01 Jan 2018 20:35:57
Whole team needs rebuilding except for Pickford,
01 Jan 2018 20:39:52
Massive over reaction I think. Some good players in the squad still. Need a few quality additions in some key areas for sure and plenty of players in the squad have potential rather than pure quality at the moment but saying everyone other than Pickford is not good enough is ridiculous.
01 Jan 2018 20:50:53
A good bench mark to consider is normally at this time of year the rags are full of rumours about top teams going in for one of our top players or maybe two of our players of top class standard, but its all quiet at the moment, apart from pickford who else would get into a top european team?
01 Jan 2018 20:51:14
who has stood out for you mate in our last few games, they are all guilty of glaring mistakes.
01 Jan 2018 21:11:14
injection of recruits sooner than late this team is not good enough.
01 Jan 2018 21:19:17
I tend not to look at what players would get into other teams because it’s subjective and no one agrees. I remember telling Liverpool fans for years that Baines, Coleman and Lukaku would walk into their team but I got told Clyne, Enrique and Sturridge were miles better. It’s the same with other teams, I remember West Ham fans during “The Payet season†telling me that not one of our players would get in their team and Diafra Sakho is better than Lukaku etc.
What I look at is how good they play for us when I watch them every game, the only players this season with any credit imo are:
Pickford-He’s the best keeper we’ve had since Martyn don’t care how many Americans moan, he’s miles better than Howard, he’s only a kid and he’s been boss this season, I dread to think what we would be like without him. People use the argument of “oh he concedes too many†or “he got Sunderland relegated†or “he looks good because he has so many shots to saveâ€.
That is bollocks, he was in a Sunderland team that is one of the worst ever in the premier league with a 245 year old John O’Shea and Lamine Kone at the back, David De Gea isn’t keeping that team in the league mate. He doesn’t often make mistakes, I have no bias, he’s not a scouser, he’s not came through our academy, but though his performances he deserves credit, a good talent and a good goalkeeper, anyone who thinks otherwise I’m sorry, conceding goals doesn’t make you a bad goalkeeper, making mistakes or conceding goals you SHOULD save regularly make you a bad goalkeeper.
Kenny-I want him to stay in the team, he’s better defensively than Coleman and seems to link better with the winger, he’s worked his arse off this season and has been nothing short of superb in the last few weeks.
Holgate-For a man who has barely played centre back since we signed him, he’s slotted in effortlessly, his pace is ridiculous, and he’s been our best centre back this season, when you consider that we signed Michael Keane for over 30m quid, have Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka who are 2 longstanding premier league experienced centre backs and a 21 year old kid has been far and wide the best, days a lot for how good he is.
Gueye-Nothing surprising here, never gives anything but his all.
Lennon-Does a job, gives 100% regardless of how the match is going.
Sigurdsson-Big money move and he had no pre season and he’s been boss, he’s another who no one can doubt, being given a job to do and he does it, he runs everywhere, perfect attitude.
Rooney-Same as Sigurdsson minus the big money move, our best goal threat and probably our best attacker this season.
DCL-I don’t really rate the lad that highly but he’s worked so hard up front by himself all season.
Apart from those players? The rest either haven’t put the effort in or have underperformed. The players who haven’t put the effort in are the worst ones. The likes of Schneiderlin, Mirallas etc can go and it doesn’t bother anyone I don’t think.
01 Jan 2018 22:01:16
I agree with what you've chosen Swan. What I would say though is the new lads just haven't had a chance to settle into any kind of rhythm. The get put in the in yhe next game dropped. Lookman scores 2 plays superbly well. Gets dropped and put on the bench for the next game and gets 11 minutes to do something. Hasn't played since!
Snids and Kev can go and it's time to move some others on like Besic. Sometimes your squad can be too big.
01 Jan 2018 22:21:29
I think everybody except Pickford is a huge over reaction. Players are not performing as well as they could but doesn't mean they are not good enough long term.
I've been trying to find a way to judge if a player is a good enough player for us and its tough but i think i've settled on a way.
If we were to transfer list a player and, say, 10 other teams in our division would want him, then it makes him a top half player and so a good player to have within the squad. (theoretically of course, and for a team that is not considered top 6) . In this scenario, i would say there's a good chance 10 other teams would want Keane, Rooney, Gueye, Sig, Davies, Lookman, Bolasie, Coleman and Kenny. It's not a bad foundation to build upon in my opinion.
01 Jan 2018 23:47:23
Got to admit that I'm liking the matured Swan a lot more than the Swan before he took a break! No offense intended mate. Agree with everything you have said in your comment.
Going back to the OP, there are things that need changing without doubt but we will be pissing in the wind if we went out and replaced everyone bar Pickford. Part of our problems this season stemmed from bringing in 7 or 8 players last window, did we honestly expect each one of them to hit the ground running? Especially the ones that came from different leagues, it can take a while for them to make an impact. We need a LB, possibly for cover but must be able to push Baines for a starting slot. We need someone who can finish up front immediately, obviously. We need more creativity although I would like to see Vlasic and Lookman to be given a fair crack of the whip. We could do with another cb, left-sided, but if Funes-Mori is back soon then we can get by until the summer.
Let's hope we have a decent window this month and that we get the right players in to help us kick on and forget the first few months of this season.