Building for next season

[West Stand Man]

Get rid of the entire lot of them the spineless bunch of oxf*rd. I'd rather play a youth team than this lot of grossly overpaid useless mercenaries .

I am amazed by the people in here suggesting (like Swift) that we need a minimal amount of change. No evidence I have seen indicates that this lot can be mounded into a better team next year. A wholesale change is needed but it is unlikely to happen because it would require clubs to take some of the poor performers off us at a price that the owners could accept. So, I would hope that we release most of those at the end of contracts and find clubs to loan others out to. Then bring in some fresh and hungry players. We need (as we have done for a long time) at least one aggressive striker who gets under defenders skins, a ball winning CM (the player that I think we expected JvdB was, but wasn't), and some solid defenders who can work as a unit.

On paper we look to have some good (ish) players but it is pretty clear to me that they struggle to perform as a coordinated unit, ie they are not a team. So, as big a clear out as possible and then build afresh.

[3points]

It’s incredible really as last season the thing that got us to 3rd was playing as a team throughout the season. Individually we weren’t great but everyone fought for each other. But I guess we had a better spine of the team with Al Habsi, Moore&McShane, Williams and Kermogant

[AthleticoSpizz]

Think if Clement was appointed two or three months ago...this bunch of crooks (and sicknotes) would’ve got him sacked by now.

I think he knows that

[AthleticoSpizz]

ask him again next April

[Denver Royal]

Heh, with that said, not sure I'm entirely convinced Clement doesn't at least have a little dirt on his hands right now.

I mean, are we saying there are no managers out there that could have done any better with this lot? Not sure I buy that.

But hey, we should prolly steer clear of those waters at this time, and leave that for another day

[AthleticoSpizz]

Indeed and of course

[Lower West]

On paper we look to have some good (ish) players but it is pretty clear to me that they struggle to perform as a coordinated unit, ie they are not a team. So, as big a clear out as possible and then build afresh.

The league table doesn't lie. On paper any team can look ok.

[Lower West]

But I guess we had a better spine of the team with Al Habsi, Moore&McShane, Williams and Kermogant

While Beerans was frustrating in some regards defensively. He rarely gave the ball away through a bad pass.

[Zip]

Heh, with that said, not sure I'm entirely convinced Clement doesn't at least have a little dirt on his hands right now.

I mean, are we saying there are no managers out there that could have done any better with this lot? Not sure I buy that.

But hey, we should prolly steer clear of those waters at this time, and leave that for another day

Do you know what? I buy it. This lot have very little fight in them. For the first half of the season I thought we had a talented squad. I was mistaken. Our central midfielders are dreadful. I don’t know what’s happened to Swift but he is a shadow of the player that joined us last season. Kelly’s passing is very erratic. Bacuna is incredibly inconsistent. None of Edwards, Van Den Berg or Evans are good enough.

We do not have a midfield combination that works. Where is the ball winner in this group? We are regularly being dominated in the middle of the park. This is our biggest problem area that Clement was left with. He has to see us over the line and then come the summer sort the mess out.

[leon]

Heh, with that said, not sure I'm entirely convinced Clement doesn't at least have a little dirt on his hands right now.

I mean, are we saying there are no managers out there that could have done any better with this lot? Not sure I buy that.

But hey, we should prolly steer clear of those waters at this time, and leave that for another day

Do you know what? I buy it. This lot have very little fight in them. For the first half of the season I thought we had a talented squad. I was mistaken. Our central midfielders are dreadful. I don’t know what’s happened to Swift but he is a shadow of the player that joined us last season. Kelly’s passing is very erratic. Bacuna is incredibly inconsistent. None of Edwards, Van Den Berg or Evans are good enough.

We do not have a midfield combination that works. Where is the ball winner in this group? We are regularly being dominated in the middle of the park. This is our biggest problem area that Clement was left with. He has to see us over the line and then come the summer sort the mess out.

I’ve been saying it for 5 oxf*rd years. We need a defensive midfielder. Someone who can TACKLE.

It’s really not difficult.

However successive managers seem to think passing your way out is the zenith of football.

We need a proper manager who can organise the team which lets face it, is taking the piss with their performances.

I don’t think Clement is the man. Hasn’t got the bollocks or the brain. I’d like to be proved wrong.

[Denver Royal]

For the first half of the season I thought we had a talented squad. I was mistaken.

Zip, props to you mate. I enjoy your insight.

[Sutekh]

Heh, with that said, not sure I'm entirely convinced Clement doesn't at least have a little dirt on his hands right now.

I mean, are we saying there are no managers out there that could have done any better with this lot? Not sure I buy that.

But hey, we should prolly steer clear of those waters at this time, and leave that for another day

Do you know what? I buy it. This lot have very little fight in them. For the first half of the season I thought we had a talented squad. I was mistaken. Our central midfielders are dreadful. I don’t know what’s happened to Swift but he is a shadow of the player that joined us last season. Kelly’s passing is very erratic. Bacuna is incredibly inconsistent. None of Edwards, Van Den Berg or Evans are good enough.

We do not have a midfield combination that works. Where is the ball winner in this group? We are regularly being dominated in the middle of the park. This is our biggest problem area that Clement was left with. He has to see us over the line and then come the summer sort the mess out.

The squad is talented but very badly balanced. They can all pass the ball so long as you don't stand in their way or try to tackle them but Stam bought no spirit, fight or desire and on the pitch leadership has been something totally alien to the club as has high tempo and getting stuck into opponents from the off. There's no no-nonsense Parky/Sidwell types which is all rather odd considering the ManU Stam played at had Keane and Scholes plus Stam was a fairly tough opponent and leader himself.

So what Clement is meant to do with that lot considering on top of it all there is a trail of injuries, naff all fitness to work with and now 2 of them serving 3 match bans. Even Guardiola, Mourinho, Ferguson, Paisley, Busby, Nicholson or Shankly would have a problem making something out of that.

At least the home form has been an improvement, just a shame that the players appear to have given up away games a couple of months ago.

[Hound]

If (and it’s a very big if) we beat Ipswich next week, that would be 10 points from 4 home games and job well done by Clement

He inherited a shit show and I think everyone realise that. Away performance last have been poor but he had one goal for this season and that was to keep us up

I’d actually argue with very little he has done in terms of team selection etc. The players are just not good enough currently

[Zip]

Heh, with that said, not sure I'm entirely convinced Clement doesn't at least have a little dirt on his hands right now.

I mean, are we saying there are no managers out there that could have done any better with this lot? Not sure I buy that.

But hey, we should prolly steer clear of those waters at this time, and leave that for another day

Do you know what? I buy it. This lot have very little fight in them. For the first half of the season I thought we had a talented squad. I was mistaken. Our central midfielders are dreadful. I don’t know what’s happened to Swift but he is a shadow of the player that joined us last season. Kelly’s passing is very erratic. Bacuna is incredibly inconsistent. None of Edwards, Van Den Berg or Evans are good enough.

We do not have a midfield combination that works. Where is the ball winner in this group? We are regularly being dominated in the middle of the park. This is our biggest problem area that Clement was left with. He has to see us over the line and then come the summer sort the mess out.

I’ve been saying it for 5 oxf*rd years. We need a defensive midfielder. Someone who can TACKLE.

It’s really not difficult.

However successive managers seem to think passing your way out is the zenith of football.

We need a proper manager who can organise the team which lets face it, is taking the piss with their performances.

I don’t think Clement is the man. Hasn’t got the bollocks or the brain. I’d like to be proved wrong.

Yep we need a Hurlock type character in there. The opposition must look at Kelly and Swift and think it’s easy pickings.

[Zip]

If (and it’s a very big if) we beat Ipswich next week, that would be 10 points from 4 home games and job well done by Clement

He inherited a shit show and I think everyone realise that. Away performance last have been poor but he had one goal for this season and that was to keep us up

I’d actually argue with very little he has done in terms of team selection etc. The players are just not good enough currently

Yes I agree. If we stay up it’s job done by Clement. We have won two in six under him compared to one in eighteen under Stam. If we go down it’s because it was left far too late to sack Stam.

Clement will have a very busy summer. We need to see a lot of players moved on and he has to work on player fitness.

[double d]

We need somebody like kante or Matic. Am sure pc has enough contacts in the game to find good players.

Just not renato Sanches

[SpaghettiHoop]

Players with contracts expiring at the end of this season are (I think):
Van den Berg
Mendes
Quinn
Jaakkola
Holmes(?)
Martin (loan)

Even if they all go it doesn't leave much room for wholesale replacements. I can't imagine many offers for players still under contract - apart from Moore.

[Fezza]

Building for next season?

I think the stadium would benefit from a wall around the pitch, this would allow the players to "compete" without the sneering dissent of the perfidious fans, whilst simultaneously allowing the "fans" to avoid watching the abject, gutless filth being displayed on the pitch!

[Snowflake Royal]

Heh, with that said, not sure I'm entirely convinced Clement doesn't at least have a little dirt on his hands right now.

I mean, are we saying there are no managers out there that could have done any better with this lot? Not sure I buy that.

But hey, we should prolly steer clear of those waters at this time, and leave that for another day

Do you know what? I buy it. This lot have very little fight in them. For the first half of the season I thought we had a talented squad. I was mistaken. Our central midfielders are dreadful. I don’t know what’s happened to Swift but he is a shadow of the player that joined us last season. Kelly’s passing is very erratic. Bacuna is incredibly inconsistent. None of Edwards, Van Den Berg or Evans are good enough.

We do not have a midfield combination that works. Where is the ball winner in this group? We are regularly being dominated in the middle of the park. This is our biggest problem area that Clement was left with. He has to see us over the line and then come the summer sort the mess out.

I also buy it, but not because I think the squad doesn't have talent.

Its because in the Championship the difference between 8th and 18th is often just how well you started and the confidence and form you have. That's not just internal either... other teams see you as a tough or easy game and adapt as such.

Clement has done pretty much everything right IMO.
He's stopped us dicking about at the back
He's picking consistent sides with the same shape and approach
He's instilled fight
He's worked hard on organising at the back.

But there is only so far this will take you when you have players who are incredibly fragole and devoid of confidence. Especially when you're getting lots of suspensions because your players are stupid and clumsy. And especially when the squad you, though talented, is utterly unbalanced.

Aluko should not be starting the way he has played, but Clement has shit all options. He's having to play Swift and Kelly when that clearly doesn't work. He's having to use Blackett at left back because he's been left with a kid and an injury.

All Clement's immediate job is, is to keep us up this season. He's already picked up 7 points towards achieving it, which might be enough.

It was never going to be pretty or a fairy tale turnaround. The problem was never as simple as just Stam's shit. And the really hard job is sorting out this oxf*rd disastrously built squad. Again, which isn't just Stam's fault. It's Clarke, McDermott, Tevreden, Gourlay, Howe and Hammond's too.

[Hound]

It was never going to be pretty or a fairy tale turnaround. The problem was never as simple as just Stam's shit. And the really hard job is sorting out this oxf*rd disastrously built squad. Again, which isn't just Stam's fault. It's Clarke, McDermott, Tevreden, Gourlay, Howe and Hammond's too.

Yep this pretty much. Its been a weird season. In October we were bemoaning we had a thousand wingers and central midfielders and no strikers or FB cover. Now we have strikers on the bench not getting a game, whilst being forced into playing the useless Aluko as we have no other wingers, and the central midfield is the big problem area of the whole team.