So who's happy with the squad we have now overall and who expected Dowie to make so many signings when he arrived ?, for me personally I'm now more than happy, we now have a whole new centre midfield + competition for wide places.
Maybe a bit light up front (but that's only assuming we get injuries - lets hope not!).
Now lets hope we can start playing 90 mins with 10 men on the pitch and see how Dowie has them playing after 10 games, only then can we really judge I guess..
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But i agree, i'm happy with the squad.
Don't know much about Pouso or Diawara to be honest but we'll just have to wait and see.
He has added depth in every position aside from up front where considering those who have left we look a little lightweight. Our first choice pairing looks a match for most in the top flight. The rest would probably struggle in the Championship. Given previous injury concerns for both Lisbie and M Bent I can only summise that Dowie rates Walker and maybe sees Ambrose/Rommedahl/Sam as further cover, although they are all unproven in that role.
Murray also said that they have dug into next seasons transfer kitty to get Diawara because Dowie said we needed a stong pacey centre back. Cant argue with that.
At the end of the day, we have what we have and although we appear to have paid out a lot of money for players who at the moment wont get too many pulses racing we have to give them a chance and get right behind the team. We were never going to attract big name stars and most importantly no longer look possible candidates for relegation.
I say well done to Murray and the board for backing Dowie, and we should all follow suit.
The fact we let four strikers go and replaced them with a 34yr old is a poor one. Despite what appears to be sound signings elsewhere, if Bent gets injured or loses form (it does happen) we are in trouble. You would have to play 2 from JFH, Lisbie or Big Bent, or play someone out of position. Two of them are prone to injuries, and the other, though has quality, is immobile. Nonew of those three could be played as a lone striker.
Not convinced the South American will be the answer. Playing centre mid in Europe compared to the prem is a very different proposition, compared to South America its even greater. No little of him, but is another 'i hope it works out' rather than 'i'm sure it will work out'.
Diawara i like the sound of, and should be an asset. Hopefully Gibbs fully recovers quickly.
At the end of the day though we have improved the squad who finished the season. have we improved it enough to justify the 11-12m outlay ? Time will tell.
Though i think you might be a bit too confident brushing aside relegation fears just yet. Any from about 10 could be dragged into it this year. We have no way of knowing yet if our new side will gel, because we havn't seen the new side yet !
I agree that we can't say how Pouso or Diawara will cope with the Prem but every move is a gamble. Reid is a good buy and I rate Faye. Traore looks solid and overall we have a taller, faster, more physical squad with more skill.
Up front the forwards who have left hardly played and made little impact when they did so JFH is an improvement but I share fears that if Bent D. was missing then we don't have much back up. I would have liked to seen another young striker come up out of the Championship as Bent D. did but what do I know. As you've said we have already spent big by or standards.
I do think there are other options up front though. Ambrose could play up front IMHO and with all the wide players we have 4-3-3 is a realistic option. So could Bolanos and that for me is the one big minus of the summer but that was beyond the clubs control.
This is exactly why, i feel, we didn't take a big money gamble on someone like Nugent.
Ambrose, Thomas, even Rom can fulfill that role.