Quite a few others above have disagreed, and to answer your question yes, if we signed a striker who had scored 16 league 1 goals from open play last season then he would be straight in the starting line up.
Without question. If we had just purchased a player, any player, who had just scored 17 the previous season in our division, and over 50 goals in 120 apps in his career he'd absolutely walk straight into the team. I'm really struggling to find a reason why he wouldn't. Injury or formation/tactics are the only reason he wouldn't start. Pre-season form is not a factor in my eyes, not for a player with his record. Would you expect Man U to leave out RVP if he had an indifferent pre-season, or Messi to be dropped cos he performed poorly in pre-season? Antionios job in pre-season is to get himself ahead of Norris in the pecking order, score some goals, get his confidence up and to be a reliable option for us. Cody's job is to ease himself into the season and to raise his awareness and 'match' fitness, not for the first game, but the whole season.
BSG, maybe the question should be - "If Cody was new into our team and had a similar record and skills as Norris & German, who would start on current form". Maybe the answer would then be Antonio German. Last season that probably wouldn't have been the case. If Antonio is currently playing better football than Cody, that is a good thing. Even if Cody is below par at present.
Sirkeefy I think you have hit the nail on the head; Cody is below par at the moment. That is my point; he may have had a average/good (no doubt we can debate that for hours) a season before but that shouldn't be taken into consideration. There is a phrase in football parlance; "You are only as good as your last game" and judging by recent displays German should be given he nod ahead of Cody. The joy of football is you can always sub him if it is not going too well; but the German has put the effort in and should be rewarded. You mention RVP and Messi; Cody comes no where the importance to tthe team as either of those. Messi is a player you can build a team around, not only can he finish; he can create an opportunity for a team mate out of nothing; Cody is simply a poacher; more Lineker-esque than RVP. One last point, last season Barrett was a regular starter; many fans complained that he was out of form, too slow etc. But the season before he was very good; so using your Cody system "he was good last season therefore should start" Taylor/Allen were correct in selecting him. That simply doesn't feel right to me...
I take your point BSG. But I reckon the saying "you are only as good as your last game" is a complete waste of a saying. It is rubbish. Try telling me a cricketer is poor if he scores 102, 98, 241, 85, 120 and 5. Try telling me Usain Bolt is cr@p if he doesn't get Gold at the Commonwealth games. Doesn't hold true that saying. There is a lot to be said for a player that can prove his worth over a period of time or games. That player is then a 'bankable' prospect. ie you know that he will perform over a given period. Some games might be poor, but most will be good. In Cody's case, he may have some poor games or poor spells next season, but if I were a betting man, I'd stake a lot on him getting more than 15 goals next season (barring injury). And that will again put him probably around the top 10 scorers in this division. Would I be as sure about Antonio? No way because so far in his career, he hasn't done it. A couple of goals in pre-season doesn't change that. But I would hope that when he is brought on in games, or has a start here and there, that he does threaten and acually score some goals. Given time, if he builds a record and reputation like Cody's then he will become a 'walk up start'. Anyway, I still don't connect pre-season form in this equation. That only comes into play when deciding between two players of the same calibre, record and performance. Cody's current and recent form is 1 goal every 2 games right across his playing time with us. Antonio has just 1 competitive goal for Gills. Give him time. As for Messi & RVP, I picked those because they are identifiable scorers of goals. Maybe we should pick the top scorer of every team in the 4 leagues. Those that are still playing this season, wherever they are playing, I would bet 95% of them are walk up starts for their team this season. The only ones that wouldn't be playing are either injured, or their club have brought in another striker with an even better record. And that player with the better record will be the first choice. I wouldn't expect it to be any different at our club. Cody is the encumbent with the top drawer record. I think he should (and will) start regardless of his and Antonios pre-season form. I said earlier, the only reason he wont start v MK is if PT decides to go 1 up top. Then he might chose any player for that role, probably Keds.
I understand your point of view Keefy but if you take that arguement to its extremes than it there is no point in the squad. A player like German will never get a chance to prove himself as the defalut selecion would be Cody. The only chance that a young player will get is waiting for the encumbent is to get a serious injury and be out for half a season to get a good run and bed into the team, which probably isn't good for team morale. How good or bad would German and Cody need to be to change the status quo?
I must admit on the German/Cody debate, I am on BSG's side of the fence regarding selection. I can remember when we bought Cody back, yes i was happy but i did question why, when i felt that was not our weakest area. We have to remember neither Norwich or Coventry gave him much pitch time, but being a lower division side we eventually took him off their hands. Don't get me wrong, I ain't saying he's not good, because he is, but do we really want to build a team around one player. I know people will prove me wrong with stats, but i still believe Cody only held his own with Bayo as his feeder. I think a lot of problems over recent seasons, has been managers and supporters favourites, while others sit it out on the side lines. Come the following season end, i will be happy to be proven wrong again, but i seriously believe it's time to give German and others their chance, well at least for the first six games. I see Messi held up as an example, yup, the loser collecting the golden ball award!
oh! did I mention German has scored two tonight at Faversham while down at Dover where Cody featured.... we lost 1-0
It could have been 3 goals but they counted one as an own goal. Oh! and while talking about Dover the other prolific goal machine was wearing the arm band.
While I agree that German should be given a start on current form I find it disappointing that once again this site seems to be full of disrespect for someone who doesn't deserve it. Now you may hide behind the "banter" label but the disrect Cody is getting is not warranted. He has been and still is a good servant to the club. I find it saddens me that this site is starting to become a place just to grumble and moan. It used to be full of positive and constructive debate but for a while now it hasn't been like that. Probably why I don't post all that much any more. I read the posts that come before and they just annoy me most of the time. Whoever gets the nod to start upfront should get our FULL support whether it be because they are in good current form (German) or if they have scored something like 45 goals in 98 appearances (Cody). There are also many other factors that we don't get to see, be they attitude in training, illness, family etc. The fact of the matter is that whoever does get the nod they need to produce the goods. If they don't then we have competition for the strikers and that surely can only be good. UTG
GeminiSwift, fair play and not sure if any of that is aimed at me, but yes i do add a bit of banter, and if need be i will stop. However, in seriousness in regards to Cody's position with Bayo i have always been consistent since he signed. My nature always has been to favour the lesser mentioned players if they earn the right. I give you Davies, Essam, Rooney, Evans...just as a few examples. Clearly not saying my judgement is right but it is my sincere opinion.
I have no issue with banter but there has been a change in this site where by nearly all posts have to be degrading to someone or something related to the club. People's memories seem to have become very short and rather that discuss pro's and con's/ good and bad the posts are very much in the moan moan moan. The defence for example, in the past we would have discussed how a team went from having the best defence in a league taking pretty much the entire back 5 places in the league team of the season and having the player of the season in it to being as leaky bucket without a bottom. No we quickly forgot what had been good and went straight for the negativity and moaning. There was never any real discussion on what could be changed except for personel, which as I said before had been supreme, all be it in a league below, the season before. The same is now being aimed at Cody. Are we really not capable of seeing past the "without Bayo he is nothing" argument? Sorry I have gone off subject and I apologise for that.
I'm extremely chuffed to see German score 2 again tonight. He is really putting his hand up for selection. Answering your point (brb?) about how does an up-and-comer get a start ahead of the incumbent? He bides his time like every other player ever has. Antonio will get opportunities as a sub or when someone is out injured. He then has to take those opportunities with both hands. If he has 5 or 6 sub apps and scores 2 or 3 goals he will force his way in, especially if (in our case) Cody stops scoring or is below par. But I still do not bring pre-season friendlies in to this equation. If Cody doesn't score or is playing poorly in the first 3 or 4 proper league games of the season, give Antonio his chance. It is certainly a great position for us that we now have someone snapping at Cody's heels for his spot. And I'll admit that Antonio is doing everything possible to put his name in front of PT to be considered for selection. Maybe PT's preference for pace and youth might make him take you guys view on this rather than mine. But I will still be very happy seeing Cody as first choice in the first game.
I certainly apologise if any of my comments/posts have upset anyone, I do try and give fair assessment of players and avoid personal abuse though I can be guilty of some tongue in cheek answers just to stimulate debate. As for Cody, Keds, German, I have supported all of them in the past and will continue to do so in the future, I simply feel that the in form player should be the one who gets the shirt. As for not worrying about pre-season games just look at last season when I was saying the same thing, it's not the end of the world losing at Dover but equally ignoring our poor showing against teams from lower leagues won't solve the problems.
As I was the leading voice in the dropping Cody movement I am sure that some of your previous post was aimed in my direction. However, I fail to see where the debate got disrecptful to towards Cody. Admittedly,there was an odd glib remark thrown in there (maybe my "he is rubbish" post can fall into that category, and I apologise if that offended anyone) but in gerneral the discussion have be positive around German's improvement in form and whether this merits a starting place ahead of Cody, who has a very good scoring rate but has dropped of the boil somewhat (Probably GMAD and my lovers tiff didn't help but I am willing to kiss and make up ) Nobody has mentioned the Bayo factor for a long time, it has merely been a discussion on form vs reputation.
But surely it is niave not to consider pre-season games. Goal scoring aside the friendilies show so much more, general fitness levels, match sharpness, adaptability in different systems et al. Clearly Cody isn't firing on all cylinders yet and German has hit the ground running, this maybe reflect of all sorts; Cody carrying a knock, German keeping in better shape in the close season, who knows we can speculate for days but as you said German is certainly pressing for a starting place and unless there is an upturn in Cody's form I feel he warrants one come August
I think that talk of dropping Cody or dropping Keds is the wrong way to look at the situation, surely the way to view it is rewarding the players putting in the effort and producing the goods. What message does it send out if people are doing really well and still get overlooked in favour of someone who isn't.
