Progress

[jazzy]

Not difficult to improve on the mess that Martinez left.

There is a very long way to go for this "project " as RK talks about our beloved club to come to fruition.

 

[hktoffee]

Nonsense. Mid table and two extensive cup runs are more worthwhile to a BS 7th place and being dumped out of the cups early doors.

There has been NO progress in that sense.

Has he got these cowards working again? Yes. Has it been an impressive season? Has it bollocks. Home form aside its been dour away from home and the football only picked up in the second half of the season, as the first half was utter muck.

No, it is not. League is bread and butter. Your so-called cup run is absolutely bs. It got nothing. Yes nothing.

Martinez can't do it home or away so obviously this season is a progress.

And this club's aim is to suppress Moyes's 4th place finish which is the best achievement league wise in the PL era.

 

[hktoffee]

We were never close to relegation and he didn't nearly take us out of the league though. There is no need to embellish his time here.

He was sacked for his performance. It wasnt good enough, but it wasn't even close to what that guy said.

If the clown is still here he would. Judging by the trends and results of the past 2 seasons.

Finishing 11th and 13th in a row was unacceptable. It's pathetic. That's why the Mosh sacked him, thankfully.

 

[Eggs]

....yep, progress definitely made. Change takes time.

 

[davek]

....yep, progress definitely made. Change takes time.

Progress in home league form, regression in away form and domestic cups - and this feller is here for two more seasons, it seems...before he gets off to Barcelona!...so, not much time at all really for those changes you mention. The next boss will then come in and tear the page up and start his own page.

Footy standard wise we have been piss poor apart from the games after Christmas up to about 7 games ago (before the derby).

Overall the word 'progress' is inappropriate. I'd go for 'mild recovery'.

 

[Collie spainel]

Big summer ahead hope were ruthless and get rid of kev m Kone McCarthy besic stek Barry del clev gallaway mgeady browning mori and if rom or Ross want out sell for the highest price

 

[Eggs]

Progress in home league form, regression in away form and domestic cups - and this feller is here for two more seasons, it seems...before he gets off to Barcelona!...so, not much time at all really for those changes you mention. The next boss will then come in and tear the page up and start his own page.

Footy standard wise we have been piss poor apart from the games after Christmas up to about 7 games ago (before the derby).

Overall the world 'progress' is inappropriate. I'd go for 'mild recovery'.

...generally we are a better team. The away form needs addressing but we were very poor from a footy standard perspective in the 2nd half of last season. I keep reminding you that change takes time and this is his first proper window, given he and Walsh were only appointed 12 months ago with no time to assess what we had or do any pre-window negotiations.

I think they have done very well moving so many players out that were surplus to requirements. That in itself is a major achievement these days. I've been disappointed with a number of team selections and tactics but we are moving in the right direction, I'm quite positive about things.

 

[lancs blue]

atmosphere under catalan clown was toxic. it isn't anymore. this alone is a sign of progression. with the likes of Kone gone in summer we'll see what happens. they need to get a big signing in early to show intent

 

[bluestevon]

...generally we are a better team. The away form needs addressing but we were very poor from a footy standard perspective in the 2nd half of last season. I keep reminding you that change takes time and this is his first proper window, given he and Walsh were only appointed 12 months ago with no time to assess what we had or do any pre-window negotiations.

I think they have done very well moving so many players out that were surplus to requirements. That in itself is a major achievement these days. I've been disappointed with a number of team selections and tactics but we are moving in the right direction, I'm quite positive about things.

Question for me - and it's a bit 'left field'

Is Koeman playing players he knows aren't good enough (since we effectively have been assured of 7th and Europe for a whilst in reality) in order to put pressure on the board to back him to the extent he wants?

Maybe that's wishful thinking, because the alternate is much more worrying if he believes the likes of DCL and Jagielka/Williams are good enough

 

[tirion]

atmosphere under catalan clown was toxic. it isn't anymore. this alone is a sign of progression. with the likes of Kone gone in summer we'll see what happens. they need to get a big signing in early to show intent

if there is any competition for a big signing we will lose out, we all know it, thats why we are linked with dross

 

[davek]

...generally we are a better team. The away form needs addressing but we were very poor from a footy standard perspective in the 2nd half of last season. I keep reminding you that change takes time and this is his first proper window, given he and Walsh were only appointed 12 months ago with no time to assess what we had or do any pre-window negotiations.

I think they have done very well moving so many players out that were surplus to requirements. That in itself is a major achievement these days. I've been disappointed with a number of team selections and tactics but we are moving in the right direction, I'm quite positive about things.

It's been acceptable. Let's not gild the lily.

 

[Canuck Darryl]

I just hope that they get the transfer business done sooner rather than later. With Europe on the horizon, we will need any newly signed players in and settled asap.

 

[Seathestars]

My blue blinkers wish I could be happier but my head tells me it was always going to take time.
We got rid of the dead wood in the last transfer window, hopefully it will all be replaced by footballers with a touch of class in this one.
CL qualification would be nice next season although again my head say's be patient.

 

[Eggs]

It's been acceptable. Let's not gild the lily.

..I don't think I was 'gilding the lily', Dave. It's by no means wonderful but it's progress, we are going in the right direction. This summer will be a real challenge though, especially if both Barkley and Lukaku leave. They are regular starters and key players so it will be difficult to replace them and maintain the forward momentum.

If both leave and we improve again next season it will be an achievement.

 

[TheNinja]

We've finished 7th the season after Martinez was sacked. This is realistically our true position in my eyes. If we'd have finished lower then it would have been seen as an underachievement, like it was under Martinez's guidance. I'm actually surprised just how close we got in terms of points to the top 6, especially after an awful 2016, but it was a mix of our excellent 2017 form (second best to only Spurs before yesterday) and some fairly terrible performances from United, Arsenal and Man City by their standards.

It's no surprise to me that our best results have happened mainly with Schneiderlin playing instead of Barry, but with the loss of Coleman and a pretty bad defence in the main, to have achieved 7th despite being poor defensively and whilst shipping out a lot of wrong uns, gives me hope that we have plenty to build on. Big Summer coming up though, not only with making the right additions, but waiting to see who departs. Need to get players in early, not least with European competition qualifying, but also it looks like wholesale changes may be required and we need to 'hit the ground running' if we're to have a good domestic campaign next season as well as qualify for Europe proper.

P.S. Pickford had another great game for Sunderland yesterday I see