CMS has already asked to leave!

[Stumpy Tim]

Absolutely and FWIW I am still happy to pay up if he does leave...my confidence (as well as my quote earlier in the thread) was based on us not being likely to make a loss on him, so if he was deemed a 'failure' then other clubs would not pay the c.£3m they'd have to in order for us to cave, and if he had a good season we'd want to keep him. I'm still not convinced at the moment. Whilst my faith is admittedly shaken by the gathering pace of the rumours, I'm still quietly confident.

Yep. I stand by what I said, I still think he was misused rather than misfiring, although granted his confidence was shot to pieces in the second half of the season. And if he does go, whilst I'll happily take my medicine and pay up on my wager with stumpy tim, I still think my opinion on how he fits into our tactics is correct, it was our failure to properly utilise him as a team rather than his own weaknesses which saw him underperform. Something I think that will be validated if he goes to a side who actually want to thread balls in behind the channels rather than side to side whilst he impotently chases shadows and gets increasingly isolated and frustrated on his own. Unfortunately the tide of opinion was turning against him as the season drew to a close and personally I don't think we'll start as well as we did last season without the title winning momentum, and by default, neither will he. Unless he bangs in 20+ I just can't see anything else but him being the new whipping boy for the moaners.

I agree with you. I don't think he's a bad player - he just doesn't fit into the way we play. If he stays, I'll obviously pay up too

 

[Surf's Up]

The reason I don't believe the general 'CMS is unhappy/leaving/will be sold' story is that Gus is a thorough guy. Every interview he gives, he talks about preparation, how we need to be careful with our budgets, how he doesn't like open 4-3 type games etc etc. Look at the gambles he's taken, all low risk/high reward ones - Agdestein, Battipiedi, Baz, Vicente - all short term contracts so if things don't work out, he can say goodbye and move on. If they turn out brilliant we've struck gold, and can sign them up on a longer contract.

We didn't sign CMS for £2.5m on a 4 year contract without scouting him. Gus knew full well what his strengths and weaknesses were. And I firmly believe that Gus' intention to build a side around him will be validated in the summer when the lion's share of whatever budget Tony provides will be spent on a strike partner and/or a midfield to properly structure the side. Unfortunately as we couldn't get the players we needed to compliment CMS it's been a plug-the-leaks season, 451 with CMS feeding off scraps has 'had to do' because playing 442 would leave us too vulnerable through the middle.

People write players off too quickly, probably through some frustrated sense of under-recognition whereby everyone thinks they could still 'do a job' for their favourite side. We sit and watch and like to make out we're the experts but the reality is we're not. Unfortunately whilst I realise that, and will give my opinion but try to do so a least a little humbly, other 'I know best' types just make black and white sweeping statements - So and so is shit, or So and so is brilliant. Funnily enough it's always the same people, who were claiming Vicente should f*** off when he was injured, but have gone all quiet now he's playing well. The same people who slagged off Barnes and have shut up now they've been proven wrong.

Like Dicker, Navarro, Barnes or Ankergren, CMS is an easy target. Because on the most basic level we spent a lot of money and he hasn't scored 30 goals, he's easy to criticise. But there's more to football than that, and Gus' stubborn nature tells me he'll be more determined than anyone to make the money he spent on CMS be worthwhile, and considering he's had sod all support, he's still on for a dozen goals this year. Imagine what he could do with better service and protection behind him.

Summary: he's on a 4-year deal. I for one am going to back him for much, much longer than 1 of those years.

Hear Hear!!

 

[brightonrock]

I agree with you. I don't think he's a bad player - he just doesn't fit into the way we play. If he stays, I'll obviously pay up too

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Haha. I was waiting for that!

 

[brightonrock]

Haha. I was waiting for that!

Good man!

 

[Norman Potting]

I have nothing whatsoever to base this assertion on other than gut feeling but I think CMS will score a shedload of goals this season.

 

[Stat Brother]

I have nothing whatsoever to base this assertion on other than gut feeling but I think CMS will score a shedload of goals this season.

I base the same assertion on, a stronger defence.
A stronger midfield, with attacking opinions.
A year in the division.

etc etc etc, as said in my signature.