Now that depends on a lot of things - like getting away from the idea we can sign a load of injury prone racehorses and expect the local nags to carry the water - without signing any water carriers. So to speak.
I’m not sure there’s anyone better to play there but that’s not saying much. If it comes to that you have to think surely we’d have been better off keeping Smallwood for a year. Considering the (supposed) level of signing we made it’s ridiculous we never replaced him.
Smallwood has found his level. As has Honeyman as a journeyman. We've put Pelkas, Ozan, M'hand, Traore in the 10 as we needed more creativity there. We've signed cover at the very least. Sanctifying George as our primary creative midfield force makes us mid table at best. He was ace in league 1 tho, as was Malik I wish both well. But if you just dismiss the smallwood/meyler/ashbee/Brabin/Joyce /Greaves role in that midfield, then you simply don't understand British football. It's blood and sweat that keeps you in and gets you out of a league at the right end - and whilst he might bring a much-lacking technicality about us - where is Acun's blood and sweat showing on the pitch beyond Slater and his overworked goalkeepers?
We replaced Eaves an Magennis with Oscar and Tetteh. We replaced gorgeous George with Pelkas, M'Hand, Traore - and Ozan is creative enough to do a job there. We never even made a consideration that upgrading Smallwood was a priority. That was key. And the responsibility for that lies higher than Shota. Have we replaced our workhorses with delicate showponies?
Two consecutive posts at 4 in the morning slaying honeyman god you’re a a sad **** Strange as you remembered so well how good honeyman was as a young kid at Sunderland and how bosses the midfield Now he’s aL1 journeyman You’re so full of **** it’s untrue I’ll just pop this here “Honeyman had established himself as a champ player at Sunderland. Totally bossed our last PL game at theirs. Came in carrying injury but after the covid restart seemed to have shook it off and looked a different player despite relegation. arf
I live 5 miles from where he grew up. I drink in hs local from time to time, yet you think by knowing nowt you know more. Moving on was a win-win for all, so get over it fanboy. I've consistently said I'd rather he stayed, but I also think he isn't worth 20k plus a week - it's called 'Nuance'. Youre entitled to disagree - knock yourself out. But if you're relying on your 10 to be your ball winning ****house and have the creativity of Grant McCann then you're having a laugh if you want to move on from 19th. Don't shoot the messenger.
None really. Just like many others hear things from time to time that I trust more than 'media'. As you probably would in my situation too. There are at least a dozen know more bits n bobs than most on this board, but thanks to the chip on your shoulder, only a couple dare say **** cos frankly there are too many ****s like you to be worth the hassle.
And what does that have to do with you Saying he can piss it in the premier league but now call him a L1 journeyman Know nowt prick
I liked Honeyman,I liked his work ethic and his ability to rally the troops when we were under the cosh.I'm not privy to his wage demands or the figure he was demanding but what price leadership and a desire to play for the badge on the jersey.? We've cobbled together some greedy,lazy journeyman who are reportedly earning way in excess of what Honeyman was seeking,that puts some kind of perspective on it for me...
They've been in the door 5 minutes. They're no more or less successes or failures than anyone else who's Venn with a new employer lass tha a dozen weeks. And a few. done enough early on to impress individually if not as a unit yet. So you're going overboard IMHO
After 17 signings, what a state of affairs that we are shipping goals like nobody else (by a distance) and that some are even saying Coyle for CM!! How the hell can that be? It's a **** up of epic proportions. Acun and Shota likely equally at fault as I'm sure they've planned the recruitment between them. (Edit: and I hold my hands up as I thought we were going to do well, but in retrospect, looking at it from where we are now....)
Recruitment has been derailed by long term injuries, but even early on it looked like there was no clear pattern, and we gave a collection of individuals.
That's what I was saying too, but it's not that much of an excuse anymore, and I don't see the injured making any real difference to our defence, midfield and leadership problems, do you?
Think in my opinion he thought he could buy players who could pass through and round the opposition as watching the Championship there’s not a lot of real quality - any players with that are in the premiership. What he didn’t realise hard work , physicality and organisation by the opposition will make that difficult . Fulham had a good blend last year. I think they’ve been very naive!!
Just a thought, how many times did we all agree that when Honeyman played well we played well last season and the season before. His energy and ratting like style pressured the opposition, and lifted those around him, he was also our creative influence more often then not. As while we've invested in a number of allegedly superior talented players, we haven't replaced that energy, and as such are struggling. I also think the comments about the players being confused are spot on, I listen to Shota's post match interviews and the man speaks in riddles without actually giving answers or potential remedies to them. Transfer that to the training field and the poor buggers probably haven't a clue what he is trying to tell them. The answer ? Get rid of the manager that's confused the hell out of them, and as a stop gap get the likes of Jones and Slater in front of the back four until we can get a specialist in, who can replace the energy and fight we have lost in Honeyman.
How many weeks have they got left before they need to step up,break sweat,show a bit of fight,earn their wage? That's all I'm asking for and I'm pretty certain I'm not alone...This 'unit' can only be built by the hard endeavour of the whole team working together and putting in maximum effort.Carrying players who show little or no desire to break up play,track back and help the defence really isn't an option we can afford to employ. You are entitled to your opinion,as am I.