paying the price for...

[Dean Coneys boots 1,400]

1) having no genuine midfield talent

2) having a tiny squad

[starman 0]

bang on padre!!! we have not replaced francis,instead we bought 3 defensive minded midfielders.

the squad is frighteningly small when you take the kids out of it,with no allowance made for injuries or suspensions.more poor decisions,need i say more

[Salopian 1]

We all saw the problem, except the Manager, who believed he had a wealth of talent in the midfield. This is where the problem has been before and during the season.

Injuries have not helped, but unless this summer''s buys play much better than they have shown so far, - Marney, Jarrett and Hughes, the results over the last five games - lost four and two gaols scored,- both own goals, will become a regular pattern.

If anyone thought that the adverse comments on Jarrett and Hughes we received from previous supporters were just sour grapes because we had prised good players away from them, it is now blindingly obvious that those comments were very accurate. So how were our management taken in? Were they blinded by the promise of all action players, "Never mind the skill level, look at the motors!"

We said both quality and quantity in the midfield were lacking. The quality shortage has been clear over several games, the quantity through the need to play full backs out of position in the centre of midfield.

There has been little width through the wretched diamond, and the absence of conventional wingers. (Hux is a winger/striker and defies categorisation)

This summer''s purchases were poor, and have made little contribution. In the midfield it is arguable that one or two of the Academy players would make a bigger contribution, defensively and in attack.

[Northern Canary 0]

paying the price for crap summer dealings

Svennson imo would have had at least a couple of goals by now. Who did we buy with his money? Whoever it was they werent as good.

Francis, yes i see why we sold him but i dont see why we didnt replace him.

Hughes - isnt terrible but i dont understand why we bought him and not some quality

Cant think of the others but we could have had so many quality players who would have joined in the summer, instead we went for the likes of Hughes.

[Dame to Blame 95]

[quote]paying the price for crap summer dealings Svennson imo would have had at least a couple of goals by now. Who did we buy with his money? Whoever it was they werent as good. Francis, yes i see why we ...[/quote]

So who would these quailty players we missed out on be then northern canary please name them for me.

[ZLF 273]

We are reaping what we have sowed.  

We traded poorly iin the summer, losing quality & quantity and bought in too little of either by way of replacement.  Which midfielder should we have looked at - thoe mention during the summer, Ifil, Brkovic, Koumas or Idiakez would have added versatility options and depth to the squad.

We are paying the price for an obstinate manager who will not be told justifiable opinion even when its there staring him in the face.  The alleged advice from Boothroyd, persisting with below par players when better at the club last season, poor replacements when better WERE available during the summer, selling before replacements were in place, stupid comments like out squad is complete and fit for promotion when it was always clear, and he was told so by fans, that 4 midfielders was always going to be inadequate.  All thsese things have been made clear to him ye he persists in being the strong man leading our team in the wrong direction.  He seems more and more like the manager cutting his own nose off to spite his face.

You can blame the players for a couple of one off performances;  but repeated (and it is not just two games) poor efforts, poor team selections, poor tactics and a oor squad all boil down to one persons responsibility.  The manager should go, taking his sub standard coaching staff with him, but we all know that he will have at least another 8 weeks before anything changes.

Its no good nigel being strong if he does not have the humility to accept some responsibility for either failing to instil discipline into his players for failing to deliver his game plan or for admitting his game plan is wrong. 

Until HE admits HE has a problem things will not improve - does HE have that honesty he keeps going on about?

OTBC

[AJ 1,218]

[quote]1) having no genuine midfield talent 2) having a tiny squad[/quote]

great sermon vicar

the shortest and most trueful i have ever heard!

[Tim Dawson 0]

Cardiff were relegation candidates at the beginning of the season and that was also the opinion of their own fans, its suprising what a couple of midfielders can do, koumas and ardley come in and suddenly Cardiff are on the verge of the play-offs!!

[Northern Canary 0]

Ifill, Bentley, Taylor, Koumas, Kristiansen, gabbidon, nosworthy etc. And there are hundreds of players we could have bought for a reasonable price