Our collective frustration in regard to this season is boiling over to the point that we are now turning on each other - as this thread demonstrates. Realities as follows: Not many of our players will want it as much as WE do - that is the sad fact of modern day football - it's also why I favour using as many young, hungry players as we can (or older players with points to prove) - balanced by some older heads Beckford - a triumph of ego over talent but useful if you get the ball to him in the right areas and with him not having to use ball skills (which he is sadly lacking) - Nugent - why on the wing? - because he has never, throughout his career, been comfortable in a traditional target man role - he naturally drifts away from 'classic' centre forward positioning - would probably play well alongside a Grant Holt type Neil Danns - best player by a mile over the last 6 or 7 games - and a real miss in terms of energy, drive and commitment when not playing
to question players hunger just because we put in an average perfromance in my opinion is daft. No not evryone is a twat apart from me, and yes fans who watch week in week out paying loads of money to do so can have their say, however I am one of those people and i will support the team, and voice displeasure and frustration when we play cack. But last night was mediocre, it wasnt shocking, it was a hard night against a defensive determined team in a local derby, so to boo them and question hunger and desire is a little strong. All this beckford nonsense aswell, the guy is certainly not pele, but he was isolated often against 3 or 4 defenders wuith only high balls to feed off, he set up the best chance of the game for dyer with a lovely pass and worked hard. Lets just agree to disagree and get behind the common cause of supporting the team.
Over the years you have had Gradel, Sheehan, De Vries, Kenton, Kisnorbo, Guppy, Bruce, Dickov, Heath, Hignett, Cadamarteri all from us. We had 2 players wow
I'm just surprised that people seem surprised that we didn't beat Forest! It sums us up all season. Against the bottom 6 teams we've picked up 10 points (with 2 games still to play) and 14 against the top 6 with 1 still to play. Statistically we have a better chance against West Ham than we do against Doncaster! I hope city prove me wrong but I'm not that hopeful for next season thinking it'll be more of the same, that said I still think we have improved under NP so I'll wait and see. Oh and please don't shout me down it's just my opinion and we shouldn't bicker amongst ourselves, we've plenty of other supporters for that!
When you're in free fall to league 1 and have no players you take what you can get. You've probably had more, but to make fun of another team taking your cast-offs when 2 of their former players are in your starting 11 it's a bit ridiculous. Anyway, do you think you can still make the play-offs? It would be great if the final game of the season had something riding on it.
at least schmeichel hasnt let 7 yes count them 7 goals past him whilst in our squad,and i bet youd love to have beckford in there,and before you go on about the 5 he let in at chelski that was a prem team not someone struggling at the bottom of the championship.
When you're in free fall to league 1 and have no players you take what you can get. You've probably had more, but to make fun of another team taking your cast-offs when 2 of their former players are in your starting 11 it's a bit ridiculous. Anyway, do you think you can still make the play-offs? It would be great if the final game of the season had something riding on it.[/QUOTE] It would be nice, but if we are both out of the race how about you invite uncle ken onto the pitch at half time and allow a free for all! Now that would be entertainment
no, but he let 6 in last season against a team who were eventually relegated. 1 of those Forest goals Lonner's could have realistically dealt with, 4 of them were screamers Iker Casillas wouldn't have saved. I wouldn't have Beckford when we have McCormack and Becchio, maybe to add a bit of variety because we lack a truly pacey striker, but we have better. Also I think you'll find we let Larry go after coming through the youth system to... Leicester City.
Kasper has played Forest 4 times this season and conceded 1 which was a penalty How many has Lonergan let in against Forest? Played 1 conceded 7
In january you were talking about how you would like beckford if he would let him go and you could afford him. And schmeichel again... if Madrid signed Messi from barcelona would they be playing a "cast away" in their side? Kasper is now the captain of one of the most expensive sides in the division, says everything.
Of course that analogy would only work if Messi was forced out of Barcelona by a manager who claimed he wasn't good enough (when he wasn't) and a group of supporters who had never properly taken to him in the first place. I've said I would like Beckford, but we 2 better forwards in the squad (3 if Somma gets back to full fitness, fingers crossed) and Kasper may be captain of one of the most expensive squads in the division, but it's a squad that are a place below the one he left.
somma is not better than beckford, lets be honest. Though probably less frustrating, thats for sure. Can you honestly look at his performances for us and say he isnt one of, if not the best, in the division?
Let's look at it this way, they're both out and out goalscorers. Beckford has scored 8 league goals in 30 appearances this season, last season Somma scored 11 in 29, with a much lower percentage of starts. In fact Somma had the best goals scored:minutes on the pitch ratio in Europe. Beckford did brilliantly for us, he's a good Championship striker and we are currently short on pure pace up front, but I honestly believe McCormack, Becchio and a fully fit Somma are all better options. Not that I wouldn't rather have Beckford over Forssell, Paynter etc. of course.
Our South African international striker who scored 11 league goals in 12 starts last season but was injured this pre-season and so hasn't played since. In fact he scored against your lot in the league cup.
An interesting question i think is: Who would the neutral football fan prefer in their team, Beckford/McCormack/Somma?
