Utrecht post matzzzzzzzzzz

[SimonNo7]

We didn't had a better squad last season. A few of our youngsters is one year older and more or less ready now to fight for a place in the senior squad. A fit Meireles instead of Aquilani is a big improvement. Poulsen instead of Masch is a big step down. Ngog is much better this season.

The squad is probably better this season than last season.

That's a surprising answer.

Most on here have been saying we have a worse squad after losing Mascha, Riera, Benny, Dossena, Insua, Aquilani etc along with Konk, Poulsen, Cole etc aren't improvements or good enough for us.

It seems to me that there is quite a bit on inconsistency going on here like for instance I read somewhere on here someone having a go for Roy playing Meireles out of position as if Rafa and other managers would of never done that... would they?

[Craig_H]

Here's a fairer comparison than Lec's as it compares fixtures like for like

Roy
Arsenal (H) Drew 1-1
Man City (A) Lost 3-0
WBA (H) Won 1-0
Birmingham (A) Drew 0-0
Man U (A) Lost 3-2
Sunderland (H) Drew 2-2

2009-10
Arsenal (H) Lost 2-1
Man City (A) Drew 0-0
WBA (H) not in the league
Birmingham (A) Drew 1-1
Man U (A) Lost 2-1
Sunderland (H) Won 3-0

Not much different to be fair.

6pts from 6 games as opposed to 5pts from 5 games.

It's more about how we play and the inept tactics we employ.

Under Roy, we never look like creating chances and we never press the opposition.

Which is why, under Rafa, whilst we perhaps played **** in games, we controlled many more games than Roy can dream of controlling.

[saj]

Well IMO we do have time, we've played 6 games.

The difference between us and Leeds is that Leeds had a fire sale, we have not. In reality we have only lost two fantastic players in Alonso and Mascha. Both wanted to leave, one because he felt he was treated harshly by the previous manager and one because his family wanted to be somewhere where they spoke the language.

Erm, the fire sale began after they got relegated!!! If you recall, Kewell signed for us after they had got relegated. Virtually the same squad a few seasons earlier could have won the champions league.

[saj]

Ok, gave a politicians answer to the question so will try again.

We, according to a lot on here had a better squad last year which surely was good enough for 4th but didn't. It spectacularly (for a team of our stature) failed and finished 7th with a double figure count of league losses and nearly a double figure count of draws so, the question again, as Roy is mismanaging the team this season, was the team mismanaged last season?

Erm, we had a better squad last year but it Rafa rarely had a full squad to pick from. We had big players missing in virtually every game - it was the most injury hit season we've had since 2004/05. Hodgson has had a full squad to pick from yet we have been woeful. What if Gerrard and other big players get injured? He's also let good players in Aquilani and Insua go and is frequently putting players in the wrong position.

[the rev leeroy brown]

Erm, we had a better squad last year but it Rafa rarely had a full squad to pick from. We had big players missing in virtually every game - it was the most injury hit season we've had since 2004/05. Hodgson has had a full squad to pick from yet we have been woeful. What if Gerrard and other big players get injured? He's also let good players in Aquilani and Insua go and is frequently putting players in the wrong position.

eh.....roy has had a full squad to pick from for 1 game . . . . up untill the last game we had injuries and unfit players to contend with - kyut injured - poulsen not fit - raul notmatch fit - agger injuredetc....

[Daniel 7]

Erm, the fire sale began after they got relegated!!! If you recall, Kewell signed for us after they had got relegated. Virtually the same squad a few seasons earlier could have won the champions league.

No, they were selling players before relegation and replacing them with on loan or cheap alternatives. Raul Bravo, Roque Junior etc...

They also brought in an english manager with past experience of managing clubs on a budget and getting "results" using a particular brand of direct football. Sound familiar?

[Shaggy]

No, they were selling players before relegation and replacing them with on loan or cheap alternatives. Raul Bravo, Roque Junior etc...

They also brought in an english manager with past experience of managing clubs on a budget and getting "results" using a particular brand of direct football. Sound familiar?

Indeed. By the time they'd got relegated Ferdinand had been sold and replaced in the side by Michael Duberry (our Konchesky? ), Keane had gone, Fowler had gone, Kewell had gone...they'd all ****ing gone.

In fact look at their side the day they went down:

Leeds: Robinson, Richardson (Radebe 82), Duberry, Kilgallon, Harte, Kelly (Wilcox 73), McPhail, Matteo, Pennant, Smith, Milner.
Subs Not Used: Carson, Barmby, Winter.

[SimonNo7]

Erm, the fire sale began after they got relegated!!! If you recall, Kewell signed for us after they had got relegated. Virtually the same squad a few seasons earlier could have won the champions league.

Fair enough, I thought they sold quite a few in the season that they got relegated. Not really any need for the but if that's the way you need to correct my statement then

[saj]

eh.....roy has had a full squad to pick from for 1 game . . . . up untill the last game we had injuries and unfit players to contend with - kyut injured - poulsen not fit - raul notmatch fit - agger injuredetc....

What I meant to say an almost fit squad every game. He also had most the big players available in every game. Poulsen and raul meireles have played in almost every game since they signed! It's normal to have 2/3 players unavailable due to injury in every game. Rafa had to deal with sometimes 7 big players out last season.

[saj]

Fair enough, I thought they sold quite a few in the season that they got relegated. Not really any need for the but if that's the way you need to correct my statement then

I stand corrected - it turns out they had shifted all their big players prior to them being relegated...

[SimonNo7]

Erm, we had a better squad last year but it Rafa rarely had a full squad to pick from. We had big players missing in virtually every game - it was the most injury hit season we've had since 2004/05. Hodgson has had a full squad to pick from yet we have been woeful. What if Gerrard and other big players get injured? He's also let good players in Aquilani and Insua go and is frequently putting players in the wrong position.

Rev, I hope it's ok for me to just copy and paste your reply to this

eh.....roy has had a full squad to pick from for 1 game . . . . up untill the last game we had injuries and unfit players to contend with - kyut injured - poulsen not fit - raul notmatch fit - agger injuredetc....

The reason for my original post and is this where I should use is because Matt rather than just saying 'yes' or 'no' skirted around the issue because god forbid he agreed that Rafa mismanaged the squad. Lec answered it properly by admitting that yes it was mismanaged the season before but that he felt things were worse this season. So simple really.

[Mattshark]

Rev, I hope it's ok for me to just copy and paste your reply to this

eh.....roy has had a full squad to pick from for 1 game . . . . up untill the last game we had injuries and unfit players to contend with - kyut injured - poulsen not fit - raul notmatch fit - agger injuredetc....

The reason for my original post and is this where I should use is because Matt rather than just saying 'yes' or 'no' skirted around the issue because god forbid he agreed that Rafa mismanaged the squad. Lec answered it properly by admitting that yes it was mismanaged the season before but that he felt things were worse this season. So simple really.

God help something might not simply be a yes or no answer.

[SimonNo7]

It didn't spectacularly fail, that is tabloid hyperbole. Last season had so many other mitigating factors not least of all a severe injury problem and we still looked like we were capable of challenging for the top four, we at least had shape and we could actually defend. This season is the worst I have ever seen us play and it is clear that Roy is no way near good enough to manage at this level.

This is where we can agree to disagree. To me, not the tabloids, we did spectacularly fail. For me fourth was the least acceptable position for us to finish but hey ho.

As for the mitigating factors I wonder if you would be so vocal if we were in the same position with Rafa managing or whether it is just mitigating factors and your dislike of Roy. Is Roy good enough for us, I don't actually know right now which is why I am not slating him as yet and why I believe we should give him a bit longer to see what happens. I would say he has had 'mitigating' circumstances so far this season!!!

[Mattshark]

This is where we can agree to disagree. To me, not the tabloids, we did spectacularly fail. For me fourth was the least acceptable position for us to finish but hey ho.

As for the mitigating factors I wonder if you would be so vocal if we were in the same position with Rafa managing or whether it is just mitigating factors and your dislike of Roy. Is Roy good enough for us, I don't actually know right now which is why I am not slating him as yet and why I believe we should give him a bit longer to see what happens. I would say he has had 'mitigating' circumstances so far this season!!!

If Rafa was here now and we had been like we are this season, yes, I would be vocal.

[SimonNo7]

God help something might not simply be a yes or no answer.

Well to be honest I thought it could be a simple yes or no answer. Each to their own I suppose.