by Vision »
08 Aug 2007 15:32
Hoop Blah Vision I've no doubt we are on the lookout for forwards to improve ( as with all other positions ) the team but not at the prices the current market place is dictating.
Thats the key, pushing the boat out to improve and get better players than we're got, not just accept that we can't and plod along without investing to make us stronger. Having said that I still think a player like Helguson or Hulse gives us something different within the squad. Even if not better than our current players they make the squad better.
Vision Investment in the team also doesn't just come down to a financial nature. It is also about investing time and faith in those on the fringes of the first team.
Totally agree, and hope that Cox and Long can make the grade. Personally, from the performances I've seen from them, I would rather we had better options right now and their development was done at Championship level for a few months or a season. Maybe their time is now though, I hope so.
Vision The one point i don't understand is this "getting away with it last season" comment. We didn't escape relegation by the skin of our teeth, we finished 8th.
I think we were lacking in options and depth upfront, which was pretty clear to see when Seol and Long had to play upfront quite a few times. I think we got away with having a lack of quality up there at times. We finished where we deserved to because of the teams performances and results over the season, but personally I thought, and still think, we got away with not having much upfront at times.
Of course we'll always be on the lookout for players to improve us. Just because we're not entering into the ridiculous price war for certain players at present doesn't mean we're not actively looking.
As i said before though, a side with our resourses can't really expect to have much better calbire than Long and Cox as 4th and 5th choice in any given position.
People keep saying about having to play Seol and Long up front last season but as i seem to recall in the half a dozen or so games that they did start, they both scored , and we won a couple of important matches. Sure it wasn't ideal but my (admittedly hazy ) memory tells me we still picked up enough points in those games to suggest that as 4th and 5th choice it wasn't disastrous. Also seem to remember Long coming off the bench and transforming the side up at Bolton.
Long is an interesting case mind, because its quite clear that Coppell sees a lot more in him that most fans (including myself if i'm honest) do. he's even gone on record as saying he doesn't think a loan spell in the Championship will benefit him as much as being around our first team squad will.