Two Cup Finals, One Trophy and European Football Secured

[dww]

He is a decent players yes, a world beater no. I would rather have him than Adam for sure, but there is a world of players that are better than him. I'd be more than happy to ship him out, and he is on 100k a week which is a waste of our wage budget. Overrated at best

I don't care about price we pay for players what we pay and as long as the club think it's affordable so be it.

I think he is an excellent player but he is hard to accomodate into a team, injury prone and seems to not want to be in the country. We need to ship him out but I really don't think it is an ability problem.

I'm much closer to your position about prices of players but what I think is a valid point is the 'opportunity cost'. I'm not sure that many of the players mentioned last summer were realistic but players like Jelavic in January were. the question is what made us not go in, if it turns out to be financial then that is a problem.

[Charly]

Why is our system outdated?

If Barcalona use something similar, for them its awesome. But for us its outdated.

We dont have the resources or players to make the best of it (yet). But the way our best striker and winger have played, no system would have worked. All systems require the scoring of goals. And we created plent of chances - we are halfway there. Perhaps you would prefer a system like the one Hodgeson had?

[RichC]

in reality, even Matt and Lec do not work in scouting or as agents/negotiators so have no idea of the availability, cost of players. Nor do they know the budget of the club for fees and wages. The fact that we have bought players and gone backwards is evidence of the ****ness of last summer.

i assume you would agree, for example, that there are better players in the world for the LW than Stuart Downing available for less than £20m without having to come up with names.

Of course I agree that was bad business my point is really its irrelevant complaining about things without offering an opinion on what we could have done or why you take that stance. I mean this is an Internet forum after all and most usually are very quick to share what they think and why.

Anyway if people are happy doing that fair enough

[Phoenix07]

Why is our system outdated?

If Barcalona use something similar, for them its awesome. But for us its outdated.

We dont have the resources or players to make the best of it, The way our best striker and winger have played, no system would have worked. All systems require the scoring of goals. And we created plent of chances - we are halfway there. Perhaps you would prefer a system like the one Hodgeson had?

We don't play Barcelona's system. Why mention them?

We had resources and wasted them and what we do have, we don't use their strengths. Instead, we're trying to fit square pegs into round holes. No vision or plan as to where we're going. Teams know they can just sit back deep and then hit us through the middle. That's it.

Hodgson's system is two flat lines and one forward. Last season, we were fluid and flexible with the ability to change shape at will. This season, we're rigid and occasionally we show signs of fluidity, but nothing spectacular.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

While I like your optimism, I think it is a lot of nonsense sadly.

stopped reading at from 4.5m poulsen to britsh record signing andy carroll.. thats a step forward?

[Nicey]

stopped reading at from 4.5m poulsen to britsh record signing andy carroll.. thats a step forward?

The player might not have lived up to expectation but the monetary intention was there, go back and read the rest of it now you cunt, its ****ing exceptional !!

[Mattshark]

The player might not have lived up to expectation but the monetary intention was there, go back and read the rest of it now you cunt, its ****ing exceptional !!

Which does nothing but make out league performance more damning.

[Nicey]

Which does nothing but make out league performance more damning.

Fair enough but it is what it is

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

The player might not have lived up to expectation but the monetary intention was there, go back and read the rest of it now you cunt, its ****ing exceptional !!

I'll read it now, just for you.. To be fair though, I had no expectations I remember lying in bed thinking what the **** has happened today!

[Maxiedge]

I think there is a decent foundation in the team we have this season. It really depends on what we do on and off the pitch. We have structural problems in the squad and it seems that our coaching isn't making us clinical enough. We really need to sort out the complete reliance on Lucas.

On the flipside I think in recent times Carroll has shown he could be a really effective player for us. I think that gives us more freedom in terms of what might work in terms of signings. Our peak performances have been good and I do feel we have more potential yet to be unlocked than many of the teams around us.

YES and YES to the OP too

[Shaggy]

Gary Shaw @GaryMerseybox
Reina Johnson agger skrtel Enrique gerrard Lucas Suarez. A decent 8 from 11?? No of times they've played together this season? NONE

[Darkon]

I think he is an excellent player but he is hard to accomodate into a team, injury prone and seems to not want to be in the country. We need to ship him out but I really don't think it is an ability problem.

I'm much closer to your position about prices of players but what I think is a valid point is the 'opportunity cost'. I'm not sure that many of the players mentioned last summer were realistic but players like Jelavic in January were. the question is what made us not go in, if it turns out to be financial then that is a problem.

It makes sense when comparing to other transfer at the same time sure. Of course it's in theory a shame if we missed out on a brilliant target in January because we bought Henderson and Downing in the Summer, but then again we wouldn't have had those two players then. It's just all a bit pointless arguing how much you would have paid if you were in charge. By all likelyhood we woulnd't get the player then IRL.

We have a set transfer and wage budget, and if we can't afford any more players on either account it's best not to get any more. We might think downing should have been 5m cheaper, but he wasn't, the market has shown otherwise and it's therefore a pointless argument from where I'm sitting.

[Fredo]

We can safely say we were 'unlucky' if our strongest 11 hasn't played together at all this season.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Very positive!

Things I will be taking out of this season..

1. Reina can only improve on this season's performance and if he left, we wouldn't miss him as we would have in previous years. - sad I know

2. Skrtel and Agger

3. League Cup and beating Everton 3 times.

4. Sterling getting some kind of look in no matter how little.

5. Suarez seems to have reacted really well to the adversity.

That's it for me

[dww]

It makes sense when comparing to other transfer at the same time sure. Of course it's in theory a shame if we missed out on a brilliant target in January because we bought Henderson and Downing in the Summer, but then again we wouldn't have had those two players then. It's just all a bit pointless arguing how much you would have paid if you were in charge. By all likelyhood we woulnd't get the player then IRL.

We have a set transfer and wage budget, and if we can't afford any more players on either account it's best not to get any more. We might think downing should have been 5m cheaper, but he wasn't, the market has shown otherwise and it's therefore a pointless argument from where I'm sitting.

I think thats the point though isn't it - you have to accept that paying a premium for Downing/Henderson represented a constraint later on. The choice was made and many people feel that they would rather have missed out on Downing, say, and had more freedom in January. The problem is that hindsight is 20-20 and I agree that we have to move on and consider what to do from where we are now.

I think there is a valid discussion to be had as to whether we were wrong in the specific players or in the philosophy of getting PL experienced, English, players from smaller teams. I'm not sure that the alternatives are as cost effective as some make out (tax & currency changes make coming to the PL much less attractive to foreign players than it was unless you offer bigger wages/signing on fees). However I think the lack of tactical nous which is often decried in the national team, has been a common failing of the signings bought in and in Spearing who seems to have been pushed forward by the same philosophy.