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In Support Of Coyle

Just my take on why we are where we are...

We've lost 7.5 of our 8 most important players from last season.

In no particular order...

1. Holden - by far our greatest talent and key to Coyle being able to set the team up the way he likes it to play. Without him our midfield is a walk in the park for most Premiership opposition.

2. Lee - obviously a huge threat to opposing defences and probably creates as many chances as anyone on his day. A big factor in our lack of goals.

3. Elmander - awesome player when utilized to his greatest strengths, which was rare during his time with us. I know not everyone on here is a fan and that it took him too long to gel but in my opinion he is a huge loss.

4. Sturridge - unplayable on his day. Finding someone to replace his goalscoring ability is virtually an impossibility for any club.

5. Davies - who would have thought that the rock of our team for the past few years would fall apart so suddenly? Yes, you can prepare for aging players to fade but fall of the edge of the earth?

6. Jaaskelainen - again, his form has dipped dramatically and just doesn't seem to be the match winner he was capable of being in previous seasons. Yes, I know he had a blinder on Saturday but I expect that of him most weeks.

7. Knight - he was amazing for us last season (probably his best ever) but seems to have returned to previous form as the indecisive and very average defender he always was.

7.5. Gary Cahill - half the player he was. While he has served up some impressive displays and fully deserved his England call up, he has since fallen apart and currently looks to be a shadow of the player he is capable of being. I'm relieved his red card was rescinded but what on earth was he doing to get himself into that position? I'm not sure if it was over confidence or a complete lack of options that led to giving the ball away so cheaply.

Anyhow, in addition to that little lot is the demise of Paul Robinson. I've never rated him and he has no place in my 8 Most Important Players List which is why I'll keep him separate. However, he was ok last season and nowhere near the liability he is this.

Unfortunate injuries to Robinson and Steinsson's replacements; Alonso and Mears (give Coyle some credit, he actually had a plan to replace these two), the stupidity of Wheater, inconsistency of Petrov, Muamba, Eagles and Davies M. (this guy infuritaes me most of all given that he is potentially the most comfortable player we have on the ball and actually has the vision to see more than one pass ahead of him) all additional headaches for Coyle haven't helped either.

Anyhow, I'm boring myself at this point so if you're still reading I'm sorry, I just felt the need to get it off my chest and say that I think even the most experienced of managers would have struggled under these circumstances.

So...I'm still backing Coyle even though I don't see things changing much given our depleted squad.

posted on 8/12/11

We could have given Elmander a new 3 year contract with the N'gog money (inc his wages).

Before Sturridge came we scored 29 pts in 19 games, after he came, we scored 17 pts in 19 games. In fact Elmander scored more in the games he played up front than Strridge did.

So we miss Elmander more than Strridge, yet could have kept him.

What is alarming is how poor the defence is with pretty much the same defence as last season and that is something Coyle should have addressed well before now.

posted on 8/12/11

Don't make excuses for coyle, his worse than kean

posted on 8/12/11

We could have given Elmander a new 3 year contract with the N'gog money (inc his wages).

--

The point is though, I wonder what wages Galatasaray offered him, we offered him a new contract.

Elmander is also 30, he would be 33 by the time that contract ended. He had one good season out of three that is not worth a £40k a week contract IMO.

It is clear we have tried to stengthen our defence, unfortunatley luck has conspired against us.

posted on 8/12/11

Agree with you Finlay, good article.

We have been so unlucky, in fact the whole of 2011 has been a disaster football wise. We need to end it well, and hope to goodness that Coyle can turn it round this month. If we finish 2011/12 season like we started 2010/11 we will be laughing.

I do question Coyles tactics and the way he sets the team up sometimes, and by no means is he immune from criticism, but ultimately i do think he can do the job, and I can't think of anyone else I would prefer atm- a bad Dec/Jan my patience might well have been spent.

Elmander was average for 2 of 3 seasons. I am glad he had a good last season, but I am equally glad we didn't offer him the reported £70,000 he is on at Galatasary... Not worth it. Can get a lot more options, including loans for that salary... We need to get someone in jan on Loan no doubt. Coyle has prior with this- Wilshere/Sturidge anyone?!?!

comment by Firstof (U4545)

posted on 8/12/11

Regardless of luck, injuries, bad refs, no money ... it's all irrelevant - we are where we are ...and it's a precarious place to be, if our Prem status is the be all & end all. The burning questions that beg to be asked are;

Can Owen Coyle work with the resources he currently has, and turn this around by early January?

Could any other manager do better with the resources currently at our disposal?

If the answer proves to be ' NO ' to the first question, I suspect we will get the chance (first hand) to see whether it's a YES or a NO answer to the second ....

posted on 9/12/11

Thing about Elmander was no matter how bad he was playing he'd take some pressure off the team with at least 1 decent ball carry or was willing to close the defender down to try and force a mistake.

Holden & Lee were essential players in the side, Holden in holding together the midfield and Lee with being the out ball finding spaces out wide and wherever he went. The replacements for which aren't as good, or play a different style.

comment by JAH (U1627)

posted on 9/12/11

RB. Also we had not decided to sell Ali when Elmo agreed terms with the Turks, so keeping Elmo instead of Eggnog was never an option as we didn't have the cash in the bank to make a better offer to Elmo. However, 90% of the posters on here would've slated OC for keeping Elmo and not adding a pacey striker to replace Sturridge.

Agreed that the performance and more so the balance of the team was better before Sturridge arrived and was evident in that lead up to Xmas.

However, have to disagree with the feeling that OC hasn't strengthened the defence. Why do so many people across so many forums keep saying this. OC bought Mears and had introduced Alonso and bought Wheater last season. Incredible that people look at our injury laden defence and still blame OC for having to play Robbo and Gretar.

comment by Firstof (U4545)

posted on 9/12/11

OC has strengthened the defence, personnel-wise, though only Wheater has played any part this season, so it will appear to some that he's done nothing.

Of greater concern (for me) is that the defence (whoever's playing) always seems to be disorganised and not working as a unit. The old adage ' build from the back ' was a priority for the likes of BSA. Maybe it still is; perhaps it's just that the coaching isn't up to the same high standards of the BSA era?

comment by JAH (U1627)

posted on 9/12/11

Big Sam will always be a legend for what he did for us, but sadly I don't think it will be reproduced any time soon. Will always remember those great times of scaring the big boys.

comment by Firstof (U4545)

posted on 9/12/11

I'd echo that ^^^^ A once in a lifetime experience, probably ...which doesn't (unfortunately) help any managers following on from that, as they'll always be livin' in Sam's shadow .... OC (or whoever follows him) will probably need to win the FA Cup to exorcise that ' ghost ' ....

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