🚀 go-pugleaf

So after a piss poor summer in transfer terms, the worst start we've ever 
had, and bad injuries to our key players, we've gone on to finish 5th in the 
league and lost to a better side in the FA Cup final.

Lets get the Player reviews over and done with;

Tim Howard:             Starts off the season shipping nearly 3 goals a 
game, and overall makes Paul Gerrard look like Neville Southall.  Then, with 
the settling of the defence he went on to break Big Nev's clean sheet 
record.  He's one of the Top 5 keepers in the league, but his goals conceded 
to shots ratio is worrying.

Tony Hibbert:           You want him to do well, and at times he does 
brilliant defensive work, but up against top quality players his lack of 
proper pace and rash decision making cost him dearly.  Going forward, his 
passing and crossing has improved immensely over the last 12 months, but he's 
still horrifically inconsistent.

Lars Jacobsen:          Not really seen enough of him to judge, but what we 
have seen shows that he appears to be a fairly solid defender, but offers 
even less than Hibbert going forward.

Leighton Baines:      He's been brilliant this season.  His partnership with 
Pienaar down the left has been outstanding, and shows up just how poor our 
right side is in comparison.

Phil Jagielka:            Player of the Season.  Couldn't have asked for 
anymore from him.  So, so sad to see him miss the Cup Final.

Joleon Lescott:         Couple of shaky games, but has been generally 
terrific.  His partnership with Jagielka has moulded into one of the best in 
the league.  I credit these too for the clean sheet record more than Howard.

Joseph Yobo:            Has come in and done a great job whenever asked of 
him.  I can't remember a single 'Yobo moment' from this season which has 
lead to an opposition goal.  Glad he's agreed a new deal, as he is the ideal 
back-up for Jags and Lescott.

Phil Neville:              Superstar.  I'd never been his biggest fan, but 
he's proved this season that he is one of us now.  In my eyes has been our 
best player behind Jagielka.  It would have meant so much for him to lift 
the cup yesterday.

Jack Rodwell:           How good does this kid look?  Everytime he plays he 
seems to get better and better.  Good touch, great range of passing, mobile, 
bags of energy, and not afraid to have a shot either.  The future is bright.

Segundo Castillo:     A mountain of a man with one of the fiercest shots I've 
seen(Ask Micah Richards!), but apart from that he just looks average.  His 
club wanted �6m for him last summer, which after having him for a year seems 
to be about �5m too much.  Not one to keep.

Mikel Arteta:            The move into the centre re-vitalised him. 
Absolutely outstanding after an iffy start to the campaign.  The new 
free-kick technique was working well, and he seemed to be enjoying his 
football again.  The injury was a crippling blow to us, and we can just hope 
that there's no long term affects from it.

Stephen Pienaar:      Was good before Arteta's injury, but has stepped up a 
gear since.  Exciting to think about having the two of them on top form at 
the same time.

Leon Osman:            So, so, frustrating.  Against the poorer teams he can 
be a game changer, but against the top teams is so very often found out. 
Its hard to say it, but he needs to be replaced in the starting line-up and 
kept as a squad member for lesser games.

Dan Gosling:            Scored one of our most memorable goals, and in 
spells has looked promising.  He's not ready to start week-in week-out yet, 
and may benefit from a spell with a decent footballing Championship side 
like West Brom.

Marouane Fellaini:   Victimised horribly by referees, and has taken a while 
to settle in, but he's growing game by game.  When asked to drop deeper he 
now seems more confident in himself, and hardly ever seems to give the ball 
ways.  His control is fantastic, and he's definitely got a football brain. 
Intensive English lessons over the summer, and I think we can expect big 
things from him next year.

Tim Cahill:                What can you say that hasn't already been said? 
Wherever you ask him to play he'll always give you 110%.  Shown more depth 
to his game than many thought he had when he's been moved back into 
centre-midfield, and also didn't look out of place when playing upfront. 
Could he play wide right?

Yakubu:                    Its easy to say we haven't missed him due to the 
performances of Cahill, Fellaini and Jo, but we have.  With The Yak you know 
if he gets a chance he'll score.  Hopefully he'll be back in time to start 
pre-season.

Louis Saha:               I have to say I'm not a fan.  He's got undoubted 
talent, but he's also one of the laziest players I've ever seen wear the 
blue shirt.  The way we play relies on everyone giving 100%, but he just 
doesn't seem to have it in him.  Add to that the fact that you can't rely on 
him being fit for 2 games on the run then it doesn't make him a very 
attractive package.

Jo:                             Impressive in flashes, and was prepared to 
put the work in, but not worth anywhere near the money that City paid for 
him.  Sadly we have more pressing needs than to buy another striker at the 
moment.

Victor Anichebe:     He looked impressive in a couple of displays on the 
right wing, and his power, pace and willingness to run at people means that 
if its something he's willing to work at and accept he's not going to be a 
striker then it could be worth looking at.

James Vaughan:     I so, so hope that his injury problems are behind him. 
When he's come on at the end of the season he's not been the same as he was 
previously, but hopefully a full pre-season will set him straight.


We've proved this season that we're better than 95% of teams in the country, 
and that a full strength team can hold their own against the top sides. 
With Citeh likely to spend big again this summer, and Tottenham looking like 
a good side under Harry Redknapp the fight for 5th/6th should be so much 
harder next season.  Can we hold onto it?  Well it'll depend on the next 4/5 
weeks again.  Last year we paid the price for not sorting out our signings 
until August.

We'll be losing Nuno Valente and Andy Van Der Meyde due to contract 
expiries, not that either is a great loss in terms of on pitch involvement. 
Jo and Castillo are almost certainties to go, and Jacobsen is 50/50.

Looking at this, and injuries to Arteta and Jagielka meaning that they won't 
be fit for the start of the season we need to bring in about 5 players this 
summer.  A pacey direct right midfield has to be priority, followed by a 
footballing right-back.  Then a centre-back , a centre-mid, and finally a 
left-back for cover.