There’s plenty more players that have played for us or another team in promotion winning squads.

    Sorry can’t agree this squads mid table. On top of Duffy and McClean there’s Gibson, Hanley, Barnes, Giannoulis and Stacy off top of my head.

    You mix the talent of the 5 you mentioned with the solidity that should be offered by players like this there is no way this squads mid table. Go look at the squads currently mid table.

    We aren’t in the league of Leicester, Southampton and Leeds…but neither is anyone else. We are arguably one of if not the best of the rest squads as you’d expect given our recent experience and expenditure.

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