I haven't been to many games this season so can only go by what I read on the Live Match Day Feed on the OS and the feedback on here. But I always worry on matchday who is going to score the goals. Most teams in any division pushing for top spot and even promotion have a main goal scorer who they rely on and then look at a 2nd/3rd striker to top up with goals and then rely on goals from the rest of the team to help when the front have off days. With us I don't have the faith on a main goal scorer who might not score every game but will score 2/3 games on a trot or score 2/3 goals in one game. I feel this season we have been reliant on the squad to score the goals, imagine we had a player like Pope in our side and we would be cruising the league. Now everyone has heard the rumours about maybe Cody coming back and if he is the same player as last time I would be very happy but I remember a couple of seasons back and the fans were praying for the return of Chris Dickson and the second loan spell didn't live up to the hype. Now if we can just find that goal scorer (which I know is difficult for a league 2 team) I don't care if it just to get us out of this league rather than MA plans to compete in League One, we need to take one step at a time at this stage. Now I might be wrong as I don't see the team every week and we might have enough fire power already but I feel the final piece of the jigsaw for this transfer window is another striker. UTG and see you at Rochdale
You are dead right to liken the Cody situation to that of Dickson. Dickson had a purple patch at Priestfield then went back to Charlton and others to prove that he had lost it yet Gills fans expected he would return to form at Priestfielld which was obvious from his track record was not going to happen. All the evidence is pointing the same way with Cody and it would be a major surprise to see him perform at a high level. He is also hugely dependent on having a "big feller" next to him and Kedwell would need to play every week which will not suit MA. So, Cody might just be worth a gamble with a loan spell but it would make more sense to seek out someone who is in form but unable to get regular first team action for some reason. Alternatively, just look what was successful in Sept/Oct/Nov and revert back to it.
I would be delighted if Cody came back, if you go on to you tube you can watch the video of his 25 goals from two seasons ago, they show what a good striker he is, a mixture of superb finishes along with some great brave headers, his movement, anticipation and reading of the game can not be taught and shows what a natural striker he is. He would be comfortable playing along side Kedwell or Burton and at this level I have no doubt he would be fantastic once again, alas due to his high wages Cody is unlikely to come back which is a shame.
Having also read brb's excellent report this morning, it would seem that perhaps we are getting a bit nearer to where I've no doubt the chairman and manager's plan put us, a L1 team challenging again for, if not in, the Championship. Even if there is external financial support (http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/189234-A-silent-backer-Consipracy-theory!) it is obviously not at a level where substantial funds are going to be put into the club, and if this is the status quo then we will have to more develop our way into that position than buy our way into it. However, a target striker is what every club needs to succeed - on a different level look at what van Persie had done to the Rags this season, and what Torres hasn't done for Chelsea - and the bottom line is that at the moment we haven't got one. Speculation as to who might be suitable is just that. Cody was brilliant when he was with us, and has had continued success at Coventry, but as LeedsGill infers that doesn't mean he'll do the same job again. Anyhow there's still more than 2 weeks until the end of the transfer window and Gills have made a habit of the transfer equivalent pulling rabbits out of hats, so here's hoping that something will happen. Looking forward to seeing Gills at Rochdale - my home fixture - and to see what development there has been since Preston. As BSG commented after that one, if that is where we want to be (contesting in L1) there was still a long way to go.
Further to what gillspb has said regarding Cody's 25 goals - if you look at them, as stated in an earlier thread, very few were created by Bayo - mainly of Cody's own making. I believe that Burton has the quality to compliment Cody's style. Also I have commented in the 'Cody Situation' thread - that we can afford his £6000 wages - in fact it would make economic sense in the long run - as the failure to gain promotion would cost us a lot more.
The trouble is as I see it everything seems to focus on new signings. New defenders, new winger (ok that one), new strikers, where MA has dismantled quite a bit of what was previously built in those areas and overlooked some of those that had been waiting a genuine regular chance. Now I accept MA has achieved more than most of us would have predicted pre season but it concerns me with the continued big boys / war horse attitude towards games, I hear the shouts of people saying how can you criticise him but then the acclaims are purely based on us being top of the table or second as it now is. Yet as a manager who seemingly expects perfection (100% fitness) then the same should be asked of him. Look at yesterday as an example. I have never been a critic of Andy Frampton but with the greatest of respect he should never have been in that line up. I felt as though he was in there as some sort of over cautious safety net. It is pretty much evident now that he has chosen his first choice back line up in Fish, Legge, Barratt and Martin. So why clutter the defence with another warrior, where they will end up chasing the same airbourne ball, confusing situations in a packed box, which will lead to panic, as players such as Hughes mixes things up. Surely the back line has to be trusted to have the ability to deal with Pope and Hughes, to me it appears MA just over did things. So this leads me to the striker situation and the exactly same applies, why did he not have Birchall on from the start. MA's apparent mentality of the striker situation is the same as the back line a team set up of solidness but that is no good when you are two down and need to be scoring goals and require that little bit of extra agile ability. Instead of building a team where the strikers are big enough to become defenders and then the defenders become better strikers. Yesterday it all started with the solid lads up front, MA had tossed the coin and instead of coming up heads it came up tails within the first 20 minutes, only then when it had all gone wrong he dragged off Burton and finally brings on Birchall! Look at all our defeats this season and with the exception of Preston in the cup, where was Birchall but waiting patiently under the managers rightful every command. You might hear words these days such as team and trust echoing around the Priestfield surroundings but that trust also needs to be applied in everyone's individual ability. So what happens to Birchall if we bring in some one like Cody - second thoughts, no need to answer that because I expect I know the answer, because MA despite his rotation system has become so predictable. That same predictability that other teams have discovered about us. MA talked of smashing League One, well sorry I said at the time something along the words of careless or thoughtless talk, you had over 8,000 at Priestfield yesterday and yet again in front of a big crowd MA failed. We could not even get past a League Two team that had travelled down 200 miles. Not for the first time this season we were undone at home, I blamed Mad Dog before and I blamed Mad Dog yesterday. Follow that with the names Essam, Jackman, Payne and Birchall and I make my case on likewise terms. Maybe the answer to this striker situation is not another wage bill but for MA to stand back and take a proper look from the outside in. Knowing MA's style so far we would be heading more in Benson's direction then Cody's but then again Martin Allen is full of surprises. Everyone if ever the critic looks at the players but yesterday they gave a good account of themselves as asked, not perfect but gave a like for like account. Me, I am personally looking at our wide eyed manager, because if he fails to get us promotion this season, it will be a failing beyond all belief. I expect you would be much pushed to find where I criticise the weak but if MA wants play as though he has big balls, then he needs to make sure he gets it right and like the expectation of his players, 100% of the time, otherwise come the end of the season I will be showing no pity. We can't go throwing around six grand in wages a week to sort some perceived problem, while others sit on the bench but if you do, it better pay off. MA has my support but he will not get my applause until the job is done, I am not fooled by the psychology of publicity and neither is the opposition.
I see what you mean there BRB, we were saying at the start of the season that this is a great side and we could not see where changes were needed but now it has been brought upon us that changes need to be made due to how some players have not been played such as Jackman who should be in the team and someone like Gregory may not have been needed as we can play him instead. I see what you mean where some of the younger players or players like Birchall and Jackman should be given more of a chance to take a place in the team which is a shame as they are all good players. I can see your point where another striker is not really needed as that will just push Birchall out when he is just getting close to the team and I agree he should have started yesterday just like Jackman or Lee should of instead of Frampton.
bring on eplayer in at 6000K suddenly the whole team want a raise, especially if he doesnt come in and set the world alight. especially if hes on double what anyone else is!
Yeah that is a big problem as the others will know what he is on and they will think well if I am in the same team as him and I am one 11th like he is then why should he get double which is the problem with many clubs and how the wage bill spirals out of control. I would only pay around 4k a week for him personally.
brb - my cynical mind tells me that Martin Allen needed to make changes for the sake of change - and continues to overlook players like Essam and Jackman and has underused Payne and Birchall, and now Davies for one reason ---- Hessenthaler. With Hess in the background I will, mischieviously say that MA wants to assemble his own team - to ensure that any credit does not get directed to Andy's 'team'
Has MA ever seen Cody play? MA is building 'his' team and according to all the reports we are trying to get Cody in but when would have MA had a chance to see him. Cody hasn't been in the Coventry team much recently and according to Wikipedia has only scored 6 goals since signing for them in 2011. I get the impression MA likes to be in full control but surely this is being pushed behind the scenes as why would MA even mention him as a potential target?
It is difficult for me to quantify that in some way but I certainly think you may have a point. Currently I feel like it is watching an old boys network in action with a jolly boys outing as an end of season promise and if your face don't fit it don't fit.
The first goal yesterday saw Pope and Hughes in our area with only 2 defenders , we all knew that these were going to be a threat so how would a new striker have helped? Get a new striker by all means but stop giving away soft goals and the strikers we have would win us the games.
brb- you were far more supportive of Hessy despite his appalling record. MA has done a cracking job to date and I find your constant digs at MA as the moderator a little counter productive. Perhaps a more unbiased view would be more helpful. On the striker front we are in desperate need there is no doubt but I'm sure MA will come up with the goods.
Lenny, I more than welcome your opinion even if it is the complete contrast to mine. However, basing an alternative opinion on the basis that I happen to be a moderator suggests that you do not have a counter defence of my opinion regarding MA, which I would more than welcome. I try to quantify all my opinions and I never suggest for one minute I am right, more often than not situations have proved me wrong but regardless it is an open and honest opinion based on my thoughts at the time. I hope and am still confident he will do the job this season, however, as a manager judges his players, the fans judge a manager and to help quantify that we have not won at home since the 17th November 2012, nearly two months ago. It would be a sad place if we all agreed and played happy clappy just because of our current league position. Moving forward is about questioning today, so that things do not go wrong for the future. All my views are unbiased. ps. in regards to Hessy, read back I said I do not criticise the weak. Hessy was to nice a manager and I clearly said that many times in the past. MA appears to have balls and is treated accordingly.
So just to clarify you didn't criticise Hessy because he was 'nice'? Despite being 2nd in the league MA is criticised because he's not playing some of Hessy's favourites. If they where so good why didn't we get promoted last season? Best defence in the league lets concentrate on the positives.
I'll judge Martin Allen in May. On many things, not just our league position. At the moment he is an A+ in my books, but there are a lot of exams to pass and essays to be handed in yet From yesterdays game, I don't think he is exactly to blame for our Center-halves v Port Vale letting Tom Pope get a free header in the 4th minute. We were always on the back foot after that. Even then, we could easily have got a draw or win on another day. Not to be this time. Football is a funny game. The best team, best squad, biggest club, most money etc does not always win. To say Allen would be a failure if we didn't go up is absurd, although I imagine PS would not agree with me. IMHO our best ever manager didn't achieve a promotion in 6 years of trying and with very good squads. I would not consider him a failure. From our current position (and even more so, our position pre-xmas) I would be pretty damn disappointed if we weren't to go up automatically. However, it is not a given and we will have to be extremely good from here on in to achieve it. If we don't it wont necessarily be the fault of Martin Allen. Even though the buck will definitely stop with him...
Allwaysright!! Don't agree with you on so many levels such an inappropriate name indeed! Not sure how you come up such stuff to be honest but hey you are entitled to have your views however ignorant they may well be. Should I expand well I would just redirect those who may be asking to your recent threads and let them decide
I realised how that read after I wrote it. I actually meant it as a criticism that Hessy was too much of a Mr Nice Guy. Whereas Mad Dog is the opposite and if you like that is a positive in my book but the fear here is that you can be too stubborn or blinkered to recognise a possible resolution staring you in the face, hence why you need to listen to the people that are there to support you and not go off on tangent. Whether it is the old you or the new positive you Lenny, I enjoy your challenges and respect what they add to a debate, that being a difference of opinion.
