Five defenders?

[Piglet_Phoenix]

One of whom is a midfielder playing out of position.

In my book, having a squad adequately prepared for injuries and suspensions at the start of the season - for the duration (or until January) is part of the manager's job. He's not doing his job properly, to be frank (Unless he's going to play a 2-5-3 formation, of course, but I'm suspecting he'll have at least four at the back). The risk of injuries and suspensions to your back four is high, especially when they all lack pace - plus you have no competition for places. The full-backs (and for all intents and purposes the centre-backs minus Ellis) know they can turn up, do whatever they like - perform to any standard - and we'll still be forced to pick them.

Accepting this level of risk is thoroughly unprofessional, and completely unacceptable for our club.

I'd add this to the captitulation after Christmas, the failure to plan and be proactive in the January transfer window, the waste of resources on terrible players last season and the abject failure to improve our defence as reasons why I don't believe Curle should continue in employment as our manager.

Also, I still believe in the old adage that good teams are built from the back - our team hasn't been. It doesn't matter who you have in midfield or upfront if you don't have adequate quality and cover in the defence - the lessons from the past two and half seasons have not been learned.

If he proves me wrong, the back four stay fit all season and miraculously transform into a quality defence - I'll eat my hat. But I'm not holding my breath.

[griff]

I completely agree about our weaknesses and the poor squad-building Piglet. Unfortunately we can't afford to pay up his contract so he'd have to resign, and he won't do that unless he has another Club lined up. He was saying "come and get me" in all but words at the end of last season, and no one came, so I reckon we're stuck with him.

[howoldboy]

Early days yet.
Transfer window remains open.
Abbott and Kavanagh proved that, whatever the budget, it is easy to make a total cock of it at this level.
After them KC has been like a breath of fresh air and our league position has improved every season.
If he achieves the same this season he will have done incredibly well.
Can't you at least wait until after the first game to start whingeing like old women?

[griff]

A poor performance this season reflect badly on Curle, and he won't want that. So why has his budget been spunked on everything but the defence. It doesn't make sense. What I'm talking about is poor judgement. If I'm complaining about it in the boardroom I also have to criticise what's going on in the Manager's office.

[howoldboy]

Wouldn't it be reasonable to judge him on results ...once the season starts?

[Piglet_Phoenix]

No, it wouldn't be.

If you hire someone to manage the build of your house, and you turn up on the day you're supposed to move in - and there's only half a roof on top of the walls - what do you do?

You don't say, "Let's move in to the house and live in it for six months - to see if we might get wet". You'd tell him to "do one" then employ someone who actually knows what they're doing. You shouldn't even have to say "I need a f_cking waterproof roof without any holes, you abject cretin", especially if he's been managing the build for THREE YEARS.

I gave him a fair chance, for a good few years - but he's failed - he hasn't learned from mistakes, he doesn't even understand what his mistakes have been and our squad is an unbalanced shambles. I've had enough of his amateurish approach and bullsh1t excuses, it's time for Curle to go.

[griff]

To be fair, he isn't as bad as Abbott or Kavanagh, and he's probably the best we can afford. But the facts speak for themselves. One up front wasn't working, and we weren't really a threat on their goal (Lambe hitting the post aside) until Bennett came on but that was f ar too late. Moorlad pointed out that they were knackered just after half-time and we should have gone for the jugular as soon as their second went in. Let's hope that Parkes' injury isn't long-term or we're struggling at the back. Another injury there and we could see Lambe at right-back full time.

I know that we have to cut our cloth a bit more carefully now but when you have a reduced budget - as Curle admitted yesterday - you don't spunk some of it on midfielders that you don't really need. He also accepted that he can't sign any more, even as cover, unless someone moves out.

We could be lucky and get through the season with these players. We might even have a chance of the playoffs if we do. But the chances of that are extremely low as the balance of the squad is wrong imho and that's down to Curle.

[howoldboy]

To be fair i did say "Can't you at least wait until after the first game to start whingeing like old women?"

It's after the first game now so it's 1-0 to the whingeing women.

But still early days yet, so best not to panic.

[griff]

Of course I whinge. I stand in the Paddock.

[howoldboy]

What were your opening words on the "Predictocomp Table 2017-18" thread?

"Remember it's a marathon, not a sprint".

Having said that, it always feels like a marathon watching Carlisle.