All this ins and outs, being crap then good then average again has got me thinking.
Where is all this heading? Everyone has got onto the fact that there will no second coming of a Kevin Brock moment, resources restrict that from happening in the modern game.
Instead what we have seen in a gradual evolution under Moyes with some notable improvements and currently on paper have our best squad of players in a generation. Is it good enough? Probably not for our aspirations if were being honest but could it get better? Ask Martin Jol.
What were seeing now is the break up of a really good team one that you could argue reached it's peak of powers by reaching the 2009 FA Cup Final. That's not discounting the fantastic twenty odd unbeaten game run last season but the other half of the season put paid to any negligible progress. We finished eighth and didn't qualify for Europe. Around us teams like Tottenham and Man City invested in their squads and started bothering the closed group of the top four more than we can.
This season has been a massive disappointment compared to our ambitions at the beginning of the season and once again we've not pushed on. We gambled on the team really making a go at the top of the table and it's not worked out. We're currently picking the bones out of that at the moment.
In the past couple of years out have went Lescott, Yobo and Yakubu, shortly Pienaar who in the height of their powers were important players to the team. Alex Ferguson said: "I always believe a four-year cycle is probably the most you can achieve. There are very, very few teams who can create more than a four-year cycle".
So, while trying to avoid any Mayan calendar style comparisons, it would seem that this is the end of the second four year cycle of Moyes' teams.
The first four year cycle was dominated by a strong 4-5-1, being tight and grabbing a clinical win. Players such as Kilbane, Bent, Weir, Stubbs, Carsley, Gravesen were part of a collectively good unit. The second cycle involved Lescott, Jagielka, Baines, Pienaar, Yakubu and Arteta at the height of his powers. Now some of them will hopefully remain but were going to need to replace the players leaving and add some new momentum. This would obviously be weighted by the expectation of the third cycle continuing to improve on the last one.
Not having money will be obviously a bit of a problem, we're currently trying to get players off the payroll to even afford loan transfers. We have a couple of good promising young players coming through but if they will realise their potential is another thing.
Will Moyes even stick around to have a go at building the next team? Another depressing and predictable start to a season has had many questioning if he is even the right manager to move us forward. Moyes came out with comments this week which highlighted the constraints he has to work with, although £60k a week should provide motivation the end of the season if we likely fail to qualify for Europe again should prove a time of deep reflection.
Our current resources might dictate that top six finishes is as good as it gets, as much as it pains and that doesn't look like changing any time soon. We're just a tad stagnant.
It's a pivotal time at the club and the next 6/7 months will be telling indeed. That's me stopping thinking now.
Where is all this heading? Everyone has got onto the fact that there will no second coming of a Kevin Brock moment, resources restrict that from happening in the modern game.
Instead what we have seen in a gradual evolution under Moyes with some notable improvements and currently on paper have our best squad of players in a generation. Is it good enough? Probably not for our aspirations if were being honest but could it get better? Ask Martin Jol.
What were seeing now is the break up of a really good team one that you could argue reached it's peak of powers by reaching the 2009 FA Cup Final. That's not discounting the fantastic twenty odd unbeaten game run last season but the other half of the season put paid to any negligible progress. We finished eighth and didn't qualify for Europe. Around us teams like Tottenham and Man City invested in their squads and started bothering the closed group of the top four more than we can.
This season has been a massive disappointment compared to our ambitions at the beginning of the season and once again we've not pushed on. We gambled on the team really making a go at the top of the table and it's not worked out. We're currently picking the bones out of that at the moment.
In the past couple of years out have went Lescott, Yobo and Yakubu, shortly Pienaar who in the height of their powers were important players to the team. Alex Ferguson said: "I always believe a four-year cycle is probably the most you can achieve. There are very, very few teams who can create more than a four-year cycle".
So, while trying to avoid any Mayan calendar style comparisons, it would seem that this is the end of the second four year cycle of Moyes' teams.
The first four year cycle was dominated by a strong 4-5-1, being tight and grabbing a clinical win. Players such as Kilbane, Bent, Weir, Stubbs, Carsley, Gravesen were part of a collectively good unit. The second cycle involved Lescott, Jagielka, Baines, Pienaar, Yakubu and Arteta at the height of his powers. Now some of them will hopefully remain but were going to need to replace the players leaving and add some new momentum. This would obviously be weighted by the expectation of the third cycle continuing to improve on the last one.
Not having money will be obviously a bit of a problem, we're currently trying to get players off the payroll to even afford loan transfers. We have a couple of good promising young players coming through but if they will realise their potential is another thing.
Will Moyes even stick around to have a go at building the next team? Another depressing and predictable start to a season has had many questioning if he is even the right manager to move us forward. Moyes came out with comments this week which highlighted the constraints he has to work with, although £60k a week should provide motivation the end of the season if we likely fail to qualify for Europe again should prove a time of deep reflection.
Our current resources might dictate that top six finishes is as good as it gets, as much as it pains and that doesn't look like changing any time soon. We're just a tad stagnant.
It's a pivotal time at the club and the next 6/7 months will be telling indeed. That's me stopping thinking now.
