Txiki Begiristain

[argyle]

Him and others held the club back 3 years to get Pep

Allowed other teams to catch up and surpass us in that time.

Handed over a squad that can't play Peps style.

Almighty fuck up and heads should roll.

 

[Bluewonder]

Him and others held the club back 3 years to get Pep

Allowed other teams to catch up and surpass us in that time.

Handed over a squad that can't play Peps style.

Almighty fuck up and heads should roll.

Summed up inside 50 words. An utter clown.

 

[kas_tippler]

Shite Hawk

 

[Bluewonder]

Around £150m for that lot yet we haven't spent a penny on right or left backs in that period.

It's strange that nobody had yet realised that these expensive centre backs can't all be shit. Maybe the full backs are just a little bit at fault?

 

[BlueAnorak]

Just useless. He wouldn't know a good defender if he saw one.
No fundamental upgrade of the full back positions since he arrived - Just the Sagna sticking plaster.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

Just useless. He wouldn't know a good defender if he saw one.
No upgrade of the full back positions.

Whilst I would love some different fullbacks, Liverpool are playing Milner as one, Chelsea have been playing Moses, Utd Valencia. What we are desperately short of is a defensive midfielder who knows how to play the role. We've not had one since Barry (and NDJ before that) and we look hopelessly exposed because of it.

 

[Kompany is King]

Two new full backs & a centre half who can play the Pep way needed. Fabinho & Van Dijk are names that could fit, others could name a left back.

A high energy midfielder who can pass & tackle also needed. Verratti would be ideal & a long term signing (could free Fernandinho to right back).

We have recently focused on signing attacking players, accepting Bravo & Stones signings. We need to address the defensive aspect of the first team/squad.

January signings would be ideal, if not, they need to happen in the summer.

 

[Dave Dave]

I'm against criticizing the DOF too much. I think he was working under the guidance of Pep.

 

[jaiguruKun]

Part of the problem of lazy scouting. If it doesn't cost £25m we ain't interested. FFS sign some full backs you prick.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Therein lies the problem. The common denominator is that every defender we buy ends up looking shite. Yet, some move on and look half decent (see Savic). If the system, and other defensive personnel, aren't right - we're already fighting a losing battle. The shortsightedness is incredible, it really is, for an establishment that is supposedly high up in the world echelons of professional sport.

I don't really see a pattern in our signings - it seems like we just buy the latest shiny product. We buy Sterling, superb in a counter attacking Liverpool system, and then proceed to play keep ball - the same with Sané often (although he stills looks to beat a man.) Mangala, a dominant physical centre half, and ask him to play keep ball. Either sign players that suit how we want to play, or change the system to suit the players. Granted, these players especially Mangala probably were;t good enough anyway - but asking them to play alien systems to what they are good at, is either blind arrogance or ineptness.

It's the sort of stuff the rags used to do eg Birtles square pegs don't go into round holes.

This guy needs to go, he's not addressed the fundamental problems in the squad and I assume the cheque book isn't closed is still not doing anything half way through the window when as per the last few years we should have had the players we needed lined up for New Years day, we can't afford a panic signing(s) on deadline day, top 4 may have sailed by then.