Expectations are too high :(

[Stoof]

I think we've got problems if people are suggesting Adel Taarabt FC to play.

Is it just me who doesn't rate him as something we actually need?

No they're not.

Many millions spent & 2 5th place finishes, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect us to be up there with Everton. The team are underperforming, it's got nothing to do with our expectations.

This is the case. Well maybe not underperforming, but definitely not consistently performing.

Sublime to farcical, and no doubt we'll beat Chelsea on Wednesday to put us back up to sublime. Oh to be consistent!

 

[zepstar]

I think we play some really good football in the majority of the games we play! Rarely am i not entertained by the way we play, win loose or draw. There seems to be a lot of attitude off some players i.e Chimbonda and berbatov, and i can't help thinking that maybe that's our biggest problem at the moment.

 

[MrWoolley]

In my opinion we've seemed to use the execuse 'poor start' way to much this season. We've had plenty of oppotunities and time to turn this season around, and at least get us into the top 10. However we've under-achieved alot, and some of the performances of certain individuals needs to be assessed in the summer.

 

[Kendall]

In my opinion we've seemed to use the execuse 'poor start' way to much this season. We've had plenty of oppotunities and time to turn this season around, and at least get us into the top 10. However we've under-achieved alot, and some of the performances of certain individuals needs to be assessed in the summer.

Agree 100%

many teams have had shit starts (Arsenal in 05/06) but turned it around. Look at Liverpool now after their massive dip. We have NEVER got going this season, it's not good enough.

 

[marion52]

I sometimes think that some of our players think we just have to go out on the pitch and we'll turn over the so called lesser teams, but put loads of effort into beating the 'better' teams. So I definitely think it is a mentality thing. Player for player we may be better than a lot of the teams around us, but sometimes teams with 'not so good' players make up for it with much more effort.
We have had two back to back 5ths and media and pundits alike thought we would be up there this season, did the players believe the hype and thus haven't put in the effort required to actually make it happen!
IMO wholesale changes are not necessary, but we are crying out for a 'midfield general' type of player and better competition for Berbs (if he stays) as he feels untouchable.

 

[Bulletspur]

Funny how start of season defence was the worst part, now i'd agruably say it's the best and that recently we've defended very well and with Woodgate and Hutton, if we can get a decent GK and either King or another CB if he isn't fit, we'll concede few goals. Strikers are great but midield is still poor, for all the goals we score the strikers still don't get the right service and the defence doesn't get enough protection.

:clap: This is what I have been saying all along, our midfield is where our porblems lie. They dont protect the defenders and they dont support and service our strikers enough.

Its a mixture of individuals in the midlfield, not being consistent, not on the same wave length with others and simply and sadly...........not good enough.

 

[Stoof]

Agree 100%

many teams have had shit starts (Arsenal in 05/06) but turned it around. Look at Liverpool now after their massive dip. We have NEVER got going this season, it's not good enough.

In the League we've never got going. You can hardly blame the players for shifting slightly to a Cup focus can you?

 

[Legend10]

Our league form under Ramos hasn't been that bad.

We've taken 28 points from 18 matches which give us an average of 59 points over the season.

 

[Johnspur]

As pointed out by several above, we've never really got going in the league. We was pretty much doomed to a bad league campaign after 12 games where we had just 1 win. This season has been poor, however we managed to get a silver lining through the league cup.

Next season my expectations are fairly modest, hopefully we'll be top 6 and play some good football and show some consistency. Next season could be really difficult, if we have 4-6 new players (which the rumours suggest) it will be a new look team that'll take some time to gel. Plus teams like Everton, Villa and even Portsmouth are really improving aswell which will make getting into europe through the league very tough.

I gotta agree with the original post from Lukespur7 that we have to be a little more realistic in our hopes/goals for a season.

 

[justfookinhitit]

Ramos walked in a third of the way through a season when we were in a shitfest. He inherited a squad not of his choosing, and had to do a recovery job to secure Premiership survival.

We've picked up quite a few points since he became in charge, and won a trophy. We don't concede nearly as many goals from set pieces than we did at the start of the season, and have been more consistent against the top 4 than in previous seasons (beating Arse over 2 legs, beating Chelski in the CC final, Manure getting a draw with the last kick of the game etc).

So it isn't all rosy in the garden, but lets give Ramos a summer to build his own squad and train them in his style of play and lets see how he does with that. I for one expect that he will do a hell of a lot better in the league than he has been able to do with the squad he inherited.

 

[Legend10]

Not forgetting Alvarez's comments that we had to do a pre-season mid season as the players wern't anywhere near fit enough.

 

[Jimmypearce7]

I don't think expecting to compete near the top of the league is asking too much when you have finished 5th twice and then outspent most of your rivals.
We could have failed to achieve 5th again by, say, being pipped by Liverpool and Everton at the end of the season but we should at least have been competing, not drifting along in 11th or wherever we are

 

[orkneyspur]

Yes is the answer to the question at the beginning. And even now, our collective expectations are still too high. We expected the team to beat Man City. Wrong. We expect them to beat Chelsea.
I personally feel that my expectations for the team haven't been far wrong, but my expectations of certain players have been badly let down.
We have far too many 'first team' players, who have constantly not played at the 'expected' level.
Look at Manure and think of how many of their first team have an off month. Same for the Scum. But we have far too many who have one good game in four.
I just hope Ramos is the manager I EXPECT him to be. The cull must start in May.

 

[paxtonyiddo]

your right although i dont think its unrealisitic for us fans to believe we can challenge for 4th..i think its realsitic for us fans to expect the players paid £xk per week to play for the team in a cold and blustery manchester afternoon. Yesterday they couldnt be bothered if it was at white hart lane on a decent afternoon they would have performed.

 

[claw_diddy]

Thanks mate.
Intresting to see who you think the main culprits are.
If we'd of won today then i'll be honest i may not have written this BUT that'd be beacause it would have shown that we are capeable of getting a result away to a team like Man.city and that Mabye we are a decent consistant side.

Unfortunately it's a story of 4-0 one week and then a dissapointing loss the next.

Management team are finally good enough, unfortunately players aren't.

I for one have been blined to this for the past season or so. And will now put my hands up and apologise to all those bashers of certain players over the past season or 2 main culprits are:Robinson,Jenas,Zokora,Malbranque,Lennon(at times)

what are your views on these mate?

1.Robinson:For ages i defended him, thought he was a top class keeper etc etc but anyone must admit that he makes too many mistakes and isn't himself consistent enough to be called a top class keeper.

2.Jenas:I like him for all his energy and apparent ability. Kept saying how he'd sooner or later prove this or that person wrong and to be fair to him I'm still unsure, I'm not going to write him off just yet as under Ramos he's really improved but still nowhere near consistently performing at a high level, at times he has fantastic games but far far too often he is just average, does alot of things fairly well but nothing spectacular, his finishing is poor and he lacks creativity, constantly turning backwards and sideways.

3.Zokora: Carrick he certaintly is not but again somone i've always defended. Saying how he's doing what he's supposed to do( be a defensive midfielder) and to be fair he does it fairly well, making some decent blocks,tackles,interceptions etc but weather he needs to be playing with a great AM or weather Jenas needs to be playing with a better DM i don't know, together they are far too often average as a combination. Zokora also is a decent passer but again to often turns backwards when there IS a simple forward pass avaible and he gives the ball away too often. Again another who i must hold my hands up and say i was wrong and he isn't good enough.

4.Malbranque- again a player who i rated. He puts in massive effot and credit where it's due if i was a fullback i'd bloody love him, the amount of times he tracks back and makes solid tackles is very impressive BUT a wide man must be able to do both. If he was playing RM mabye he could but on the left apart from the occasional cross/assist or cut inside goal which are too infrequent , he is non-existent attacking wise. Very decent squad player but as a LM who is expected to defend and create, sorry not up to scratch.

5.Lennon- Ok he is an intresting one. I def don't want him to go as i still feel he is a valuable player and could well improve but it just seems that again he's a little too inconsistent, and seems like Ramos gets that impression aswell. Obviously no player can humanly play well every match even Ronaldo,Torress, etc have the odd off day but the top class players play well and affect a game more often than not. And for Lennon especially away from home he is often too ineffective. His pace is astounding and his direct running on the counter attacking is great but his passing and delivery needs to improve as to be fair to him it is/has been but for a top quality winger he shouldn't be hitting low hard crosses that hit the first defender time and again. A player with a very bright future but unfortunately not quite as good as we all hype him up to be.

Interesting that you've singled out the 4 MF players, who I feel have seriously underperformed this season. Even Ramos has realised how ineffective they all are, as we now seem to be playing "long ball" Robbo to Berba, knock down to Keano formation, which isn't much of progression on when Robbo used to knock the sames balls to Kanoute/Mido.

1 GK and 4 MFs moulded in the Ramos way are what we need this summer. None of this Commoli "I saw this player in France" rubbish.

 

[Mullers]

Never mind top 4 at the moment we are 21 points behind 5th place Everton, that is a disgrace. We need to make a big big improvement next season. If we qualify for Europe next season through the league I'd be happy with that, if we win a trophy, even better but I'm not expecting it.

Ramos is going to have a whole pre season with the players and to bring is own players in so it will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[paulspursman]

with this squad we wont get higher than 7th or 8th tbh

if we make big changes then it will take ages to settle the team again and we are back in the situation we have had the last 3 or 4 seasons surely

we just have no composure what so ever and we have no idea how to kill games off. before we do that we wont be very high

 

[SpurSince57]

with this squad we wont get higher than 7th or 8th tbh

if we make big changes then it will take ages to settle the team again and we are back in the situation we have had the last 3 or 4 seasons surely

we just have no composure what so ever and we have no idea how to kill games off. before we do that we wont be very high

But, but… Mr Levy said it was good enough to challenge the Cartel!

 

[Thesoccershrink]

Hasn't our own manager said this team is nowhere near the top four?? (And I don't mean in the table).

 

[SpurSince57]

with this squad we wont get higher than 7th or 8th tbh

if we make big changes then it will take ages to settle the team again and we are back in the situation we have had the last 3 or 4 seasons surely

we just have no composure what so ever and we have no idea how to kill games off. before we do that we wont be very high

Remind me, where have we finished for the past two seasons?