Enjoyed reading through that, cheers What a tit I am for missing it. Great result after our water polo blip. Onwards and upwards.
Quite right mate, I knew I'd get pulled for that ... .. by the time I'd posted it I was too tired to correct myself. The masterplan was to have at least two players for each position and unlike almost every other SAFC plan, it seems to be working.
He needed a forward. Embleton isn’t that. That’s how I eee it anyhow. O’nien can literally do any job. As I said above, it’s not like he’s gone and re-injured something. It’s a completely different injury. If he’d brought Embleton on and he’d injured his ribs and come off, chances are the same questions are asked. Hindsight is a wonderful thing
What was odd, was the ref did not give a foul/yellow card, it was a knee in the back. I wonder if 09 has a little black book, a la Jack Charlton, and will aim for revenge in the league games.. not that I ever did..
You say hindsight is a wonderful thing but when I saw he was bringing him on I thought it was a bad idea and that's what it proved to be. As Johnson himself says.
Why did it prove to be though? Because he got a new injury? Which, by definition, is hindsight. I didn’t agree with the sub, I understood it though and the reasons behind it. Think my point is that he didn’t injure what was already injured. He’s banged his rib. Could’ve happened to anyone. I understand the sub. Johnson must be saying that with hindsight as, if he’d thought it with foresight he wouldn’t have brought him on. It only really becomes the wrong decision when he gets injured imo. Not sure who was on the bench but he needed someone up front and Embleton can’t do that job. O’nien can
It was the wrong decision because it was risking a key player with an injury hanging over him in a game he really didn't need to play in. I wouldn't play O'Nien in any game I didn't have to knowing that he could be writhing around in pain at any point if his shoulder pops out. The fact he picked up a separate injury is just the ****ty cherry on top and not the point.
So why did Neil play then? And why was there no arguments about him? He’s arguably just as important and you’re risking him too. There was no arguments about him starting. not sure why the “he didn’t have to play” either. It’s a game and a competition we want to win. So you make changes but still have a strong bench. just opinions but I think o’nien is one of those players who is in top shape. My guess is that his shoulder injury is not the issue us fans all think otherwise they’d get it sorted now for the end of the season run in. If he’d brought Embleton on and he’d gone off after 5 minutes with a rib injury then the same would likely have been said.
You've got to play somebody, the point is that at 2-0 up you don't need to risk important players. Neil doesn't have the risk of a nasty reoccurring injury hanging over him. If O'Nien didn't have that problem I'd have been happy enough for him to play. As Johnson said after the game: "Good thing it wasn't his shoulder."
I wouldn't have O'Nien up front. He's not a forward. I'd have thought Embleton is a more forward thinking player. Hence why O'Nien generally plays a defensive midfield role.
i,ll believable him when he has the courage to play them Embleton holds the ball better than anyone at the cub, he is particularly good in the opposition half and is a perfect partner for Dan Neil the combine and compliment each other, he can also score spectacular goals, hindsight is a wonderful thing and so is observation. It was stupid bringing on O/9.
Was that the reserve game at the SOL in 1999? I was at that one and then at the reserve game against Liverpool later on in that season when just under 35 thousand turned up.
Yep. Embleton is the perfect foil for Neil in midfield. Basically exactly what I said. But he brought Luke on to play up front. Not in midfield. He went up top as a ball winner. Not into midfield. If he’d brought Luke on in midfield then it was a stupid decision. He didn’t. Which is why it was silly in hindsight. also not sure that “Embleton holds the ball better than anyone at the club”. Seen him fade out of games and often give it away later in performances.
Roker Park mate , It was when we got into the semi finals of the Intermediate Youth Cup ? we had Nick Sharkey in our team and they had Nobby Stiles in theirs, so it must have been in the early 60's ?