Serious upgrades and the squad players brought in

[GTM]

If any team picks up a few injuries to key players, they will be weakened. Imagine if City were to lose Aguero, Sterling and De Bruyne for 6 months? You can't simply buy your way out of that kind of situation.

Yesterday, we rested 4 players who have been key to our recent good form and put the other (Defoe on the bench). So we swapped out half the team which the gaffer took responsibility for. There is no doubt that the squad quality can be improved - the manager has identified this and addressed it even before the season ended. Jones, Hastie, Stewart coming in and Murphy and Dorans and possibly Docherty coming back will help on that front.

IMO, SG will now focus on the first 11 and will spend some money to add quality. A left back, a CB, a number 10 type, a replacement for Morelos and trying to keep Kent for at least 1 more year will probably be his priority. If we get those positions filled with some shrewd, good quality signings, we will be in good shape for next season.

Let's trust the management team to do their job.

 

[Earl of Leven]

People are - perhaps deliberately - missing the point. No one on here has in any way indicated that the management team haven't improved the starting XI. The comments are around the lack of depth and the sad fact that a lot of the fringe players have done nothing, zero, nada to pressurise the manager into picking them. It is NOT manager's fault that when we rest players we're terrible but it is a fact that IS worth mentioning on a fan discussion board.

 

[RFC97]

People are - perhaps deliberately - missing the point. No one on here has in any way indicated that the management team haven't improved the starting XI. The comments are around the lack of depth and the sad fact that a lot of the fringe players have one nothing, zero, nada to pressurise the manager into picking them. It is NOT manager's fault that when we rest players we're terrible but it is a fact that IS worth mentioning on a fan discussion board.

Spot on.

And I’ve just been threatened with a permanent ban for daring to point it out.

 

[Earl of Leven]

Spot on.

And I’ve just been threatened with a permanent ban for daring to point it out.

Far too much of the "Are you now a Stevie Gerrard hater?!" and pish like that which is unrelated to the subject.

 

[RFC97]

Far too much of the "Are you now a Stevie Gerrard hater?!" and pish like that which is unrelated to the subject.

I’ve got a lot of positivity for next year and the management team have done a good job so far.

But yesterday was a reminder that the depth of the squad is not there to win a title. More than that, we will lose Kent etc and we can’t just expect our Murphy’s to then just come in and take from where we left off. We’re going to need solid investment in positions like that.

Summer transfer window, again, is critical.
But it needs to be targeted and slick, we don’t need the scatter gun approach of last year because we’re not rebuilding a squad here.

 

[Earl of Leven]

Also, when we're short of certain players we can't return to the 4-3-3 with two very wide players as it doesn't work, and didn't work previously. We need players to allow us to keep playing way that suits us best.

 

[klos]

Quite ironic thread given the OP didn’t understand why we we targeting players like Mexer for upgrades a few weeks ago.

 

[RFC97]

Quite ironic thread given the OP didn’t understand why we we targeting players like Mexer for upgrades a few weeks ago.

You’ve not done a good job exposing the irony.

The serious upgrades I call for are in the CM and Inside forward. I don’t believe significant resources should go to the center half position.

The OP actually states this in the last line.

You need to have a better grasp of subtleties going forward.

 

[pelem]

Honestly never seen so many people panic so much in my entire life

It's got fuukin worse. And yet most want next season to start in quick time.

Get a good close season and come back refreshed and ready to take up the challenge.

Thats whit I'm fuukin daein.

 

[Garrioch Bear]

Don't want to go of the deep end here , but Worrel ffs I am 59 and have better ball control than him Barasic for an International defender was embarrassing Kamara is not a holding midfield player and although he scored a wonderful goal Morelos playing changes the way we play , when Shagger,Tav,Katic,Davis,Arfield and Defoe play we are the best in this league .

Have you forgotten Shagger,Tav, Davis ,Arfield and Defoe all played in the last defeat at Killie. Jack (with a nosebleed)
set up our goal.

 

[Muay Bouk]

You obviously haven’t read enough of my posts then because I’ve heaped plenty of praise and positivity on this side

I have watched plenty of your posts recently and will be watching plenty in the near future.

 

[ICA_86]

Questioning of Ryan Jack seems to be the in thing for this week.

I’m sure Steven Gerrard knows a midfielder when he sees one.

 

[RFC97]

I have watched plenty of your posts recently and will be watching plenty in the near future.

Shambles.

Read my OP. All I did was point out that there’s some deficiencies still in the squad - it’s a valid point.

Unless you want a discourse on here like Pravda, you shouldn’t be threatening perm bans for it. Supposed to be a community here where opinions can be shared.

 

[Muay Bouk]

Shambles.

Read my OP. All I did was point out that there’s some deficiencies still in the squad - it’s a valid point.

Unless you want a discourse on here like Pravda, you shouldn’t be threatening perm bans for it. Supposed to be a community here where opinions can be shared.

I've stated it before and I'll say it again, for weeks on end your pet peeve was the centre back partnership, in other threads your tone has been generally negative, that's my opinion and it won't change in a hurry.

Probably best to leave it there.

 

[Rodney Wallace]

I’ve got a lot of positivity for next year and the management team have done a good job so far.

When you telling your face?

 

[RFC97]

When you telling your face?

Wit?

Are you steaming the night ?

 

[Giovanni Van Henry]

I think rossiter will replace Jack in the team. I'd rather see him playing more like a box to box mid than a defensive midfielder.
You can see from the vids of him as a youth player that he's got some dig on him. He scored a cracker for Liverpool first team on his debut and his goal for Bury his last game was a beauty. The lad who posts the updates from Bury was even saying it was the first time the manager let him go past the halfway line all season and he was unplayable. We've also seen him play like that for us against hibs last season.
He looks like he's now managed to deal with all the injury problems that have made his time here a nightmare and was there not a rumour in the summer there that Jack was set to be heading out on loan till Jordan got injured.
Fans can say what they think about him and no doubt I'll be asked how can say he's better than Jack when we've barely seen him but I have this feeling that he's gonna be a huge player for us next season

 

[RFC97]

I think rossiter will replace Jack in the team. I'd rather see him playing more like a box to box mid than a defensive midfielder.
You can see from the vids of him as a youth player that he's got some dig on him. He scored a cracker for Liverpool first team on his debut and his goal for Bury his last game was a beauty. The lad who posts the updates from Bury was even saying it was the first time the manager let him go past the halfway line all season and he was unplayable. We've also seen him play like that for us against hibs last season.
He looks like he's now managed to deal with all the injury problems that have made his time here a nightmare and was there not a rumour in the summer there that Jack was set to be heading out on loan till Jordan got injured.
Fans can say what they think about him and no doubt I'll be asked how can say he's better than Jack when we've barely seen him but I have this feeling that he's gonna be a huge player for us next season

In terms of natural talent, I think Rossiter is superior to Jack.

 

[Giovanni Van Henry]

In terms of natural talent, I think Rossiter is superior to Jack.

Without a doubt mate it's just been his fitness that's let him down. I'd hope th egaffwr would give him a go at playing further up the park in a role similar to the one he played himself. We know he can strike a ball from distance whereas when Jack shoots its like pass

 

[ICA_86]

In terms of natural talent, I think Rossiter is superior to Jack.

Nobody has seen the boy play anywhere near enough games to be sure of this, but it does seem to be a popular claim for some reason.

 

[Rodney Wallace]

Wit?

Are you steaming the night ?

You are awful highly strung pal.

 

[RFC97]

Nobody has seen the boy play anywhere near enough games to be sure of this, but it does seem to be a popular claim for some reason.

Not making definitive claims here, just going by how he looks more comfortable on the ball, more dynamic getting about the pitch, able to progress the play more quickly.

 

[RFC97]

You are awful highly strung pal.

Nah just had no clue what you were talking about

 

[jackstar]

Said time and time again about Ryan Jack not being good enough , when we are playing well he gets away with it but when up against it his limited ability is clear to see.

We have Rossiter waiting in the wings, he'd be ideal to step in.

 

[peasandgravy7]

The midfield isn't the biggest issue right now, we need a reliable left back and at least two CB's. A No10 is where we will spend our money this summer unless Alfie gets sold.

 

[Fothyman]

Jack is the defensive midfield player that we were crying out for years to have. He's better snuffing out attacks than playing the killer pass (but can still do that too).

We dropped two creative attacking players in arfield and Davis, and replaced with halliday and dan can. Halliday should be seen as left back cover only. We also dropped out more creative player - tav. You cant drop 3 attacking starters and not expect to struggle.

Jack will be here next season and will be one of the first names on the sheet.

 

[jexx]

Agree about upgrading a few players, but have to say at times, we have played some great football this year. We also have to bring players on as well and be a bit more patient with some of the younger ones. The days of spending millions are over, for the foreseeable future.

 

[jonesy8]

This nonsense about Jack is absolute baffling, him & Kamara were both poor on Sunday, for the last few months he has been outstanding and our midfield has dominated every single game we have played. the change in formation & how we set up along with Halliday playing in there effected us hugely against killie,

 

[wee bud's pit boots]

Exactly. He was poor mainly because he was carrying kamara today, who was far worse than he was imo, yet he escapes the same criticism. Both players deficiencies were exposed due to the change of formation though. It's no coincidence that both have been excellent with Davis beside them and arfield in front as it allows both to play their natural game. Today is not the day for knee jerk reactions to a loss against a team with something to play for considering we made 5 changes plus gave the 3rd choice goalie and a 17yo academy player their debuts. Its FF though, reaction is ridiculous as usual lol.

I would hope in any season not being able to beat garbage like Kilmarnock in four tries in the league would be considered unacceptable.

Your post reminds me of the foreboding I had when we went back up to the top flight in 2016.

We went into the top flight with a defence and squad that had lost more games in the league than Falkirk, over the previous season. An utter disgrace.

But hey we beat the filth in the SC semi finals. So who cared?

Sunday, like quite a lot of performances from our lot this season was a disgrace.

We need to stop making excuses and start demanding a lot more from the players.

 

[Spart7]

I would hope in any season not being able to beat garbage like Kilmarnock in four tries in the league would be considered unacceptable.

Your post reminds me of the foreboding I had when we went back up to the top flight in 2016.

We went into the top flight with a defence and squad that had lost more games in the league than Falkirk, over the previous season. An utter disgrace.

But hey we beat the filth in the SC semi finals. So who cared?

Sunday, like quite a lot of performances from our lot this season was a disgrace.

We need to stop making excuses and start demanding a lot more from the players.

Hard to holistically disagree with much of that bud but I wasn't talking about the season, i was talking about one game. One game with nothing to play for (they did) within which we made 5 key changes, debuted our 3rd choice goalie after our 2nd choice got injured and also introduced a 17yo academy kid. Furthermore we reverted to a formation which hadn't worked against them all season instead of sticking with one which has coincided with our best form, by far, of the campaign. Taking all that into account it's hardly surprising we lost an away game on a shocker of a pitch to a full strength team who finished 3rd in the league. Actually, sack the lot, what am I thinking lol.

 

[AzorIbrox]

We shouldn't be complacent. Yes we finished the season strongly but on the whole we've got to understand that upgrades are needed all over the pitch if we're to win trophies.

 

[55degreesnorth]

I would love to see a Pedro Mendes type player who could really enhance our midfield even if it means a a couple of seasons before a good sell on fee then so be it.

In terms of scouting we really need to unearth a gem from somewhere perhaps Holland or maybe Scandinavia or looking at the Porto/Benfica B teams they always seem to have players on tap who are sent out on loan and earn rave reviews before being given first team action then they become big targets for the bigger clubs in Europe.

As I said we need to find a hidden gem

I do agree with most of your post, but just remember. Dalcio came from Benfica B. Then again so did Candeias. Swings and roundabouts.