Are we stronger than last year yet?

[brasil_spur]

Ok, so given the depature of Keane yesterday i thought i'd take a look at our team and see whether we're in a stronger or weaker position that when we kicked off last season.

These are the players that have come and gone under Ramos.

GK
Robinson - OUT
Gomes - IN

RB
Chimbonda - OUT
Hutton - IN
Gunter - IN

LB
Gilberto - IN

CB
Woodgate - IN

RW
Routledge - OUT
Bostock - IN

CM
Tainio - OUT
Modric - IN

ST
Defoe - OUT
Keane - OUT
Dos Santos - IN

Also we can add O'Hara to that list, given it was Ramos who gave him the chance to turn into the squad member he now is.

To me that looks like a much stronger team, except for Keane's replacement who hasn't arrived yet.

So assuming we get a replacement for Keane (let's go with Arshavin for now given the strong ITK) we actually have a much better team going into this season than last IMO. :grin: And that's assuming we don't make anymore signings, which i'm pretty sure we will. :wink:

Just as a last note, i think Ramos and Gus will be able to get much more out of our players that Jol did. Just look at Hudd to see the difference a proper fitness regime can make.

COYS!!!!!

 

[Yid-ol]

Still abit early to say, as transfers seem still likley to happen, if Berabtov goes then we may find ourselves in a slightly worse situation if we dont buy in strikers who are good and can stettle in quick enough, but just now with Berbatov and Keane just gone, i would say as a squad we are better than the start of last season.

 

[jonnyp]

Still need a proper quality and experienced DM IMO. And we desperately need to keep hold of Berbatov now that Keane is gone (I don't think we'll be signing either of Arshavin or Villa unfortunately).

 

[brasil_spur]

Agree that we still need a CB cover (Burdisso would be excellent), as well as a DM (Albelda or Veloso are both great options) and then a ST to replace Keane (Arshavin apparantly done).

However even without these players i think we're still in an overall stronger position as of right now.

 

[met was god]

Better individuals than last year but at the moment less unity than the previous crop. Remember at this stage last year we had just gone on a fnatastic run to clinch 5th.

More worringly I think we may have less leaders on the pitch than last year with Keano gone. I suppose everyone will point to Woodgate but he didn't have 5+ years of respect built up (most of it gone now tho :wink. Apart from King and Woodgate who will lead us on the pitch? Think we need a natural born leader to pull everyone together when we go through a sticky patch.

Think we have much higher level of versitility than in previous years with players better able to cope with different positions, which I think makes for a stronger squard - particularly on matchdays

Fitness is obviously way up and that was very evident yesterday.

Finally also think our coaching set up from Ramos and Gus all the way through to new GK set up is 10 times better! The way we looked to protect the ball was fantastic yesterday and dare I say it almost continental without being boring!!!!

Hopefully the points where we are not quite as strong will come in time and we will enjoy a fantastic start to the campaign

 

[Yid-ol]

Better individuals than last year but at the moment less unity than the previous crop. Remember at this stage last year we had just gone on a fnatastic run to clinch 5th.

More worringly I think we may have less leaders on the pitch than last year with Keano gone. I suppose everyone will point to Woodgate but he didn't have 5+ years of respect built up (most of it gone now tho :wink. Apart from King and Woodgate who will lead us on the pitch? Think we need a natural born leader to pull everyone together when we go through a sticky patch.

Think we have much higher level of versitility than in previous years with players better able to cope with different positions, which I think makes for a stronger squard - particularly on matchdays

Fitness is obviously way up and that was very evident yesterday.

Finally also think our coaching set up from Ramos and Gus all the way through to new GK set up is 10 times better! The way we looked to protect the ball was fantastic yesterday and dare I say it almost continental without being boring!!!!

Hopefully the points where we are not quite as strong will come in time and we will enjoy a fantastic start to the campaign

Lets see what we do when we come up agaisnt someone good though....

 

[striebs]

My worry is that we are going to lack the strength in depth to cope with injuries and get overrun by the physical teams .

Glad we don't have to face Sunderland on the first day , they are starting to look pretty useful !

 

[nidge]

On paper it may appear we are a little stronger but I am not going to pass judgement until I see how our new players adapt to the premier league.

You have GDS as replacing one of Keane or Defoe but again I would be very surprised if he scores the same amount that either player scored. Although he is a lot more creative than either player so it may balance itself out.

 

[PT]

And he's only 19 year's old. With maturity will come consistency.

 

[tRiKS]

If you look at it in sections then

GK - Better in form and confidence.

Back 4 - Obviously better, even without King but I'm still confident he'll play.

Midfield 4 - Better

Forward line - Assuming Berb goes. Worse

subs bench - better

so of the 5 sections 4 are better and one is worse. Is the one worse area more important than than the other 4? Individually perhaps but certainly not combined. So yes i do think we're better.
I think we have more balance and our threat going forward is more evenly spread now.

Without looking at the finer pionts of tactics and formations I just want to mention set peices.

Our set piece takers were Robbie, lennon, jenas or Huddlestone. and none have proven to be of top quality. Already with Bale fit and modric we have improved the delivery. If we get bently too then we have very high class delivery from dead balls.
Defensively, of course this is something we don't know but Gomes has a chance of being better at taking the ball and Woodgate has already improved us and when King plays we look on another level. Bale is significatnly taller then Lee or BAE and wouldn't mind betting he's better in the air.

So imo we're a better team than last year at set pieces.

 

[fieryjack]

And he's only 19 year's old. With maturity will come consistency.

.....and a move to the munichs.

 

[hodspurs]

at the moment no.chimbonda is abig loss and keane...well what can i say.

 

[barkerboy]

physically stronger-yes, better players-yes, so overall i think we are stronger!!:grin:

 

[StockSpur]

bit dissapointed that we ended the norwich game with huddlestone and zokora as our centre back pairing

 

[General Levy]

Yes, we are MUCH stronger.

 

[Mullers]

At the moment we are a little bit stronger BUT if we bring in Arshavin, Bentley, Veloso, Albelda, Capel and keep Berbs and bring in one or two quality CBs then we will be much stronger than last season.

 

[louisg]

Better individuals than last year but at the moment less unity than the previous crop. Remember at this stage last year we had just gone on a fnatastic run to clinch 5th.

More worringly I think we may have less leaders on the pitch than last year with Keano gone. I suppose everyone will point to Woodgate but he didn't have 5+ years of respect built up (most of it gone now tho :wink. Apart from King and Woodgate who will lead us on the pitch? Think we need a natural born leader to pull everyone together when we go through a sticky patch.

Think we have much higher level of versitility than in previous years with players better able to cope with different positions, which I think makes for a stronger squard - particularly on matchdays

Fitness is obviously way up and that was very evident yesterday.

Finally also think our coaching set up from Ramos and Gus all the way through to new GK set up is 10 times better! The way we looked to protect the ball was fantastic yesterday and dare I say it almost continental without being boring!!!!

Hopefully the points where we are not quite as strong will come in time and we will enjoy a fantastic start to the campaign

Can you explain how we protected the ball please? was it by having more time on ball and picking the better pass or getting behind the ball as soon as we lost it?