Season 2012/2013 - Shit or Bust?

[The Old Fox]

Completely agree. Successful teams are not built by massive overhauls. They need time with one another to work as a cohesive unit. The crux of Man City's starting 11 have played at the club for over a year and many of their new signings are struggling to have an impact in that team, barring Aguerro. Despite all of their money it has taken them time to get where they are. If we overhaul the team again in the summer we are likely to face problems again.

We now haves the basis of a good squad. We lack consistency of course but this can certainly be ironed out over the summer and during pre-season with the addition of a couple of extra signings perhaps to bolster the attack on the wing and also to add perhaps a bit more creative flair in midfield.

I'd certainly look at retaining Vassell provided he has still got his pace after he comes back from injury. He has been a very decent acquisition by Sven and has been fairly consistent throughout his time here up until his injury. Obviously the coaches will need to take a look at him to see if he can still cut it when he returns but I certainly wouldn't class him as dead wood yet and would be good competition for the likes of Dyer and Marshall.

I do think it will be a make or break season with regards to the owners, but that doesn't mean we need to overhaul the entire squad yet again, especially where it is not necessary.

I agree that it takes a team time to bed down, but that does not mean that any eleven players will win the league, if played consistently for a couple of years. We need a high percentage of players, above Championship average, to challenge for promotion.

I would happily put Schmeichel and Nugent in that category; I could be persuaded to stretch a point and include Bamba and Vassell but, then I am struggling. Peltier and Marshall might develop into class players but, are not yet proven: where are any more?

 

[londonfox]

Bamba and Beckford - too individualistic.

What does that even mean?

In my opinion it has been the biggest positive but it has certainly been one of the biggest positives in Pearson's reign so far, that being the partnership of Beckford and Nugent.

 

[Blue Maniac]

Can we stop talking about next season?

It's nearly my birthday!!

What do you want for your birthday?

According to Liam Moore, Liam Moore's name is Liam Moore.

https://twitter.com/#!/liammoore93

:icon_lol:

 

[M17TT C]

Completely agree. Successful teams are not built by massive overhauls. They need time with one another to work as a cohesive unit. The crux of Man City's starting 11 have played at the club for over a year and many of their new signings are struggling to have an impact in that team, barring Aguerro. Despite all of their money it has taken them time to get where they are. If we overhaul the team again in the summer we are likely to face problems again.

We now haves the basis of a good squad. We lack consistency of course but this can certainly be ironed out over the summer and during pre-season with the addition of a couple of extra signings perhaps to bolster the attack on the wing and also to add perhaps a bit more creative flair in midfield.

I'd certainly look at retaining Vassell provided he has still got his pace after he comes back from injury. He has been a very decent acquisition by Sven and has been fairly consistent throughout his time here up until his injury. Obviously the coaches will need to take a look at him to see if he can still cut it when he returns but I certainly wouldn't class him as dead wood yet and would be good competition for the likes of Dyer and Marshall.

I do think it will be a make or break season with regards to the owners, but that doesn't mean we need to overhaul the entire squad yet again, especially where it is not necessary.

Bloody hell, I'd forgot about Vassell!! For me he's a bit of another Gally and doesn't really have a position where he excels but can do a job in a couple so may be worth hanging on to but wouldn't be overly fussed if he were to leave.

Regarding the owners, as sceptical and as worried as I am that the clubs future depends on what they do, I do not think they will just jump ship at any given point suddenly. They are businessmen so will not want to walk away at a complete loss when we have a squad that is capable of generating some income if needed so I would say that this summer should give us a good indication of their intentions. If we start selling some of the 'big' signings from the previous summer then it could indicate that they are looking to balance the books and get out but providing we keep the majority I'd be confident that they will at least see that season out with us and then see what happens as we are definitely showing the potential to be able to do very well in this league but we just need to sort the consistancy out and we'll be right up there in the mix for automatic promotion.

 

[Leesoh]

Is there a song called "Shit Or Bust" available on Singstar?

Or something with "Wellens" in the title?

If there isn't, we could always make it up.

What do you want for your birthday?

I haven't a clue. As long as it isn't saucepans, Biffa Bacon's unmentionables will remain intact.

 

[Mawsley]

A lovely new iron then.

 

[gregs_y2k]

I agree that it takes a team time to bed down, but that does not mean that any eleven players will win the league, if played consistently for a couple of years. We need a high percentage of players, above Championship average, to challenge for promotion.

I would happily put Schmeichel and Nugent in that category; I could be persuaded to stretch a point and include Bamba and Vassell but, then I am struggling. Peltier and Marshall might develop into class players but, are not yet proven: where are any more?

No of course not, but we have a team that has consistently outplayed and won points from the better teams in this league. Our downfall is our inconsistency not our quality. We do not need to overhaul the squad to become a team that is worthy of a promotion push. Teams like Southampton, Norwich and even us a couple of seasons back have shown that you can do very well in this league and gain promotion without having to invest heavily in a squad after making the step up. The truth of the matter is, is that the difference between the standards of League 1 and the Championship are not all that great. It's now 3 seasons in a row where teams that have come up from League 1 have been vying for promotion.

We have the basis of a very strong squad for this league, we only require a couple of additional shrewd signings in the summer and time to regroup to give us the perfect platform to start a promotion campaign next year.

 

[Redditch Fox]

No of course not, but we have a team that has consistently outplayed and won points from the better teams in this league. Our downfall is our inconsistency not our quality. We do not need to overhaul the squad to become a team that is worthy of a promotion push. Teams like Southampton, Norwich and even us a couple of seasons back have shown that you can do very well in this league and gain promotion without having to invest heavily in a squad after making the step up. The truth of the matter is, is that the difference between the standards of League 1 and the Championship are not all that great. It's now 3 seasons in a row where teams that have come up from League 1 have been vying for promotion.

We have the basis of a very strong squad for this league, we only require a couple of additional shrewd signings in the summer and time to regroup to give us the perfect platform to start a promotion campaign next year.

Basically the Premier League clubs cream off almost all the quality players and you are right there isn't much difference between the top of League 1 and the top half of the Championship.

We have more 'quality' as in expensive players than most in the Championship and I think Pearson is the ideal manager to work with the resources we do have and get the decent start to next season that is almost essential to challenge for promotion.

I hope - but there isn't much chance of it - that we won't get the over-hype and unrealistic expectations going into next season that gets in the way. The likelihood is that once again that there will be plenty of other clubs who fancy their chances and who are quite happy to make exaggerated statements about the alleged strength of our club. Unfortunately, our players not to mention supporters seem to buy into this bullshit and become deluded about our quality.

 

[The Old Fox]

Basically the Premier League clubs cream off almost all the quality players and you are right there isn't much difference between the top of League 1 and the top half of the Championship.

We have more 'quality' as in expensive players than most in the Championship and I think Pearson is the ideal manager to work with the resources we do have and get the decent start to next season that is almost essential to challenge for promotion.

I hope - but there isn't much chance of it - that we won't get the over-hype and unrealistic expectations going into next season that gets in the way. The likelihood is that once again that there will be plenty of other clubs who fancy their chances and who are quite happy to make exaggerated statements about the alleged strength of our club. Unfortunately, our players not to mention supporters seem to buy into this bullshit and become deluded about our quality.

But, next season, there will be three ex-Premier League teams, at least a couple of useful Div 1 outfits with "the bounce effect" and the teams that have consistently finished above us.

The further one goes into a season, the more realistic a table becomes. I am afraid that we are the eleventh best team in the current Championship. What, apart from blind loyalty, leads one to believe that this will change, without personnel change?

 

[homer]

But, next season, there will be three ex-Premier League teams, at least a couple of useful Div 1 outfits with "the bounce effect"

But that happens every single season - and I would argue that there are no clubs likely to be coming into the Championship next season anywhere near the quality of West Ham or Southampton

I won't argue with the fact that we're a bit shit, that's bleedin' obvious

But we will certainly better off in terms of potential opposition. Wigan/Wolves/Bolton are cack and, Charlton aside, those likely to come up from League One are nowhere near the class of Southampton and Brighton - and there is plenty of opportunity to for us to improve

 

[gregs_y2k]

But that happens every single season - and I would argue that there are no clubs likely to be coming into the Championship next season anywhere near the quality of West Ham or Southampton

I won't argue with the fact that we're a bit shit, that's bleedin' obvious

But we will certainly better off in terms of potential opposition. Wigan/Wolves/Bolton are cack and, Charlton aside, those likely to come up from League One are nowhere near the class of Southampton and Brighton - and there is plenty of opportunity to for us to improve

Agree wholeheartedly. The teams that come down are going to struggle. Wolves will have financial constraints having invested so much in their stadium, Wigan are in real trouble when they finally drop from the top tier with their abysmal crowd attendances, Bolton are trying to work to a long term financial plan, QPR are the only team down there with any financial muscle and I think even they will spend modestly should hey go down and will not retain their better players.

We are the 11th best team in this league currently, however, we have a very capable squad which will benefit hugely from having played together with the same manager, tactics and philosophy for a sustained period. Taking this team with one or two additions in key positions over the summer into a new season will be much better and bear more fruit than another summer of wholesale changes to the squad. If we start making 7 or 8 changes in the summer transfer window, I will be concerned.

 

[East Anglia Fox]

We now haves the basis of a good squad. We lack consistency of course but this can certainly be ironed out over the summer and during pre-season with the addition of a couple of extra signings perhaps to bolster the attack on the wing and also to add perhaps a bit more creative flair in midfield.

If West Ham go up, which they almost certainly will, we should sign Sam Baldock. He would probably be available for about 1 million and would almost certainly be a regular goalscorer if he was actually played. My West Ham supporting friend says the only reason he doesn't play is because he doesn't fit Big Sam's system.

 

[Redditch Fox]

But, next season, there will be three ex-Premier League teams, at least a couple of useful Div 1 outfits with "the bounce effect" and the teams that have consistently finished above us.

The further one goes into a season, the more realistic a table becomes. I am afraid that we are the eleventh best team in the current Championship. What, apart from blind loyalty, leads one to believe that this will change, without personnel change?

I hope that the wholesale changes phases are over for the time being. As I've said before we may need a destructive mid fielder and an additional striker - a physical player to provide a further option now that Howard is as good as finished.

I would expect us to be very competitive next season due to Pearson having had further time with the squad.

I'm not amongst those who have delusiions about us p-ssing this league but I'm quite optimistic about us being genuinely in the mix next season. The only reason some folk are a bit down at this stage is because they had unrealistic expectations partly as a result of media hype.

 

[manxfox]

Shit

 

[MerseyFox]

Shit +1

 

[Motown Fox]

Nigel is angry. Wheres the post match thread gone.

 

[Brown Nose]

Are we seriously only two or three changes away from a top two team for next season? There are major doubts for me about so many of these players. Where is the character and professional pride in the squad?

NP has had 23 games since his return. 10 wins (3 in the cup), 6 draws (1 in the cup), 7 defeats. That would give us a 72 point season if applied over a league campaign. But if the cup games aren't included, our league form has been patchy to say the least.

NP has a massive job on his hands in my view to turn this lot into a top two team for next year. His signings are going to have to be exceptional as well as his decisions about who goes.

Not to mention the half a million quid the club are losing EVERY WEEK.

 

[Macky]

Wheres the post match thread gone.

We were waiting for you to start it, but you let us all down

 

[Matt_B]

Are we seriously only two or three changes away from a top two team for next season? There are major doubts for me about so many of these players. Where is the character and professional pride in the squad?

NP has had 23 games since his return. 10 wins (3 in the cup), 6 draws (1 in the cup), 7 defeats. That would give us a 72 point season if applied over a league campaign. But if the cup games aren't included, our league form has been patchy to say the least.

NP has a massive job on his hands in my view to turn this lot into a top two team for next year. His signings are going to have to be exceptional as well as his decisions about who goes.

Not to mention the half a million quid the club are losing EVERY WEEK.

Is that half a million made up? You can be honest.

 

[The Old Fox]

Is that half a million made up? You can be honest.

If it is, and I ask nicely, do you think that he could make up half a million for me too? :icon_bigg