The team is finally evolving

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

I came away from Saturday's game thinking that we were seeing the beginnng of the end of the championship winning side.

I'm still not convinced that a centre-midfield pairing of Harper & Marek works as neither tackles very well, so I'd like to see us find a proper Sidwell replacement. Right wing is still a problem as Blakey probably won't last a whole season - if he comes back at all. We do need some better strikers; Lita is obviously on his way out &, for all his work, Long never looks to carry much of a threat. Given Shorey's contract situation, I can see him leaving in the summer, regrettably.

So, I do think we'll be seeing a fair bit of transfer activity this year - but I thought that last year too.

[brendywendy]

really want to see pearce, karacan, henry, kanu
start to stake claims for places next season, if coppell can bring through one or two youngsters we coukld be set for a while

karacan is that box to box midfielder who could add real bite to mareks class
pearce could be the ball playing central defender to replace ivar when he gets too old
on the right id like to see little fit again, kebe get some games, and henry to start pushing, or its time he went, i think oster deserves to stay, but if we buy, he will go

[Great Knolly]

If Blakey doesn't come back, then Matejovsky to RW and Fae to replace him in CM might be an option.

[Old Biscuitman]

If Blakey doesn't come back, then Matejovsky to RW and Fae to replace him in CM might be an option.

Marek's passing skills and especially his vision (we've had no one at the club to match him in this respect for a long time) are best suited to Centre Midfield IMO.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

really want to see pearce, karacan, henry, kanu
start to stake claims for places next season, if coppell can bring through one or two youngsters we coukld be set for a while

karacan is that box to box midfielder who could add real bite to mareks class
pearce could be the ball playing central defender to replace ivar when he gets too old
on the right id like to see little fit again, kebe get some games, and henry to start pushing, or its time he went, i think oster deserves to stay, but if we buy, he will go

Still think the youngsters are some way off. Pearce maybe as cover, but the rest are no way near Premiership class. Doing it for Southend or Bournemouth is one thing. Henry's not even done it for Norwich.

I just pray we don't take the risks again this summer. This season showed you can't rely on squad players, you need to evolve the squad by bringing in players better than you have.

It doesn't need to much, but 3 to 4 players better than what we have is what we need, not players who aren't as good as the team who got us promoted.

And don't start with the Marek can play right wing crap.

[papereyes]

If Blakey doesn't come back, then Matejovsky to RW and Fae to replace him in CM might be an option.

Marek's passing skills and especially his vision (we've had no one at the club to match him in this respect for a long time) are best suited to Centre Midfield IMO.

How about buying a right winger?

[Uke]

If Blakey doesn't come back, then Matejovsky to RW and Fae to replace him in CM might be an option.

Marek's passing skills and especially his vision (we've had no one at the club to match him in this respect for a long time) are best suited to Centre Midfield IMO.

How about buying a right winger?

Neil Hamilton's quite cheap

[southbank1871]

btw what happened to bobby convey? he seems to have done a john halls and vanished!

He was sat up in the West Upper on Saturday. Think he's still out with a knee injury.

[Great Knolly]

And don't start with the Marek can play right wing crap.

Don't worry. I have very little influence over team selection Ideally Marek probably is better off in the centre, though his defensive qualities aren't brilliant. Just an idea for if Glenda struggles to come back.

If you were going to build a team around Marek it would be something more like...

______________Fae____Harper

Little/Oster_______Marek__________Hunt

________________Kitson

[RG30]

I would like to see Bobby Convey sold, since promotion his contribution has been of little to note, and is prone to injuries. I'm sure we could recoup our transfer fee paid out again. He'll be at the end of his 4th season this summer and has he lived up to the hype and ability, probably not.

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

btw what happened to bobby convey? he seems to have done a john halls and vanished!

He was sat up in the West Upper on Saturday. Think he's still out with a knee injury.

No he's not - he's turning out for the stiffs tonight. Don't think it's his first game for them recently, either.

EDIT: no it isnt - he played in the last 2 reserve games, too.

[southbank1871]

Ah fair enough, he's just not making the squad then.

[zummerset]

How much money does the club have to invest - does anyone have an idea of the funds that could be available assuming survival this season and what is the source of this info?

[brendywendy]

And don't start with the Marek can play right wing crap.

Don't worry. I have very little influence over team selection Ideally Marek probably is better off in the centre, though his defensive qualities aren't brilliant. Just an idea for if Glenda struggles to come back.

If you were going to build a team around Marek it would be something more like...

______________Fae____Harper

Little/Oster_______Marek__________Hunt

________________Kitson

like to see that for the tougher away games actually

though could do with a defence

[Tommy Youlden's Ears]

Lita. Just had a word with a mate of mine who's a season ticket holder at Charlton. "We call him half a litre. He's short and cra*p. Has hardly touched the ball. He's not interested. Keeps falling over. Perhaps him filming his todger was the equivalent of Samson's hair being cut off. Lost his mojo".

So. Hardly a ringing endorsement. Of more concern to me than "will he ever play well for us again" is will we get the money we could have got for him after the U21s last summer. What a waste and what a shame. I really hope he gets it together, if not for us, then for someone. Let's hope he's bright enough to realise that being superbaaad comes at a price and that he knuckles down.

[brendywendy]

Lita. Just had a word with a mate of mine who's a season ticket holder at Charlton. "We call him half a litre. He's short and cra*p. Has hardly touched the ball. He's not interested. Keeps falling over. Perhaps him filming his todger was the equivalent of Samson's hair being cut off. Lost his mojo".

So. Hardly a ringing endorsement. Of more concern to me than "will he ever play well for us again" is will we get the money we could have got for him after the U21s last summer. What a waste and what a shame. I really hope he gets it together, if not for us, then for someone. Let's hope he's bright enough to realise that being superbaaad comes at a price and that he knuckles down.

if the rumoured 6 million bid comes in for him from watford

i would snap their whole arm off

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

Lita. Just had a word with a mate of mine who's a season ticket holder at Charlton. "We call him half a litre. He's short and cra*p. Has hardly touched the ball. He's not interested. Keeps falling over. Perhaps him filming his todger was the equivalent of Samson's hair being cut off. Lost his mojo".

So. Hardly a ringing endorsement. Of more concern to me than "will he ever play well for us again" is will we get the money we could have got for him after the U21s last summer. What a waste and what a shame. I really hope he gets it together, if not for us, then for someone. Let's hope he's bright enough to realise that being superbaaad comes at a price and that he knuckles down.

if the rumoured 6 million bid comes in for him from watford

i would snap their whole arm off

I think we'll be extremely lucky to be offered half that.

[aardvark]

I think Matejovsky is great - the sort of player who can do something beyond the ordinary, because of that I can forgive his slightly ineffective tackling and agree that this needs to come from somewhere else in midfield. Rosenior is also looking very good, Bikey too but trying not to let my judgement be overly coloured just by his goals/performance v B'ham.
Midfield of Matejovsky, Harper, Hunt and a tough tackler would suit me. Everywhere else looks OK to me, unless Berbatov decides he'd like to spend some time in Berkshire - think he could squeeze into the team somewhere.

[Old Biscuitman]

If Blakey doesn't come back, then Matejovsky to RW and Fae to replace him in CM might be an option.

Marek's passing skills and especially his vision (we've had no one at the club to match him in this respect for a long time) are best suited to Centre Midfield IMO.

How about buying a right winger?

Yes, a better idea - essential in fact.

[brendywendy]

Marek's passing skills and especially his vision (we've had no one at the club to match him in this respect for a long time) are best suited to Centre Midfield IMO.

How about buying a right winger?

Yes, a better idea - essential in fact.

what if little comes back better than ever after his rest
oster continues to improve-finishing with a hattrick vs derby
kebe starts to look less like bambi, more like kujo?