Houllier's revolution

[sfx412]

It he combines the talent we have in youth in Albrighton, Clark, Bannan with his calibre of signing like Bent, Walker and hopefully Adam  with likes of Young , Dunne and Downing we should do  well .

Minimum second half performance after spending probably 40m is 8th meaning we should finish half way.

Anything below that he has failed, if we struggle second half he aint the man.

The jury still out with me

8th you are generous, a real knocker would want European qualification surely.

[Concrete John]

It he combines the talent we have in youth in Albrighton, Clark, Bannan with his calibre of signing like Bent, Walker and hopefully Adam  with likes of Young , Dunne and Downing we should do  well .

Minimum second half performance after spending probably 40m is 8th meaning we should finish half way.

Anything below that he has failed, if we struggle second half he aint the man.

The jury still out with me

I agree.

The injuries have all cleared up and he's been heavily backed by the chairman, so no longer working exclusively with the previous manager's players.

The reasons people were giving for patience are being taken away one by one, so now he really does need to deliver in terms of results.  As it goes I think 8th might be a stretch, but I think top half should be the target.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

As it goes I think 8th might be a stretch, but I think top half should be the target.

I agree with that.
New players and the injury nightmare is over, 10th or above should be acceptable.

[Merv]

8th? I'd take top half. I'd take 10th, 11th - then kick on for next season.

What I like so far about GH's three signings (I'm not including Pires here) is that he's addressing areas of the team that need improving. How long has right back been an issue? Remember MON selling all of ours and then shoe-horning Mellberg in there? Even after he signed Young he then changed his mind a year later, used Cuellar there. We've needed a goalscorer in the Bent mould since he took over. We never properly replaced Barry in CM; just moved Milner across (admittedly it worked very well) but then of course we lost him - and looked like we'd lose him as early as May.

I felt we were in the 'needs fine-tuning' stage in the summer of 2009; strong midfielder to replace Barry, quality striker (who could have Bent, available at Spurs). Then MON went out and bought an entire new back four (Beye-Dunne-Collins-Warnock) to replace the entire back four he'd bought a year or so before (Young-Cuellar-Davies-Shorey) and that was pretty much that. You can understand the board and owners tearing their hair out with his transfer policy.

Immediate attention now on the LB situation, for me. A second midfielder now would be great but I think with Makoun in, we have Petrov, NRC, Delph as options alongside him - Bannan, Hogg also in support.

In the summer, it's then a midfielder if no-one comes in this month, a new No.1 GK, signing up Walker permanently or pursuing another RB if that's not possible/he's not deemed suitable. I'd also like to see a RM - not so much a winger - but someone as an option/backup to Albrighton.

So, four signings in the summer, one of them perhaps just converting from loan to permanent. Do-able. By the end of June, please Ged!

[JJ-AV]

The team is taking shape, I said it on Sunday before we knew of Bent.

In Albrighton, Ashley and Downing he has three players suited to his system. A forward, a holding midfielder and two fullbacks were needed. We've three of those 4 already. A left back and another midfielder and I'd be over the moon this window.

[Concrete John]

Ok, so where are we then in terms of knowing his first team?  Based on the 4-2-3-1 I'd say:-

GK - open, but likely new signing in the summer

RB - Walker (or new signing)
CB - Collins seems first choice
CB - open, so maybe a newbie if Dunne goes.but I'd like to see Clark get a run there
LB - open

DCM - Makoun
DCM - open - Adam seems favourite, but I'd like Delph there

AM - Albrighton
AM - Young (new signing if he goes in the summer)
AM - Downing

STR - Bent!!!

I make it a new GK and a LB only to us having a pretty useful and balanced looking side, although I do think there will be more than that coming in!

[Merv]

CBs is a tough call. He picked Cuellar and Dunne there the other day. Though I suppose, on balance, Cuellar has tended to be left out in the main and I'd agree - I think he rates Collins best of the three. I think he'll go with Clark there next season - he likes him and seems to find a place for him in the side, be it in CM, or at LB. I can see us signing a new CB in the summer, and ditching Dunne or Cuellar.

[Mazrim]

I think LB and CM will be in this January. With a bit more tweaking in the summer.
A new #1 goalkeeper, a ball playing centre half (with a centre half moving on) and perhaps one more striker next summer depending on whats happening with Heskey by then.

Then we'll be in pretty good shape.

[Risso]

Houllier doesn't really have any excuses any more.  The injury situation has cleared up, and he's got three new players already to add to the quality already in the squad.  Time to start delivering Gerard.

[eastie]

The new players will be settled in for pre season next year as well so we will be up and running from the start- maybe houllier is doing the bulk of his business now rather than wait till summer as the position we are dictates, I was Reading at Liverpool he apparently did almost all his transfer business before the end of June -seems he targets his men and goes out to try and get them- no dithering around.

[Chris Smith]

I don't see it as any sort of revolution. As ever a new manager coming into a club wants his own players, the only surprise so far has been the size of the fee for a striker but that's down to Randy.

[pauliewalnuts]

It is going to take time to change things, to get the squad he wants.

Let's not forget, though, amidst the euphoria of signing Bent, our performances recently have been frequently woeful, and that absolutely must change, and fast.

Signing Bent and Makoun are the first steps. He now has to get them performing very quickly indeed.

[Mazrim]

I dont think Houllier will be considering excuses, just how best to get some wins on the board. If he doesnt relatively soon, there is nobody else to blame.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

This is "Houllier time". He has got more or less what he wants with a striker, holding mid and right back. Needs a left back with pace. Cannot see where Gabby is going to play I have faith in him .....

[London Villan]

If we score in the first ten minutes against City everything will be forgotten, the players will be up as will the fans.

It's a big game for Gezza.