Sorry to say it lads..

Strange how some folk always seem to find negatives out of almost everything..

 

Isn't it just mate, we seem to have the lions share of them as well....

4 games in, only lost one, played 2 of the top 6, new team gelling.... the end is nigh....

 

Wouldnt swap the Hull or West Ham squad for ours. Simple as that really.

 

I'd say the 3 of us are pretty even in truth, what I do like is that we have a whole raft of English or British players who won't go missing in winter, same for Hull.

 

Well I wrote on another thread that I couldn't see us finishing above thirteenth. I did that largely because I felt there was a tad too much happy-clapping going on for a side that took three points out of West Brom, QPR, and a Man. U. side that was running about like headless chickens at that time. Let's face it, we haven't had a great start (joint third worst start we've had in the PL in fact). On the other hand, I thought a draw against 'Spurs was good and well earned - they're looking sharp this year. But for all that I wrote there, I'm not entirely moaning either. I liked Shameless's post above very much, because he hit the nail on the head for me. In Giac, Gomez, Johnson and Buckley there's a lot more penetration and creativity than we've had for a long time. And we can only hope Rodwell re-captures his former form. Alvarez excites me. If he can take to PL football - always an 'if' with South Americans - this guy has the ball skills to terrorize defences.

My attitude now can be summed up by taking note of all the things I said on that other thread plus what Shameless said on this one. It isn't great right now, but I can see a lot of potential to settle into something better. Overall, half-full for me.

 

I think 13th is probably about right, although with a good run anywhere to 9th is plausible.

It's steady, gradual improvement, and we paid for Rodwell using generated cash, we are in great shape.

Might take a while to get there, but we are going.

 

I watched the game also..not impressed with either side as premier league standard teams..fernandez had some good moments but we've seen similar new starts impress then fade away. Generally I thought there wasn't much there to be too worried about........I hope I'm right but I've been wrong before !!!!

 

hah guys,

we had our own fans booing the main singing section yesterday, as you can see from the forum, there's barely anything on the game, never been so disgraced at a football match before, it pissed us singers in the north off, and killed the atmosphere
you don't want our owner, the next game will probably be worse

ramirez looked really good when he came on for the last 15 mins though our defense seems the shell of itsself last season

you've got a good squad, drawn against united n spurs, alvarez is a good player, rodwell has the quality, its only early on... its a tenfold improvement on your start last season, and you won't be going down

 

Don't think going down is anyone's concern mate, more how we are progressing against other mid table sides.

For me, the fact that we bought Rodwell out of generated money rather than the owners bank or by taking on bank debt is massive, yeah, one player, but how many clubs outside the very top few can do this now.

I think we just need to sit tight and accept gradual progress that won't be in massive strides but steady, well founded steps, and people can calm down.

I'm delighted with the work that's being done, I genuinely am, it may be 4 or 5 years, but I'm 34 and we've never had it, so I can take a little longer to have the club I adore firmly established, and on a stable financial footing.

 

Hull 'far better than us' ............ OK.

The Hull owner is loaning the club millions and charging them interest on a huge debt.

Hull managed only 40% possession at home to West Ham, the same as we did against Spurs.

Hull had 3 corners in 90 minutes, we had twice that.

They gave away 2 leading positions at home.

 

You are too old for your years lad. Worthy post indeed.

 

People talk about this good start we've had. But we haven't won a game and conceded in every game we've played.

Poyet admitted himself that he didn't quite get the squad he wanted this year, with many if our main targets missed.

I'm not meaning to sound pessimistic, but it's frustrating seeing these clubs, that I consider smaller than us, spending money and getting in quality players, whilst we penny pinch at every opportunity.

 

How many times have you seen these people play? Did you see the Westb Ham and Hull defences the other night? They were both shockingly bad. If you are basing an opinion on that one game then I'd hold that opinion. It's a long old season and we have picked up points in every game except one - and 2 of those were against Man Utd and Spurs who, in the past, have always beaten us at our place (league wise). OK so some of their players looked good but others (Curtis "England" Davies for example) looked absolutely terrible. As O said before, you can;t win every game by the odd goal in 7 or 9 - you end up getting beaten more than you win playing the way they played on Monday night. Would you rather have Steve Bruce or Sam Allardyce in charge than Poyet then?

Have to say Allan - I enjoyed the game as a neutral on Monday night immensely - some good goals and comical defending on both sides but I would've been much like you if that was my side - a little pissed off that two winning positions had been thrown away. Some of our fans seem to find a negative in everything everyone does let alone in stuff that we do!!

 

To say Hull are 'far better' than Sunderland takes some believing imo.

I doubt many Sunderland supporters would want McGregor, Davies, Elmohamady, Robertson & Jelavic in our starting eleven.

How many would want Rosenior, Chester, Meyler, Brady & Harper on the bench?

Hull don't have a top class keeper and that's where their problems, in defence, stem from.

Typical of Bruce, he believes strikers are the answer to every problem and buys them to the detriment of the team as a whole.

 

I'm not talking about which manager I'd rather have in. I think Bruce is great at bringing in quality signings, since super Kev, the only 2 top quality strikers we've signed has been bent and gyan, both signed by Bruce.

Wickham, who leads the line for us, also signed by Bruce.

Wether we manage to finish a point or 2 higher than either of these teams doesn't concern me. What concerns me is both of these teams (smaller teams IMO) have signed exciting quality players, and it's frustrating that we refuse to spend any money at the moment.

 

Our targets were different Pride. Yes, B***** was a longstanding target and GP always said he was on the look-out for another striker, but I think that may have been because he thought we'd lose one of ours during the window.

GP has faith in the 3 strikers we have and was more focused on strengthening from the back through to midfield. I think he's done a bloody good job of that, and come January, he may go looking for another striker again.

You can't compare our transfer dealings with 2 or 3 other clubs mate, not when the starting points are so different. Just gave some faith in GP a little longer.

 

Using Bent and Gyan as examples of signing exciting players is all well and good - but how well did he do keeping them when they became disillusioned? They screwed us. Wickham was signed by Bruce and never given a game !

Which "Exciting Quality players" have they signed? Valencia (1 good game), Hernandez (looks OK) so that's 2. Jelavic is not exciting in any way shape or form - he scored loads for Everton in his first few games then couldn't hit a cows arse with a banjo and they sold him for 6 or 7 million. A lot of money for a misfiring striker (Would you pay that for Cisse and call him exciting as they both have a lot of similarities!)

 

Both bent and gyan we made profit on, with bents profit being huge, so that's hardly them screwing us. Bruce brought wickham as a player for the future, and that's what he's become.

We paid 5 million for Danny graham, so 6 million so jelatic can't be so bad.

Hernandez looked top quality for hull, reminded me of Remy. And for 10 million? That's a snip.

 

We lost a few quid on Gyan actually, we paid £13million and received £12million back in total, I will defend your stance on that one as Gyan was a wrong un who didn't wanna train, just wanted to play, the glory, Bruce gave him breaks to go home 'from the cold' the lot, I don't think Bruce can be blamed.

What Bruce did, rightly or wrongly, was alienate Bent by benching him for the on-loan Welbeck, resulting in a dip in form, confidence and eventual departure.

Yeah, we blame Bents attitude, and we are right to an exctent, but would he have forced the move had he still been the golden boy?

Bruce was the manager during both scenarios, both to leave, whatever the ins and outs may be.

 

I thought our only 2nd choice target was Coates. Poyet as good as said Alverez was a first choice. I think his unhappiness with the window was that it was two players short. He wanted Borini or an alternative and he got neither, and he wanted 7 defenders for the squad and only got 6.

As for exciting Signings? Rodwell (England international who when fit is a different class), Alvarez(31 games last season for Inter, eye for a pass, can run at men and beat them), Buckley(refreshing suprise, can run at men, fast and direct), Aanholt (Extremely attacking exciting full back) Jones(See Aanholt) Pant(top class 2nd choice keeper), Gomez(Seasoned premier league pro, who's creative and at ease with our style). Coates(Fringe player in a top squad and Uruguayan international)

When you compare them to Westwood, Bardo, Tossana, Colback, Gardner, Cuellar, Vaughan and Karlson, who've they've replaced, i have to say, not only are they way more exciting but they're way way better, both as footballers and as players suited to our style. Just don't get this thread at all. I'm dissapointed we didn't get the extra two players needed but the improvement from top to bottom is so apparent.

I know folk would love us to throw money at players but again we needed wholesale changes. We made 9 signings as a club who wants to run in the black. The economics are pretty obvious here, blow the budget on one or two players and go down with a tiny inadequate squad with some great players on high wages waiting to drag us into financial ruin. Or shop smart. We shopped smart, improved the whole squad, bought the players out of our own revenue and put ourselves in a position where we only need two or three players over the next two windows. With another big TV pay off at the end of the season and running in the black, these players can be next level players. It's been a long time since we've been in this position