Is it a concern than we need new players already?

[libra-gully]

After the arrivals of CMS, Vicente, Lua Lua, Harley, Hoskins and Buckley, is it a concern to hear that we need new players?

After making so many 'high profile' additions already, it appears that Gus is saying that last year's squad is simply not good enough, and that he needs even more 'new' players?

If those players are not good enough IHO why has he not shipped the out already?

Chris Powell at Charlton signed 17 new players to get the squad he wanted.

 

[wehatepalace]

Don't you think the players that won the league last year, deserved a crack at the championship ?

I think the main difference is last year we had a good league one squad, this year we have a league one squad with some championship players, we need a championship squad with some premiership players !

 

[Rugrat]

Harley crap, Buckley injured, Hoskins injured, Vicente getting up to speed, Lua Lua has Noone keeping him out, missing a pacey left back and central midfielder who can take the game by the scruff off the neck and make things happen.

Hopefully the break will get things sorted ... too much loyalty to the usual suspects imo

 

[Rookie]

We were a step above League 1 last season but unfortunately I don't think we are as good a team as last season. Missing Bennett and the option to launch it up to either Murray or to a lesser extent Wood who would hold it and allow us to relieve a bit of pressure. As good as CMS he does his best working running away from defenders and not with his back to goal and we are getting done for pace in midfield and full backs

 

[BensGrandad]

I would sign a big striker as an option B, A central defender who can win the ball in the air and at least 1 full back. I would send Lua Lua back to Newcastle as he has lost his pace and is not any better or dangerous than Noone who is ours. I would also look to off load on loan at least, Sparrow Navarro and Jamie Smith and 2 of the four keepers, probably Walker and Poke.

 

[clippedgull]

Gus has always maintained that we are a League One side trying to be a Championship side against Championship sides with Premier League players and that being in the top six is not reality. As said, he is probably giving the obvious League One players a shot at adapting to life in the Championship and they are/have been found out in the opening sequence of games. Gus will move swiftly to add quality to the squad of that i'm sure, even if it's the loan market that he detests. Relegation is not an option.

 

[libra-gully]

We were a step above League 1 last season but unfortunately I don't think we are as good a team as last season. Missing Bennett and the option to launch it up to either Murray or to a lesser extent Wood who would hold it and allow us to relieve a bit of pressure. As good as CMS he does his best working running away from defenders and not with his back to goal and we are getting done for pace in midfield and full backs

I agree with all of this. I hate to admit that whilst we don't miss Murray the wage earner, we do miss Murray the player that would give us a difference option. We only seem to have Plan A, which other teams have sussed out already.

My guest on Tuesday, who had not seen us play this season, annoyingly had the same conclusion by half time, which means that even Mr Allardyce might have us sussed!!

 

[durrington gull]

I would sign a big striker as an option B, A central defender who can win the ball in the air and at least 1 full back. I would send Lua Lua back to Newcastle as he has lost his pace and is not any better or dangerous than Noone who is ours. I would also look to off load on loan at least, Sparrow Navarro and Jamie Smith and 2 of the four keepers, probably Walker and Poke.

Spot on

 

[dgh123]

We should get a couple of young quality players on loan until christmas then reevaluate the situation from there

 

[Shanker45]

We have to be realistic, Gus wasn't able to go out and sign a whole new team and to be fair as Champions last year playing so well they derserved a chance. The slight frustration is that we didn't do anything to strengthen our defence an area many of us had some concerns with even before the season started this year.

As mentioned on here we currently don't have a plan b or the right type of striker to bring on for a more direct style should we need to change.

We need competition at left/right back and in goal, the midfield (Bridcutt aside) need a bit of a rocket up their backsides.

I think we may see a couple of loans come in soon.

 

[libra-gully]

I would sign a big striker as an option B, A central defender who can win the ball in the air and at least 1 full back. I would send Lua Lua back to Newcastle as he has lost his pace and is not any better or dangerous than Noone who is ours. I would also look to off load on loan at least, Sparrow Navarro and Jamie Smith and 2 of the four keepers, probably Walker and Poke.

Good post.

After all the fanfare of the closed season and the insistence by many to buy him never mind a loan, including myself, Lua Lua is no better than Noone who has impressed so far.

Why have we got FOUR keepers, all that seem wrong for this division.

 

[libra-gully]

We have to be realistic, Gus wasn't able to go out and sign a whole new team and to be fair as Champions last year playing so well they derserved a chance. The slight frustration is that we didn't do anything to strengthen our defence an area many of us had some concerns with even before the season started this year.

As mentioned on here we currently don't have a plan b or the right type of striker to bring on for a more direct style should we need to change.

We need competition at left/right back and in goal, the midfield (Bridcutt aside) need a bit of a rocket up their backsides.

I think we may see a couple of loans come in soon.

The quote I kept reading in the summer was that Gus wanted/needed six new players.

Since he has brought in CMS, Vicente, Lua Lua, Hoskins, Buckley and Harley.

Allowing for the pure quality of CMS, and two lads being injured, and one almost up to speed, are these the six players he meant, and surely he meant more than six?

 

[Oscar]

The midfield is the main area of concern. Dicker, Navarro and Sparrow have been given the chance to prove they can cope consistently at a higher level yet all three have failed. Dicker has had good games but you can't blow hot and cold in his role in a passing side.

I think Gus will already have targets lined up including a midfielder with height and presence as well as a target man and a full back.

 

[Shanker45]

The quote I kept reading in the summer was that Gus wanted/needed six new players.

Since he has brought in CMS, Vicente, Lua Lua, Hoskins, Buckley and Harley.

Allowing for the pure quality of CMS, and two lads being injured, and one almost up to speed, are these the six players he meant, and surely he meant more than six?

Guess we will never know but all players signed are attack minded ( not sure what Harley offers yet!) which I find strange as most of us were expecting at least one defender to be signed. Perhaps Gus couldn't get who he wanted?

 

[Gwylan]

The quote I kept reading in the summer was that Gus wanted/needed six new players.

Since he has brought in CMS, Vicente, Lua Lua, Hoskins, Buckley and Harley.

...and Vincelot

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The midfield is the main area of concern. Dicker, Navarro and Sparrow have been given the chance to prove they can cope consistently at a higher level yet all three have failed. Dicker has had good games but you can't blow hot and cold in his role in a passing side.

I think Gus will already have targets lined up including a midfielder with height and presence as well as a target man and a full back.

I'd agree with this. CMS is getting marked out of games and Barnes is having to help out in midfield, although Buckley coming back from injury will help.

 

[Seagull Steve]

I think Navarro is worth keeping, because as a defensive mid, he is cover if we lose Bridcutt to suspension or injury. But we do definitely need a midfield general. Also agree with the need for a full back asap. A goalkeeper is a must as far as I'm concerned. Also a tall but strong striker. But I am sure Gus knows a damn site more than most of us, and I am certain he wants things sorted as much as we do.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Gus at the beginning of the season said he didn't know how good the team was and in time he would find out...i think he has a better idea now than he did a few weeks back...now we have to wait and see what he does about it.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I think Navarro is worth keeping, because as a defensive mid, he is cover if we lose Bridcutt to suspension or injury. But we do definitely need a midfield general. Also agree with the need for a full back asap. A goalkeeper is a must as far as I'm concerned. Also a tall but strong striker. But I am sure Gus knows a damn site more than most of us, and I am certain he wants things sorted as much as we do.

Interesting what u say about a tall strong striker.....am i correct in that we have only scored once with a header this season and that was Sunderland.

 

[ferring seagull]

I'd agree with this. CMS is getting marked out of games and Barnes is having to help out in midfield, although Buckley coming back from injury will help.

Would not entirely disagree with that but not sure if that is the whole story as the midfield are restricted by what is going on behind them, ie having to fall back to cover for a back line which is somewhat suspect.

Perhaps the back should have been sorted out before the front. I think we are largely OK up front though we still need a big b-gg-r up there for plan B or whatever.