Posted September 19, 200717 yr Since the season began we have yet to produce - lucky v Liverpool and Pompey, dire v Villa, uninspiring v Blackburn and Rosenborg. Yes we miss the Drog and Lampard, but does Shevchenko and Kalou up front fill you with confidence ? Makalele and Essien in midfield together ? Three signings in the summer for nothing - are any of them setting the world on fire ? What happens when Drog and Essien are away at the African Cup ? We went past January last year without signing the central defender we so clearly needed, now we need a goalscorer and a potent midfielder to replace Shev and Ballack when they move on in 2008.
September 19, 200717 yr It's going to be all about tactics this season- SWP in our starting lineup is scandalous. Lack of quality will cost us, i see cup runs as possible but ultimately destined to failure and i really hope he loses this 442 once ballack is back. The players aren't good enough it is as simple as that: compare the attack sides of: SWP, Malouda, Joe Cole, Lampard, Essien, Sheva (playing for long balls), drogba, pizarro, kalou etc. to... ronaldinho, deco, eto'o, messi, henry, iniesta, xavi, or... kaka, pirlo, seedorf, inzaghi, ronaldo, gilardino etc etc.. ok i can't be bothered going through all the names but in short i just don't think there is a comparison of quality between kaka ronaldinho and our current options swp or joe cole and so on
September 19, 200717 yr Since the season began we have yet to produce - lucky v Liverpool and Pompey, dire v Villa, uninspiring v Blackburn and Rosenborg. Yes we miss the Drog and Lampard, but does Shevchenko and Kalou up front fill you with confidence ? Makalele and Essien in midfield together ? Three signings in the summer for nothing - are any of them setting the world on fire ? What happens when Drog and Essien are away at the African Cup ? We went past January last year without signing the central defender we so clearly needed, now we need a goalscorer and a potent midfielder to replace Shev and Ballack when they move on in 2008. Might as well correct you a bit. We had more than three signings this summer. Alex, Sidwell, Ben Haim, Belletti, Malouda and Pizarro. Alex has only played a bit but has looked fine so far. He's a defender so you won't see any creative stuff from him in the attack. Ben Haim - See Alex Sidwell hasn't played much and let's face it he's just there in case we lose players to injuries and cups (Essien and Mikel will be missed). Not a creative player with flair. He works hard and does it well (though he hasn't been great so far). Belletti just arrived and in my oppinion he has done really well so far. Quite solid in defence and helping out in defence. What we needed. Pizarro is injured now but in the few games he has played he hasn't looked too bad. Needs some more time but looks to be a good signing (a good free one). Malouda has had one bad game (I think) but apart from that he has done well in a few games and been okay in others. As soon as he gets used to the style he will be great. I agree we need a goalscorer. Drogba is the only real threat. Sheva hasn't been great since he arrived (hope he can shake that off now he's scored), Pizarro can become a good goalscorer but I'm not sure we'll see him bagging 20 goals in a season. Kalou has the potential to become a great striker but so far he just can't hit the net. He could be a yard from an open net and miss it. Driving me insane.
September 19, 200717 yr I don't think anyone has a problem with SWP at the moment (even if he was below par in the last two games), but otherwise you're right. Malouda, Ben Haim, Alex and Belletti are decent signings IMO, but I've yet to see anything much from Sidwell or Pizarro. Obviously it's very early and the whole squad still looks short of fitness and sharpness. Confidence is now a big problem after failing to win for three games and being so poor in front of goal. We haven't sorted ourselves out at all tactically or positionally. I'm happy to play with wingers - it's the midfield and striking combinations I'm worried about. Once we lose Drogs, Essien and Mikel to the ACN we'll be really stuffed. I don't bracket Kalou with those three because he isn't in their class and never will be.
