For Those Who Didn't Believe Me

[Paul Finch]

Quote[Some of the players were good enough but did not progress a well as expected. This fact combined with our present injuries, our annual drop in form, Ars*nal, Chelsea and Everton lurking around the 3rd and 4th place, are the reasons why we are all panicking a little at the moment.]Unquote

Joolz, 
  I am interested to know which Players you thought WERE good enough, but did not progress as expected. I am  talking about players that were bought in the summer transfer window, supposedly experienced, not young players who have been with the Club for 2-3 yrs and who are still learning their trade. My point is, had Levy recruited the right players, perhaps the injuries we now have could have been avoided. I know that hindsight is a wonderful thing, but he consistently makes the same mistakes, season after season, will he never learn because his stubbornness keeps costing us year after year, or am I imagining it?
 

[ugs]

Quote[Some of the players were good enough but did not progress a well as expected. This fact combined with our present injuries, our annual drop in form, Ars*nal, Chelsea and Everton lurking around the 3rd and 4th place, are the reasons why we are all panicking a little at the moment.]Unquote

Joolz, 
I am interested to know which Players you thought WERE good enough, but did not progress as expected. I am  talking about players that were bought in the summer transfer window, supposedly experienced, not young players who have been with the Club for 2-3 yrs and who are still learning their trade. My point is, had Levy recruited the right players, perhaps the injuries we now have could have been avoided. I know that hindsight is a wonderful thing, but he consistently makes the same mistakes, season after season, will he never learn because his stubbornness keeps costing us year after year, or am I imagining it?
 

Mr Finch no imagination needed you are quite correct last year we faded away about the same time after 'Arry had made it quite clear we needed a CB and striker, and this year we needed a striker and some cover for Bale (why let Townsend go on loan to QPR)!!!!!
 
Plus all the signings we have made this season with exception of Lloris and Vertonghan have failed to live up to their potential and in Dempseys case he just isn't good enough !!!
 
 

[pieboy]

Im not entirely sure how the recruitment of players is carried out at the club. But yes I do agree if it if Levy who is the one making the majority of the transfer decision, than that is abit stupid. Levy is a business man and not a football scout.

However he is within his right to put in a policy in that players coming in to the club should have potential sell on value. At the end of the day it's a Business and there is a element of players being an investment on and off the pitch.

A lot of the summer signing were already in placed before AVB was appointed , so the question must be asked if Levy does play a bigger role in player purchased other than assessing financial risk/ potential.

The player bought in were all solid signings however none of them are really players that can push us to the "next level" .As an attacking force we are weaker than we were.

Regardless of where we end up this season, the chairman must back AVB in the transfer market. Only when AVB has the squad that he wants, can he be truly judged.

[RiffHard]

in Dempseys case he just isn't good enough !!!

10 goals in 37 games is not a bad stat for an attacking midfielder.

[pieboy]

Dempsey is neither in the class of Modric or VdV. It's unfair to compare, but unfortunately that is who he is replacing.
As such, the comparisons must be made.

Attacking players are expensive, he got a premium for Modric and a ageing Vdv. But replaced them with a bargain buy

[spursjoolz]

  I am interested to know which Players you thought WERE good enough, but did not progress as expected. I am  talking about players that were bought in the summer transfer window, supposedly experienced, not young players who have been with the Club for 2-3 yrs and who are still learning their trade. My point is, had Levy recruited the right players, perhaps the injuries we now have could have been avoided. I know that hindsight is a wonderful thing, but he consistently makes the same mistakes, season after season, will he never learn because his stubbornness keeps costing us year after year, or am I imagining it?
 

Holtby remains a mystery to me, Syg is inconsistent, Dempsey shoots at goal from anywhere, Dembele has done OK, but still falls short of the standard I thought he would be. Only Lloris & Vertongen have been first class. In addition, Defoe hasn't scored for weeks, Adebayor is awful, Parker has been giving the ball away to all & sundry on a regular basis. I could go on.

We do not have enough players to cover and Levy is the main factor for our present fate.  It's all in AVB's hands and I hope it has it all worked out.

[Glenn R]

OK, have a look at our remaining games, and our present form. Then have a look at Ars*nalnal's present performance, there existing games, and finally their history of strong finishes. Taking all that info into account, do you really think we will finish top four. If we don't, what is your opinion of our manager and the chairman ?

You know mine already !!

If we don't finish 4th or above then it will be a disappointing season and Mr Levy has some answering to do. As for AVB; this is his first season and I am willing to back him next season. We can't keep changing our manger every few seconds.

As for the matches left; people also were cynical before we played United (in both games) and we went ahead and took 5 points from them. Over all we were a far superior team over United. It isn't over yet. We also beat Ars*nal. Yes, they beat us but with 10 men and at the beginning of the season.

Our current form isn't that bad and they can change.

[Glenn R]

Dempsey is neither in the class of Modric or VdV. It's unfair to compare, but unfortunately that is who he is replacing.
As such, the comparisons must be made.

Attacking players are expensive, he got a premium for Modric and a ageing Vdv. But replaced them with a bargain buy

But Modric has gone and now we've got to concentrate on this season. The time to judge is at the end of the season. Mr Levy had made his bed - in the transfer window - now let us know see where that leads.

[baldbloke]

Some of the players were good enough but did not progress a well as expected. This fact combined with our present injuries, our annual drop in form, Ars*nal, Chelsea and Everton lurking around the 3rd and 4th place, are the reasons why we are all panicking a little at the moment.

This is football and we all know that anything can happen. Admitedly, we are in a less enviable position than the above, but with 6 games left, 1 point diff and a possible 18 up for grabs, it is up to us to exploit every opportunity. 

We will no doubt drop points, but I believe that so will they.

 

Last 6 games
 
Woolwich Wanderers
W5 D0 L1 = 15 Pts
 
Everton
W4 D1 L1 = 13 Pts
 
Chelski
W4 D0 L2 = 12 Pts
 
Tottenham
W3 D1 L2 = 10 Pts
 
On current form we are toast !!!!
 
 

 I would have to say that is about right. What is really scary, is that there are people out there that will still tell me that AVB is God. I wish people on here would listen to interdependent pundits regarding AVB. Very few rate him

[Glenn R]

Some of the players were good enough but did not progress a well as expected. This fact combined with our present injuries, our annual drop in form, Ars*nal, Chelsea and Everton lurking around the 3rd and 4th place, are the reasons why we are all panicking a little at the moment.

This is football and we all know that anything can happen. Admitedly, we are in a less enviable position than the above, but with 6 games left, 1 point diff and a possible 18 up for grabs, it is up to us to exploit every opportunity. 

We will no doubt drop points, but I believe that so will they.

 

Last 6 games
 
Woolwich Wanderers
W5 D0 L1 = 15 Pts
 
Everton
W4 D1 L1 = 13 Pts
 
Chelski
W4 D0 L2 = 12 Pts
 
Tottenham
W3 D1 L2 = 10 Pts
 
On current form we are toast !!!!
 
 

 I would have to say that is about right. What is really scary, is that there are people out there that will still tell me that AVB is God. I wish people on here would listen to interdependent pundits regarding AVB. Very few rate him

You are always going to get distractors if you look hard enough. As for AVB being “God,” I don’t think so. He’ll have to be a lot longer at Spurs and win a few things to be given that honour.

[Paul Finch]

     Joolz,
             Too be fair to Holtby, he only joined the club in January, and personally I think he will develop into a class player, the signs are there, you are right about Syg, I really thought that he was going to be a good signing, I wonder whether Dembele is carrying an injury, because since he had that Hip problem he hasn't played that flash, and he struggles to play a full 90 mins, Dempsey seemingly was on his way to Liverpool, but they weren't prepared to pay 6 million for him, how right they were

Quote[However he is within his right to put in a policy in that players coming in to the club should have potential sell on value. At the end of the day it's a Business and there is a element of players being an investment on and off the pitch.
A lot of the summer signing were already in placed before AVB was appointed , so the question must be asked if Levy does play a bigger role in player purchased other than assessing financial risk/ potential.]Unquote

  Please tell me what Dempsey & Syg's potential "Sell on Value is"
 
  With respect Pieboy, I think the only signing that was in place prior to AVB's appointment was Verthonghen, the others were made after his appointment and to be honest I do not think that AVB had any input, he made it very clear that he really wanted to sign Moutinho and Hulk, but Levy's valuation of both fell ludicrously short in fact the offer he made for Moutinho from memory was bloody insulting.

   The question has to be asked, why are Rose and Townsend still out on loan, surely they would at least have given us some attacking options in view of the injuries to Bale and Lennon, seeing as they can both play wide.

[RSS61]

     Joolz,
             Too be fair to Holtby, he only joined the club in January, and personally I think he will develop into a class player, the signs are there, you are right about Syg, I really thought that he was going to be a good signing, I wonder whether Dembele is carrying an injury, because since he had that Hip problem he hasn't played that flash, and he struggles to play a full 90 mins, Dempsey seemingly was on his way to Liverpool, but they weren't prepared to pay 6 million for him, how right they were

Quote[However he is within his right to put in a policy in that players coming in to the club should have potential sell on value. At the end of the day it's a Business and there is a element of players being an investment on and off the pitch.
A lot of the summer signing were already in placed before AVB was appointed , so the question must be asked if Levy does play a bigger role in player purchased other than assessing financial risk/ potential.]Unquote

  Please tell me what Dempsey & Syg's potential "Sell on Value is"
 
  With respect Pieboy, I think the only signing that was in place prior to AVB's appointment was Verthonghen, the others were made after his appointment and to be honest I do not think that AVB had any input, he made it very clear that he really wanted to sign Moutinho and Hulk, but Levy's valuation of both fell ludicrously short in fact the offer he made for Moutinho from memory was bloody insulting.

   The question has to be asked, why are Rose and Townsend still out on loan, surely they would at least have given us some attacking options in view of the injuries to Bale and Lennon, seeing as they can both play wide.

Paul, having read the previous few posts on this subject, I think that you have made the best points, and I am in total agreement with all you say. Danny Rose may not be the best left back in the world, but surely he would have done a better job than BAE and Naughton have. Same with Townsend standing in for Bale or Lennon. We have suffered big time from a lack of a stable back 4 and our goals against bears that out.
When you think that Loic Remy went to QPR for 8 mill surely we could have got him and he couldn't have done worse than Defoe and Adebayor put together.

As for top 4, sadly I think thats all over for us again. Unless Everton can turn over Ars*nal, then I think its all plain sailing for them. Chelsea may suffer from fixture pile up, but we really are hoping for the best there. They just have too much class for us, as I think we will see when we play them.

[spursjoolz]

Agreed on Rose, holding his own at Sunderland & Townsend who evidently is on form and has been scoring for QPR. They are both on the selling list at the end of the season IMO.

Would a draw suit us better than a win for Everton?

[RSS61]

Agreed on Rose, holding his own at Sunderland & Townsend who evidently is on form and has been scoring for QPR. They are both on the selling list at the end of the season IMO.

Would a draw suit us better than a win for Everton?

I would prefer a win for Everton as I see Ars*nal as the team we need to finish above if we are to get into CL. The rest of their run-in is slightly easier than Evertons I think.

[baldbloke]

Agreed on Rose, holding his own at Sunderland & Townsend who evidently is on form and has been scoring for QPR. They are both on the selling list at the end of the season IMO.

Would a draw suit us better than a win for Everton?

I would prefer a win for Everton as I see Ars*nal as the team we need to finish above if we are to get into CL. The rest of their run-in is slightly easier than Evertons I think.

Depends if your looking up or down. I am a realist, and know we don't have a monkey's chance of finishing above Ars*nal, yet we still have half a chance of finishing 5th and being above Everton.