Mid-season report...

[Super_horns]

Copied from other forums of course!

1. Overall has the first half of the season been a success for your club?

We started very well but had a typically bad dip in form. Would have taken 10th at this stage though some way clear of the bottom 3.

2. Who has been your best and worst players of the season so far?

Richarlison and Doucoure have been our main threats in attack and Gomes has been fairly solid in goal again.

Troy Deeney isn't the player of old and Andre Gray hasn't lived up to the price tag but maybe not his fault.

3. What has been your best and worst results of the season so far?

Best - Beating Arsenal in injury time and grabbing a point against Liverpool.

Worse - The performances in defeat against Huddersfield and Brighton.

4. Are you happy with the performance of your current manager?

Well much like the team his season started well but since the Everton rumours came about and we've hit injuries/suspensions maybe seen some negative signs of Silva's management.

5. What needs to be done to your team transfer wise in January?

More defenders maybe and certainly a striker or two to score goals. Just keeping players fit would be nice.

6. Where do you see yourself finishing in May?

If we can perform as we did in the early part of the season top 10 but the recent run shows we will struggle if key players are missing or we don't buy well in January.

7. We know who will win the title baring a major collapse so which teams will make up the rest of the top 4 and who will go down.

Man U
Chelsea
Liverpool

Brighton
WBA
Swansea

 

[epic73]

1. Overall has the first half of the season been a success for your club?

Yes, but our last few matches have looked scarily like last season.

2. Who has been your best and worst players of the season so far?

Best: Pogba, Lingard

Worst: Lukaku

3. What has been your best and worst results of the season so far?

Best - Our first few matches where we dominated and won 4-0.

Worse - Draws with Leicester and Burnley, and losing to Huddersfield.

4. Are you happy with the performance of your current manager?

Yes.

5. What needs to be done to your team transfer wise in January?

A proper right winger, Mata has been playing more central and Mkhi has been playing badly.

6. Where do you see yourself finishing in May?

3rd or 4th.

7. We know who will win the title barring a major collapse so which teams will make up the rest of the top 4 and who will go down.

Chelsea
Man Utd
Spurs

Bournemouth
Newcastle
Swansea

 

[AnkleBiter]

1. Overall has the first half of the season been a success for your club?

Massive success. We all knew we wouldn't be the Derby that some predicted us to be, but I'm not sure any of us realistically thought we'd be 11th and never been closer than 5 points to the bottom 3 (since the opening day, obviously). We're loving every game whatever the score. It's been football at it's very best, as opposed to the 'event' it's become at some venues.

2. Who has been your best and worst players of the season so far?

Best: Schindler, Depoitre

Worst: Kasey Palmer, really thought he'd be our creative number 10, but not featured for a while now and will probably be sent back to Chelsea in January.

3. What has been your best and worst results of the season so far?

Best - Beating Palace 3-0 on the opening day was brilliant and really opened a few eyes. Beating United was unbelievable and summed up this great period for us. Holding on to a win against West Brom also did that, so much spirit and togetherness. And winning 4-1 at Watford to end a run of 7 away games without a goal was just another great memory.

Worse - Losing 2-0 at Swansea is the only time I thought we could've given more.

4. Are you happy with the performance of your current manager?



5. What needs to be done to your team transfer wise in January?

An attacking mid to do what we wanted Palmer to do.

6. Where do you see yourself finishing in May?

I don't want to jinx it... 14th-16th.

7. We know who will win the title barring a major collapse so which teams will make up the rest of the top 4 and who will go down.

Chelsea
Man Utd
Liverpool

Southampton
West Brom
Swansea

 

[Jamie_SFC]

1. Overall has the first half of the season been a success for your club?

Nope, we've been shocking in basically every game. Players aren't playing for the shirt. We were handed a fairly decent set of fixtures to begin with but didn't make the most of them. The football has been so painfully dull. It hasn't been enjoyable going to St. Mary's since Koeman left.

2. Who has been your best and worst players of the season so far?

Austin has been our best, shame he's injured. We might even have a few more points on the board but it took our manager until November to realise he scores goals.

Redmond, VvD, Forster, Romeu, Tadic have all been piss poor for us. Redmond is an arrogant little shite who thinks he's better than what he is. VvD didn't want to be here and it showed, Forster is just awful in goal, Romeu limits us and Tadic just doesn't seem to give a toss.

3. What has been your best and worst results of the season so far?

Best - Beating Everton 4-1 but that probably kept Pellegrino in the job...

Worse - Can't single one out so here's three, failing to beat Newcastle/Swansea/Huddersfield at home. 3 points from that lot is really piss poor. We were very much second best against Newcastle and Huddersfield too.

4. Are you happy with the performance of your current manager?

Nope. He's clueless. Not really sure we done our homework on him after Puel but Reed's statement said Pellegrino would bring us an attacking pressing play back to St. Mary's but he's been even more defensive than Puel but without the organisation. He needs to go but we won't sack him.

5. What needs to be done to your team transfer wise in January?

We have major work to do. Selling VvD is the right thing if the money goes back into the playing squad next month. We need a new goalkeeper but that won't happen, the statue only just got a new contract in the summer. An attacking midfielder who isn't scared to attack a defence (Mane replacement) and a target man because we never replaced Pelle. After that we'd need a CB to replace VvD as Yoshida is very much a 3rd choice CB - We could get away with that until the Summer though if we improve our attacking options significantly. We need to show ambition.

6. Where do you see yourself finishing in May?

We're in the scrap and at the moment I think we'll drop. There isn't fight in this side, there's no leadership, no team spirit. The atmosphere at St. Mary's is toxic, we feel a million miles away from the club that done back to back promotions - close knit club where the fans felt close to the players.

7. We know who will win the title baring a major collapse so which teams will make up the rest of the top 4 and who will go down.

Chelsea
Liverpool
Man Utd

Southampton
WBA
Swansea

 

[mistermagic]

Shouldn't have sacked Puel...

I'm surprised you want Forster out. Couple of clangers but still a reliable goalkeeper, is he not?

 

[Bilo]

Imma bold the questions rather than the other way around because it makes no sense to bold the answers. It looks fukd up.

1. Overall has the first half of the season been a success for your club?

No. We've stood completely still which given that we have a winger scoring like a world class striker means we've regressed somewhat as a team. VVD might help but I'm more in the camp of leaving three players back rather than two, as every other top team in the world.

2. Who has been your best and worst players of the season so far?

Well it's not up for debate that Salah has been the best player, followed by Coutinho in my opinion.

Worst is tough, it really is between Lovren and Mignolet. But aside from the first few matches Mané has been quite disappointing. He's still putting up the numbers but he's going missing a lot. He isn't missed when he's out of the side, which compared to last season is quite astonishing.

3. What has been your best and worst results of the season so far?

Personally I hold the Arsenal at home the highest. I watched it in Lisbon and it was pretty much a perfect performance. Handed to us by Arsenal in many ways, but still.

Worst City away no question. 5-0 was it? Horrible.

4. Are you happy with the performance of your current manager?

Yes. He's focusing too little on defending in my taste but we're playing entertaining football and we're in the knockout stages of the CL for the first time in eight years. We're in a better place now than we have been in decades, so not much to complain about in the grand scheme of things.

5. What needs to be done to your team transfer wise in January?

Van Dijk is fine, imo we shouldn't rush the goalkeeper but rather give Karius a proper run. If (when) he's a definite failure, we'll have had time to find the right replacement. In our system we need the Messi of goalkeepers, basically.

6. Where do you see yourself finishing in May?

4th and genuinely nowhere else. We're better than Spurs and Arsenal but worse than City, Chelsea and United.

7. We know who will win the title baring a major collapse so which teams will make up the rest of the top 4 and who will go down.

Us, Chelsea, United.

Swansea obviously they're fucked. I reckon Howe will sort it out at Bournemouth and the other two could be any of West Ham, West Brom and Palace. I'll go for West Brom and Palace.

 

[Abertawe]

1. Overall has the first half of the season been a success for your club?

Nah

2. Who has been your best and worst players of the season so far?

All crap

3. What has been your best and worst results of the season so far?

2-0 win over the mighty Huddersfield - 1-0 loss against Brighton

4. Are you happy with the performance of your current manager?

He's done great

5. What needs to be done to your team transfer wise in January?

new wingers - new right back - new centre mid - someone who can put a ball in the opponent net

6. Where do you see yourself finishing in May?

17th

7. We know who will win the title baring a major collapse so which teams will make up the rest of the top 4 and who will go down.

United 2nd, Chelsea 3rd, Tottenham 4th

West Brom, Bournemouth & Southampton

 

[Jamie_SFC]

Shouldn't have sacked Puel...

I'm surprised you want Forster out. Couple of clangers but still a reliable goalkeeper, is he not?

Worst first choice in the division by some distance.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

1. Overall has the first half of the season been a success for your club?

No! On the pitch at least. While Bournemouth more than anyone have no right to be comfortable at this level, so far it's been very tough.

2. Who has been your best and worst players of the season so far?

Best: Ake, head and shoulders above our squad (literally at times). He's going to have a very good career. Begovic, and in spurts Lewis Cook also noteworthy.

Worst: Harry Arter has stank the place up with insipid performances for months, shadow of his former self. Simon Francis has to be up there also. A lot of the old core from League 1 are showing the exertions of their extraordinary 6 years. Pugh another. Hard to knock em, but sentimentality can be dangerous if left too long.

3. What has been your best and worst results of the season so far?

No huge results to shout about.
4-0 win over Huddersfield with 10 men for a half was a rare bright spot. Also beating Stoke 2-1 away, with a 45 min performance reminiscent of our best.

The early defeats to Watford and West Brom were not only crap performances but they set the tone for our season so far.

Hardest to take was the 98th min defeat to Man City.

4. Are you happy with the performance of your current manager?

There's issues and stuff I disagree with Howe about. For example our stubborn use of 4-4-2 and the lack of starts for Lewis Cook. But it's Eddie Howe, he's our boss for better or worse. Not even relegation would change that. And rightly so.

5. What needs to be done to your team transfer wise in January?

Tough to do much business, but a central midfielder, centre back or full back would be nice. One or two out of three.

Watch us sign some more young attacking players though!

6. Where do you see yourself finishing in May?

15th

7. We know who will win the title baring a major collapse so which teams will make up the rest of the top 4 and who will go down.

United, Chelsea, Tottenham

Swansea, West Brom, Stoke?

 

[mistermagic]

Worst first choice in the division by some distance.

I'd pick Forster over Pickford (same stats: 30 goals conceded for 20 starts).

 

[Abertawe]

I'd pick Forster over Pickford (same stats: 30 goals conceded for 20 starts).

Pickford is a youngster

 

[SALTIRE]

1. Overall has the first half of the season been a success for your club?

Generally, yes. Through to the knockout rounds of the CL which was the target there; and in top four in the league managing the league and Europe well. Sure, a title shot would've been great, but City have put pay to any of the rest even thinking about going for that - hopefully next season will be different! Out at the first attempt of the league cup (away at Leicester though, couldn't have been more tricky that) which is a shame, as a few of the fringe players may have been seen more and now aren't getting games. Happy enough with the first half of the campaign.

2. Who has been your best and worst players of the season so far?

Henderson hasn't kicked on at all this term, and unfortunately looks like he doesn't have a long future here now, as the midfield needs to be more dynamic under Klopp. Been disappointed with Mane, I know he's had an interrupted season with the sending off and the injury, but he isn't taking on players just now and is doing silly stuff and making stupid decisions. Hopefully both will kick on soon enough.

Best player has undoubtedly been Salah. I watched him in Serie A last term and he linked up beautifully with Dzeko, scoring and assisting for fun, so I knew he'd be a good signing - but I wasn't expecting him to perform this good! He's been a revelation. Coutinho once he decided to play for us, has really stepped up another level again, and I'm now at the stage where I'm loving seeing what he does for the remainder of his time here, and accepting he'll be off in the summer.

3. What has been your best and worst results of the season so far?

Maribor 0 - 7 Liverpool. Ok it was only Maribor, but this was the first time in the season where everything just clicked. We had been missing chances galore and questions were being asked about why we didn't buy a striker, but I always had belief we'd click eventually; and my word did they click then! Since then, despite ups and downs, we've been scoring goals for fun.

Worse undoubtedly for me was Spurs away. From start to finish it was a shitshow; not a single player outside of Salah gets any credit on the day there. However, it looks like it could have been a blessing in disguise. Since that day, we are unbeaten in 15 games, play a bit tighter in midfield and defense (though slacken up a bit now and again obviously!), and have pushed on winning the vast majority of our games at the moment. That result was a kick up the arse to the whole squad.

4. Are you happy with the performance of your current manager?

Yes. Klopp is bringing together a brilliant squad, full of depth, playing some great stuff and playing winning football. The side is still needing a bit of work undoubtedly, but with the VVD signing, at least for us fans, we see he isn't blind to the defensive vulnerabilities we suffer from, and will hopefully go about fixing that nearly completely by the end of the summer. Still think he takes too long on substitutions, but overall, generally he game manages well too.

5. What needs to be done to your team transfer wise in January?

Getting VVD in the door was huge, and having him for the rest of the campaign and fitted into the side for the start of the next season is massive. I can't see much more being done this window tbh apart from some loans sorted and maybe one or two outs; but as with VVD and Keita, these have been signings out of the blue, and they may surprise us with a Lemar or Goretzka in the window as well. We have a good enough squad for our aims for the rest of this season anyway.

6. Where do you see yourself finishing in May?

2nd with a good wind. Failing that, definite top four.


7. We know who will win the title baring a major collapse so which teams will make up the rest of the top 4 and who will go down.

The rest of the top four will be as it is imo, so Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea.

As for relegation, I see West Brom, Swansea and Stoke being in the relegation spots.

 

[mistermagic]

Worst first choice in the division by some distance.

Looks like your manager agrees with you, Jamie. Pellegrino replaced Forster by McCarthy and Southampton grabbed a point at Old Trafford (or is it?).

Liverpool fans, how do you the CL this season. A friend made a 50€ that Liverpool will win it. Pretty bold prediction but with Barca and Bayern being not as good as they once were, Madrid not looking overly bothered and PSG being PSG, I can see an outsider taking it this season.

 

[Bilo]

Liverpool fans, how do you the CL this season. A friend made a 50€ that Liverpool will win it. Pretty bold prediction but with Barca and Bayern being not as good as they once were, Madrid not looking overly bothered and PSG being PSG, I can see an outsider taking it this season.

Well it depends. Even though I'd back us against any big side it only really takes a pill of humble for them to sit back and counter, which with the talent many teams have at their disposal isn't too hard a task. If all those sides come at us, however, I'd fancy our chances. I reckon City will win it though.