[quote author=kingjulian link=topic=42120.msg1219146#msg1219146 date=1289906071]
[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=42120.msg1219126#msg1219126 date=1289902322]
[quote author=kingjulian link=topic=42120.msg1219024#msg1219024 date=1289871505]
[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=42120.msg1218871#msg1218871 date=1289846826]
I agree with neil. For all our problems, the top teams seem to be falling over themselves NOT to open up a gap at the top of the league. We could indeed have challenged for a top four place if we hadn't been so ineptly managed.
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The flaw in this logic is that you expect them to maintain their erratic form through the season while hoping that we are capable of putting together a run to vault them. They are more likely to put together a run of form than we are. We have more than 1 and a half a years worth of evidence backing it up. Looking at our squad, i shudder to think what might happen if Gerrard picks up a knock.
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Not guilty, my semi-namesake. You're putting words in my mouth. What I'm saying is twofold: (a) while they HAVE been erratic we should have remained much closer to them than we have, and (b) even afterwards we should at least be capable of not letting the gap widen.
Vlad and some of Roy's other defenders accuse his critics like me of blaming everything on him. Again, a big fat "Not Guilty" to that. There's not a single one of us who isn't aware of the problems Rafa left behind. That does not make us the kind of clueless rabble Roy's turned us into. The buck stops with him, and there's no adequate defence for his failure to measure up.
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I think we share most of the views and differ on the point that a better manager than Roy would have had us challenging for top 4. I think even a great manager would have struggled to get consistent results out of this squad. As things have turned out this season, chances are we would still be in touch with the top 4, and done a little better than 1.23 points a game, but overall we probably will still find it very difficult to get top 4.
* Roy has by no means done remotely well. He hasn't even given us an average performance. 1.23 points a game after 13 games translates to 47 points over the season. We have a squad that is definitely better than that. (I think even Vlad would agree to this)
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He would.
I agree with you - we need a bit of reality on what the squad is capable of under any manager.
People are getting confused between a good team and a good squad. We have a team that could be capable of challenging for the fourth berth, if it was constantly played to its' full and the players all played consistently to their full potential.
But that won't happen, we have injuries suspensions , lack of form, opposition teams playing well, and managerial decisions to contend with.
Our squad has practically zero depth to cope with the Prem.
I keep banging on about our main Achilles heel and that is our over reliance on a fantastic but unreliable player , and our laughable lack of options to either support him on the pitch or have cover for him when he is missing.
Ifwe brought in three or four really good players including at least one striker in January and everyone else was still stuttering , we kept key players fit and everyone played to their capability we might stand a slight chance, but it would be a really long shot and doubt we would be spending £50m in January, if the right players were available.
regards
