Simple Economics

[Greg Downs Hairpiece 3]

As much as I still feel grumpy as hell,fingers cramped from searching the transfer forums the simple economics are Henderson & Allen together cost more than our 16 players listed on today''s team sheet.I love City but we need to face the cold hard facts - We are punching above our weight with no rich owners and lower league players striving for success.(30 years a City Fan.)

[Mister Chops 7]

I think you have my favourite forum user name.At one of my first games, after another Rosario missed header/Bambi impression, the bloke in the Barclay behind me yelled out "Oi! Roosarioo!  Yer a clown! Yew want to wear a bleedin'' clown''s nose!"Nice to see we treat our second choice strikers much better these days.

[Morisons Prozac 0]

I''d argue it''s more down to value than actual figures. Swanseas squad is cheaper than ours but is infinitely better in almost every way. Holt, Hoolahan, Pilks, Snoddy, Tettey, Johnson, Garrido, Whittaker, Turner, Bassong and Ruddy are all good enough at this level

[mrs miggins 0]

Are we punching above our weight?

 

We''ve built our team on lower league player, which are now premier league players without spending anything other prem clubs and we''re in 13th place i believe. More fool them I say. We are here on merit, the players win, draw and lose together. We''ll only be puching above our weight if we get relegated.

[Greg Downs Hairpiece 0]

I kinda agree with you about finances but am still shocked how we looked like deer in headlights.We made an average Liverpool look like the 1980''s Liverpool.If you don''t believe me I will put money on them losing next week.

[ZLF 335]

we are good enough to be safely middle table

Our current run is about us not performing to our best - the question is do the squad have the mental strengthen to work this run out of themselves?

The 10 match unbeaten run was us performing well above our capabilities (the results were far stronger than performances too) and has set unrealistic expectations.

over the season we will finish where we deserve - which will be outside the relegation spaces

the challenge for the squad is to get back performing at the levels they can.

[Hannibal II 0]

The facts are most people agree this is one of the worst Liverpool sides for a generation that is only just starting to be rebuilt by Rodgers and we got played off the park. It does''t stick that they cost x or y we are in the same league as them and deserve the right to go there and at least compete even Villa won there and comfortably too.

[Mello Yello 2,572]

We''ve never been a rich club......and it''s quite unlikely that we ever will be.

 

Live within your means......

 

We are a Premier Inn and certainly not the Hilton......

 

We will attract the standard and regular clientele - that are suited and content, to staying in a no frills - but comfortable accommodation.....

 

Currently, and regarding our present form......we could be a Travelodge next season.....

[Pudd 1]

We haven''t spent the amount of money that Liverpool have, so it''s extremely unfair to be critical about a defeat. That said, we really did lack any leadership on the pitch today. Holt is a tallisman for us, but struggles to galvanise the team when he''s not involved at all. Bassong''s absence again demonstrated how important he is to lead our defense.All that said, we haven''t really been that cheap on the transfer front. We''re based on a five year spend, we''re actually mid-table in terms of net spending: http://transferleague.co.uk/league-tables/transfer-league-table-last-five-seasons.htmlThe big difference is we haven''t been selling players. I don''t like the idea of losing our best players, but may be something of a necessary evil to allow us to grow (assuming we have players that other teams want to spend £10m on). It''s certainly worked for Swansea.They''ve sold well, which has allowed them to buy very well... they''ve made a profit through transfers over the last five years of £2m and built a strong team in the process. (In that same time frame, we''ve made a "loss" through transfers of £16m).

[Highland Canary 78]

Zipper - in my view - I simply don''t see us as a middle table side. Three out of Wigan, Reading, Southampton and us will go down - it''s that group we''re a member of.

[Yellow Wal 315]

quote - Pudd - ............... The big difference is we haven''t been selling players. I don''t like the idea of losing our best players, but may be something of a necessary evil to allow us to grow (assuming we have players that other teams want to spend £10m on). It''s certainly worked for Swansea. They''ve sold well, which has allowed them to buy very well... they''ve made a profit through transfers over the last five years of £2m and built a strong team in the process. (In that same time frame, we''ve made a "loss" through transfers of £16m).

It certainly helps if you can produce a ''home-grown'' talent like Joe Allen that you can sell for £15M.

Take that freom their £2M profit and they would be in a £13M "loss". Nearly the same as us!

[Aggy 944]

This relates to a point I made on another thread yesterday. Liverpool have got some quality players. If they decide to turn up and perform, then we will of course struggle.

But even with Bassong and Ruddy out, and even though Suarez and Sturridge looked in the mood yesterday, we could have made it easier for ourselves.

When you''re playing against these sides with quality players (so virtually every side in this division), you can''t afford togive them too much respect. We did yesterday - didn''t get close enough, didn''t compete, didn''t challenge for enough first balls. Carragher and Skrtel were harrassing our forward players instantly, whereas our defenders and midfield were allowing Suarez and Gerrard to have a touch, turn, and then do as they wished without anyone being within 5 yards of them. That''s just poor organisation/tactics, not quality of players.

Get beaten by players better than us, fair enough. Make it easy for those players, isn''t good enough. Yesterday wasn''t good enough.

[Beefy is a legend 224]

[quote user="Highland Canary"]Zipper - in my view - I simply don''t see us as a middle table side. Three out of Wigan, Reading, Southampton and us will go down - it''s that group we''re a member of.[/quote]

You must think Hoots is doing a fantastic job then as we''re nicely ahead of the three sides you have mentioned.

[ZLF 335]

highland - in terms of finances very possibly

However I do think we have a better starting 11 than all of those and many of the teams above.

Our team spirit (sagging confidence aside) is also stronger that those. The USA national side have shown you can produce above your capability with team spirit and good organisation.

with those virtues I see us as (lower) mid table 8th at the most optimistic - to 15th.

below that for me is a failure to get the most from the squad.

[Aggy 944]

[quote user="Highland Canary"]Zipper - in my view - I simply don''t see us as a middle table side. Three out of Wigan, Reading, Southampton and us will go down - it''s that group we''re a member of.[/quote]

I would probably call us a ''lower mid-table side''. I think we''re better than Reading, Southampton, Villa and Wigan. QPR have got expensive players, with a bit of cohesion they could be a decent side but are still 4 points adrift of 19th, 5 from safety. We''re above those in my opinion.

However, I don''t think we''re up alongside the Newcastles, Fulhams and Stokes of the league at the moment. 14th or 15th is our position, which I would take instantly. We are a few quality signings, and a few improvements of squad players, away from being able to break into the top half consistently in my opinion.

[Sussexyellow 55]

[quote user="Pudd"]We haven''t spent the amount of money that Liverpool have, so it''s extremely unfair to be critical about a defeat. That said, we really did lack any leadership on the pitch today. Holt is a tallisman for us, but struggles to galvanise the team when he''s not involved at all. Bassong''s absence again demonstrated how important he is to lead our defense.All that said, we haven''t really been that cheap on the transfer front. We''re based on a five year spend, we''re actually mid-table in terms of net spending: http://transferleague.co.uk/league-tables/transfer-league-table-last-five-seasons.htmlThe big difference is we haven''t been selling players. I don''t like the idea of losing our best players, but may be something of a necessary evil to allow us to grow (assuming we have players that other teams want to spend £10m on). It''s certainly worked for Swansea.They''ve sold well, which has allowed them to buy very well... they''ve made a profit through transfers over the last five years of £2m and built a strong team in the process. (In that same time frame, we''ve made a "loss" through transfers of £16m).

[/quote]

If we don''t have players that others want to spend £10m or at least a substantial sum on it does suggest we are punching above our weight. Do we have any players in that category- Ruddy possibly, but beyond him ......?

 

Our successes in the past season and a half have come when the team has been more than the sum of the parts. When we fall back to just being the sum of the parts we struggle.