The Riera.

[Oncy]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912911#msg912911 date=1248707653]
oh, fucking ha ha

has there ever been a striker who has scored 100 league goals in a single season? no.

has there ever been keeper who didn't let in a single league goal in a season? no.

has there ever been a team whose wide players both scored double figures in the league? yes there fucking well has been.
you guys make it sound like it's an impossibility.
[/quote]Doesnt mean we cant expect them does it? Ok if thats your rules, i expect my forwards to equal Henry's goal and assists record, my keeper to beat the all time clean sheets record etc etc.

Are you not beginning to feel in the least bit....ya know.....stupid?

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=34929.msg912922#msg912922 date=1248708226]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912911#msg912911 date=1248707653]
oh, fucking ha ha

has there ever been a striker who has scored 100 league goals in a single season? no.

has there ever been keeper who didn't let in a single league goal in a season? no.

has there ever been a team whose wide players both scored double figures in the league? yes there fucking well has been.
you guys make it sound like it's an impossibility.
[/quote]Doesnt mean we cant expect them does it? Ok if thats your rules, i expect my forwards to equal Henry's goal and assists record, my keeper to beat the all time clean sheets record etc etc.

Are you not beginning to feel in the least bit....ya know.....stupid?
[/quote]

not at all, I'm fairly confident kuyt will get 10+ goals in the league.
I don't think reira will get more than six league goals but for the amount of time he will undoubtably enjoy on the left wing he SHOULD be getting close to 10 league goals.
everyone can have their own expectations, whether they be realistic or not, like our expectations to win the league despite other teams having deeper and more expensive squads.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912929#msg912929 date=1248708789]
[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=34929.msg912922#msg912922 date=1248708226]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912911#msg912911 date=1248707653]
oh, fucking ha ha

has there ever been a striker who has scored 100 league goals in a single season? no.

has there ever been keeper who didn't let in a single league goal in a season? no.

has there ever been a team whose wide players both scored double figures in the league? yes there fucking well has been.
you guys make it sound like it's an impossibility.
[/quote]Doesnt mean we cant expect them does it? Ok if thats your rules, i expect my forwards to equal Henry's goal and assists record, my keeper to beat the all time clean sheets record etc etc.

Are you not beginning to feel in the least bit....ya know.....stupid?
[/quote]

not at all, I'm fairly confident kuyt will get 10+ goals in the league.
I don't think reira will get more than six league goals but for the amount of time he will undoubtably enjoy on the left wing he SHOULD be getting close to 10 league goals.
everyone can have their own expectations, whether they be realistic or not, like our expectations to win the league despite other teams having deeper and more expensive squads.
[/quote]

The best thing we can hope for with Riera is an improvement of the same magnitude as Kuyt's.

Rafa got a massive return from Kuyt last season, more than his first season when he played as an out and out striker. And despite Riera's stint at City, this was his first real full season where he for most part added balance and composure down the left handside. He's scored goals over the Summer so hopefully the lad will improve on last season, which means that 10 is hardly inconceivable.

I still believe we can improve longterm, but if the improvements of Yossi and Kuyt are anything to go by, we could be in for a big second season from Albert.

 

[mark1975]

And lads, I think you are being a tad harsh on Spidey here and I certainly don't believe the players aren't out there, I think we've got a fine manager who will utilise players well and get the best out of them, ala Kuyt. A fit Joe Cole (for example) could come here and score 10+, so could countless others, they just have to be used correctly.

Just because Ronaldo and Kuyt ran away with it last season doesn't mean that the goalscoring widemen have dried up. Ashley Young is another who looks more than capable.

 

[Friend no. 2]

[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=34929.msg912875#msg912875 date=1248705258]
[quote author=the count link=topic=34929.msg912858#msg912858 date=1248704338]
Personally I believe that if we had a striker who scored 100 goals a season we would romp to the title.
[/quote]

I concur. Allied to a goalkeeper who doesn't let in any goals, I firmly believe we'd be favourites to take the league. And is it too much to expect- IS IT? I jolly well think not!!
[/quote]

If everybody keeps hopping on the bandwagon it might get overloaded and break. While I don't agree with Spidey that a winger should be getting 10 league goals, if we had a left sided player as prolific as Dirk last year we could have won the league. 4 points is not much. 2 goals turn two draws into two wins...

 

[the count]

[quote author=GOD_23 link=topic=34929.msg912939#msg912939 date=1248709733]
[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=34929.msg912875#msg912875 date=1248705258]
[quote author=the count link=topic=34929.msg912858#msg912858 date=1248704338]
Personally I believe that if we had a striker who scored 100 goals a season we would romp to the title.
[/quote]

I concur. Allied to a goalkeeper who doesn't let in any goals, I firmly believe we'd be favourites to take the league. And is it too much to expect- IS IT? I jolly well think not!!
[/quote]

If everybody keeps hopping on the bandwagon it might get overloaded and break. While I don't agree with Spidey that a winger should be getting 10 league goals, if we had a left sided player as prolific as Dirk last year we could have won the league. 4 points is not much. 2 goals turn two draws into two wins...
[/quote]

We were the highest goalscorers in the league last year. If it was simply about scoring goals then we would be champions.

Ok, I know I am being a bit facetious.
What we need is someone to create that chance in those tight goalless draws against "park the bus" teams. Someone with a bit of flair and that "je ne c'est pas"

As much as I like Reira and I think he brings balance to the team that others (cough Babel) don't he isn't that type of player. Ultimately, as imperative as he is to our team, neither is Dirk.
I think we had all hoped (and some still do) that Ryan Babel could/would be that player but that isn't looking very likely either.

 

[spider-Neil]

we did superbly last season but we fell short so how do we improve on the massive points tally we aquired last season (and 86 points will be difficult to top make no mistake).

a) keeping torres fit all season
having torres fit and injury free shouldn't be taken for granted.

b) keeping more clean sheets meaning we only need to score one goal to win the game
pepe missed out on the golden gloves so there is room for improvement there, but banking on the defence to keep clean sheets brings mental and physical fatigue which often hits us in the winter months.

c) more goals from midfield
excusing masher who is an out and out holding midfielder and gerrard who can be classed as a forward;
of the regular starters in midfield
xabi - 2 (league)
reira - 3 (league)
kuyt - 12 (league)
babel - 3 (league)
yossi - 5 (league)

I think improvement to 'c' is the surest/easiest way of reducing the 12 draws that undoubtably cost us the league.
if people think it isn't possible for two players from our midfield to score double figures in the league, fine, but that's what they should be aiming for or have we truly embraced mediocrity.

 

[Friend no. 2]

[quote author=the count link=topic=34929.msg912944#msg912944 date=1248710257]
[quote author=GOD_23 link=topic=34929.msg912939#msg912939 date=1248709733]
[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=34929.msg912875#msg912875 date=1248705258]
[quote author=the count link=topic=34929.msg912858#msg912858 date=1248704338]
Personally I believe that if we had a striker who scored 100 goals a season we would romp to the title.
[/quote]

I concur. Allied to a goalkeeper who doesn't let in any goals, I firmly believe we'd be favourites to take the league. And is it too much to expect- IS IT? I jolly well think not!!
[/quote]

If everybody keeps hopping on the bandwagon it might get overloaded and break. While I don't agree with Spidey that a winger should be getting 10 league goals, if we had a left sided player as prolific as Dirk last year we could have won the league. 4 points is not much. 2 goals turn two draws into two wins...
[/quote]

We were the highest goalscorers in the league last year. If it was simply about scoring goals then we would be champions.

Ok, I know I am being a bit facetious.
What we need is someone to create that chance in those tight goalless draws against "park the bus" teams. Someone with a bit of flair and that "je ne c'est pas"

As much as I like Reira and I think he brings balance to the team that others (cough Babel) don't he isn't that type of player. Ultimately, as imperative as he is to our team, neither is Dirk.
I think we had all hoped (and some still do) that Ryan Babel could/would be that player but that isn't looking very likely either.
[/quote]

I like Riera, I don't love him but he's a good footballer and brings good balance to the team. He doesn't seem to play well against the big boys, but that's not who we struggled against last year.

The point I'm trying to make is that Spidey is making his points (some I agree with, some I don't) and being lambasted for unfairly.

 

[jan]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912956#msg912956 date=1248711157]
c) more goals from midfield
excusing masher who is an out and out holding midfielder and gerrard who can be classed as a forward;
of the regular starters in midfield
xabi - 2 (league)
reira - 3 (league)
kuyt - 12 (league)
babel - 3 (league)
yossi - 5 (league)
[/quote]

Yossi got 8 and Xabi 4.

 

[Paddy]

RIERA!
Give Nando's whatever back.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912956#msg912956 date=1248711157]
we did superbly last season but we fell short so how do we improve on the massive points tally we aquired last season (and 86 points will be difficult to top make no mistake).

a) keeping torres fit all season
having torres fit and injury free shouldn't be taken for granted.

b) keeping more clean sheets meaning we only need to score one goal to win the game
pepe missed out on the golden gloves so there is room for improvement there, but banking on the defence to keep clean sheets brings mental and physical fatigue which often hits us in the winter months.

c) more goals from midfield
excusing masher who is an out and out holding midfielder and gerrard who can be classed as a forward;
of the regular starters in midfield
xabi - 2 (league)
reira - 3 (league)
kuyt - 12 (league)
babel - 3 (league)
yossi - 5 (league)

I think improvement to 'c' is the surest/easiest way of reducing the 12 draws that undoubtably cost us the league.
if people think it isn't possible for two players from our midfield to score double figures in the league, fine, but that's what they should be aiming for or have we truly embraced mediocrity.
[/quote]

Despite the overall goal haul it's worth mentioning that we clocked up alot of goals in the latter part of the season (as per). It's fair to say we struggled to break teams down at times in the first part of the season and it's certainly fair to note that we also rode our luck alot at times early on in the campaign (Boro a perfect example).

Games like the Stoke one's were crying out for someone to pull something out of the hat, ala Garcia a few years back. We definitely lacked that something in certain games.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=jan link=topic=34929.msg912973#msg912973 date=1248712860]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912956#msg912956 date=1248711157]
c) more goals from midfield
excusing masher who is an out and out holding midfielder and gerrard who can be classed as a forward;
of the regular starters in midfield
xabi - 2 (league)
reira - 3 (league)
kuyt - 12 (league)
babel - 3 (league)
yossi - 5 (league)
[/quote]

Yossi got 8 and Xabi 4.
[/quote]

yossi got 8 league goals? are you sure? are you also sure xabi got 4 league goals?

 

[gene hughes]

[quote author=Paddy link=topic=34929.msg912978#msg912978 date=1248713528]

RIERA!
Give Nando's whatever back.
[/quote]

That's really unhygienic, even if it is Fernando.

 

[Halmeister]

Yossi did get 8 and alonso did get 4. I think we'd be hard pressed scoring the same amount of goals this season.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Halmeister link=topic=34929.msg912991#msg912991 date=1248714824]
Yossi did get 8 and alonso did get 4. I think we'd be hard pressed scoring the same amount of goals this season.
[/quote]

so despite people coming down like a ton of bricks, had yossi got two more goals we would have had two midfielders with double figures in the league. having said that I'm going to check if yossi DID score 8 league goals 😛

edit: bloody hell he did as well.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912997#msg912997 date=1248715108]
[quote author=Halmeister link=topic=34929.msg912991#msg912991 date=1248714824]
Yossi did get 8 and alonso did get 4. I think we'd be hard pressed scoring the same amount of goals this season.
[/quote]

so despite people coming down like a ton of bricks, had yossi got two more goals we would have had two midfielders with double figures in the league. having said that I'm going to check if yossi DID score 8 league goals 😛
[/quote]

He did Neil, he got 9 overall, the other being THAT goal.

 

[cochyn]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912956#msg912956 date=1248711157]
we did superbly last season but we fell short so how do we improve on the massive points tally we aquired last season (and 86 points will be difficult to top make no mistake).

a) keeping torres fit all season
having torres fit and injury free shouldn't be taken for granted.

b) keeping more clean sheets meaning we only need to score one goal to win the game
pepe missed out on the golden gloves so there is room for improvement there, but banking on the defence to keep clean sheets brings mental and physical fatigue which often hits us in the winter months.

c) more goals from midfield
excusing masher who is an out and out holding midfielder and gerrard who can be classed as a forward;
of the regular starters in midfield
xabi - 2 (league)
reira - 3 (league)
kuyt - 12 (league)
babel - 3 (league)
yossi - 5 (league)

I think improvement to 'c' is the surest/easiest way of reducing the 12 draws that undoubtably cost us the league.
if people think it isn't possible for two players from our midfield to score double figures in the league, fine, but that's what they should be aiming for or have we truly embraced mediocrity.
[/quote]

Do you go blue in the face often?

 

[cochyn]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912738#msg912738 date=1248693400]
* attacking fullbacks?
ha ha rafa has just spent 17 MILLION POUNDS on one. way to prove your point.

* didi hamann
I said hamann is a good player (about a million fucking times) but I said we needed someone who is more mobile (in comes masher) and someone who can shield the defense and offer more going in the opposite direction (in comes alonso).

* this thread
I've expressed an OPINION that we should have wide players capable of delivering double figures in the league. big fucking whoop.

how about you ryan with your continual defense of the hapless lucas and wasn't it you who thought haden mullins was a good player (ha ha fucking HELL!!!).
[/quote]

And now you complain about mascher not scoring any goals!!!

 

[Rosco]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912691#msg912691 date=1248688951]
for the record I think 10+ league goals from a wide position if you are a regular starter isn't a big ask I couldn't care if other teams don't have such players, we aren't just anyone team we have (make that should have) aspirations of being the best.
[/quote]

24 players hit double figures in the league last year.

Of those 24:

19 were out and out strikers. 2 were players that played both up front and out wide.

3 were midfielders - Matt taylor, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.


So are you trying to tell me that the wingers in the Premiership aren't pullng their weight ?

Or is it the case that scoring double figures is a pretty difficult thing to do when you're not playing up front ?

 

[Rosco]

FAO Ibromurph, re assists.

Van Persie had the most assists in the Premiership last season with 11.

What makes you think it's possible to have 15-20 assists ?

*I'm trying hard not to say how fuckign stupid it is that people have such a high regard for this stat btw.

 

[Oncy]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=34929.msg913021#msg913021 date=1248719130]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912691#msg912691 date=1248688951]
for the record I think 10+ league goals from a wide position if you are a regular starter isn't a big ask I couldn't care if other teams don't have such players, we aren't just anyone team we have (make that should have) aspirations of being the best.
[/quote]

24 players hit double figures in the league last year.

Of those 24:

19 were out and out strikers. 2 were players that played both up front and out wide.

3 were midfielders - Matt taylor, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.


So are you trying to tell me that the wingers in the Premiership aren't pulling their weight ?

Or is it the case that scoring double figures is a pretty difficult thing to do when you're not playing up front ?
[/quote]Lovely stuff there.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=34929.msg913021#msg913021 date=1248719130]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912691#msg912691 date=1248688951]
for the record I think 10+ league goals from a wide position if you are a regular starter isn't a big ask I couldn't care if other teams don't have such players, we aren't just anyone team we have (make that should have) aspirations of being the best.
[/quote]

24 players hit double figures in the league last year.

Of those 24:

19 were out and out strikers. 2 were players that played both up front and out wide.

3 were midfielders - Matt taylor, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.


So are you trying to tell me that the wingers in the Premiership aren't pullng their weight ?

Or is it the case that scoring double figures is a pretty difficult thing to do when you're not playing up front ?
[/quote]

PWNED TO FUCK SPIDEY.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=cochyn link=topic=34929.msg913007#msg913007 date=1248716652]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912738#msg912738 date=1248693400]
* attacking fullbacks?
ha ha rafa has just spent 17 MILLION POUNDS on one. way to prove your point.

* didi hamann
I said hamann is a good player (about a million fucking times) but I said we needed someone who is more mobile (in comes masher) and someone who can shield the defense and offer more going in the opposite direction (in comes alonso).

* this thread
I've expressed an OPINION that we should have wide players capable of delivering double figures in the league. big fucking whoop.

how about you ryan with your continual defense of the hapless lucas and wasn't it you who thought haden mullins was a good player (ha ha fucking HELL!!!).
[/quote]

And now you complain about mascher not scoring any goals!!!
[/quote]

when have I said that? in this very thread I said masher was excused from scoring goals

 

[keniget]

Dirk got most of his goals playing up front last season, so I don't think you can hold up his return as the benchmark for a wide player.

As for the thread in general, I think spidey has been hard done by - what's he said that is so terrible? That we should look for goalscoring wide players?

We should. They don't have to be consistent scorers, but we need players with goals and spark in 'em. Riera last season didn't really show that he was that sorta player - too often he looked out of his comfort zone when he got near the penalty box. Maybe the confidence gained from playing for a club like Liverpool and being in the national team has helped, we'll see...

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=34929.msg913040#msg913040 date=1248719874]
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=34929.msg913021#msg913021 date=1248719130]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=34929.msg912691#msg912691 date=1248688951]
for the record I think 10+ league goals from a wide position if you are a regular starter isn't a big ask I couldn't care if other teams don't have such players, we aren't just anyone team we have (make that should have) aspirations of being the best.
[/quote]

24 players hit double figures in the league last year.

Of those 24:

19 were out and out strikers. 2 were players that played both up front and out wide.

3 were midfielders - Matt taylor, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.


So are you trying to tell me that the wingers in the Premiership aren't pullng their weight ?

Or is it the case that scoring double figures is a pretty difficult thing to do when you're not playing up front ?
[/quote]

PWNED TO FUCK SPIDEY.
[/quote]

how so?
a) I couldn't care LESS what other teams are doing, so fucking what? we want to be the league leaders therefore we need to be BETTER than eveyone else. 'oh, arsenal didn't have two midfielders who got double figures in the league so it's okay for us to not have them either' what kind of logic is that?

b) kuyt is a midfielder now, or at least that's where he plays the majority of games just like gerrard is a forward now because that's where he plays the majority of games. if we're still going to class kuyt as our striker then who is our right midfielder?
so in my mind
reira
kuyt
yossi
babel
are the players that will start in wide positions for us, if in some games they start up front, fine, but midfield is where they will play most of their games unless we go 4-4-2 (pushing kuyt up front) which I doubt and of that four I will be looking for two to get into double figures in the league.
fine, you all disagree that's your choice don't talk to me about what arsenal, chelsea, manu or anyone else is doing who the fuck cares?!

 

[Stulikesdrums]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=34929.msg913032#msg913032 date=1248719537]
FAO Ibromurph, re assists.

Van Persie had the most assists in the Premiership last season with 11.

What makes you think it's possible to have 15-20 assists ?

*I'm trying hard not to say how fuckign stupid it is that people have such a high regard for this stat btw.
[/quote]

But you get 3 points for it in Fantasy Football man.
So it must count for something.

 

[doctor_mac]

Why is the assist stat not significant? Surely setting up goals is significant in the scheme of things?

 

[Squiggles]

Please don't...

 

[Irish_Red]

How many wingers/wideman have actually scored double figures in the premier league the likes of Duff, Robben, Cole never reached it Giggs has only managed it twice likewise Pires, Beckham once.

Hopefully the likes of Skertel, Aurelio, Alonso (hopefully) and Johnson can chip in with more goals.

 

[gene hughes]

We need to play Gerrard on the left and Torres on the right. It's the only way.