What's new

time to be positive but realistic

doubledecker

New Member
Nov 26, 2004
920
1
Yes it is sad the Jol era has ended. Yes he did a fine job. Yes he was mugged. But the team is in freefall and it had to end.
Whoever comes in has got a quality squad to work with , much better than the one Jol had when he came in. There is a nucleus of a good team and it is now mostly down to organisation and motivation.
These are the good parts:
We still have in theory 4 strikers as good as any 4 in the Prem if they can be used properly.
We have some outstanding youngsters who can only get better ( Lennon, Bale, Hudd , Kaboul ( am I alone in thinking Kaboul could be SO much better than Zokora in MF ?) That's why I would like Peter Taylor as no 2 - he is best at working with talented kids ) .
Ledley's return is hopefully getting nearer.
We have a number of other solid players who may not be top class but can do a job given organisation - Jenas, Lee , Malbranque, Dawson.

The problems are :

Robbo ( can a new man restore his confidence ? ), Chimbonda and Berbatov who really need a kick up the backside
Bent ( his arrival seems to have made our front line situation complicated )
We are now down to 2 fit central defenders one of who is a whole lot better attacking than defending and the other who looks extra shaky because of that .
The captaincy- take it away from Keane so all our strikers are on a level field. Pre - Ledley has to be Jenas I suppose. Maybe that would bring out the best in him.
AND ZOKORA MUST NEVER PLAY FOR US AGAIN

So we need a motivator, a tactician and a strong guy merged into one. Was Jol that man ? Unfortunately not quite. Certainly I doubt that Clive Allen could pass those tests. We need not to make the same mistake as under Pleat with another caretaker - the new man must be in quickly otherwise it could be 04-05 all over again. But the raw material is there for the right management team. Forget Europe next year. 10th place and a couple of cup runs with the team uniting behind the coach , perhaps a couple of experienced signings in defence and midfield . We can then be in good shape to move on again.
 

Real_madyidd

The best username, unless you are a fucking idiot.
Oct 25, 2004
18,792
12,448
Actually you have a point. We get a brand new "five year plan" like we get every few years! Sweet.
 

dannythomas

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2004
3,757
2,813
Nice, balanced post. Biggest problem right now is CD . If only Ledley was fit, I really think Kaboul could be a driving force in MF.

Robbo ( or Alnwick but not Cerny )
Salteri, King, Dawson , Lee ( as in 2005-6 when we were really solid )
Lennon, Kaboul, Jenas, Bale
Keane ( or Defoe ) Berbatov

Note that team includes 8 of the 05-06 team who so nearly came 3rd. It might even get us into the top 6.

I really think that team has balance and solidity. PLEASE GET FIT SOON LEDLEY
 

Real_madyidd

The best username, unless you are a fucking idiot.
Oct 25, 2004
18,792
12,448
How about we get BA in at center back. We could do with Face and Murdoch in midfield.
 

striebs

Well-Known Member
Mar 18, 2004
4,504
667
Jol brought in Davids and is reported to have asked for experienced players last window but the board would not/could not provide them .

Yet again Kaboule cocked up for the first goal and made Dawson look stupid . He has NO discipline .

A typical example of a manager (or should I say coach) not being allowed to manage yet he is the fall guy .
 

dannythomas

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2004
3,757
2,813
Actually you have a point. We get a brand new "five year plan" like we get every few years! Sweet.

Let's get real. How many outside the to 4 keep that forward momentum over 5 years. And Chelsea have torn theirs up again. Benitez is not safe. Even Fergie nearly left a coule of years back. Only L'arse can be said to have had a plan and consistently stuck with it.
 

Real_madyidd

The best username, unless you are a fucking idiot.
Oct 25, 2004
18,792
12,448
Der der der, der der der. Der da der der der der, Der der der der der!

Yeah, that was the A - Team Tune!
 

Mullers

Unknown member
Jan 4, 2006
25,914
16,413
But the raw material is there for the right management team. Forget Europe next year. 10th place and a couple of cup runs with the team uniting behind the coach , perhaps a couple of experienced signings in defence and midfield . We can then be in good shape to move on again.
Eh forget Europe? The board want a top four finish not 10th otherwise what was the point in sacking Jol? we even started giving existing players new and longer contracts when the new man might not want these players.Berbs won't stick around for this new transitional period he'll be looking for the exit door and I can't say I blame him. He isn't getting any younger.
 

dannythomas

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2004
3,757
2,813
Eh forget Europe? The board want a top four finish not 10th otherwise what was the point in sacking Jol? we even started giving existing players new and longer contracts when the new man might not want these players.Berbs won't stick around for this new transitional period he'll be looking for the exit door and I can't say I blame him. He isn't getting any younger.

The point in sacking jol was that we are not 10th we are 18th . Who gives a shit about Berbatov ? he clearly does not give one about the club.
 

Legend10

Well-Known Member
Jul 8, 2006
10,847
5,277
Eh forget Europe? The board want a top four finish not 10th otherwise what was the point in sacking Jol? we even started giving existing players new and longer contracts when the new man might not want these players.Berbs won't stick around for this new transitional period he'll be looking for the exit door and I can't say I blame him. He isn't getting any younger.


Yep because Berbs clearly wanted to play for Jol didn't he?
 

muffwah

Active Member
Feb 8, 2007
585
215
Yes it is sad the Jol era has ended. Yes he did a fine job. Yes he was mugged. But the team is in freefall and it had to end.
Whoever comes in has got a quality squad to work with , much better than the one Jol had when he came in. There is a nucleus of a good team and it is now mostly down to organisation and motivation.
These are the good parts:
We still have in theory 4 strikers as good as any 4 in the Prem if they can be used properly.
We have some outstanding youngsters who can only get better ( Lennon, Bale, Hudd , Kaboul ( am I alone in thinking Kaboul could be SO much better than Zokora in MF ?) That's why I would like Peter Taylor as no 2 - he is best at working with talented kids ) .
Ledley's return is hopefully getting nearer.
We have a number of other solid players who may not be top class but can do a job given organisation - Jenas, Lee , Malbranque, Dawson.

The problems are :

Robbo ( can a new man restore his confidence ? ), Chimbonda and Berbatov who really need a kick up the backside
Bent ( his arrival seems to have made our front line situation complicated )
We are now down to 2 fit central defenders one of who is a whole lot better attacking than defending and the other who looks extra shaky because of that .
The captaincy- take it away from Keane so all our strikers are on a level field. Pre - Ledley has to be Jenas I suppose. Maybe that would bring out the best in him.
AND ZOKORA MUST NEVER PLAY FOR US AGAIN

So we need a motivator, a tactician and a strong guy merged into one. Was Jol that man ? Unfortunately not quite. Certainly I doubt that Clive Allen could pass those tests. We need not to make the same mistake as under Pleat with another caretaker - the new man must be in quickly otherwise it could be 04-05 all over again. But the raw material is there for the right management team. Forget Europe next year. 10th place and a couple of cup runs with the team uniting behind the coach , perhaps a couple of experienced signings in defence and midfield . We can then be in good shape to move on again.

All we need is a good manager who can get the best from the players and make a real team out of them instead of the shapeless wonder we have been this year.

I would also like to think we could get a manager who has enough tactical insight to actually want to watch our opposition and work out how to beat them.

I don't believe we need to sign any players, or get rid of any players at the moment, we just need to coach and manage them better.
 
Top