Wednesday night we welcome a side in Birmingham, that has lived in the shadow of Aston Villa for many years. They’ve had good days but Masky feels that they are really a medium side...bit like Swanseeeeee! Neil Etheridge returns to us, a hero of 19 clean sheets a few season backs! Though as it’s said “a good clean sheet deserves a good paper to cover the crack”....Dylan said that! NE’s distribution was his only downfall, and having his head turned whilst having a clean sheet didn’t help?..let’s hope for a dodgy sheet tomorrow pals eh......Clingon anyone? (No offence intended as per usual). Life is all about timing, if the performance against Swansea had followed the Coventry debacle NH would have fugging been out the door! Now fugging sort it out with a 3-0 thrashing....now get out of my sight! Greenhouse still for sale...good home only!
Masky - very good point about it being a good job for Harris that the Swansea game wasn't straight after the Coventry debacle. If the Luton/Swansea home fixtures had been reversed, Harris would have been long gone. As it is, he's got another chance to shore up his position against a side we should beat if we're going to be taken seriously. The 12 points from that 4 game winning run was deserved, but the shambles that we descended into against Swansea defined where we actually are in development terms. Any side can have a one off bad game, but the lack of basic skills on the pitch like passing the ball to one another, coupled with the lack of direction from the touchline when it was obviously not working must not be repeated. A similar performance against Brum and dare I say it the result as well, should not pushed aside as just "typical Championship unpredictabilty".
The lack of Ralls, probably Moore and with others obviously tired is showing just how thin the squad is. I have concerns over us getting anything tomorrow.
One of our 3 decent left backs to play at RB and move Bacuna into the middle. Bring Wilson or/and Ojo in from the cold - neither are wingers and would both make decent No.10's. Who plays in there with Bacuna? Vaulks or Pack - maybe even both at the expense of the second man up front. Assuming Moore is out, then Glatzel up front is a no brainer, but would you start Harris up there as well? Maybe not and that would leave a spot for a genuine wide man - but have we got one? Murphy has pace but no confidence - Hoilett has confidence but no pace. All in all, this is what successful management of what you've got comes through - over to you Mr. Harris.
I reckon Morrison will have his work cut out with Jutkiewicz, ( I know how to spell it, he was our player once) in the air. They are a well drilled team under Karanka, but if you can get at them, you could have some joy pressing them high up the pitch. The really funny thing about ground-sharing with them is, we have a much better home record of more wins at St Andrews than they do. PUSB
WoL article this afternoon. Harris has confirmed Moore's injury is a hamstring tear. Going to be out until Forest cup game at the earliest. Over to you Glatzel. Robbie - Morrison has successfully dealt with Jutk. before. Big guy on big guy suits Morro. However the way we are playing it could easily be different and with Philippines No. 1 in goal, he will be keen to keep a clean sheet.
Well i think this is the Acid test for Harris and his management skills (if there are any) Lose this one and i believe he should be shown the door, as for making excuses about our squad size, well we have one of the biggest squads in the Championship and the players are paid well, we need width to trouble teams, get the ball to Glatzel and he will score, i would use Wilson as a number 10. I would also put Pack in a taxi and give him enough fare to go wherever he wants. take a chance on the fringe players and see where it takes us. Fingers crossed we will win tonight.
No strong feelings then Isaw? Not sure we have one of the biggest squads though. Might have one of the tallest. If you look at team squads in programmes (anyone remember those?) We always seemed to have one of the smallest numerically. I think you're right on most of your other comments.
Its all a bit frustrating Blue, we have players who are capable of much much better, which tells me they are either being played out of position or they are being badly managed. I am going for the badly managed option !
WoL (yes I know) raises the possibility of a couple more youngsters being in tonight's 18, D'Almeida and Kieron Evans being the favourites. If not on loan at Cheltenham, and spending virtually all his time bench warming, Tom Sang would have also been a contender. Hoilett has an ongoing hip problem so unlikely to feature.
Moi?........ Anyway, Sang should be availbale for us, not Cheltenham. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I think it's foresight we actually lack at the club.
He's not the Messiah... But I also don't believe he's a very naughty boy either. He clearly is capable of getting the team motivated and up for it.. last season proved that. I do agree with concerns around his tactical know how.... Saturday was a clear indication of his shortcomings there but personally I still think he deserves longer at the helm. If only because chopping your manager every 12-18 months doesn't really work and is very expensive. Brum WILL be tough to beat. I believe they have become pretty stubborn / dogged in recent weeks. Will we have enough about us to unpick them?? We shall see. On a brighter note, at least we're not Gooners eh?
how about giving the 60s team selection a try. goalie two full backs one centre half right midfield left midfield two wingers inside right inside left and a centre forward,that was proper football not the crap of today.just saying.
Masky was more than confident that we would beat Luton immediately after the Coventry game...no doubt! Masky is not so confident with this one, hope Masky is wrong, but when did that last happen eh? Some underpants still for sale, all the new ones have gone!
I see we're even money favourites for tonight. Can't be arsed with that, so I'll have a few quid on Harry Wilson scoring anytime @11/4 and just a small wager that he'll actually get 2 or more @20/1. (He's just gotta come good hasn't he? - maybe tonight?)
