Simon79 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 If only we could buy Portsmouth's Nadir Belhadj for the left back position. Probably one of THE best left backs I've ever seen play at Ashton Gate - the bloke was phenomenal in that position yesterday. Good going forward,but I thought that Sproule had the beating of him.I'm quite happy with Jamie,one of the best left backs in the Championship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richwwtk Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Personally I find it extremely concerning that he's said that he's not looking to improve the squad at the moment, especially considering our midfield is blatantly weaker than this time last season??? How is the midfield weaker than this time last season? The only player not still with us is Nick Carle (who had only just joined this time last season) and he is more than made up for with Williams as cover and fast improving Sproule and Skuse, both of whom are arguably playing much better than they did at any time last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surreyred Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Thankfully for all concerned GJ picks the team and the players we sign. If it was up to a lot of the fans on this forum we would still be playing Marcus STEWART, Micheal BRIDGES, and Tommy DOC........... and be in the division below the gas !!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenun Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 How is the midfield weaker than this time last season? The only player not still with us is Nick Carle (who had only just joined this time last season) and he is more than made up for with Williams as cover and fast improving Sproule and Skuse, both of whom are arguably playing much better than they did at any time last season. Well, we were in the top six for virtually the whole of last season and have struggled this term because of our inability to fashion chances and boss matches from midfield. Furthermore, we don't even have 'Williams as cover' right now because the Welshman is injured; a trait he's carried from his time at Portman Road. Apparently, at one time during Williams' Ipswich tenure, Jim Magilton was keen to build a side around his midfielder, but this was curtailed by repeated injuries. And another thing, with Noble surplus to requirements, doesn't that make signing a creative midfielder a major concern? Or should we wait for wait until another of our engine room personnel succumb to the physio's treatment table? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tales From The Front Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Well, we were in the top six for virtually the whole of last season and have struggled this term because of our inability to fashion chances and boss matches from midfield. Furthermore, we don't even have 'Williams as cover' right now because the Welshman is injured; a trait he's carried from his time at Portman Road. Apparently, at one time during Williams' Ipswich tenure, Jim Magilton was keen to build a side around his midfielder, but this was curtailed by repeated injuries. And another thing, with Noble surplus to requirements, doesn't that make signing a creative midfielder a major concern? Or should we wait for wait until another of our engine room personnel succumb to the physio's treatment table? Thats a pretty fair assesment as far as I'm concerned. This season has shown that we do need to strenghen for the long term. Tomorrow will be another hard test and the midfield battle will be key as well as ability to create suffcient chances for our strikers. This undoubtedly has been a problem for many games this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh red Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 How is the midfield weaker than this time last season? The only player not still with us is Nick Carle (who had only just joined this time last season) and he is more than made up for with Williams as cover and fast improving Sproule and Skuse, both of whom are arguably playing much better than they did at any time last season. Exactly, we don't have Carle a player who has done well for palace this season now he's settled into this country. (4goals/4 assists in a higher placed team), to say we have made up for him with williams is nothing short of comical as the player has barely been 100% fit all season and done little that's worth a mention. Sproule has improved in the last couple of games but did well last season in spells, it's just that his early season form has been so terrible until recently, skuse has played better without doubt, but then started twice as many games as last season due to Elliotts early injuries. People can discuss the for and againsts for LJ v Carle and both sides will have valid points, however to compare Williams and Carle is comical, Williams has done nothing since coming here being a so called "established championship midfielder" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richwwtk Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 I'm not saying that we were necessarily right in selling Carle, or claiming that Gavin Williams is the better player. All I was doing was arguing that the midfield is not 'blatantly weaker' than last season. What Carle is doing this season is irrelevant to the argument, what is relevant concerning that statement is what he was doing last season and that was not a great deal. With the addition of Williams to the squad and the improved form of Sproule and Skuse I'd say that this seasons midfield is more or less the equal of last. The lower league placing compared to last season is certainly not down to a poorer midfield display but more than likely down to us not getting the rub of the green as we did so often last season. Two goals being allowed instead of wrongly ruled out and an injury time penalty being scored and we'd be right up there in the play off fight once more. You say that our position now is due to a lack of creativity from midfield but it doesn't seem to me that we're scoring significantly less than last season, in fact, our goal difference is probably a damn sight better than it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibor Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 You say that our position now is due to a lack of creativity from midfield but it doesn't seem to me that we're scoring significantly less than last season, in fact, our goal difference is probably a damn sight better than it was. We had a similar lack of creativity last season, this season we have barely scored 1 goal a game. We have a creative central midfielder who has two assists and one goal in over 20 games despite taking most of the set pieces. If you think that's sufficient for someone who is effectively absolved of all responsibility for doing any defensive work then I think you've set your sights far too low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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