Unfortunately (as I see it), the majority of our squad is made up of average players who have good games now and again. The real problem for me though, is under FSG, we will not pay the money required for the great players who have average games now and again, but will also have the odd brilliant game now and again. Ok so some players (like Torres and Suarez) just want to move on, but surely when they do, you have to do everything you can to replace them with the next best thing. So we lose Suarez to Barcelona, and then go out and buy Lambert of Southampton? Balotelli was a last gasp panic purchase and a gamble that has not (yet) paid off.
I think a squad made up with a majority of average players (as ours currently is) who have good games now and again, will cost you in a marathon 38 game season because they'll ultimately get found out. Whereas great players who have average games now and again (but by the same token, will also have brilliant games now and again), will always have that touch of genuine class to dig you out of a hole. Over a season. As an example (and I hate to use this), Di Maria has been poor most of the season, and Mata can't get even get in the scum side, yet two weeks ago Di Maria produced a great deft chip over our defenders' heads in a confined space, and Mata scored with a great volleyed bicycle kick. Cream always rises to the top. Compare that with Markovic today and his over hit pass to Sterling. I know things are not as easy as that, as black and white as that, but it serves as an example of what I am trying to say.
All that said, I really don't think we are that far away from seriously challenging for titles every season (the trouble is FSG won't pay what's required). But our last world class player has now gone, and even when Luis was here, we were saying we needed another 2 or 3 world class players for a genuine sustained title push. We've gone backwards.
It doesn't matter who you have picking the team either, becuase if FSG don't back the manager with real money, you can forget winning titles. The saying goes, 'if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.' You either have to be very lucky in the transfer market or have a brilliant youth set up. Usually you need both.
And this issue will only escalate, as we continue to release great players but replace them with potential and average players at best. Who is our big name player for attracting the big name players next season? Coutinho, Sturridge, Henderson? Allen? Sterling? Anyone think we'll see Khedira of Real Madrid (out of contract) playing for us next season?
The Gerrard LFC team of last Sunday (Torres, Suarez, Alonso, Garcia, Reina, Riise) would have battered the team that played Arsenal today. Would Kelly have been any worse than Toure today? Would Shelvey have been any worse than Allen today?
Also, it's the screw ups at board room level that have really cost us in the long run as well. When Suarez left, we should have gone for a £50m+ striker to replace him. Instead, for whatever reason, we went out and frittered all of the money amongst potential and average players at best. Not to worry though, because Danny Ings is being lined up. /sarcasm off
I was going to say that the next transfer window for FSG is their biggest so far, but I realise I've been saying that since they got here. So if (and that's a mighty big 'if') we ever win the title under FSG, it will be despite them being in charge and not because they are in charge.
Our trouble is confounded in that we don't even know who to point the finger at for our transfer dealings. Henry, Ayres, Gaffer, Werner?
So it is I don't think we will ever win the title under FSG. The last nail in the coffin was not selling Suarez, but not replacing him. It's been my fear ever since we sold him that we'd go backwards, and I think we have. We were never as poor as our start to this season suggested, and we were never as good as our mid season unbeaten run suggested
Like all things average, we are somewhere in the middle.
If this post sounds like it is a knee jerk reaction (Swansea away, scum at home, Arsenal away, our start this season), I'd have to disagree. I'm old enough to know when my emotions are getting in the way of my objective thinking. Or if it sounds like I'm jumping on a doom and gloom bandwagon, I'm not. I've always had this gut feeling that we've been punching above our weight, that we look a bit lacking in genuine ability on the park. I even had this feeling when we were pushing for first with Suarez. All today's hammering did, was confirm my worst fears; I don't think we'll ever win the title under FSG.
For me, after bringing in so many players last transfer window, I can only hope that the next transfer window is where they spend good cash or one or two players.
I won't be holding my breath though.
« Last Edit: Apr 04, 2015 05:37:05 pm by Rush »
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