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Post by riccyfuller93 on Mar 10, 2017 17:46:36 GMT
So everyone who shares the same opinion just plays FIFA and Football Manager? No. But they might be wrong for another reason. It's not wrong though is it. We're not stuck in mid table forever. We won't always be a mid table club. |
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Post by stokiejoe on Mar 10, 2017 17:47:59 GMT
Anyone who has managed a project or constructed a building will know that it is quite a long time before those outside can see anything happening. Groundwork is time consuming but solid foundations are required. Our Academy is a fine example, we more or less started from scratch but now can see a few signs of growth. A club like ours, however benevolent and rich its owner, cannot compete with London or Manchester Clubs, our best route is to produce our own, that needs a manager who has security of tenure. Coventry is a prime example of the opposite, four managers in one season! Why would any of them bother to look further ahead than the next few games?
Pulis did a great job in getting us into and consolidating our position in the Premiee League. He never got us into the top ten. Hughes has always finished in the top ten with us, that is a base to work from, hopefully we end this season in the top ten.
The club are investing in enlarging the stadium, that alone shows ambition. We need to trust Uncle Peter and son John, support what they are doing and have faith in the manager thay have chosen.
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Post by colinroberts1 on Mar 10, 2017 18:45:25 GMT
Anyone who has managed a project or constructed a building will know that it is quite a long time before those outside can see anything happening. Groundwork is time consuming but solid foundations are required. Our Academy is a fine example, we more or less started from scrap but now can see a few signs of growth. A club like ours, however benevolent and rich its owner, cannot compete with London or Manchester Clubs, our best route is to produce our own, that needs a manager who has security of tenure. Coventry is a prime example of the opposite, four managers in one season! Why would any of them bother to look further ahead than the next few games? Pulis did a great job in getting us into and consolidating our position in the Premiee League. He never got us into the top ten. Hughes has always finished in the top ten with us, that is a base to work from, hopefully we end this season in the top ten. The club are investing in enlarging the stadium, that alone shows ambition. We need to trust Uncle Peter and son John, support what they are doing and have faith in the manager thay have chosen. Well said .looks like got decent bunch of Youngsters coming through, hughes and club building up from 17 yr old and up. Think we'll actually start seeing them coming through in next 2 yrs or so ! |
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Post by Trouserdog on Mar 10, 2017 18:47:23 GMT
You can sign world class players on a mid table budget. How much was Kante? How much was Mahrez?- Again, exceptions to the rule. How many more in that price backet and above are failures? -If we sack Hughes then it doesn't mean certain relegation. Did I say it did? It's all about probability. The probability, changing manager in our position, is that the most likely way is down the table. -We don't have to land a managerial genius to play decent football and progress as a team. What's progress then? If you're scoffing at the idea of demanding top 6 (see above) but in the same breath saying you want to progress- what does progress mean to you? Finishing 7th, 8th? Playing a bit more attractive football? What you're actualy saying is that you'd risk destabilising the club to finish one place higher in the league. That's beyond lunacy. For a mid-sized club like us, there is probably a narrow gap above us where we can realistically hope to progress to. However, there's a yawning chasm below us that we can fall into- this is something that you seem not to realise. You seem to think that appointing a new manager means he's going to be better than the last bloke. If you were born in 93 (I'm guessing at that from your username- I might be wrong) then that's all you'll have probably seen in your time as a fan: a succession of good managers each better than the last. We've been lucky with that though in the last couple of decades. It only takes one shit manager and 20 years of progress could be undone in one or two seasons. As greyman says- too much Football Manager and FIFA I think. It's really ignorant to keep bringing up FIFA and Football Manager. I thought the football we played under Pulis was dire and I don't think it's really much better under Hughes. I don't enjoy us watching it lumping it up to Crouch. I don't enjoy having injury prone full-backs that can't cross a ball. I don't enjoy watching players like Allen as a No.10. I don't enjoy playing poor for the start of every season and I don't enjoy watching my team get tonked 4-0 consistently. To me that is not progression. I don't know what fucking video games have got to do with it, but it just makes you look like a bellend. If you think it's me that looks the bellend here, well, I've got some news for you... So come on then enlighten us all, what do you want out of Stoke City? You've given us a list of things that have been making you spit your dummy out these last few weeks- many of which are only temporary things anyway- but you've not told us what progress is. What are we aiming for? What's the point where you stop having a tantrum and demanding further progress? Or doesn't that ever stop? |
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Post by riccyfuller93 on Mar 10, 2017 20:00:38 GMT
It's really ignorant to keep bringing up FIFA and Football Manager. I thought the football we played under Pulis was dire and I don't think it's really much better under Hughes. I don't enjoy us watching it lumping it up to Crouch. I don't enjoy having injury prone full-backs that can't cross a ball. I don't enjoy watching players like Allen as a No.10. I don't enjoy playing poor for the start of every season and I don't enjoy watching my team get tonked 4-0 consistently. To me that is not progression. I don't know what fucking video games have got to do with it, but it just makes you look like a bellend. If you think it's me that looks the bellend here, well, I've got some news for you... So come on then enlighten us all, what do you want out of Stoke City? You've given us a list of things that have been making you spit your dummy out these last few weeks- many of which are only temporary things anyway- but you've not told us what progress is. What are we aiming for? What's the point where you stop having a tantrum and demanding further progress? Or doesn't that ever stop? I've told you what's wrong, you're just not reading it, too busy talking about video games or some bullshit. I'd want to see a change in style, isn't that the reason why we brought Hughes in? All we do is lump it up to Crouch. We constantly have injuries, we always start the season poor, we fail to sign players in the positions we need (Full-backs) we're even playing Joe Allen as a no.10 whilst sending our most creative player out on loan. We spend 18 million on our "New N'zonzi" who he's already planning on fucking off with Bojan come summer. Does this sound like progression to you? It sounds like a massive fucking QPR esque flop. |
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Post by Trouserdog on Mar 10, 2017 20:26:27 GMT
If you think it's me that looks the bellend here, well, I've got some news for you... So come on then enlighten us all, what do you want out of Stoke City? You've given us a list of things that have been making you spit your dummy out these last few weeks- many of which are only temporary things anyway- but you've not told us what progress is. What are we aiming for? What's the point where you stop having a tantrum and demanding further progress? Or doesn't that ever stop? I've told you what's wrong, you're just not reading it, too busy talking about video games or some bullshit. I'd want to see a change in style, isn't that the reason why we brought Hughes in? All we do is lump it up to Crouch. We constantly have injuries, we always start the season poor, we fail to sign players in the positions we need (Full-backs) we're even playing Joe Allen as a no.10 whilst sending our most creative player out on loan. We spend 18 million on our "New N'zonzi" who he's already planning on fucking off with Bojan come summer. Does this sound like progression to you? It sounds like a massive fucking QPR esque flop. QPR who were relegated vs Stoke who are 9th for the fourt season on the trot. No, it doesn't sound like that at all to me. Again, you're not saying what you actually want (other than 'I'd want to see a change in style'), you're just pissing and moaning about what you don't want. So, yeah, I have read it- and you've failed to answer it. I'll ask you again, what does progress equate to? Where should we be finishing in the league? How many points should we be getting? Or doesn't that matter to you? Are you one of these people who would rather finish 17th as long as your favourite players are on the team sheet? Please, let us know so we can see what you think we should be aiming for. |
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Post by mcf on Mar 10, 2017 20:32:27 GMT
I've told you what's wrong, you're just not reading it, too busy talking about video games or some bullshit. I'd want to see a change in style, isn't that the reason why we brought Hughes in? All we do is lump it up to Crouch. We constantly have injuries, we always start the season poor, we fail to sign players in the positions we need (Full-backs) we're even playing Joe Allen as a no.10 whilst sending our most creative player out on loan. We spend 18 million on our "New N'zonzi" who he's already planning on fucking off with Bojan come summer. Does this sound like progression to you? It sounds like a massive fucking QPR esque flop. QPR who were relegated vs Stoke who are 9th for the fourt season on the trot. No, it doesn't sound like that at all to me. Again, you're not saying what you actually want (other than 'I'd want to see a change in style'), you're just pissing and moaning about what you don't want. So, yeah, I have read it- and you've failed to answer it. I'll ask you again, what does progress equate to? Where should we be finishing in the league? How many points should we be getting? Or doesn't that matter to you? Are you one of these people who would rather finish 17th as long as your favourite players are on the team sheet? Please, let us know so we can see what you think we should be aiming for. To be fair Trous... er ...Bellend He just sounds like you PHWs did....  |
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Post by Trouserdog on Mar 10, 2017 20:51:35 GMT
QPR who were relegated vs Stoke who are 9th for the fourt season on the trot. No, it doesn't sound like that at all to me. Again, you're not saying what you actually want (other than 'I'd want to see a change in style'), you're just pissing and moaning about what you don't want. So, yeah, I have read it- and you've failed to answer it. I'll ask you again, what does progress equate to? Where should we be finishing in the league? How many points should we be getting? Or doesn't that matter to you? Are you one of these people who would rather finish 17th as long as your favourite players are on the team sheet? Please, let us know so we can see what you think we should be aiming for. To be fair Trous... er ...Bellend He just sounds like you PHWs did.... Yeah, I think over the last few years I've gradually changed from a youthful, campaigning idealist into someone who's just happy to put his feet up, accept that things will never be perfect and enjoy a few pints and a Bovril on a Saturday instead of worrying too much. I might even have been more forgiving of Tone's many foibles had he still been in charge these days. What, he's picked Huth at RB again? Axe, Axe, Axe? Nah, fuck it, your turn to get the beers in... |
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Post by riccyfuller93 on Mar 10, 2017 22:15:30 GMT
I've told you what's wrong, you're just not reading it, too busy talking about video games or some bullshit. I'd want to see a change in style, isn't that the reason why we brought Hughes in? All we do is lump it up to Crouch. We constantly have injuries, we always start the season poor, we fail to sign players in the positions we need (Full-backs) we're even playing Joe Allen as a no.10 whilst sending our most creative player out on loan. We spend 18 million on our "New N'zonzi" who he's already planning on fucking off with Bojan come summer. Does this sound like progression to you? It sounds like a massive fucking QPR esque flop. QPR who were relegated vs Stoke who are 9th for the fourt season on the trot. No, it doesn't sound like that at all to me. Again, you're not saying what you actually want (other than 'I'd want to see a change in style'), you're just pissing and moaning about what you don't want. So, yeah, I have read it- and you've failed to answer it. I'll ask you again, what does progress equate to? Where should we be finishing in the league? How many points should we be getting? Or doesn't that matter to you? Are you one of these people who would rather finish 17th as long as your favourite players are on the team sheet? Please, let us know so we can see what you think we should be aiming for. Progress is not resorting to a 36 year old Pulis signing to lead our attack. Having a decent pre-season where we start well in the league hasn't happened. Signing players to fill in on aging players or injury prone players hasn't happened. Why do we have so many 4-0 losses in the past year? Think where we would finish in the league if we had a decent pre-season and the right players that should've been brought in during the summer like full-backs and a centre defensive midfielder. It doesn't take a world class manager to do that, it's something you'd expect of Hughes, but clearly he hasn't acknowledged that. |
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Post by mcf on Mar 10, 2017 22:40:23 GMT
I think we've taken a few hidings because we've literally gone out there thinking we are the dogs bollocks against really good teams and just let them walk through us when we've played far too open.
Wednesday was the kind of boring, disciplined, kill the game kind of performance that you need against the top clubs when you are away from home.
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Post by Pugsley on Mar 10, 2017 22:46:02 GMT
QPR who were relegated vs Stoke who are 9th for the fourt season on the trot. No, it doesn't sound like that at all to me. Again, you're not saying what you actually want (other than 'I'd want to see a change in style'), you're just pissing and moaning about what you don't want. So, yeah, I have read it- and you've failed to answer it. I'll ask you again, what does progress equate to? Where should we be finishing in the league? How many points should we be getting? Or doesn't that matter to you? Are you one of these people who would rather finish 17th as long as your favourite players are on the team sheet? Please, let us know so we can see what you think we should be aiming for. Progress is not resorting to a 36 year old Pulis signing to lead our attack. Having a decent pre-season where we start well in the league hasn't happened. Signing players to fill in on aging players or injury prone players hasn't happened. Why do we have so many 4-0 losses in the past year? Think where we would finish in the league if we had a decent pre-season and the right players that should've been brought in during the summer like full-backs and a centre defensive midfielder. It doesn't take a world class manager to do that, it's something you'd expect of Hughes, but clearly he hasn't acknowledged that. We'd finish around 8th, 9th or 10th. Fact. |
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Post by riccyfuller93 on Mar 10, 2017 22:55:00 GMT
Progress is not resorting to a 36 year old Pulis signing to lead our attack. Having a decent pre-season where we start well in the league hasn't happened. Signing players to fill in on aging players or injury prone players hasn't happened. Why do we have so many 4-0 losses in the past year? Think where we would finish in the league if we had a decent pre-season and the right players that should've been brought in during the summer like full-backs and a centre defensive midfielder. It doesn't take a world class manager to do that, it's something you'd expect of Hughes, but clearly he hasn't acknowledged that. We'd finish around 8th, 9th or 10th. Fact. And to still challenge around 7th is progression is it not? |
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Post by Trouserdog on Mar 11, 2017 7:49:46 GMT
QPR who were relegated vs Stoke who are 9th for the fourt season on the trot. No, it doesn't sound like that at all to me. Again, you're not saying what you actually want (other than 'I'd want to see a change in style'), you're just pissing and moaning about what you don't want. So, yeah, I have read it- and you've failed to answer it. I'll ask you again, what does progress equate to? Where should we be finishing in the league? How many points should we be getting? Or doesn't that matter to you? Are you one of these people who would rather finish 17th as long as your favourite players are on the team sheet? Please, let us know so we can see what you think we should be aiming for. Progress is not resorting to a 36 year old Pulis signing to lead our attack. Having a decent pre-season where we start well in the league hasn't happened. Signing players to fill in on aging players or injury prone players hasn't happened. Why do we have so many 4-0 losses in the past year? Think where we would finish in the league if we had a decent pre-season and the right players that should've been brought in during the summer like full-backs and a centre defensive midfielder. It doesn't take a world class manager to do that, it's something you'd expect of Hughes, but clearly he hasn't acknowledged that. Why do you keep avoiding these questions? All I can read above is more whining and moaning. |
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Post by WhyDelilah on Mar 11, 2017 7:53:26 GMT
Progress is not resorting to a 36 year old Pulis signing to lead our attack. Having a decent pre-season where we start well in the league hasn't happened. Signing players to fill in on aging players or injury prone players hasn't happened. Why do we have so many 4-0 losses in the past year? Think where we would finish in the league if we had a decent pre-season and the right players that should've been brought in during the summer like full-backs and a centre defensive midfielder. It doesn't take a world class manager to do that, it's something you'd expect of Hughes, but clearly he hasn't acknowledged that. Why do you keep avoiding these questions? All I can read above is more whining and moaning. I'd settle for 11th and a decent cup run that brings excitement. I'd settle for 11th and a few more entertaining matches throughout the season. I don't work hard all week for a dose of realism at the weekend. And it is possible. We've played much better football under the current manager than we have this season, so it's bollocks to say it's unrealistic. |
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Post by Trouserdog on Mar 11, 2017 7:58:37 GMT
We'd finish around 8th, 9th or 10th. Fact. And to still challenge around 7th is progression is it not? Ahhh....we've finally (sort of) got there. So you're demanding that we challenge around 7th. Let's see then. Outside the top 6- the massive clubs who compete in Europe every year and who are swimming in money- we have to be the best team in England or Mark Hughes deserves the sack. We have to be better than every other club, even the ones who are bigger than we are. Everton- no we need to be better than them. West Ham- yep, we should be beating them. Then we've got Southampton, West Brom, Watford, Leicester etc, all clubs who are a similar size to use with similar budgets and in some cases, much better academies. No, we have to be better than all of them as well or the manager pays with his job. Righto then. |
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Post by WhyDelilah on Mar 11, 2017 8:02:33 GMT
And to still challenge around 7th is progression is it not? Ahhh....we've finally (sort of) got there. So you're demanding that we challenge around 7th. Let's see then. Outside the top 6- the massive clubs who compete in Europe every year and who are swimming in money- we have to be the best team in England or Mark Hughes deserves the sack. We have to be better than every other club, even the ones who are bigger than we are. Everton- no we need to be better than them. West Ham- yep, we should be beating them. Then we've got Southampton, West Brom, Watford, Leicester etc, all clubs who are a similar size to use with similar budgets and in some cases, much better academies. No, we have to be better than all of them as well or the manager pays with his job. Righto then. 7th is impossible. Do you remember what happened last season? That was impossible. |
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Post by Trouserdog on Mar 11, 2017 8:13:05 GMT
Where should we be finishing in the league? How many points should we be getting? Why do you keep avoiding these questions? All I can read above is more whining and moaning. I'd settle for 11th and a decent cup run that brings excitement. I'd settle for 11th and a few more entertaining matches throughout the season. I don't work hard all week for a dose of realism at the weekend. And it is possible. We've played much better football under the current manager than we have this season, so it's bollocks to say it's unrealistic. So what makes you so sure that we won't do it again? I think if a man has proven he can do something in the past (play entertaining football and keep us safe in upper mid-table), then he's surely the bloke you'd trust to do it again rather than gambling on someone new to come in? The players here respect Hughes and play for him- you could see that on Wednesday. A new man could cause a dressing room revolt within weeks of being here- you just don't know what could happen. What's unrealistic is to expect that level of football week in week out and for there not to be periods, even months at a time, when things don't go to plan. I'm sure that Hughes thought he was going to get Berahino back in August, and when that didn't go as expected, he had to adjust his plans. No manager would want to have a 36 year-old Peter Crouch leading the attack for months, yet that was the option we were left with and Hughes adapted his tactics to get points that way, even though it's not been pretty to watch at times. I don't particularly want to be watching Pulis-style grinds every week either, even in 9th, but I'm not going to spit my dummy out if there are periods when areas of the team need to be rebuilt and things aren't perfect. |
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Post by Trouserdog on Mar 11, 2017 8:16:26 GMT
Ahhh....we've finally (sort of) got there. So you're demanding that we challenge around 7th. Let's see then. Outside the top 6- the massive clubs who compete in Europe every year and who are swimming in money- we have to be the best team in England or Mark Hughes deserves the sack. We have to be better than every other club, even the ones who are bigger than we are. Everton- no we need to be better than them. West Ham- yep, we should be beating them. Then we've got Southampton, West Brom, Watford, Leicester etc, all clubs who are a similar size to use with similar budgets and in some cases, much better academies. No, we have to be better than all of them as well or the manager pays with his job. Righto then. 7th is impossible. Do you remember what happened last season? That was impossible. |
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Post by robwahlmann on Mar 11, 2017 8:40:01 GMT
Do people really expect us to regularly challenge Man C, Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea, Lpool and Spurs for a top six finish!? I would say that is very unrealistic, and that we are doing just fine at the moment. As long as we stay top ten I certainly think we have done very well for a club our size! If we could have a good cup run now and then to add to this I would be really happy with where we are as a club right now! Ambition is OK, but it's always wise to stop and have a look around as well! Look at clubs like Ncastle, Aston Villa, Leeds etc. and I guess they would be very satisfied with being in our position!  |
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Post by colinroberts1 on Mar 11, 2017 12:28:09 GMT
On way back from away days in the 90's, like getting tonked at places like Oxford, I would dream of bein a boring mid table team back in top division.bein in top flight again is dream come true for me and I wouldn't like stoke to risk it for few people who think that we should be taking on the top 7 every season.if we can keep trying to progress bit by bit that'll do me.if this is 4th season finishing 9th, are people really trying say we're regressing! !?
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Post by riccyfuller93 on Mar 11, 2017 14:05:18 GMT
Progress is not resorting to a 36 year old Pulis signing to lead our attack. Having a decent pre-season where we start well in the league hasn't happened. Signing players to fill in on aging players or injury prone players hasn't happened. Why do we have so many 4-0 losses in the past year? Think where we would finish in the league if we had a decent pre-season and the right players that should've been brought in during the summer like full-backs and a centre defensive midfielder. It doesn't take a world class manager to do that, it's something you'd expect of Hughes, but clearly he hasn't acknowledged that. Why do you keep avoiding these questions? All I can read above is more whining and moaning. Because if you can't figure out what I mean by now then you're just arguing for the sake of arguing mate. I'd like to see us challenging 7th. |
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Post by riccyfuller93 on Mar 11, 2017 14:11:18 GMT
And to still challenge around 7th is progression is it not? Ahhh....we've finally (sort of) got there. So you're demanding that we challenge around 7th. Let's see then. Outside the top 6- the massive clubs who compete in Europe every year and who are swimming in money- we have to be the best team in England or Mark Hughes deserves the sack. We have to be better than every other club, even the ones who are bigger than we are. Everton- no we need to be better than them. West Ham- yep, we should be beating them. Then we've got Southampton, West Brom, Watford, Leicester etc, all clubs who are a similar size to use with similar budgets and in some cases, much better academies. No, we have to be better than all of them as well or the manager pays with his job. Righto then. Thing is mate, the things I stated earlier, like starting the pre-season right and identifying which areas need to be improved are the things that can make you fight for that 7th spot. That's what the targets should be and he's not reaching them in my eyes. This season has been poor especially with the whole Bojan/Imbula thing. |
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Post by Trouserdog on Mar 11, 2017 15:32:13 GMT
Ahhh....we've finally (sort of) got there. So you're demanding that we challenge around 7th. Let's see then. Outside the top 6- the massive clubs who compete in Europe every year and who are swimming in money- we have to be the best team in England or Mark Hughes deserves the sack. We have to be better than every other club, even the ones who are bigger than we are. Everton- no we need to be better than them. West Ham- yep, we should be beating them. Then we've got Southampton, West Brom, Watford, Leicester etc, all clubs who are a similar size to use with similar budgets and in some cases, much better academies. No, we have to be better than all of them as well or the manager pays with his job. Righto then. Thing is mate, the things I stated earlier, like starting the pre-season right and identifying which areas need to be improved are the things that can make you fight for that 7th spot. That's what the targets should be and he's not reaching them in my eyes. This season has been poor especially with the whole Bojan/Imbula thing. Well, we'll just have to leave it there...I'd love us to be 7th, but if you think we've got some sort of right to expect it- and that the manager should be sacked for not getting there- then I think you're off your head. |
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Post by riccyfuller93 on Mar 11, 2017 15:42:52 GMT
Thing is mate, the things I stated earlier, like starting the pre-season right and identifying which areas need to be improved are the things that can make you fight for that 7th spot. That's what the targets should be and he's not reaching them in my eyes. This season has been poor especially with the whole Bojan/Imbula thing. Well, we'll just have to leave it there...I'd love us to be 7th, but if you think we've got some sort of right to expect it- and that the manager should be sacked for not getting there- then I think you're off your head. To challenge for it is different than expecting it though. |
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Mar 11, 2017 16:05:17 GMT
Ahhh....we've finally (sort of) got there. So you're demanding that we challenge around 7th. Let's see then. Outside the top 6- the massive clubs who compete in Europe every year and who are swimming in money- we have to be the best team in England or Mark Hughes deserves the sack. We have to be better than every other club, even the ones who are bigger than we are. Everton- no we need to be better than them. West Ham- yep, we should be beating them. Then we've got Southampton, West Brom, Watford, Leicester etc, all clubs who are a similar size to use with similar budgets and in some cases, much better academies. No, we have to be better than all of them as well or the manager pays with his job. Righto then. Thing is mate, the things I stated earlier, like starting the pre-season right and identifying which areas need to be improved are the things that can make you fight for that 7th spot. That's what the targets should be and he's not reaching them in my eyes. This season has been poor especially with the whole Bojan/Imbula thing. To say he didn't identify areas that needed strengthening is wrong. By the start of this season we needed a new keeper {Grant} and a partner for Ryan {Bruno}, more energy in midfield {Allen} wing back up {Sobhi}, more goals {Berahino was banned as it happens, so Bony}, plus the Chairman's targets of two or three from the Academy making the matchday squad {N'Goy, Verlinden, Taylor}. We've also managed to get a few of the youth out on good/appropriate loans. While it may be disappointing re Bojan, Wollscheid and Joselu they are still essentially ours and are only a combined total of < £10 investment. You'd have to be mystic Meg to have predicted Jack's plight, he was all set to start the season. It's obviously neither practical nor possible to have 'just in case' back ups for every position. Feels to me like we've got a strong squad and team ethic and apart from Shaq and predictably Johnson we are pretty injury free {touch wood} and fit for the run in. A squad which has been schooled and had experience of the variation of systems, which adds some football intelligence to the better stuff they are encouraged and coached to play. And we've added some grit and 'nuts and bolts' to that too. Being critical of pre season fails to acknowledge real world issues like the Euros etc and the fixture list too. {Man City, Spurs, Everton} and our performances in those games. Feels a bit daft having to point this out to fellow SCFC followers. It's ok if you just don't like the bloke, but your justifications for your stance {we're challenging for 8th and it's fine margins/individual errors holding us back from even higher}. |
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Post by riccyfuller93 on Mar 11, 2017 17:11:38 GMT
Thing is mate, the things I stated earlier, like starting the pre-season right and identifying which areas need to be improved are the things that can make you fight for that 7th spot. That's what the targets should be and he's not reaching them in my eyes. This season has been poor especially with the whole Bojan/Imbula thing. To say he didn't identify areas that needed strengthening is wrong. By the start of this season we needed a new keeper {Grant} and a partner for Ryan {Bruno}, more energy in midfield {Allen} wing back up {Sobhi}, more goals {Berahino was banned as it happens, so Bony}, plus the Chairman's targets of two or three from the Academy making the matchday squad {N'Goy, Verlinden, Taylor}. We've also managed to get a few of the youth out on good/appropriate loans. While it may be disappointing re Bojan, Wollscheid and Joselu they are still essentially ours and are only a combined total of < £10 investment. You'd have to be mystic Meg to have predicted Jack's plight, he was all set to start the season. It's obviously neither practical nor possible to have 'just in case' back ups for every position. Feels to me like we've got a strong squad and team ethic and apart from Shaq and predictably Johnson we are pretty injury free {touch wood} and fit for the run in. A squad which has been schooled and had experience of the variation of systems, which adds some football intelligence to the better stuff they are encouraged and coached to play. And we've added some grit and 'nuts and bolts' to that too. Being critical of pre season fails to acknowledge real world issues like the Euros etc and the fixture list too. {Man City, Spurs, Everton} and our performances in those games. Feels a bit daft having to point this out to fellow SCFC followers. It's ok if you just don't like the bloke, but your justifications for your stance {we're challenging for 8th and it's fine margins/individual errors holding us back from even higher}. Full-backs and defensive midfield were the biggest issues, we did nothing about them. However we sold our best no.10 for Joe Allen and spunked 18 million on Imbula. |
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Mar 11, 2017 17:32:38 GMT
To say he didn't identify areas that needed strengthening is wrong. By the start of this season we needed a new keeper {Grant} and a partner for Ryan {Bruno}, more energy in midfield {Allen} wing back up {Sobhi}, more goals {Berahino was banned as it happens, so Bony}, plus the Chairman's targets of two or three from the Academy making the matchday squad {N'Goy, Verlinden, Taylor}. We've also managed to get a few of the youth out on good/appropriate loans. While it may be disappointing re Bojan, Wollscheid and Joselu they are still essentially ours and are only a combined total of < £10 investment. You'd have to be mystic Meg to have predicted Jack's plight, he was all set to start the season. It's obviously neither practical nor possible to have 'just in case' back ups for every position. Feels to me like we've got a strong squad and team ethic and apart from Shaq and predictably Johnson we are pretty injury free {touch wood} and fit for the run in. A squad which has been schooled and had experience of the variation of systems, which adds some football intelligence to the better stuff they are encouraged and coached to play. And we've added some grit and 'nuts and bolts' to that too. Being critical of pre season fails to acknowledge real world issues like the Euros etc and the fixture list too. {Man City, Spurs, Everton} and our performances in those games. Feels a bit daft having to point this out to fellow SCFC followers. It's ok if you just don't like the bloke, but your justifications for your stance {we're challenging for 8th and it's fine margins/individual errors holding us back from even higher}. Full-backs and defensive midfield were the biggest issues, we did nothing about them. However we sold our best no.10 for Joe Allen and spunked 18 million on Imbula. In his time here I'm not sure that Hughes has ever looked at a Glenn Whelan type as a replacement for GW. To me at least he's attempting to do away with a scrappy sitter, not part of his philosophy, even to the extent of obviously getting Glenn to be more expansive and break out of the cage. Rightly or wrongly I think Hughes & co's idea of what he expects from a dm is different to most on here. Sidwell, Van Ginkel, Allen etc. We havn't sold Bojycakes yet, 'lucky' he bought Allen in as it happens, we'd be far worse off goals and points and places without him. Shame you've given up on Imbula after 12 months and fail to recognise his undoubted qualities, which still amounts to massive potential imo. I agree to an extent regarding full backs/wing backs, it's a niggle I'm prepared to be patient with, getting the right upgrades on Pieters, Johnson, Bardsley, Muniesa is no mean feat, and who knows which targets we couldn't land, or whether there's identified pathways from the Academy. There afre niggles, things that could be better, it'll always be the case, football: passion and opinion. Mainly gravy for me. |
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Post by kustokie on Mar 11, 2017 17:40:20 GMT
This is a pretty simple calculation. We dropped 5 points to the team one place above us. If we had taken 6 points against WB, we'd have 41 points they would have 36, and we'd have a outside chance of catching Everton.
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Post by riccyfuller93 on Mar 11, 2017 17:42:56 GMT
Full-backs and defensive midfield were the biggest issues, we did nothing about them. However we sold our best no.10 for Joe Allen and spunked 18 million on Imbula. In his time here I'm not sure that Hughes has ever looked at a Glenn Whelan type as a replacement for GW. To me at least he's attempting to do away with a scrappy sitter, not part of his philosophy, even to the extent of obviously getting Glenn to be more expansive and break out of the cage. Rightly or wrongly I think Hughes & co's idea of what he expects from a dm is different to most on here. Sidwell, Van Ginkel, Allen etc. We havn't sold Bojycakes yet, 'lucky' he bought Allen in as it happens, we'd be far worse off goals and points and places without him. Shame you've given up on Imbula after 12 months and fail to recognise his undoubted qualities, which still amounts to massive potential imo. I agree to an extent regarding full backs/wing backs, it's a niggle I'm prepared to be patient with, getting the right upgrades on Pieters, Johnson, Bardsley, Muniesa is no mean feat, and who knows which targets we couldn't land, or whether there's identified pathways from the Academy. There afre niggles, things that could be better, it'll always be the case, football: passion and opinion. Mainly gravy for me. I've not given up on Imbula, I'm wanting him played as a no.10 but Hughes seems to think he's made a big mistake with him. That's what I was more concerned about. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2017 17:52:13 GMT
There have been times where Mark Hughes has frustrated the hell out of me
and, its a 2 steps back, one forward, season - or so it seems to me
but Ive never called for his head
I do worry that on here though, some do want him gone
and theres just not enough to justify such arguments
we could do far, far, worse
and I think of the bad signings and then, the good
Imbulla for one - Joe Allen the other
and then there is the very good - 'Ramadonna' - the most exciting one Ive see for some years
well ; since Arnie Actually
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