Is what we currently have enough?

[Beefymcfc]

I see yesterday's match as us losing the first half 4-0 and winning the second half 2-0. The question is why did we let four in? Was it the defence to blame or the midfield? (Or both). I think it was a product of how we set up to play (plus a couple of bad individual performances) - we got our act together at half time and their chances largely dried up with the threat seeming to shift more to the wide areas rather than through the middle (thanks to us controlling the midfield at last). Denayer and Zuculini were as responsible for the change as the tweak to how we were set up, in my opinion (although I don't think the second half lineup would have made it through the first half without letting in a goal or two).

Or did Stuttgart take their foot off the gas after being so far in front.

[Dameerto]

Nope.

[Beefymcfc]

Nope.

[PrezIke]

I am very very excited about Sterling, but I worry it may be the signing that helps us one place while elsewhere we fall further behind. It also seems we may struggle still with FFP, the available options for real quality, and the new realities of the insane transfer market.

Last year we should have went for Pogba rather than Mangala it seems. Now we won't get him and is Sterling really our "crack" signing? We cannot beat the other big clubs unless we pay far over market value because we aren't sunny Spain, or a large "cosmopolitan" city, nor do we have enough tradition just yet as a top club. It is what it is, but it seems our reliance on youth development may end up being our real long term hope, but that is not going to help us enough this season.

Sterling sure looks like he could be the big signing but he's not Pogba just yet, who is the type of player we need desperately.

I know it's been pre-season, but our defence and central midfield is looking quite worrying. Our captain better get his ish together or we may be in major trouble.

[phips]

nope.

[Hutch's Shoulder]

My big concern is not whether our current squad is good enough but whether it is ready enough. With injuries and the South American's delay in starting pre-season, we look at least two weeks off ready to star the season, with tow tough games to open with.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

The two Ferns are a problem. They can't be relied on to do the job of breaking up the play either individually or as a pair. Neither offer anything going forward to open up teams.
Yaya makes us a better team, we miss him horribly when he isn't there.
On the plus side, Sergio looks more likely to stay fit, Yaya will be rested and won't disappear half way through the season, Bony looks a better bet than Dzeko's efforts last season and Sterling will give us a new dimension up front.

I worry about set pieces coming into the box. There are free headers nearly every time. We can play sublime football in attack and still be undone by a couple of lumped balls into our area.

[Bluedj]

The two Ferns are a problem. They can't be relied on to do the job of breaking up the play either individually or as a pair. Neither offer anything going forward to open up teams.
Yaya makes us a better team, we miss him horribly when he isn't there.
On the plus side, Sergio looks more likely to stay fit, Yaya will be rested and won't disappear half way through the season, Bony looks a better bet than Dzeko's efforts last season and Sterling will give us a new dimension up front.

I worry about set pieces coming into the box. There are free headers nearly every time. We can play sublime football in attack and still be undone by a couple of lumped balls into our area.

What really worries me, is, everyone on this board sees our weaknesses. "WHY THE FUCK CAN'T MANUEL SEE IT, OR DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT"???

[Beefymcfc]

I am very very excited about Sterling, but I worry it may be the signing that helps us one place while elsewhere we fall further behind. It also seems we may struggle still with FFP, the available options for real quality, and the new realities of the insane transfer market.

Last year we should have went for Pogba rather than Mangala it seems. Now we won't get him and is Sterling really our "crack" signing? We cannot beat the other big clubs unless we pay far over market value because we aren't sunny Spain, or a large "cosmopolitan" city, nor do we have enough tradition just yet as a top club. It is what it is, but it seems our reliance on youth development may end up being our real long term hope, but that is not going to help us enough this season.

Sterling sure looks like he could be the big signing but he's not Pogba just yet, who is the type of player we need desperately.

I know it's been pre-season, but our defence and central midfield is looking quite worrying. Our captain better get his ish together or we may be in major trouble.

I disagree. Pogba's the type of player we need next season and Sterling is just what we need. I honestly don't think we'll get Pogba, he has dreams of going elsewhere whereas Sterling is what we have been missing in the speed/direct terms.

We still have a very strong squad, full of international talent and it's only a player away from being the best in the PL.

[Beefymcfc]

nope.

[nottsblue]

Who is the player though Beefy? A defender or a midfielder? I think we are possibly a tad short in both areas myself.

[Beefymcfc]

Who is the player though Beefy? A defender or a midfielder? I think we are possibly a tad short in both areas myself.

Good question. I think we've got enough in all areas if played correctly but mine would be a defender to either take over or back up our current bunch. I don't think we have a strong enough selection and what doesn't help is Peller's changing it constantly.

A settled back 4 is a good back 4, we don't have that.

[Dameerto]

Or did Stuttgart take their foot off the gas after being so far in front.

I've said a few times that central midfield is the key position in Pellegrini's system - we played the first half with a youngster and Nasri as our central midfielders (and let four goals in as a result of a constant stream of centrally developed chances) - we tweaked our system and took nasri off and replaced him with Zuculini in the second half, the chances from Stuttgart dried up and we scored two goals - even a three year old could see we played differently in the second half compared to the first - and if we don't play Zuculini in our first prem game we are very likely to struggle.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Who is the player though Beefy? A defender or a midfielder? I think we are possibly a tad short in both areas myself.

Agreed.

Axel Witsel has been mentioned on here a few times, as being a possibility for us, rather than Pogba or KDB, if we weren't able to sign either of those two.

With regard to the centre-back problem, why, oh why, didn't we go for Ezequiel Garay before the start of last season, when he might have been obtained for a relatively modest sum at that time, instead of blowing a king's ransom on Mangala ??

Would it be too late now to try and extricate him from his Russian sojourn ?? Failing that, is Otamendi worth considering ??

Moreover, I'm still dubious about Bony and, although I hope I'm ridiculously wrong in this respect, I still don't feel he's going to be able to cut the mustard for us so, if Dzeko is finally going, we need a top class striker to come in and replace him.

So far and all in all, this transfer window has been dispiritingly disappointing for me.

[Beefymcfc]

Or did Stuttgart take their foot off the gas after being so far in front.

I've said a few times that central midfield is the key position in Pellegrini's system - we played the first half with a youngster and Nasri as our central midfielders (and let four goals in as a result of a constant stream of centrally developed chances) - we tweaked our system and took nasri off and replaced him with Zuculini in the second half, the chances from Stuttgart dried up and we scored two goals - even a three year old could see we played differently in the second half compared to the first - and if we don't play Zuculini in our first prem game we are very likely to struggle.

It was question mate as I didn't see the game. I agree with you that we need one, probably 2, players that can at least understand the defensive side of the game but I'm not sure if Peller's has the same concerns.

Frustrating for me as the best we've seen of Vinnie is when we looked after our defence, with Lescott of course.

[Dameerto]

Or did Stuttgart take their foot off the gas after being so far in front.

I've said a few times that central midfield is the key position in Pellegrini's system - we played the first half with a youngster and Nasri as our central midfielders (and let four goals in as a result of a constant stream of centrally developed chances) - we tweaked our system and took nasri off and replaced him with Zuculini in the second half, the chances from Stuttgart dried up and we scored two goals - even a three year old could see we played differently in the second half compared to the first - and if we don't play Zuculini in our first prem game we are very likely to struggle.

It was question mate as I didn't see the game. I agree with you that we need one, probably 2, players that can at least understand the defensive side of the game but I'm not sure if Peller's has the same concerns.

Frustrating for me as the best we've seen of Vinnie is when we looked after our defence, with Lescott of course.

Aaah I see, I thought you were being mister Devil's advocate.

[Beefymcfc]

Or did Stuttgart take their foot off the gas after being so far in front.

I've said a few times that central midfield is the key position in Pellegrini's system - we played the first half with a youngster and Nasri as our central midfielders (and let four goals in as a result of a constant stream of centrally developed chances) - we tweaked our system and took nasri off and replaced him with Zuculini in the second half, the chances from Stuttgart dried up and we scored two goals - even a three year old could see we played differently in the second half compared to the first - and if we don't play Zuculini in our first prem game we are very likely to struggle.

It was question mate as I didn't see the game. I agree with you that we need one, probably 2, players that can at least understand the defensive side of the game but I'm not sure if Peller's has the same concerns.

Frustrating for me as the best we've seen of Vinnie is when we looked after our defence, with Lescott of course.

Aaah I see, I thought you were being mister Devil's advocate.

Too early in the season mate, but it'll get going ;-)

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I just wonder whether Pellegrini will modify his attacking plans a little so we don't leave ourselves exposed too much. Individually our defenders are not the greatest.The full backs seem to be unable to handle simple give and goes so it's so easy to get round the sides.In fact none of our defenders are good at seeing or handling give and goes. We simply cannot allow teams freedom to run at us with ease so I would expect a little more caution in our play.

I doubt very much that will happen so maybe we will have to rely on scoring more than the opposition. We have the quality going forward even if Kun is missing for a while at the start. I see it as imperative that we have the best sitting midfield player we can and maybe even two of them! Even though Yaya can't be relied on with defensive duties I expect him to partner Fernando which would leave us 4 main attacking players. We know who 3 of them are but who will be the 4th? It needs to be someone with buckets of energy.

[PeterParker]

nope.

[blues2win]

Obviously not. I notice Coutinho played for the dippers yesterday but was away at the Copa America. Will Fernandinho definitely be unavailable for West Brom? Bench maybe?