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anyone else have that gut feeling that this season relegation will catch up with us,
i honestly dont feel confident in our deffence ,ok stam looks good not sure about gohouri,alcaraz unproven at this level
then we have caldwell very dodgy last year,boyce well he is very good
then we have the overated figgs at fault fo quite a few goals
now up front if boselli is injured who will score ?
cant see rodders putting many away ,or cant see bob playing moses were he should be playing beside boselli
not putting a downer on things just i dont think we have strengh in depth as yetSame comments could be made about our team most seasons, we have improved the quality since last year, and we made a hash of the season and still stayed up.
The boys will rise to the occasion and finish 16th !
anyone else have that gut feeling that this season relegation will catch up with us,ANSWER: No. We have the strongest squad yet.
i honestly dont feel confident in our deffence ,ok stam looks good not sure about gohouri,alcaraz unproven at this level
Gohouri looked pretty solid last season, and Alcaraz looked class at the World Cup. He’s FAR better than Bramble.
then we have caldwell very dodgy last year,boyce well he is very good
then we have the overated figgs at fault fo quite a few goalsCaldwell will have to play well, or he won’t get in this side. Boyce is a good, solid, no nonsense player. Figueroa is pretty good. Has his faults, but then Everton fans say the same of Baines….
now up front if boselli is injured who will score ?
N’Zogbia, whilst he’s here, Rodallega, Moses, Watson, McCarthy…etc
cant see rodders putting many away ,or cant see bob playing moses were he should be playing beside boselli
The system uses one up front. Get over it. It’s old news now.
not putting a downer on things just i dont think we have strengh in depth as yet
TOTALLY disagree. We have the strongest squad in depth, yet. Our midfield, in particular, looks very strong.
TBH I think we’ll get relegated this season although I said exactly the same last season
The main reason is that I have absolutely no faith that Roberto Martinez has what it takes to be a success for us in this league – for me, the bad points he showed last season far outweighed the positivesJust picking up on a couple of points made by VAT69 – I don’t see how our midfield can look so much stronger than last season when the only addition to it has been James McArthur, or have the rest of them improved that much since last season
I’d disagree that we have our strongest squad yet – who’ve we got up front if Boselli is out? Rodallega by our manager’s ambition can’t play there, Scotland is on his way out so it all depends on who he brings in
Likewise assuming N’Zogbia stays who is his replacement if he’s out injured or suspended. Same applies if he’s sold & someone else brought in.
Out left it appears for some bizarre reason that Bobby is persisting with Rodallega. Aside from the fact he provides no defensive cover down that side & leaves Figueroa exposed time & time again, who is his back up?? Moses? A guy Bobby only thought good enough to start 2 games after he signed & he didn’t impress in either – is he going to have improved that much over the last 3 months?
The back up holding midfielder is Thomas & he didn’t look good enough last season
We’ve no back up left back
IMO there’s weak spots all throughout the squad
However I’ve seen nowt of the pre-season & am looking forward to being proved well & truly wrong when the season kicks off
TBH I think we’ll get relegated this season although I said exactly the same last season
The main reason is that I have absolutely no faith that Roberto Martinez has what it takes to be a success for us in this league – for me, the bad points he showed last season far outweighed the positivesI was in two minds last season. I’ve now decided that I like what he is doing, and I like the look of the players he has brought in.
Just picking up on a couple of points made by VAT69 – I don’t see how our midfield can look so much stronger than last season when the only addition to it has been James McArthur, or have the rest of them improved that much since last season
In a word….YES. McCarthy was just getting used to playing in the Premiership last season. He’s bedded in now, and will be a cracking player this season. (has he bulked up on the weights?) Diamé was also finding his feet, and did absolutely fantastic. He looks so hungry to succeed. Ben Watson was out on loan for most of last season. He’s back now, looks keen as mustard, and more than capable. Add to that the new lad, McCarthur, who you can tell has some ability, and the stopper, Hendry Thomas,and we are so strong in the middle. No wonder we let Scharner go.
I’d disagree that we have our strongest squad yet – who’ve we got up front if Boselli is out? Rodallega by our manager’s ambition can’t play there, Scotland is on his way out so it all depends on who he brings inWe are DEFINITELY stronger. Boselli or Scotland? I’d take Boselli ANY day. I think he’s going to score a load. Roberto doesn’t WANT to play Rodallega up as a lone striker, but if he had to, he would. And then we have Moses, and as of yet, N’Zogbia, looking to chip-in. We start this season definitely more healthier, going forward wise.
Likewise assuming N’Zogbia stays who is his replacement if he’s out injured or suspended. Same applies if he’s sold & someone else brought in.
Victor Moses, or one of the midfield. Or a new signing.
Out left it appears for some bizarre reason that Bobby is persisting with Rodallega. Aside from the fact he provides no defensive cover down that side & leaves Figueroa exposed time & time again, who is his back up?? Moses? A guy Bobby only thought good enough to start 2 games after he signed & he didn’t impress in either – is he going to have improved that much over the last 3 months?
It’s called the ‘softly-softly’ approach. Instead of sticking him in at the deepend and watching him get the sh*t kicked out of him, he broke him in gently. The right thing to do.
The back up holding midfielder is Thomas & he didn’t look good enough last season
Not overkeen on him myself. I’m sure either Watson or McArthur can play that role. Hopefully with Alcaraz at the back, instead of Bramble, there will be less of a need for a solid, defensive, midfielder, so to speak.
We’ve no back up left back
Salcido is coming, so I believe. I heard so earlier, anyway.
IMO there’s weak spots all throughout the squad
Stronger than last season. Players gone? Melchiot, past it. Been replaced by a young, Dutch international who was courted by Ajax. Scharner? Been replaced by McArthur, a real prospect, and anyway, Scharner was left out for much of last season as he seemed like he wasn’t bothered. Bramble? Always likely to make a big mistake, and has been replaced by an international player, straight after an impressive World Cup. And we have got Boselli in, who looks like having the striking ability we have missed for so long. He’s already scored 5 or 6 over the summer.
However I’ve seen nowt of the pre-season & am looking forward to being proved well & truly wrong when the season kicks offOnly seen the Real Zaragoza game. If you’d seen our first half display, you would feel differently. Very neat, very tidy, we controlled the game. Forget the result, Roberto made a load of changes and Zaragoza scored 2 good goals. I’ve spoken to other fans, and they think we look very good as well. ALL the new players look very promising.
anyone else have that gut feeling that this season relegation will catch up with usYes.
I was very confident after we got Alcaraz, Al Habsi McCarthur, Gohouri, Boselli and Stam.
Now that confidence is slipping away.
:roll:
Fair points VAT
I think “on paper” we may well have a stronger starting XI but as I aint seen the newbies play yet I’m gonna have to reserve judgement. My argument there though was that you said we had a stronger “squad” & I don’t think we do.
We may do if there are plans to bring in another striker, a left winger, right winger & left back but at the moment they aint in & as they aren’t i don’t think anyone can say the squad is stronger
With regards to Bobby himself, I hope he now has the players in who are capable of playing his system. My fear is that he is still to one dimensional & its this one way of playing with no back up plan – its a fea that got backed up when Whelan gave an interview stating he was happy with Bobby but he needed to mix things up a bit & Bobby replied the next day sayign he was a “stubborn” man & would persist with playing his way because he believed in it. Hopefully it was Bobby just standing up to Whelan & he has learnt there are times when a different approach is called for, but I aint so sure
With the midfield – I’m hoping that McArthur is the anchor man that they so desperately needed last season & one who will give Diame & McCarthy the freedom to get forward & create stuff whilst providing the protection for the back 4 that was missing last season. Time will tell
As for the performance against Zaragoza, I never read too much into pre-season games whether Latics win or lose. its from tomorrow onwards that it matters
I always worry we’re going to get relegated at the start of every season…and have done for 25 years. Bar one year it’s always meant that I’ve ended each season happier than I started it. This year is no different, though am slightly less nervous than last year. Give me 17th now and I’ll be a very happy man.
Can’t really judge the strength of the squad just yet, but assuming we’re no worse than last season, its really the tactics and mentality that need to be right this season:
1. Maintain a tight defence – if we manage this, then there’s enough goals between the squad for us to get several 1-0s and 1-1s
2. Keep hold of/extend winning positions
3. Beat teams around us – we can’t assume we’ll bag 4 “top 7” scalps this season
4. Target clear opportunities for back to back wins
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