PdC always seems eminently reasonable in TV interviews. I don't quite get the chopping and changing that seems to happen, but he's clearly thinking about it. What we need is to see that thinking translate into performances on the pitch and that is going to take a month or two with the best will in the world. Catts coming back is defo good news as far as I'm concerned, providing he learns to keep to his feet and not go piling in for a red card or an injury.
I really do believe catts is all that's missing for us right now!! We've not been hammered by anyone up until now! Southampton had us on the back foot but still needed an injury time goal to get a point. We've been very unlucky IMO and I'm sure it will start going our way soon enough..
All players at all clubs fear being dropped ....... that's a fact of football life, not necessarily a management style. If players are living in fear of having errors pointed out then they'll need to stop watching MOTD etc, and reading newspapers. O'Shea criticised himself and Di Canio agreed, not really too much to be scared of I'd have thought.
I can;t work out the Ji thing mate - never will!!! Catts was never labelled a liability by Di Canio - only by the press. Press put 2 and 2 together because he lost his number (6) - then Di Canio made them look totally foolish by saying the squad number selection was only player decision - nothing to do with him at all. I personally think Diakite was ALWAYS first choice centre half alongside O'Shea and this is something that Di Canio wanted - I don't see the "complicated management" you speak of other than in Ji's case - Di Canio see's them in training every day and makes a decision based on that - we only see them for 90 minutes a week. I very much doubt Ji will kick another football for us and Di Canio ****ed up massively when he left him on for an extra 2 minutes before bringing on a sub - this would've killed the lads confidence - but then he got subbed at half time in the next game and came out on the bench in a huff - sorry but Di Canio got it right then Ji got it wrong that time! Di Canio was also massively involved in the transfers according to him so to say that the DoF and CE are the reasons we have the decent squad is naive IMO - I haven't seen this "management by fear" either - a lot of our fans wanted Harry Redknapp and he basically dressed his side down to the media last season and managed in a very similar style (publicly) to Di Canio but the press loved him and wanted him at England. As I said - only Di Canio sees them every day and watches how they perform in training - this is most likely the reason Cabral has been dropped - I reckon Gardner will start on Saturday against West Brom - Ki looks a good player - If Cabral is struggling with things then he has to wait and work for his chance - same as Cattermole is doing - all about opinions this one mate
Agreed but did you not think Roberge had a decent game v Fulham? I thought he looked comfortable on the ball and decent enough for a debut. If he is dropped for one defensive lapse we are going to go through some players in a season. Cabral will only settle if he gets games and again, did you not see a pretty decent player v Fulham? It's not like they had been given a few games to make the decision znd he certainly looked better than Vaughan or Larsson through the middle. Fear of being dropped is a good thing as it motivates. Fear of making one error or your dropped is a sure fire recipe for disaster.
I don't believe that situation actually exists ...... Di Canio has been in the game for too long to pull 'daft' stunts like that without good reason. I'm sure Short would soon sack a manager who carried on like that. Cabral needs to do what all the players need to do ...... listen to what the manager wants him to do and try his best to carry it out. Playing to the crowd may endear him to us but not the coach if he's doing the contrary of what has been planned in training all week.
In regards to Ji; PDC, Bruce and MON all stated he was a world beater in training (slight exageration) and all saw something in him. MON stated he needed to beef up a bit (which he has done). So clearly Ji was doing the right thing to be picked. For some reason or another, when it comes to a game he bottles it big style. Clearly must be a talented player but doesnt have the bottle and heart for the league and therefore will never make it.
That`s my gut feeling. Possibly a communication problem. Wasn`t there a mention of language difficulties? If he can`t/won`t do on the pitch what PDC wants him to do then he doesn`t play. If this is the case then it`s a bit of an odd recruitment? Back to the OP. My opinion. Catts is a very good player who can add a lot to the team. If he stays fit and on the pitch - great. If he gets injured or banned (again) he`s no bloody use to us at all. May seem harsh but that`s the way I see it.
I know what you mean but surely it's a 'given' that players should play within the basic system of the team they've joined. We had seasons trying to adapt the team to play with Sessegnon and I'd rather not see that situation repeated.
Exactly so. The player must fit into the team not the other way about. If (for whatever reason) he can`t/won`t do this then he is not part of the team and doesn`t play. He may be showing off, selfish, too much solo, whatever. We don`t know. The person who does know is PDC. Obviously I can`t say for sure but I wonder whether he is a `team` player? If not then it might answer a lot of questions.
Cabral was recruited by di fanti to fit a system and personality type that fit pdcs plans. Pdc also had final say on that recruitment. Cabral played well in pre season and played well against fulham (subjective maybe but ive seen enough football to recognise good and bad performances by players in relation to their team mates). Cabral had a poor game in the cup but as has been mentined by cest so did a few others, so why drop him? In the little we know about cabral it seems obvious he can perform to tje highest level as he has champs league/european experience so why cant the coach get the best out of him to be able to perform for us? If he isnt playing like pdc wants then surley the blame lies with the coach as much, if not more than the player himself? A player recruited by the coach in whatever new backroom system we have. Tin hat firmly donned!!
I get that but what if he's above his station? What if he thinks he knows best after a decent start thought 'i've nailed this premiership malarky, easy this"?
Perhaps that's exactly what will happen.[/QUOTE] Perhaps, but the question and my pont isnt about what might happen its about what has happened and is happening now.
I get that but what if he's above his station? What if he thinks he knows best after a decent start thought 'i've nailed this premiership malarky, easy this"?[/QUOTE] Maybe he has had that attitude but it doesnt change the fact that a player with great experience and a seemingly good footballer isnt in the team or the squad and surely the fault lies both with the player and the ciach for not getting the best out of him?
And just to return to the topic of the thread, i think its bloody great that catts is back in contention!
Perhaps, but the question and my pont isnt about what might happen its about what has happened and is happening now.[/QUOTE] What's happening now is that Cabral wasn't involved recently but may be involved on Saturday or in subsequent games. Just as with other players.
What's happening now is that Cabral wasn't involved recently but may be involved on Saturday or in subsequent games. Just as with other players.[/QUOTE] Exactly it mate, pdc has gone on record as saying its a squad game
