Pilkington should be dropped

[ninian opinion]

His performances this season in my mind have been poor. He couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo and his tacking is all but non existent. He just let a Villa player run away en route to setting up one of their goals. Granted he has some qualities but is a shadow of the player he was last season.

Whilst not are all like for like Immers or Huws or Noone or Harris should surely be given a start instead of him?

Against high flying Brighton, it's a good opportunity to make some changes.

And another thing, that's 17 consecutive games without a clean sheet. The keeper is average and Morrison & Bamba must be disappointed with their failure to stop both Villa's first half goals.

 

[Oldsparkey]

....someone commenting about football on a football forum.

I agree, Pilks has blown hot and cold this season and can't seem to find the right place in Warnock's setup - maybe time for some re-charging on the bench.

I don't think Noone is the answer in his place. If anything he's been equally disappointing if not worse. He's lost that spark and can't seem to recapture that Prem season confidence. He's become so predictable cutting inside practically every time and trying to get a shot away.

If Pilks comes out of the side and assuming Hoilett continues playing narrow to feed off Lambert, we really need a genuine wide man to take defenders on. I'd chance my arm with Harris. He's certainly not very good defensively but we've got 7 other outfield players beside him behind the front 2, and Warnock should be able to devise a system to allow for that.

Immers and Huws don't seem to be part of Warnock's mainstream plan and it's difficult to see them playing wide anyway. The only alternative I see is to put Hoilett back out wide and play Immers up with or just behind Lambert.

Don't know what's happened to Kennedy but he seems to have fallen completely off the radar for a wide spot. I wouldn't mind betting that a new pacey and tricky winger is very high on Warnock's January shopping list.

 

[Jay-Rede]

I'm not sure who I would replace him with though. I was talking to my friend in work about this earlier and we think that money will be available in January depending on who we sell.

For me
Manga
Noone
Richards
Huws
Immers
Zohore
Gounongbe (possibly)
Richards / Chamakh (released)

Will all be sold / shown the door. Pilks has to up his game if he doesnt want any competition in January!

 

[ninian opinion]

Noted but what about our porous defence though? The club record I read somewhere is 32 games without a clean sheet

I have read a new keeper, winger and striker are NW's priorities.

And another moan; when will City ever follow up a win with another?

December's fixtures save BHA twice must be viewed as defent potential for some points - essential to avoid the bottom 3 drifting away.

 

[Oldsparkey]

Six league fixtures before the New Year and we play Brighton twice in that lot. Warnock has the nous to get at least a point off them next week, maybe even all 3 if we play anything like we did in this fixture last season. In the return at the Amex it could be a different matter but I'd settle for a battling point any day.

The other 4 fixtures are all winnable but 9 or 10 points from those 12 on offer would seem a fair target. That may be optimistic but if we can get a dozen points from the next 6 games (2 points per game) that will put us on 30 and looks at the moment to be mid table territory.

The big question is if that happens, what will Tan's approach be to providing Warnock with funds in January? I expect at least half a dozen departures are being lined up to free up some wages, but how much "up front" money will be made available?

 

[ninian opinion]

Those 4 fixtures either side of BHA are going to be so pivotal to our season. Your 9-10 points in my opinion will be just too hard to achieve given our 2 main problems ie not enough goals, especially in open play plus our sieve like defence.

Ipswich blow hot & cold;a 3-0 win is only something we can dream of (when did we last win by more than 1 goal let alone 2?) 0-0, 1-1. our best hope.

Wolves are so due a result. As were Leeds & Derby when we played them. Our best chance of 3 points.

Barnsley are bound to score the way they play but defensively looked weak v Forest. Again a good chance of a win.

Brentford always play offensive quick football which should be too much for our midfield & defence. But they do concede. Draw our best hope.

I think 5/6 points is more realistic.

ps. Another blank accumulator weekend

 

[Oldsparkey]

Nin - Wolves, Barnsley and Brentford are all sliding down the league. They were all doing quite well a dozen games ago but now look far more vulnerable than they were then.

As for us, we haven't exactly set the world on fire this past 3 games but from where we were when Trollope got the elbow, I'll take what we've got since.

I reckon the away game at Ipswich will be key. They're all worth 3 points but that one against McCarthy's lot would be a great scalp. I think they are a far better side than their table position suggests.

 

[Hilts24]

Ipswich away is a big one.Need 3 points from that.

On Pilkington I'd stick with him.

 

[Masky]

Notice Scott Malone playing out of his skin this season, would they take Jazz back perhaps?

 

[Oldsparkey]

It was a mistake bringing Richards here. I suspect it was all part of the "Welsh" thing that seemed to be doing the rounds at the time under Trollope.

Events suggest Malone was worth keeping when you compare him right now to Richards, but he made some defensive howlers. He was often out of position as much as Fabio who was pilloried for it.

Malone got lucky with that strike against QPR last season and could certainy get forward, but he left huge gaps behind him that Ralls had to try to fill to the detriment of his own game.

At the moment, I really like Bennet at left back. He seems to be the pick of the recent crop but he did let Smith go right across him for Huddersfield's first goal - that wasn't good defending.

 

[DaiJones]

I think Pilkington has done well considering he's been played out of position most of the season, I'd keep him.

Jay is about right with his list but if clubs come in with sensible offers for Whitts, Gunnar, Connolly or John I'd let them go.

 

[Jay-Rede]

I think Pilkington has done well considering he's been played out of position most of the season, I'd keep him.

Jay is about right with his list but if clubs come in with sensible offers for Whitts, Gunnar, Connolly or John I'd let them go.

I cant see Gunnar going mate, Warnock's type of player and I think he has big plans to essentially build his team around Gunnar more than any other player.

 

[ninian opinion]

Malone was shocking defensively.

Richards has been a disappointment.

The money spent on transfer fees, sign on's, wages on Huws, Immers, Richards, Zahore, Amos & Gounangbe in hindsight would have paid for a couple of decent forwards had City had an effective transfer committee.

We should not get too excited by the forthcoming window. It'll be an anti climax probably unless NW proves ME wrong.