Our summer recruitment

[Danno]

Missed out on a real commanding centre half and a left back massively. Our defence was a cause for concern even in the Championship yet wasn't addressed sufficiently, we just signed some ancient centre back who spends more time injured than doing anything useful.

Missed out on people like Sako who would have been a great signing, but now he's at West Ham and scoring week in week out.

[Stan]

Ten games is far too early to make judgements, particularly when some of those signing have looked very good, and many others haven't played yet.

 

Or is this another predictable thread off the back of our bad run or form?

[Kitchandro]

Ten games is far too early to make judgements, particularly when some of those signing have looked very good, and many others haven't played yet.

 

Or is this another predictable thread off the back of our bad run or form?

 

Yeh that's the one.

 

Unfortunately some people are incapable of understanding football. Tactically, they are clueless.

 

These people jump to the same conclusions when we're doing badly. The most obvious one is always 'the players aren't good enough'. Often though, this is just a simplistic way of looking at things for those who cannot see the real issues. It's easy to just jump on the 'we have crap players' bandwagon.

 

It's a knee jerk reaction to jump to this conclusion on this occasion and sounds as if it's coming from someone who doesn't really watch us.

 

Now, I'm not saying I thought all of Pearson's signings were particularly good, but it's totally missing the point of why we're currently doing poorly.

[cc_star]

Letting Dyer go was a mistake, not replacing him with an improved version of him was an even bigger mistake.

We bulked out the squad except for this position, I think our best ever 2nd tier side earned the right to new deals & their performance levels should be a lot higher than they've been since Utd imploded.

Saying that...

Upson's injury is costing us at the back, the appearance of Wasyl showed what we've been missing for a few games & I think Upson can offer much the same but without the risk of a red every game.

Personally I'd like to see Hamer between the sticks, once he settled in at Stoke he did a good job of commanding the area in a game the rest of the team were pretty poor in, while offering shot-stopping ability at Schmeichel's level & that's still our only clean sheet in over a quarter of the season that has gone so far!

Albrighton has been disappointing, his record as analysed by our scouts means he should be contributing far more than he has, outside of the £20m+ megastars of the Prem he has one of the best records but I've not seen a quality cross from him yet, which Ulloa should be on the end of.

We were obviously in for a 2nd forward like Deeney, McGoldrick, Wickham all summer but failed to land one... And this is also costing us in tighter games like WBA & Newcastle

[filbertway]

Still can't believe we didn't try and get in Redmond as a replacement for Lloyd, seemed like a ready made replacement.

[chris_lcfc_85]

In some games we defo miss Dyer but in others we dont.

I loved the guy but was he/is he the answer? Prob not.....

 

We still have Mahrez, Schlupp, Albrighton and Knockaert that all offer width and creativity, NONE of which played Saturday.

 

I think we have good CM's but all too similar. CB would of been ok had Upson been fit but he's not and LB possibly an issue although i still think Konch has done ok and will be fine for this season

[Babylon]

I think the recruitment was just enough to give us a chance of staying up, the Newcastle, Burnley, West Brom games were all close affairs with little between the teams. With the general theme on here being if we hadn't been chopping and changing so often the results might have been different.

 

The squad just about has the talent to see us stay up, but the management need to play to their strengths and stop worrying about others so much.

[LCCFox96]

We badly needed a new left back in the summer. We desperately need one now. Konchesky is too slow and gets found out against many of the wingers. He has a good defensive brain but can't get into the right positions. Schlupp is basically the opposite - pacey but shakey defensively. January 1st I'd be straight in the market for a new left back.

At least at right back, whilst it's not our strongest position on the pitch we have a solid enough attacking option and Simpson - who going on fans of other team's comments - is supposed to be consistent and defensively solid. I'd say we need another centre back too.

The rest of the team has been sufficiently strengthened but we need to find the right formula imo. The players we have are more than good enough to survive.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Wonder why we even bought in most of the player we did.

Ulloa yes

Cambiasso yes

Hamer improvement on Logan yes

Albrighton odd game injured or not fit for most of the season

Upson Injured

The rest have we even seen them.

 

To me we should have bought in first choice improvements to what we had and not squad players or players for the future.

The last window should have been total improvement to our first 11 not the squad.

Yes our squad did great last season but no room for sentiment they were all paid well for last season and for what they did.

From the first game this season it was about staying up not saying players deserved a chance after last season.

 

You get fvck all points for sentiment

Yes, I agree with all of that. We were badly prepared for the Premiership. 

[fuchsntf]

We havent seen enough of any player, to make any valued judgement on:-

1. Top/Good/decent/ poor summer buys.

2. Not good enough to play in the Premier league.

Many posters quite rightly when criticising match day performances, say...'if it/he carrys on like this we will stay in trouble'.

Shows the astuteness, that formations, or players still can turn it around.

Basically a young team, that are having their 1st taste of PL.Wheres the guarrantee that other posters players choices, would have given us better results., either from last seasons squad, or New buys. Easiest thing to do is standback from the terraces, without being involved, in descision making and just throw out negative, sometimes crude posts.

FFS give the guys a chance, but after 10 games, without having your top performers available, for at least 50% of the games,

IMO makes no sense.When players make poor mistakes, or show no fight, or just dont perform on the day, fair dues, even show discontent on Managers choice and set up, makes up for good banter, but writing players and manager off after just 10 games, without having the luxury of desired choice, after earning the right for some leeway, well it aint cricket, or lacks any logic.

Making such statements like out of his depth, players just not upto it, lazy throw away remarks.

If it was 10 games with, DD, MJ, Morgan, Vardy, maybe King, playing 9 from 10 games together, then the rants would have some validity, and argument.

[ImBlue]

I think the recruitment was just enough to give us a chance of staying up, the Newcastle, Burnley, West Brom games were all close affairs with little between the teams. With the general theme on here being if we hadn't been chopping and changing so often the results might have been different.

The squad just about has the talent to see us stay up, but the management need to play to their strengths and stop worrying about others so much.

You say it like having a 'chance of competing' with relegation fodder is acceptable?

[reynard]

You say it like having a 'chance of competing' with relegation fodder is acceptable?

 

Realistically it is probably all we could hope for. We are a medium sized club in a big club league. We don't have the pulling power of the top clubs and with no recent premier league history recruitment was always likely to be tough unless we just payed out crazy money which in itself wouldn't guarantee survival.

The one area we should have spent is up front. We simply don't look to have the quality to score the goals needed to stay up.

[Babylon]

You say it like having a 'chance of competing' with relegation fodder is acceptable?

Errr yeah it is. Finishing 17th would be a success this season but not our long term goal.

[LCFCCKEANO]

I do trust NP, but the fact we have just played 5 teams who werent looking too hot and got beat/drew without a fight, and yet still havent seen enough of our squad to judge our new signings does say quite a lot

[ithuriel]

Nothing can be done about it now but we lost the opportunity to really strengthen the first eleven, though from the looks of things even Nige does not know what his first eleven is

Expecting another changed team for the next match and a different formation yet again.

[ImBlue]

Errr yeah it is. Finishing 17th would be a success this season but not our long term goal.

With our resources, it would be a tragedy to go down, especially after what was spent to get up. Let's not pretend about that.

I don't mind finishing 17th and I agree that would be a success, but why do we aim to just compete with 19th and 20th place? Could we not have had a little more ambition no? To at least aim a bit higher?

[foxpleasure]

It's no coincidence that the three promoted teams are occupying the bottom three positions. There is no doubt a huge step up to be made if you are to stay up.

The club have stated that they studied the promoted teams from the last few seasons and followed the successful teams approach by keeping the promotion team together and adding a small number of experienced players. Where it does not seem to have worked is our three experienced players (Albrighton, Upson and Cambiasso don't seemed to have paid off - yet!) There is still a long way to go and plenty of time to start winning points again.

[Guest Col city fan]

The thing I don't understand is this:

Why did Pearson only strengthen with players who appear to be no better than what we had before. With the exception of Ulloa who, I think, is a better player than Wood. I said it in the summer. None of the new acquisitions excite. And I include Cambiasso into this.

The squad required new signings who essentially picked themselves. Its ridiculous to be playing a striker like Ulloa, excellent aerially, and to have the one player who we know can cross a ball sat on the bench (Albrighton).

For me, this is the problem. A good side contains a core of players who you know will feature (when fit), week-in, week-out. These are the lads who are clearly better than the rest. And THIS is what Pearson hasn't done. We shouldn't even be asking the question of who will start each week. We should KNOW who will feature and then be guessing on which fringe players will get a chance.

I said two weeks ago, you can't get a fag paper between King, Cambi, Drinkwater and Matt James...even Hammond it would seem.

This is not good. Pearson should now know who his best midfield is.

Why doesn't he? Because he has filled the squad with mediocrity. Literally no-one stands out.

[lgfualol]

Not sure if this is the right place to post but Ben Davies appears a bit unsettled for Spurs.

Get him on loan Nige, we need a left back under 40.

[filbertway]

Not sure if this is the right place to post but Ben Davies appears a bit unsettled for Spurs.

Get him on loan Nige, we need a left back under 40.

 

He'd be a ridiculously good signing. Looked class every time I've seen him play.

[lcfcsnow]

It's no coincidence that the three promoted teams are occupying the bottom three positions. There is no doubt a huge step up to be made if you are to stay up.

The club have stated that they studied the promoted teams from the last few seasons and followed the successful teams approach by keeping the promotion team together and adding a small number of experienced players. Where it does not seem to have worked is our three experienced players (Albrighton, Upson and Cambiasso don't seemed to have paid off - yet!) There is still a long way to go and plenty of time to start winning points again.

 

Well those two have more experience in failure than success for starters.

[Fox92]

What sort of input does that Terry Robinson have? Is there a chance he could have had his say? I mean, I find it strange that Albrighton hasn't really featured and when he has it's the odd appearance followed by not being selected in the squad the following week...

[Guest ttfn]

The thing I don't understand is this:

Why did Pearson only strengthen with players who appear to be no better than what we had before. With the exception of Ulloa who, I think, is a better player than Wood. I said it in the summer. None of the new acquisitions excite. And I include Cambiasso into this.

The squad required new signings who essentially picked themselves. Its ridiculous to be playing a striker like Ulloa, excellent aerially, and to have the one player who we know can cross a ball sat on the bench (Albrighton).

For me, this is the problem. A good side contains a core of players who you know will feature (when fit), week-in, week-out. These are the lads who are clearly better than the rest. And THIS is what Pearson hasn't done. We shouldn't even be asking the question of who will start each week. We should KNOW who will feature and then be guessing on which fringe players will get a chance.

I said two weeks ago, you can't get a fag paper between King, Cambi, Drinkwater and Matt James...even Hammond it would seem.

This is not good. Pearson should now know who his best midfield is.

Why doesn't he? Because he has filled the squad with mediocrity. Literally no-one stands out.

I actually agree with you on this.

I would have preferred to see us really improve one or two areas to bring the best out of the rest of them.

As it is we've got 20 players broadly in the same ballpark in terms of ability and consequently NP is struggling to settle on a team which works. It also doesn't help that we have 5 centre mids, all of whom have staked a good claim for first choice and he's struggling to fit them in and/or keep them happy. We've been very successful not only last season but this with just 2 central midfield players in the first XI.

Then again, the approach I've advocated is not dissimilar to what Cardiff did in signing Caulker and Medel and it did them no favours at all.

We also don't know if Pearson wanted to bring in a higher calibre of player but couldn't.

10 games into the season having absolutely no idea about what our best 11 might be or what formation we're going to play is worrying, but as I've said before I'm very, very confident that we've still got more than enough in this squad to stay up comfortably.

[Babylon]

With our resources, it would be a tragedy to go down, especially after what was spent to get up. Let's not pretend about that.

I don't mind finishing 17th and I agree that would be a success, but why do we aim to just compete with 19th and 20th place? Could we not have had a little more ambition no? To at least aim a bit higher?

What resources would they be?

The reality is we don't know the budget and FFP has changed the landscape a bit with regards teams going up and spending a shit load.

Until clubs see whether the league have teeth and are willing to use them with regards FFP then it's a huge risk to go up and spend loads.

We don't know if the owners want to spend a shit load after already taking a £80/£100m thump on the chin. They may be happy to have the club run under its own steam.

People scoffed when John Percy said the budget was £10m and a wage cap of £30k. Well by the looks of it we spent exactly £10m and £30k thing doesn't look too wide of the mark either.

[Babylon]

The thing I don't understand is this:

Why did Pearson only strengthen with players who appear to be no better than what we had before. With the exception of Ulloa who, I think, is a better player than Wood. I said it in the summer. None of the new acquisitions excite. And I include Cambiasso into this.

The squad required new signings who essentially picked themselves. Its ridiculous to be playing a striker like Ulloa, excellent aerially, and to have the one player who we know can cross a ball sat on the bench (Albrighton).

For me, this is the problem. A good side contains a core of players who you know will feature (when fit), week-in, week-out. These are the lads who are clearly better than the rest. And THIS is what Pearson hasn't done. We shouldn't even be asking the question of who will start each week. We should KNOW who will feature and then be guessing on which fringe players will get a chance.

I said two weeks ago, you can't get a fag paper between King, Cambi, Drinkwater and Matt James...even Hammond it would seem.

This is not good. Pearson should now know who his best midfield is.

Why doesn't he? Because he has filled the squad with mediocrity. Literally no-one stands out.

Because players better than what we have cost more than we had to spend perhaps? I'm not sure his game plan at the start of pre season would have been, 'lets just buy a load of average players'.

We know we missed out on lots of targets, if that was down to money then it's out of his hands. Redknapp spent a shit load more on players rated better than our signings by a lot of people, and they are down there as well.