COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY

We go with what we've got

By Ken Buckley : 02/09/2008 :

Comments (6) :

The window has closed but will we still feel a draught. Not a lot has happened numbers wise and that appeared to be our achilles heel last term as players were either injured or suffering burnout or just plain sulking and we had nothing in reserve so a poor end to the season ensued. With numbers roughly the same a little luck on the injury/suspension front will help.

I have to say I am heartened by the type of player we have got in terms of the two central midfield players. No-one knows that much about them but we have to hope they settle and put in consistently good performances, it may take ten or twelve games for us to see them at their best and thats a fair chunk of the season but with no-one else to slot in there they need every encouragement.

Having gained two cenral mid-fielders should hot up the competition for places around the rest of the team as make-do's will not be required so often in that area. On the attacking front the signing of Saha can go one of two ways, either he lives up to his reputation as 'sicknote' or he really has overcome his woes, gets both physically and match fit and we could have a corker.

Add all this to the latest rumour mill offerings from both BBC and Daily Mirror (rumour mills just don't go away) that Wagner Love joins us in January for £12million and we start to look a lot better and our dealings take on a new perspective. Our other signings look much like squad players but with our record of lengthy injuries could come in very handy.

Of our new signings we know that a fit and raring to go Saha is a top draw striker, Castillo is an Ecuador international but little else so it's 'Hope that one comes off' time. Fellaini is a Belgian international just short of his 21st birthday, six foot four and powerfully built and is known to family and friends as 'Dixie'. Now that cheers me up.

On Monday morning I got my ticket for the Euro qualifier and really hoped I would not be sitting squirming with embarrassment at another match, now although Fellaini can't play in Euro competition until January I think that these signings just might give the whole squad and manager that filip to perform better than to date.

All in all, without getting carried away, because all we have done is equalised the numbers, I have to say I feel more optimistic because the balance looks a whole lot better. With a bit of luck on the injury front and the managers skill at motivating a tight knit bunch plus both he and his assistant have more badges than on a kopites cap we may see an upturn from our dismal start (no, they won't go to Newcastle) and my matchday experience will improve.

Here's hoping... UP THE BLUES

Reader Comments

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Steve Williams
1 Posted 03/09/2008 at 09:17:05

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Not really sure what you’re trying to say here Ken.

Richard Parker
2 Posted 03/09/2008 at 08:15:37

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As I mentioned on another post, I think that we have a potentially stronger squad this season than last.

Arteta and Vaughan’s impact so far this season (despite the shitty results) is a real positive after their injuries last season.

If the 2 centre mids can settle quick, once Pienaar and Cahill are back, we should have some real options. Totally agree about Saha as well, definite gamble, but if it comes off could be a real bargain.

A rapid turnaround in performance is needed against Stoke in 10 days and hopefully a few more fit and able bodies will provide a boost, to kick on from there.

I’m definitely on a wait-and-see mentality for this season. Could work out OK with the signings we made, but still have that horrible nagging feeling that we’re a few injuries away from disaster.

Micheal Hunt
3 Posted 03/09/2008 at 10:15:26

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With the graduation or quality from the academy now being afforded a chance to be ’eased in’, I think we are far better off than last year.
Whilst there are international matches as usual, it is also a blessing to not have the AFCoN exodus this season!
The likes of City et al will take time to gel so, with better luck with injuries, a CL berth this time is certainly not impossible. The RS look vulnerable to me, COYB! :-)

Colin Johnston
4 Posted 03/09/2008 at 12:20:42

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This is most probable a side comment, but for me I see the greatest concern is what is happening at Man City ...... super rich coming in and having their new toy ...............with the prices that they are suggesting , they put pressure on other clubs as all stock (players) prices all go up to a degree.

I know this has happened at other clubs already, but for some reason to me this seems entirely different if they?re as good as their word (and so far it would seem so) its like the transfer market being hit by a giant hammer.

Do we hope for some "super rich" to come along and pick up Everton so to speak??? maybe?

I am pleased with our transfers, but one or two more to expand our squad would not go a miss, I know Moyes does not like the mid-year transfer market (December/January), but this year may be different.

Guy Hastings
5 Posted 03/09/2008 at 13:40:00

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City are going to be the new Spurs x 10. Loads of ego-driven big-name Charlies signed at the behest of the owners and a manager (be it Hughes or whoever) with no time to turn them into a cohesive team.

Karl Masters
6 Posted 03/09/2008 at 22:21:08

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I think we’ll all have to wait and see.

I feel a lot better than a week or so ago, I know that.

I think the farce that was 99% of that Transfer window sapped the optimism of all of us including Moyes and the players.

However, if you cast your mind back only 15 months to the end of the 2006/7 season when we finished 6th, it is interesting to see who we have lost and gained:

Naysmith replaced by Baines
Beattie replaced by Yakubu
Fernandes replaced by Fellaini
Carsley replaced by Castillo
Johnson replaced by Saha
McFadden replaced by Pienaar
Stubbs replaced by Jagielka
Wright replaced by Nash

Apart from the sad loss of British players, you would have to say that with the exception of Johnson ( although Saha could be a great acquisition ) all positions have a better player or in the Carsley & Stubbs scenarios their time had simply run out.

Plus we have added Jacobsen and Gosling and have the likes of Baxter and Rodwell in contention.

So in only 15 months, the squad is significantly stronger and a bit bigger. It is progress. So despite what was an utter shambles of a transfer window we are still looking in good shape, especially with Vaughan and Anichebe that bit older than then as well.

COYB!!

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