The one on ones that both Le Fondre and Macheda missed Saturday. Would you have backed Joe Mason to have slotted at least one of them?
I would have and the chances missed at Millwall, we desperately need someone who can put the ball away especially away from home where the chances are fewer.
Mason hmmm. Can't seem to get into the Bolton team at the moment. I think this city team will eventually wake up and play to their potential. This poor start may damage us irreparably though. We may come good too late. Like Mason though Sparkey.
Surely Alf has to be dropped? A striker that cannot score is a luxury we cannot afford. Time for Maynard, Guerra or someone else to be given a starting berth. I know Macheda was poor as well but at least the guy has a reasonable conversion percentage. If KWJ is back I'd have no issue dropping the pair and starting with a new front combination though.
Steve You are discounting all the other good work ALF does, closing down players, running the channels, creating space for others - which no other bu££er uses. Quite simply we don't create enough chances. Create opportunities in the box and ALF will score. At least both he and Macheda forced good saves from their keeper. I'm not convinced Noone is fully fit. Only one good run Saturday, beat his full back and put in a terrific cross from which we should have scored at the back post. I know he was covering back a lot but that was his only real run. We continue to get over run in the middle of the park. For 35 minutes we were on top but their 4 in the middle with Shinnie playing between striker and midfield out numbered us and Whitts and Gunnar were eventually pushed back. Gunnar was terrific but he was out on his feet for the last 20. I'm still very much of the opinion that we need another combative midfield player at least as it all falls on Gunnar at present. We need to win the ball and hold it. We must have had 60% possession first half but over the whole game it reverted to 51/49 in their favour. After about 40 minutes each game (apart from Leeds) it feels like the opposition have a man more than us. KWJ is not the answer. We will revert to lumping the ball up in the air and giving it away more often than not. Maynard did nothing when he came on and is Guerra still with us? Joe is a good player but as pointed out can't make the Bolton 11 at the moment. I'm not sure he is any better than what we have.
KWJ up front on his own. Daehli or Ravel playing behind. ALF is having chances in the box and hes missing them. Rhys Healey and Mason im sure would have a better return than ALF. I appreciate his work rate. But hes there to score and hes not doing that.
No, I'm not discounting his other work. The rest of his game has been good/very good. It's what has kept him in the side until now because his 'finishing' has been embarrassing since he arrived. I said to Sparks on another thread that a striker who doesn't score is a major problem unless the rest of the side keeps covering his misses. I stand by that. It's like having a goalie that makes 1 big mistake a game but is otherwise excellent. I know Maynard has been poor off the bench but it is time for someone else to have a go. Until he is given at least a 3-5 game run it is unfair to judge him. I'd like to see Macheda retained with him as I think he's a better all round player than KWJ. I think Daehli and Ravel are both injured Hilts, but away from home in particular I'd like to see a 4-4-1-1 rather than the orthodox 4-4-2 we've been using.
Said that on the match thread yesterday Stevo - this setup with a non-firing front two is not working at all. I suppose you could argue that if ALF and Kiko had buried those fantastic chances on Saturday, we wouldn't be having this conversation, but the fact is they didn't and it clearly cost us 2 points. I appreciate Le Fondre is just not hacking it at all in his main job and for that he should be benched, but Macheda is not for me despite his 3 goals. He has little pace, is next to useless in the air for a big guy and his holdup play is questionable to say the least - he loses the ball more often than he lays it off. As for Kenwyne - he is a real handful for defences in every way that Macheda isn't. If we discount Guerra as being "exiled" by Slade, the only other option is Maynard if we're going to stick to 4-4-2. If he's fit when he comes back, I'd go for Kenwyne up front with Ravel or Daehli just behind him - Ravel preferably of the two at the moment.
That's it, I'm off, no one agrees with me. Sod the lot of you!!!! Hold on, I'm top of the Prediction League - again. So perhaps I'll stay - if you ask me nicely.
I forgot to mention I agree we are absolutely desperate for someone else who can put a shift in at centre mid.
Bluey - I DO agree with you about ALF. I reckon the work he does pulling defences apart by running diagonals can go unnoticed due to his lack of goals. He's quicker off the mark than anyone else we've got (including Maynard) and will surely come good. Of the two (Macheda/Le Fondre), I'd stick with Le Fondre every time if we're going to continue with a 4-4-2. He WILL score - the only question is whether Slade is prepared to try something different away from home. We criticised Dave Jones for his dogmatic 4-4-2 approach, but Slade seems to be locked in on the same wavelength. He needs to think outside his normal box, because it just ain't working at the moment.
Bring back Mason!!! We are not scoring at the moment. 3 - 0 loss at Bolton, 0 - 0 draw at the Brum's.. We need a goalscorer.. Bring back Mason and play him alongside KWJ!
I still think Slade is missing a trick with Kimbo, I know he's light weight but he's quality at this level.
Same could be said for Daehli. A manager needs to have belief in his methods, but Slade's belief is in danger of being classed alongside tunnel vision. Ole chopped and changed when it didn't work - Slade is keeping it broadly the same when it clearly isn't working, and that can be just as bad. I'm all for "continuity, strength and character" in the side, but there comes a time when introducing a bit of flair like Ravel, Daehli and yes, I agree even Kimbo, could just do the trick.
Blue pal, as always you are doing very well in the prediction league, but have you seen league two, a certain whiffletree with 7 correct scores, Fug me...he needs to get out more!
Look Stevo - if he's going to fall down anyway, at least do it for a reason like Ashley Young........
