by martin fife » 20 Apr 2008 07:34
by readingbedding » 20 Apr 2008 07:37
martin fife I watched the game in with the Gooners yesterday, they were full of praise for Marcus, and were getting frustrated with the squandering of so many chances in front of goal.
As I sat there watching Jimmy Kebe running around like a baby stork, and the rest of our team trying their best but not putting Arsenal under any real pressure, it finally hit me, the reality of our situation. Until Emerse Fae came on, I think Andre Bikey was our most expensive player on the pitch, he cost us £1.5m, everyone else has come from the bargain basement and yesterday it really showed.
We did great things last season, we over achieved etc etc, this term has been a big reality check for us, the fans. The club decided not to invest some of their enormous income on strengthening the team with players of proven Premiership quality, fair enough, we are where we deserve to be. The Clubs around us, Wigan, Middlesbrough, Birmingham, Bolton, Sunderland and Fulham all strengthened for the fight, most of them will be OK.
The last few months have shown up our paucity of tactical know how and lack of "Premiership Nouse", our back four are constantly firefighting, the midfield is being overun, providing no service to our wingers who in turn put nothing into the box which doesnt matter because our strikers are never there to capitalise.
But, because they are doing there best (last week excepted) I can't critise them anymore. Maybe our natural home is the Championship, the Club certainly seem to think so.
by martin fife » 20 Apr 2008 07:43
by readingbedding » 20 Apr 2008 07:46
by 2.8 lita injection » 20 Apr 2008 09:07
martin fife I watched the game in with the Gooners yesterday, they were full of praise for Marcus, and were getting frustrated with the squandering of so many chances in front of goal.
As I sat there watching Jimmy Kebe running around like a baby stork, and the rest of our team trying their best but not putting Arsenal under any real pressure, it finally hit me, the reality of our situation. Until Emerse Fae came on, I think Andre Bikey was our most expensive player on the pitch, he cost us £1.5m, everyone else has come from the bargain basement and yesterday it really showed.
We did great things last season, we over achieved etc etc, this term has been a big reality check for us, the fans. The club decided not to invest some of their enormous income on strengthening the team with players of proven Premiership quality, fair enough, we are where we deserve to be. The Clubs around us, Wigan, Middlesbrough, Birmingham, Bolton, Sunderland and Fulham all strengthened for the fight, most of them will be OK.
The last few months have shown up our paucity of tactical know how and lack of "Premiership Nouse", our back four are constantly firefighting, the midfield is being overun, providing no service to our wingers who in turn put nothing into the box which doesnt matter because our strikers are never there to capitalise.
But, because they are doing there best (last week excepted) I can't criticise them anymore. Maybe our natural home is the Championship, the Club certainly seem to think so.
by firstdivision » 20 Apr 2008 10:28
by Rev Algenon Stickleback H » 20 Apr 2008 13:16
The players are good enough. They just aren't good enough to expect to stay up comfortably. If a team's players are good enough to finish 17th, then they are good enough for the premiership. You don't have to finish 12th to be considered good enough.martin fife Well I mean quality, first touch, stuff like that, something more than honest endevour. I suppose my point is you cant blame the players for not being good enough, maybe we just expect too much of them?
by westongeezer » 20 Apr 2008 13:49
by strap » 20 Apr 2008 14:42
readingbedding I don't 'expect' anything from them - football has a nasty habit of kicking you in the teeth if the fans turn up expectant against any opposition side.
by Cookie » 20 Apr 2008 15:44
martin fife As I sat there watching Jimmy Kebe running around like a baby stork, and the rest of our team trying their best but not putting Arsenal under any real pressure, it finally hit me, the reality of our situation. Until Emerse Fae came on, I think Andre Bikey was our most expensive player on the pitch, he cost us £1.5m, everyone else has come from the bargain basement and yesterday it really showed.
But, because they are doing there best (last week excepted) I can't criticise them anymore. Maybe our natural home is the Championship, the Club certainly seem to think so.
by papereyes » 20 Apr 2008 15:48
Cookiemartin fife As I sat there watching Jimmy Kebe running around like a baby stork, and the rest of our team trying their best but not putting Arsenal under any real pressure, it finally hit me, the reality of our situation. Until Emerse Fae came on, I think Andre Bikey was our most expensive player on the pitch, he cost us £1.5m, everyone else has come from the bargain basement and yesterday it really showed.
But, because they are doing there best (last week excepted) I can't criticise them anymore. Maybe our natural home is the Championship, the Club certainly seem to think so.
How much did Paul Scholes, Ryan Gigs et al cost Manchester United?
by Cookie » 20 Apr 2008 16:01
papereyesCookiemartin fife As I sat there watching Jimmy Kebe running around like a baby stork, and the rest of our team trying their best but not putting Arsenal under any real pressure, it finally hit me, the reality of our situation. Until Emerse Fae came on, I think Andre Bikey was our most expensive player on the pitch, he cost us £1.5m, everyone else has come from the bargain basement and yesterday it really showed.
But, because they are doing there best (last week excepted) I can't criticise them anymore. Maybe our natural home is the Championship, the Club certainly seem to think so.
How much did Paul Scholes, Ryan Gigs et al cost Manchester United?
Its actually wages that shows the strongest correlation to success.
And, if we had a single youth player of the calibre of even a young Ryan Giggs, well, I'd be
by papereyes » 20 Apr 2008 16:04
CookiepapereyesCookie How much did Paul Scholes, Ryan Gigs et al cost Manchester United?
Its actually wages that shows the strongest correlation to success.
And, if we had a single youth player of the calibre of even a young Ryan Giggs, well, I'd be
That's right, a big splash in the transfer market doesn't always equal success. Didn't Derby and Fulham spend around £40M between them last summer?
by rfc58 » 20 Apr 2008 16:08
by Big Ern » 20 Apr 2008 16:42
rfc58 Spending millions doesn't guarantee success.
by rfc58 » 20 Apr 2008 16:47
Big Ernrfc58 Spending millions doesn't guarantee success.
Nope, but it does give you a much better chance of satying up. It is whats known as 'trying to compete', something this club has talked about wanting to do, but to date, hasn;t done it. Actions speak louder than words. The other clubs around us have invested and we haven't. I fear that could be telling at the end of the seaons.
And, to anyone thinks that we will spend big in championship terms next seaons, then I think you will be dissapointed. It will be another close season of picking people out the basement bin hoping we have uncovered something special. No doubt the club will come up with some far fetched excuse as to why we suddenly have no money left which they will expect us to swollow and the seaons ticket prices will remain the same.
by Royal Rother » 20 Apr 2008 16:58
Big Ern And, to anyone thinks that we will spend big in championship terms next seaons, then I think you will be dissapointed.
by Rev Algenon Stickleback H » 20 Apr 2008 18:54
We have a squad capable of staying up too - but with them playing so badly, and having played badly for so long, the odds of us just snapping back into 2005/6 style performances are not good.Royal RotherBig Ern And, to anyone thinks that we will spend big in championship terms next seaons, then I think you will be dissapointed.
I will be disappointed if we are in the Championship next season but I certainly won't be disappointed if we don't spend big because we simply won't need to; we already have a squad more than capable of bouncing straight back, with maybe one or two additions (depending on likely departures).
by North Somerset Royal » 20 Apr 2008 18:59
Royal RotherBig Ern And, to anyone thinks that we will spend big in championship terms next seaons, then I think you will be dissapointed.
I will be disappointed if we are in the Championship next season but I certainly won't be disappointed if we don't spend big because we simply won't need to; we already have a squad more than capable of bouncing straight back, with maybe one or two additions (depending on likely departures).
by Big Ern » 20 Apr 2008 20:16
North Somerset RoyalRoyal RotherBig Ern And, to anyone thinks that we will spend big in championship terms next seaons, then I think you will be dissapointed.
I will be disappointed if we are in the Championship next season but I certainly won't be disappointed if we don't spend big because we simply won't need to; we already have a squad more than capable of bouncing straight back, with maybe one or two additions (depending on likely departures).
Yeah. Just like Charlton, Sheffield United and Watford
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