So Stephen Ward was ours for the asking all summer...........

[One Teddy Maybank]

In Hyypias system I'd say that his primary job ISN'T as a left back and the emphasis is on his attacking play. Luckily he is quite good going forward. Defensively he isn't really there, mainly because he's usually in the attacking third (where he's being asked to be)

Really, so how many defenders are we playing with then?

 

[SI 4 BHA]

The Ward saga was a shambles. Ward signed for Burnley on 15th August, which was after the new season had started, we had already played a league game and a league cup game without an experienced left back and I think Calde played LB in the first league game. Maybe the recruitment team felt we could muddle through with a mixture of Calde and Chicksen, who knows what strange thoughts go through Burke's head.

He had an excellent season for us, so much so, that we barely noticed the loss of Wayne Bridge. Had we tied up a deal in June, it is a possibility that he wouldn't have been on Burnley's radar, presumably they had other targets in mind that didn't come off, hence the late signing of Ward. We were in pole position to sign him and we well and truly screwed up.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

1. Sami Hyppia is a terrible football manager, who should have been sent packing at least a month ago. He has no tactical nous and seemingly no ability to motivate.

2. Nathan Jones is a completely unknown quantity. I'm neither going to laud him or deride him, because I've no idea what he does. But I shall agrue against others who also don't know what he does but chose to unfairly attack him.

3. David Burke is responsible for our recruitment. Our recent recruitment has been poor. What money has been available, has been spent poorly (in hindsight). Ergo Burke's performance must be under scrutiny.

4. Paul Barber seems to me to be performing well within his remit.

5. Jake Forster Caskey is a promising 20 year-old footballer, capable of performing a very solid job, within a limited skillset, who is very harshly measured on this board.

6. Gary Gardner is absolutely appalling, and cares not one tiny bit about the success or failure of Brighton and Hove Albion FC. He needs to leave as soon as possible.

7. Greg Halford is actually not as bad a player as I had him down as, but ONLY at centre back. Nowhere else please.

8. Inigo Calderon is a cast-iron Albion legend, who CARES about the club. Players who really CARE have been sorely missed in recent games. He needs to be playing now.

What a brilliant post. With the exception of Jones I agree with it all. My rationale for Jones is that he is part of the problem, a good assistant would surely have intervened, I really think his best role would have been with the youngsters, as it was with Charlton.

That said, there is too much I don't like about his manner.......... so in fairness perhaps my judgement is clouded.

 

[Bwian]

What does that mean?

It means that the club should be less reliant on other club's players-not build the squad around 6 of them.

1 or 2 key players-maybe. As before. Loading the squad with 6 is nonsense. That says to me that the recruiting team (whatever that means) is failing/has failed. Other clubs looking at the top half of the table appear to have managed to get decent players at the kind of prices we were willing to pay-why didn't Burke and co? We ended up withToko, O'Grady, McCourt, Stockdale, Colunga, Baldock, Holla, etc., etc. None any better than we let go and the loanees are doing sod all apart from helping us into the bottom 3.

We wouldn't need last minute loans if they'd bought quality instead of that lot. Colunga, granted, might be ok under new management but the rest?

 

[Miami Seagull]

This was exactly what so many of us so called bedwetters were saying back in the summer. At last we have seen some corroboration of what appeared to be going on. After the shambolic January window when we sold Barnes and Bridcutt, even though we knew they'd be leaving months in advance and failed still to replace them, this was the icing on the cake for me. Of course it wasnt the only f&&k up of the summer as has also now become clear. Makes me so angry just to think about it all. At least we can now say, without any doubt, the bedwetters were spot on. Perhaps some of the apologists will have more of an open mind in the future.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

For me, Bennett is as good as Ward anyway so I couldnt particularly care that much. However, if we want to keep Bennett, I hope we move quickly so it doesnt happen again.

 

[Miami Seagull]

I'm not interested in a drawn out row, but a. your suggestion that Bennett (as a loan) doesn't 'count' as a replacement for Ward (who was a loanee) is laughable, and b. your parting shot is well wide of the mark - I just tend to try to measure some of the more hysterical over-reactions with a little rational thinking. For the record (and none of this is new), my position on the current situation is as follows:

1. Sami Hyppia is a terrible football manager, who should have been sent packing at least a month ago. He has no tactical nous and seemingly no ability to motivate.

2. Nathan Jones is a completely unknown quantity. I'm neither going to laud him or deride him, because I've no idea what he does. But I shall agrue against others who also don't know what he does but chose to unfairly attack him.

3. David Burke is responsible for our recruitment. Our recent recruitment has been poor. What money has been available, has been spent poorly (in hindsight). Ergo Burke's performance must be under scrutiny.

4. Paul Barber seems to me to be performing well within his remit.

5. Jake Forster Caskey is a promising 20 year-old footballer, capable of performing a very solid job, within a limited skillset, who is very harshly measured on this board.

6. Gary Gardner is absolutely appalling, and cares not one tiny bit about the success or failure of Brighton and Hove Albion FC. He needs to leave as soon as possible.

7. Greg Halford is actually not as bad a player as I had him down as, but ONLY at centre back. Nowhere else please.

8. Inigo Calderon is a cast-iron Albion legend, who CARES about the club. Players who really CARE have been sorely missed in recent games. He needs to be playing now.

If there's anything else you'd like me to clarify, let me know. (Or just carry on assuming whatever you think my opinion to be).

Very good post except the part on PB. He shares a significant responsibility for the screw ups with recruitment and the jury is definitely out on him too. If his job title was Head of Commercial Operations, then i would agree he is doing a fine job. But it isnt. He is in charge of the club on a day to day basis and therefore cannot be absolved of responsibility for the hole we now find ourselves in. Also, his blind support, in public at least, of the f@@k ups goig on around him does not help.

 

[Miami Seagull]

For me, Bennett is as good as Ward anyway so I couldnt particularly care that much. However, if we want to keep Bennett, I hope we move quickly so it doesnt happen again.

Sorry, but that is crazy. He may have been as good but Ward would have been here for 3 or 4 years and on a contract. Plus, Ward scored goals, critical ones sometimes. There is no comparison between them.

 

[chucky1973]

Joe Bennett fits Hyypia's system better than Ward would have, ignoring how that system is not working whatsoever!

The only benefits in my opinion of signing Ward over Bennett is that keeping Ward would have added some more continuity to the defence, and he would have been our player rather than a loan. Not too fussed other than that.

Hypia has a System?

 

[GT49er]

I don't think TB and PB do embarrassed.

Probably just as well!

 

[GT49er]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30004150: "The cost of our squad this year, in terms of salaries, is higher than it has ever been in our history."

Far from being a defence of the club's performance, this looks to me more like an indictment; very worrying.

 

[ditchy]

Hypia has a System?

He does . its in his head but he cant convey it to the the rest of the squad

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Sorry, but that is crazy. He may have been as good but Ward would have been here for 3 or 4 years and on a contract. Plus, Ward scored goals, critical ones sometimes. There is no comparison between them.

Ward scored 4 in 44 for us Bennett has so far scored 1 in 13, not too dissimilar on that front. Saying you cant compare them is crazy in itself. True, Ward does have more experience which we could do with, but Bennett really hasnt been that bad. If Bennett stays on past his loan, and i rather hope he does - then its good but we really cant be dealing with yet ANOTHER LB next season.

 

[leigull]

Hypia has a System?

He does . its in his head but he cant convey it to the the rest of the squad

Pretty much this. We don't have the players for it to work and he can't seem to adapt very well. Players have all but given up but Sami is persisting with it. Never going to end well.

 

[Bwian]

I'm not interested in a drawn out row, but a. your suggestion that Bennett (as a loan) doesn't 'count' as a replacement for Ward (who was a loanee) is laughable, and b. your parting shot is well wide of the mark - I just tend to try to measure some of the more hysterical over-reactions with a little rational thinking. For the record (and none of this is new), my position on the current situation is as follows:

1. Sami Hyppia is a terrible football manager, who should have been sent packing at least a month ago. He has no tactical nous and seemingly no ability to motivate.

2. Nathan Jones is a completely unknown quantity. I'm neither going to laud him or deride him, because I've no idea what he does. But I shall agrue against others who also don't know what he does but chose to unfairly attack him.

3. David Burke is responsible for our recruitment. Our recent recruitment has been poor. What money has been available, has been spent poorly (in hindsight). Ergo Burke's performance must be under scrutiny.

4. Paul Barber seems to me to be performing well within his remit.

5. Jake Forster Caskey is a promising 20 year-old footballer, capable of performing a very solid job, within a limited skillset, who is very harshly measured on this board.

6. Gary Gardner is absolutely appalling, and cares not one tiny bit about the success or failure of Brighton and Hove Albion FC. He needs to leave as soon as possible.

7. Greg Halford is actually not as bad a player as I had him down as, but ONLY at centre back. Nowhere else please.

8. Inigo Calderon is a cast-iron Albion legend, who CARES about the club. Players who really CARE have been sorely missed in recent games. He needs to be playing now.

If there's anything else you'd like me to clarify, let me know. (Or just carry on assuming whatever you think my opinion to be).

I assume nothing.

Ward was signed as a player earmarked for becoming a permanent, contracted player as I understand it. I recognise the need for 1 or 2 loan players for clubs like ours. Not 6 and certainly not 6 of the quality of the current lot who blow hot and cold continually. My saying 'loanees don't count' still stands because of the number we bought in in panic mode. It should have been contracted players, signed earlier who might actually give a shit when they get play for us. Somebody cocked up big time and got paid very well for doing so. Their actions are likely to end up costing millions in lost ST renewals

Like you I'm not looking for a protracted tit for tat session but my parting shot was an opinion formed recently where you come across as a club man. The above says you aren't quite the club lacky I thought you were

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I'm not interested in a drawn out row, but a. your suggestion that Bennett (as a loan) doesn't 'count' as a replacement for Ward (who was a loanee) is laughable, and b. your parting shot is well wide of the mark - I just tend to try to measure some of the more hysterical over-reactions with a little rational thinking. For the record (and none of this is new), my position on the current situation is as follows:

1. Sami Hyppia is a terrible football manager, who should have been sent packing at least a month ago. He has no tactical nous and seemingly no ability to motivate.

2. Nathan Jones is a completely unknown quantity. I'm neither going to laud him or deride him, because I've no idea what he does. But I shall agrue against others who also don't know what he does but chose to unfairly attack him.

3. David Burke is responsible for our recruitment. Our recent recruitment has been poor. What money has been available, has been spent poorly (in hindsight). Ergo Burke's performance must be under scrutiny.

4. Paul Barber seems to me to be performing well within his remit.

5. Jake Forster Caskey is a promising 20 year-old footballer, capable of performing a very solid job, within a limited skillset, who is very harshly measured on this board.

6. Gary Gardner is absolutely appalling, and cares not one tiny bit about the success or failure of Brighton and Hove Albion FC. He needs to leave as soon as possible.

7. Greg Halford is actually not as bad a player as I had him down as, but ONLY at centre back. Nowhere else please.

8. Inigo Calderon is a cast-iron Albion legend, who CARES about the club. Players who really CARE have been sorely missed in recent games. He needs to be playing now.

If there's anything else you'd like me to clarify, let me know. (Or just carry on assuming whatever you think my opinion to be).

Spot on there.

Personally Sami should have gone at the first intl break mid Sept for me I could see the shit we were in even back then. But understand why he was given longer.

Indeed even 2 he is an unknown quantity but what I can tell you is its quite clear the players are not listening to Jones barking out his orders on the touchline. They have probably switched off from it in all honesty. Thats not to say that Jones is good or bad just that the shouty shouty shout shout for 90mins isnt working.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

Really, so how many defenders are we playing with then?

not many- which is why we're conceding goals! Our full backs spend very little time in the actual full back position

 

[Betfair Bozo]

I agree largely with Hans and will simply add the following:

Nathan Jones reportedly could have gone to Watford with Oscar so presumably our former manager rates him. I have no idea whether he supports Sami's team selections or has tried to affect them. If he hasn't then he really should.

Paul Barber does a job that is almost certain to make him unpopular with some fans some of the time. That is what he gets paid plenty for. My view of him is that he seems to be competent but not wildly impressive. He definitely attracts more criticism than is deserved however.

JFC, in my opinion, is the epitome of polarised views! He is not a Championship level Xavi, neither is he useless. He is treated very fairly by those who use phrases like "transition" and worship at the altar of Carrick and unfairly by those who want to see "the reducer." Either way, his performance level has not justified his ever presence and I think he could do with a break.

Completely agree regarding Calde (and Gardner to an extent) and would perhaps play Bruno in midfield. Tbh, I'd rather have 11 players starting who are fully committed even if that looks weaker on paper.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

For me, Bennett is as good as Ward anyway so I couldnt particularly care that much. However, if we want to keep Bennett, I hope we move quickly so it doesnt happen again.

Blimey don't know which games you've been watching then, miles apart for me. Funny how we all see games differently.

 

[Horses Arse]

I'm not interested in a drawn out row, but a. your suggestion that Bennett (as a loan) doesn't 'count' as a replacement for Ward (who was a loanee) is laughable, and b. your parting shot is well wide of the mark - I just tend to try to measure some of the more hysterical over-reactions with a little rational thinking. For the record (and none of this is new), my position on the current situation is as follows:

1. Sami Hyppia is a terrible football manager, who should have been sent packing at least a month ago. He has no tactical nous and seemingly no ability to motivate.

2. Nathan Jones is a completely unknown quantity. I'm neither going to laud him or deride him, because I've no idea what he does. But I shall agrue against others who also don't know what he does but chose to unfairly attack him.

3. David Burke is responsible for our recruitment. Our recent recruitment has been poor. What money has been available, has been spent poorly (in hindsight). Ergo Burke's performance must be under scrutiny.

4. Paul Barber seems to me to be performing well within his remit.

5. Jake Forster Caskey is a promising 20 year-old footballer, capable of performing a very solid job, within a limited skillset, who is very harshly measured on this board.

6. Gary Gardner is absolutely appalling, and cares not one tiny bit about the success or failure of Brighton and Hove Albion FC. He needs to leave as soon as possible.

7. Greg Halford is actually not as bad a player as I had him down as, but ONLY at centre back. Nowhere else please.

8. Inigo Calderon is a cast-iron Albion legend, who CARES about the club. Players who really CARE have been sorely missed in recent games. He needs to be playing now.

If there's anything else you'd like me to clarify, let me know. (Or just carry on assuming whatever you think my opinion to be).

Whilst appreciating that this will be met with derision I think you're being harsh on Gardner. After the first few games I thought he improved and started to do pretty well; the judgement of him should much like the judgement of JFC (where I agree with you fully). He's hamstrung by the system and confidence within the team. I would like to see him stay within a team that is properly managed and coached. We slag players off whilst here that prove their worth elsewhere, Barnes for example.

As for Barber operating within his remit? Best not pass my full thoughts on that other than to say it must be a very limited remit and involve hacking off the supporters and writing lots of e-mails without much useful content. If it's that then I'd agree he's doing a cracking job!