We definitely don't need more CB's and CM's considering the current quality and depth in those respective positions. I'd love to see Asamoah get more game time in midfield, and most definitely advocate the purchase of a hybrid LB/LWB.
We also need a bit more tactical versatility, as we are pretty predictable going forward (especially in Europe). Hence, we require a dynamic winger or AM (Mata and Di Maria are the quality names, but guys like Lamela and Nani are no slouches either). Just stay away from the names I mentioned before. $#@! Serie A experience if the player lacks the quality to actually make that jump/transition from a big fish in a small pond to a full fledged quality addition in a squad fighting for titles.
I never understood what that means? Whats so different about Europe? Do defenders have better foresight than in Italy or do coaches know how we play more closely? We only failed to score against Bayern (Barca and plenty of others failed too) and in our Freezer game against Gala. We had little problems scoring 5 past Chelsea, Celtic & Nordsjalland or 2 past Shahktar, 3 past madrid or 2 past Gala in one match?
Why are we more predictable against Copenhagen, Bayern and Galata than against Napoli, Roma, Milan etc... If anything local teams study you better and have more experience playing against you.
The only real difference in the European games was our shoddy individual mistakes and comparative lack of cutting edge. Look how clinical we have been in recent weeks, then contrast it to some of those games.
The last game you can almost treat as a separate entity, but the 5 before that there was little wrong with our plan or approach, we just shot ourselves in the foot in every game.
Lamela has the potentiel to be better than Di Maria, more clinical, more polished and physically more imposing. Di Maria is talented but his decision making is atrocious.
I never understood what that means? Whats so different about Europe? Do defenders have better foresight than in Italy or do coaches know how we play more closely? We only failed to score against Bayern (Barca and plenty of others failed too) and in our Freezer game against Gala. We had little problems scoring 5 past Chelsea, Celtic & Nordsjalland or 2 past Shahktar, 3 past madrid or 2 past Gala in one match?
Why are we more predictable against Copenhagen, Bayern and Galata than against Napoli, Roma, Milan etc... If anything local teams study you better and have more experience playing against you.
In the group stages this season we failed to score more than 1 goal from open play in either game. Last season was better but our shit strikers who couldnt hold the ball at all exposed us against Bayern. So finishing wasnt an issue because we didnt get into their box.
P.S sorry if this reply is a mess. I am using shitty mobile internet
The only real difference in the European games was our shoddy individual mistakes and comparative lack of cutting edge. Look how clinical we have been in recent weeks, then contrast it to some of those games.
The last game you can almost treat as a separate entity, but the 5 before that there was little wrong with our plan or approach, we just shot ourselves in the foot in every game.
how is drogba,snejder, ronaldo, bale, ramos, and eboue comparable to the cacks i serie a such as totti, maicon, and reina?
the reason juve is so clinical is because the league is shit. let's not kid ourselves that Juve has what it takes to get out of the group stage next year.
Being clinical is only partly to do with opposition. We missed chances in CL games we've put away (and harder) in league games. It's not magic, just a mental issue because we let it continue. I imagine if we'd got the win we should have in the very first game then our campaign would have turned out far differently, and not just in retrospect to our actual points tally.
After all, if you hit an easy chance off target one game and then score it the next it's little to do with the opposition.
I don't buy any excuses that are being sold around here. There's no way we didn't care/were unlucky/had no form for the whole group stage. Juve wasn't good enough simple as that.
how is drogba,snejder, ronaldo, bale, ramos, and eboue comparable to the cacks i serie a such as totti, maicon, and reina?
the reason juve is so clinical is because the league is shit. let's not kid ourselves that Juve has what it takes to get out of the group stage next year.
I don't buy any excuses that are being sold around here. There's no way we didn't care/were unlucky/had no form for the whole group stage. Juve wasn't good enough simple as that.
I would rather us get Mata then Lamela if possible. But I would love any of Mata, Di Maria or Lamela to join juve. I just think Mata is a much more reliable player who would produce consistently.. while Lamela is not a certainty and still needs to develop somewhat. He might be a player who is capable of great things but not capable of producing match winning performances week in week out. Mata on the other hand most certainly is. Last season Mata was incredible.
If you believe in the first part you basically admit this squad is good enough as it is, so next year it'll be better just because the team gained some experience. If it's the latter then it's obvious it needs strengthening and some major changes to game plan in order to do well.
If you believe in the first part you basically admit this squad is good enough as it is, so next year it'll be better just because the team gained some experience. If it's the latter then it's obvious it needs strengthening and some major changes to game plan in order to do well.
We did better last year with an inferior squad, scored more with a worse strike force.
We need to analyse better what our issues were this year, and it's right to say we weren't good enough, because that is plain and simple. I just don't agree with the reasons for it.