Has the team been changed too much?

[Robo10]

I know we all clamour for signings (and good ones), and there is no doubt that he has bought in decent players, but we seem to have lost all sort of shape since the new arrivals came - is it a case that we have simply thrown a lot of new players together, while not allowing the new team to gel?

Take the Newcastle at home match.

Wilko, Cort, Shawcross and Dicko.

They were solid all night apart from one dodgy Owen moment.

And had been for a few weeks, then we sign Griffin, Whelan, Diao returns.

Suddenly he has to accomodate Griff and Pugh, who is not aleft back but is forced to play there.

The midfield, which looked OK with Pugh in the middle, now changes and Whelan (first decent game last night) comes in, along two from Diao (not the same player) and the in form Delap (three central midfielders and a striker in Cresswell) - Only Lawrence is an actual wide player. (oh and Pearson - looked scared to shoot last night!)

Up front Mama and Riccy are the only constant, although Riccy start to lose his goalden touch. Mama still can't hit a barn door.

We bring in more - Riggot (taking away one of our goalscoring threats from the back), Nash (done OK but only 1 clean sheet?), Bothroyd (not really got a look in, left footed striker playing on the right wing in the end last night?), Ameobi (was woeful and not used to the physicality of this level) - all have been slotted into the team at the expense of Eustace (gone), Pugh (stuck in defence), Dicko/Wilko (replaced), and Shawcross (9 goals this season). Plus Simmo, but I have had doubts about him for a while so not surprised by that one.

So have we made too many changes from the team that romped to the top?

Starting line up v Newcastle

Simonsen, (DROPPED)
Wilkinson, (DROPPED)
Shawcross, (DROPPED)
Cort,
Dickinson, (DROPPED)
Lawrence, (INJURED)
Eustace (Pulis 90), (SOLD)
Pugh, (NOW LEFT BACK)
Cresswell,
Sidibe (Parkin 65),
Fuller (Pericard 90). (DROPPED)


Starting line up v Scunthorpe on that Friday night many weeks ago:


Simonsen, (DROPPED)
Griffin,
Shawcross, (DROPPED)
Cort,
Pugh,
Lawrence, (INJURED)
Diao (Cresswell 54), (INJURED/DROPPED)
Whelan,
Delap,
Sidibe,
Fuller (Zakuani 90). (DROPPED)

We had a good balance, it seems to have been altered somewhere as we desperately filled our squad with new players to try to get up as quickly as possible!

[jezzascfc]

As I've just posted on another thread, one has to look at the acquistions of Ameobi and Pearson now and question their worth.

As we are paying such a truck load of cash for them, it seems Pulis feels obliged to play them. Without them last night, he would have had to start Fuller and Bothroyd, and had room for Gallagher on the bench. Would that have made us weaker?

With only six games left, bringing in new faces to a tight knit squad, at least one of which is clearly seriously lacking match fitness and sharpness, was a dangerous move, and one which seems to have backfired.

[Northy]

we all knew we wanted stregth in depth, having little ant and co on the bench was a big issue; but have we brought the right match fit and sharp players in - No, Did we address the lack of pace in the squad - No.
Who's responsibilty is that - the manager and his team
Given the options we had on the bech last night, did we start with our best options on the field - not in my opinion

[Mr Jon]

Jezza - I agree 100%. TP feels obliged to play Ameobi and Pearson as they have cost a lot of money, but their inclusion willy-nilly could cost us a damned sight more than £500K etc if we don't make it.

His team selection last night was bizarre to say the least.

Here at the advent of the 21st century man has designed super-computers to calculate pye to a million decimal places, keep dead people alive and beat chess grandmasters at their own game.

However, we still await the super-computer which can predict a TP football selection

[stokebill]

This is the first thread I've read this morning, I'm sure all that I'll write has been covered many times over - its glaringly obvious.

You're right, Robo10. One can't help watching the game last night and thinking that we look leggy (or lack match fitness), and we are one-paced throughout the team. Pulis is obviously looking to his experienced players to see us over the line - but we need some young or fresh legs, thats obvious.

Initially you think we've hit a wall after a long season - but its an almost totally different side.

Pugh and Cresswell aren't in their correct positions that's true, but they look tired physically and mentally. Pugh especially doesn't look right - we call for him to return to centre mid but I'm not convinced he'd be influential there at the moment.

Riggott has looked a decent addition but is he really any better than Shawcross - and how many of those set pieces last night would Shawcross have got his head on?

Nash may be slighly more commanding, but is he any better than Simmo? His kicking certainly isn't, that has contributed to 2 points lost v Sheff Wed at least.

Ameobi was a justified gamble - none of us thought otherwise, and if it is the play-offs for us now he may start to peak at that point. Its hard to watch last nights match and feel that he's going to have a major influence any time soon though. He kept Fuller out last night and that was a disaster.

The full backs especially look tired and one-paced. Wilko and Dicko have their faults - but they do possess the urgency and fight that we look short of currently.

I like Pearson. He should have just replaced Cresswell though and be the end of it.

It might all turn around as quickly as its falling apart. Not looking good though.

[Robo10]

Got to be honest I am settled for the playoffs - we can;t simply rely on Hull, Watford and West Brom not to win any of their games in hand!

Mind you, looking at how Wolves and Palace are finishing their seasons, we could drop out of the picture altogether if we don't buck up (only 7 points clear now) which would be an absolute disaster!

I'm gutted that we have managed to balls this up - 1 win in 8 - even picking up 6 extra points from those games would have seen us more or less up by now.

Too many draws, too many defensive lapses, and not enough socring opportunities now that sides have figured out how to defend the long ball (or pack their defence) - we have no other options or creativity.