FAO Leazes Mag...

[The Fish 10968]

we had one right winger a right back and three jibber-jabbers in defence today.

 

we should sign Darren Bent and then wave b'bye to all our woes

[Howaythetoon 0]

We need defenders and strikers, both as much as one another. If we only sign defenders this window, that won't do, likewise if we only sign forwards. The midfield area is our key problem area though for me and in the summer I'd like to see that addressed. As a unit it doesn't potect that back-four well enough where as offensively it is just individuals at the moment, and not the unit. I feel a lot of our problems at either ends comes directly from the midfield just not being good enough as a unit, individually we have some fine players in there but none of them look and work well together. Dyer and Butt isn't ideal, neither is Butt or Parker. Parker and Emre aren't either while Milner and whoever on the flanks are a bit of a mixed bag too. Priorities first though.

[Mark 0]

We need defenders and strikers, both as much as one another. If we only sign defenders this window, that won't do, likewise if we only sign forwards. The midfield area is our key problem area though for me and in the summer I'd like to see that addressed. As a unit it doesn't potect that back-four well enough where as offensively it is just individuals at the moment, and not the unit. I feel a lot of our problems at either ends comes directly from the midfield just not being good enough as a unit, individually we have some fine players in there but none of them look and work well together. Dyer and Butt isn't ideal, neither is Butt or Parker. Parker and Emre aren't either while Milner and whoever on the flanks are a bit of a mixed bag too. Priorities first though.

 

Completely agree.

[Baggio 0]

We need a LB, RB, CB, an attacking midfielder and a striker.

 

Right back and a midfielder can wait until the summer but the other 3 positions need sorting asap.

[The Fish 10968]

We need defenders and strikers, both as much as one another. If we only sign defenders this window, that won't do, likewise if we only sign forwards. The midfield area is our key problem area though for me and in the summer I'd like to see that addressed. As a unit it doesn't potect that back-four well enough where as offensively it is just individuals at the moment, and not the unit. I feel a lot of our problems at either ends comes directly from the midfield just not being good enough as a unit, individually we have some fine players in there but none of them look and work well together. Dyer and Butt isn't ideal, neither is Butt or Parker. Parker and Emre aren't either while Milner and whoever on the flanks are a bit of a mixed bag too. Priorities first though.

 

and we have limited funds, what would you say the priorites are?

 

spend another large sum on one player who may not even improve the situation, or spend a similar amount on three players who surely have a better chance of improving on what we've got?

[The Fish 10968]

We need a LB, RB, CB, an attacking midfielder and a striker.

 

Right back and a midfielder can wait until the summer but the other 3 positions need sorting asap.

 

I'd agree with that, but would swap RB for LB in your priority list.

[Mark 0]

We need a LB, RB, CB, an attacking midfielder and a striker.

 

Right back and a midfielder can wait until the summer but the other 3 positions need sorting asap.

 

I'd agree with that, but would swap RB for LB in your priority list.

 

Why? We need a LB much more than a RB.

[Baggio 0]

We need a LB, RB, CB, an attacking midfielder and a striker.

 

Right back and a midfielder can wait until the summer but the other 3 positions need sorting asap.

 

I'd agree with that, but would swap RB for LB in your priority list.

 

Really? I think Nobby is doing a decent job at the moment however a long term solution is needed, if you compare that to the left side we really don't have anyone capable of doing a job there, that's including Baba.

 

Maybe our stand in left backs look poor as they haven't had a naturally left sided player in front of them?

[The Fish 10968]

We need a LB, RB, CB, an attacking midfielder and a striker.

 

Right back and a midfielder can wait until the summer but the other 3 positions need sorting asap.

 

I'd agree with that, but would swap RB for LB in your priority list.

 

Really? I think Nobby is doing a decent job at the moment however a long term solution is needed, if you compare that to the left side we really don't have anyone capable of doing a job there, that's including Baba.

 

Maybe our stand in left backs look poor as they haven't had a naturally left sided player in front of them?

 

 

I got confused.

 

Memo to self: stay away from the liquid treats, they make your mind do odd things...

[Howaythetoon 0]

We need defenders and strikers, both as much as one another. If we only sign defenders this window, that won't do, likewise if we only sign forwards. The midfield area is our key problem area though for me and in the summer I'd like to see that addressed. As a unit it doesn't potect that back-four well enough where as offensively it is just individuals at the moment, and not the unit. I feel a lot of our problems at either ends comes directly from the midfield just not being good enough as a unit, individually we have some fine players in there but none of them look and work well together. Dyer and Butt isn't ideal, neither is Butt or Parker. Parker and Emre aren't either while Milner and whoever on the flanks are a bit of a mixed bag too. Priorities first though.

 

and we have limited funds, what would you say the priorites are?

 

spend another large sum on one player who may not even improve the situation, or spend a similar amount on three players who surely have a better chance of improving on what we've got?

 

We do have limited funds, that seems to be the case anyway. I personally would snap up Collins John for £2-3m (he's available, has the attributes and is somewhat proven) and try and get in another forward on loan, to add numbers to our attack (another Sibbers type player) and spend the majority of money left available on central defence and left-back, two extra bodies will do in those positions, someone experienced for centre-back and someone not injury prone at left-back. We could always bolster numbers further with another loan signing, David Weir would have been a good shout prior to his move to Ibrox for example, someone in that mould. I wouldn't spend a large sum on any one individual however unless that player was guaranteed class (wayne Bridge for example). Basically we can't be spending all our budget on a young striker from Serie A or equally a young centre-back from the Championship.

 

There doesn't seem to be many options though so it is going to be hard and if we can't find the right players, we may as well leave it until the summer as there is no point buying for buying sake, even though that would almost certainly leave us with an uphill struggle to do anything this season and be unacceptable.

 

There shouldn't be any excuses for not bringing in at least one "right player" though, they've had since the summer to identify and target players, this month should be all about enticing rival clubs to part with such targets and then attracting the player/s to St. James' Park. I just hope we haven't went into the window without a plan or a list of players, the last time we made it up as we went along, we were forced into calling our good friend Willie McKay.

 

We now have 10 days before a match and 10 days left to bring in those players. Lets hope we do.

Edited January 20, 2007 by Howaythetoon

[Missed Sticks 0]

I'll repeat what Alex Ferguson said, 'Strikers win you games but defenders win you tournaments.'

[The Fish 10968]

I'll repeat what Alex Ferguson said, 'Strikers win you games but defenders win you tournaments.'

Yeah? but what does he know about managing a a succesful football team?

[Howaythetoon 0]

If strikers win you games, then surely they also win your tournaments? Fergie has clearly lost it, should have retired when he said he was going to tbh as Man Utd have never been the same since.

[Shearergol 0]

If strikers win you games, then surely they also win your tournaments? Fergie has clearly lost it, should have retired when he said he was going to tbh as Man Utd have never been the same since.

 

Missing sarcasm tags?

[Dr Gloom 22155]

If strikers win you games, then surely they also win your tournaments? Fergie has clearly lost it, should have retired when he said he was going to tbh as Man Utd have never been the same since.

 

eh? they're six points clear at the top

[Baggio 0]

If strikers win you games, then surely they also win your tournaments? Fergie has clearly lost it, should have retired when he said he was going to tbh as Man Utd have never been the same since.

 

eh? they're six points clear at the top

 

I think he's being sarcastic.

[Guest alex]

So, do we still not need defenders?