First of the season for Smithy last night and another to break his duck. Kimbo did it recently against Blackburn and got another last night. Our top scorer hasn't scored since November and to be honest hasn't looked like adding to his tally since. So who will be the next to break his duck to keep us winning? Do we really need anyone else on that basis? Another one for you - will Whitts ever score again?
He's just biding his time Sparks. Mind you, I couldn't believe it when Conway took that free kick just outside the box second half and tested the handling skills of the crowd behind the goal. That looked nailed on for a Whitts strike. As for penalties, the last one given for us on 23rd October v. Watford - Whitts last goal. That in itself tells me that we don't get into the opposition penalty box enough, hence the lack of penalties, reduced scoring opportunities and no regular goal scorer. Many of our goals have come from set pieces and once that is recognised, teams will learn to defend better against those. I still don't think Whitts is fully fit. He has been very subdued lately (not that he ever was an exhibitionist) although he is recognised as one of our key players and inevitably is surrounded by opponents whenever he has the ball. In saying that he defends much better and made a couple of key tackles/interceptions last night. I'm sure the trip to Dubai will do him and the others good as long as they don't.......I was going to say pig out but that is a bit unlikely in a Muslim country. However, no regular scorer and still top of the league with joint second highest scoring total. Not bad eh?
Quite surprised that Tayls hasn't found the net yet. He gets forward well and has had a few chances. As for the Nugget, I think Marshy might beat him to it. I see a few mentions about him getting forward down the right a lot last night, but his delivery and vision for the final ball is non existant.
Turner next to break his duck. We still need a targetman to hold the ball up against big centre backs. Whitts fee kick against the Weeds.
Second top scorers in the league, 10 points clear at the top and we haven't got one player in the top 20 scorers in the division. It makes it hard to close us out as you can't mark 10 outfield players out of the game (ok, 9 when Kev is playing). That's why we probably need a 'better' hold up striker than the proverbial 20 a season striker. Someone to better bring the second striker and midfield into the game. As for the second striker, as we 'discussed' a day or two back Sparkey, Smith looks as if he could do a job. With Mason, Smith, and Bellamy all able to play just off the front man as well as out wide, we have plenty of options in that role and out wide (no sign of Noone yesterday). I don't know exactly what goes on with the studying of the opposition of how much it does influence MMs selection, but he does vary who he plays from game to game. Whether that is just keepng players fresh, keeping players on their toes as they know they haven't the right to be in the team, or because he sees ways of exploiting weaknesses based on his selection. I'm not sure we have clear plans A, B and C, but we see more variation in formation / selection under MM than under DJ (to be fair to DJ, he didn't have the options that MM has). As for Whitts, I said a couple weeks ago that if it wasn't for the likes of Connoly, Huds and Turner fighting to get get on the end of his rubbish free kicks he'd contribute nothing sparkey.
On the Whitts subject and his goal striking potential, anyone think there's a case for playing someone else in front of the back four to pick up, and play Whitts in a more advanced position? I've mentioned before that very often when he picks up the ball, he's usually got about half the pitch in front of him to get into their strike zone. If he was round and about when he got the ball, he could cause panic in opposition defences and let others in on goal. Who've we got at the club who could do the job he's doing now to release him?
Gavin Rae Sparks Mutch is big and strong could be possibly moulded into a defensive mid. He's pretty useless at attacking since his injury...
Sparks, at least when McNuggs plays, his oppo full back knows he can't get forward too much as we will exploit the space behind him. They have to work on the basis that he will get in a good ball at some stage. Okay we know better. However, Connolly gets nose bleed at the half way line with the ball at his feet - from corners and free kicks fine, just no good running forward with the ball. This was so evident v. Ipswich. Also, Kev is still a pretty good tackler. Very few wingers can get past him. Zaha switched sides and Ince (a much better prospect than Zaha in my view) stuck to our left side or through the middle as he thought he would get more change from there. It's such a pity Kev's passing lets him down.
Bluey - I totally agree about young Ince being a better prospect than Zaha. I took a bit of flak on here a few weeks back about not rating Zaha as highly as some, but I stiil hold that view. He's been over-hyped. There's no doubt he's quick but he's nowhere near the player everyone raves about. Zaha is like a bottle of fizzy pop - you shake it a bit and it goes all over the place. Ince is calm and controlled - more like a nice smooth bottle of Nuits Saint George. He's going to be Premier Cru for the Premier League. If they were both in our price bracket and would come here, I'd take Ince any day..
Speaking to a scouser the other day about Ince. Apparently the reason Ince hasn't moved to Liverpool is the price Blackpool are asking and the wages Ince is demanding. If true we would be better to steer clear.
Taff - Why would we want sign him whem we've got Noone? Suppose he'd be a good option off the bench. His goals have dried up a bit at the moment, particualry on that cabbage patch of theirs where he's only got 5 of his 13 goal total, and the last of them was in November before it deteriorated into its' present crap state. I'd bet he score a hatfull for us at the CCS with Whitts and Co. playing him in on a decent surface. Not a big guy in the mould of a typical front man that we seem to need, but boy can he hold the ball up!
Don't think we need him at the moment, my point is he sounds a bit greedy (Liverpool wouldn't meet his demands) and if he's anything like his old man then a bit goby. Not sure he'd fit into the MM way of things.
Taff - we were just discussing the relevant merits of Ince and Zaha as players - nothing to do with Cardiff. Never suggested we should attempt to get him - that would be a non starter - just that I preferred Ince. We haven't anything like the money available to compete with Liverpool for him anyway, nor the glamour attraction of the club. Not sure about the personal terms issue you raised about Ince. From what I've read over the past weeks, it's down to Oysten at Blackpool who's refusing to answer queries from Liverpool about the player - nothing to do with personal terms. Oysten has a bit of a track record about refusing to speak to other clubs about his players when they make an enquiry. I've listened to a couple of interviews with Ince and he seems like a decent lad, though I suppose that could be deceiving when it comes to money. Agree about his father though. Never could take to him - in your face is an understatement about his manner.
Uncompromising is another adjective about Paul Ince. While being together at Man U for a couple of years, he and Roy Keane must have played against each other a few times. I don't recall any "light the blue touch paper" moments but they must have happened.
Sparkey just letting folk know the rumour mill from a mate who is a lifelong Liverpool fan. With regard to the transfer fee, apparently there is a 35% sell on fee for Ince which Blackpool would like to negate, as he`s an ex-Liverpool player, by increasing the transfer fee to Liverpool. May be different if another club approached them, not suggesting us by the way.
The sell on is fact it's been reported in the press from day 1. Ince won't let his personal demands get in the way of a move IMO. His other option is the jacks so I'd guess he play for Liverpool for free if he had to........
