Smith's comments

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

“I said it when we first came in, we were very happy with the squad but unfortunately injury and illness have not helped us since.

It is very difficult to add to a squad when you have so many players here already. Particularly given how everybody knows this club is run"

 

Think these comments are interesting. I asked on another thread 'what are the board thinking?' wrt the squad.

 

Two possibilities. Smith is being genuine here and genuinely thinks the squad is good enough.

Or, he knows the squad isnt good enough for the Premier League but a) knows he isnt going to be able to strengthen so is trying to talk up the players and a bit of denial or b) he isnt even talking (or thinking) about the Premier League and his comments are made with one eye on next seasons championship.

 

I think it is becoming clearer and clearer that this club isnt interested in staying in this league and certainly wont be trying to do anything about our predicament in this window. We're in for an utterly depressing 4 months

[Petriix 3,214]

I think it's fairly clear what he means. We have a large squad (of mostly poor players) and we are only able to offer low wages. Given that situation, it's not really possible to sign anyone else right now.

[Helsinki canary 302]

26 minutes ago, Petriix said:

I think it's fairly clear what he means. We have a large squad (of mostly poor players) and we are only able to offer low wages. Given that situation, it's not really possible to sign anyone else right now.

Exactly this, pay peanuts get monkeys, the squad is loaded with misfits and non premiership standard players and he has no room to change that in this window and will need a wholesale change next summer in the championship. 

Edited January 14, 2022 by Helsinki canary

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

1 minute ago, Helsinki canary said:

Exactly this, pay peanuts get monkeys, the squad is loaded with misfits and non premiership standard players and he has no room to change that in this window and will need a wholesale change next summer in the championship. 

Are we really unable to flog some of the players to raise a bit of cash? Seeing as he's said the squad is 'bloated'

Or does he mean that because of 'the way that the club is run' his squad is full of prospects, none of whom he is allowed to sell as they are not yet at peak value, and the club mainly looks at prospects, not ready made players to help the team now. If thats the case, surely some of the fat can be trimmed by loaning dead wood/future signings out?

[Helsinki canary 302]

Just now, The Great Mass Debater said:

Are we really unable to flog some of the players to raise a bit of cash? Seeing as he's said the squad is 'bloated'

Or does he mean that because of 'the way that the club is run' his squad is full of prospects, none of whom he is allowed to sell as they are not yet at peak value, and the club mainly looks at prospects, not ready made players to help the team now. If thats the case, surely some of the fat can be trimmed by loaning dead wood/future signings out?

Its a fair point, could be the latter and as you say move some of the not ready prospects out on loan to the championship and get them tuned up for next season

[tricky974 63]

We won't have send the players to the championship, we will be there.

[Monty13 2,736]

We have quantity not quality, Smith has hinted a few times the squad is too big.

I don’t think Smith is lying when he says he thinks the squad is good enough to compete if injury/illness free. Some of the performances when he has had them have proved that.

In hindsight though we should have invested in fewer, better quality players and I think if he could give a more candid assessment he’d say that personally.

 

[Branston Pickle 4,145]

Tbh you may recall Webber’s mantra for the season was quality not quantity, but we ended up with 9 signings (+ Gibson/Dimi) which was probably more than intended(?).  It’s possibly a bit harsh to say we got ‘quantity not quality’ but a fair few of them haven’t really fully worked out yet. 

[Mello Yello 2,572]

"Never mind the quality....Feel the width"....

[Nora's Ghost 157]

Webber rummaged through the Poundshop bargain bin and walked out with a bag full of stuff nobody else wanted.

 

Delia calls that the work of a 'genius'.

[TheGunnShow 7,376]

11 hours ago, Helsinki canary said:

Its a fair point, could be the latter and as you say move some of the not ready prospects out on loan to the championship and get them tuned up for next season

Could argue with Mumba and Dickson-Peters that they're already making moves to that effect. Not to forget McCallum's out on loan as well and will surely be Giannoulis's understudy for next season - or mebbe even number one if Dimitris goes.

[Robert N. LiM 6,274]

4 hours ago, Branston Pickle said:

Tbh you may recall Webber’s mantra for the season was quality not quantity, but we ended up with 9 signings (+ Gibson/Dimi) which was probably more than intended(?).  It’s possibly a bit harsh to say we got ‘quantity not quality’ but a fair few of them haven’t really fully worked out yet. 

Our model under Webber has been to buy players who are going to increase in value, either because they're young or, like Krul and Teemu, because their career has stalled and we think we can get more out of them than others have. They're educated gambles, so I guess you buy more than you need because you know not all will come off. That strategy worked really well for a few years but it's clearly not worked this time. We were crying out for some experience and/or some Prem-ready players. Be interesting to discover if we never really looked for them or just couldn't put together the financial package to sign them.

 

[keelansgrandad 6,680]

Deano doesn't play the same style as DF. That style was easily recognisable. I can't say I recognise a certain style with Deano.

But to be fair to him, the players he has got may not want or be able to play to his system.

I just want this season over. I know we aren't numerically adrift just yet but I do not see us able to beat too many teams. I hope I'm wrong starting with today against a team in the doldrums. Its a perfect fixture to get some points and the all important confidence to carry on. But if we don't survive, its not going to cause many tears.

So Deano has to be given next season to turn it around.