After readings Micks comments about Henshall and Tabb, i would say its pretty nailed on that Tabb will play a bigger part this season:- âHeâs a safer pair of hands. Heâs not a flying left winger. Alex Henshallâs learning his trade, heâs going to have to learn a lot about me that you donât dangle a leg, he wins the ball or gives a foul. âIâd take a foul out there and weâll defend the freekick. But he doesnât get in our box and it end up being a penalty. That wouldnât have happened with Tabby, or Hunty. This speaks volumes to me 'HE IS A SAFER PAIR OF HANDS' that is what MM is all about, **** the flair and excitement!!! Personally i think its a tad pathetic to criticise AH like that and not necessary, it was only a friendly after all. Have a word with the lad and leave it at that!! Still, you all know my thoughts on negative Mick, lets just hope he proves me wrong!!
Line up against Fulham:- Gerks Chambers Berra Smith Mings Anderson ExSkuse Hyam Tabb Murphy Nouble Prediction, with that side a defeat!!
Problem is spanish, he isn't wrong. You can't have players getting into the box and then give pens away from dangling legs. Personally if we are playing 4-4-2 I like to see at least 1 expericenced head on each wing, so on the right if we have chambo playing there, you can afford to have a Henshall/Stewart, and on the left if you have Parr you probably could have Henshall, but if you have Mings then we have to have Tabb/Shunt in front of him to have that cover.
Just for a bit of balance thought I would add the bit that Spanish choose to leave out. “But Alex is a kid, so I’ll forgive him that, he’ll learn. Doing that here, and Kevin Bru as well, they both dangled legs and got beaten, I can speak to them and show them, and hopefully for me, and for them, they won’t do it in a league game.” I was at the game and TBF to MM he is spot on, Lisbie should never have gotten into the box to crumple under the dangled foot Henshall offered him!
As mentioned on twtd, he is right, Tabb would never have given pen away because he is soooo slow he would never had got back in time!! Sorry guys but that side (if it is starting 11) will not get us close to play offs, let alone into playoffs!! Of course that is only my opinion and i could well be proven way off the mark!! Oh and wheres Wally?? I mean Warky!!
I have to agree with Spanish on this. At any level, especially a pre-season friendly you don't bring in lots of fresh new signings...young'uns,...blood them and get every one excited pre-season, and then criticise them so publicly... and then promptly revert to type, same old safe faces...and Nouble ffs!! I would like to see at least 2 new signings starting...not come on in 80th minute. Squad confidence shot to pieces over Leyton Orient...not good nor clever. Lets hope we are proved wrong!
horses for courses spanish, this game we need to be tight and hit on the break, but the most important aspect is to stay tight, no silly mistakes as hewitt was guilty of early last season. against the lesser sides, I agree that perhaps we can go a little more gung ho.
Very disappointing that ON here and TWTD many have written our chances off before a ball is kicked in anger.....they are pre-season friendlies guys...Many of the new guys have been given ample game time and opportunities to impress MM & TC, some have and been rewarded with contracts. Unfortunately putting all/many of the newbies in from the off is not going to happen, nor should it, why would MM drop his best player from the last game, Tabb on Saturday was our MOM.! Saying that I would not be surprised if 2-3 newbies start on Sat, Parr (if fit), Bajner (if Didsy does not make it) & Henshall or Stewart in front of Chambers!
What Mick said. “If Tabby had have been on the pitch they wouldn’t have got a penalty because their man wouldn’t have got out of that corner,” said McCarthy, who slammed the ‘seven or eight errors’ which led to Orient’s late leveller. Asked if that meant he felt Tabb was a safer pair of hands for the left midfield slot, McCarthy having also signed Cameron Stewart for that position this summer, the Blues boss replied: “Of course he is, without doubt. “He’s not a flying left winger, but Alex Henshall is learning his trade. He’s going to have to learn a lot about me; you don’t dangle your leg, you win the ball or go and take a foul out there so he doesn’t get in our box and get a penalty. “That wouldn’t have happened with Tabby or Hunty (Stephen Hunt, currently out with a calf problem). “He (Henshall) is a baby, he’s a kid – he’ll learn. Kevin (Bru) also dangled a leg. It’s better them doing that now so that I can speak to them and show them so that they don’t do it in a league game.” The first and last paragraphs make a huge difference to this report as to why he said what he said, and also the praising of henshall as somebody who could learn from his mistakes and willing to take stuff onboard.
were we really expecting anything else from MM He seems to have been safe and steady throughout his whole career from what I know and from watching Town under him it is definately the case. I dont think we were really expecting a massive change of ideology were we? The big question is whether the new squad can improve on the positions of last years squad and I think it can. Last year we had 1 attacking tactic - pass it to cresswell. Unfortunately it was the same tactic we have had for the previous 2 years and teams sussed us out. For me, last year was cresswells worst season in a Town shirt and I think that is because we lacked variety. In addition we have some new options in wide areas which may change games, unlike our squad players last season. we may not have the star player but we arguably have a better 18. Henshall didnt feature last season so I find it hard to believe that some thought he was going to be a regular starter this season. Why would a summers holiday make all the difference? With CS's extra experience then I would imagine he will be pushing for a starting place from the off. TBH Im not expecting free flowing expansive football but nobody can argue that MM definately has the experience and know how to have a decent season its whether our constraints allow for him to really push us forward.
Hoppers I see nothing to stop me writing off our season already. The squad is not strong enough in my opinion, we have lost Cressy and for what? Certainly not to strengthen in other areas like many of us had hoped!! Of the new signings, i would say Bajner is the only shining light. Stewart is someone that has not exactly set the world alight over the last few seasons, Henshall and Bru will only be used as impact subs now and then and Parr will just maintain an already stable defence. For me there is no strengthening from last season which is very sad indeed!! Lets just hope the likes of Bishop can force their way into the starting eleven!!
Oh and trust me, i wish i was more hopeful than i am, i used to look forward to every season with optomism but the last few seasons..... Still i always have my local sides, Cordoba, games to look forward to, oh hold on, first game is Real Madrid away, jeeeeeeezzzzz!!!
I feel that we will strengthen with loans from premier league clubs now, Mick will now be able to judge in a proper match enviroment what is needed. I feel we are probably 2 players short at the moment, one in the centre to pull the strings and another out wide to be first choice.
Just read this on twtd and have to agree with most of it!! in Micks DNA to be defensive......... he can't change! He's just trying to justify to himself what he's doing is right & why he should adopt a defensive strategy against Fulham, he's not doing it to justify to the public what he's doing. Every match it's safety first, defend what you've got, That's why he can't give younger players game time to gain experience, it means taking risks! In the 70's @ 17, Beattie, Burly, Wark, were given their first games against Man U & Leeds, they made the odd mistake, but were given confidence by being allowed to improve & learn in the first team so by the age of 21 they had experience. Now you have Mick calling 21 & 22 year old's, youngsters!....... needing experience & protection because it's a tough league, what a load of Bull S*#t, it's faster now than the 70's not tougher & that suits youngsters that's their strength! I'd like to see Warkies reaction if you were to say it's tougher now than when he faced Clark & co, trying to kick lumps out of him, he didn't have the protection of the referees that they are afforded now. Any way when Mick makes any public statement about a youngsters defensive short comings, IT'S not for your benifit, It just helps reinforce & justify to himself that his safety first policy is the right one. Guru, that was my understanding and i hope your right, although would love to see Bishop and Mcqueen break into first team
I have to say that if we go out to defend against Fulham, we will not win, i would rather we went out to win the game, not to not lose the game!! I honestly think that had we had that attitude last season we would have picked up a few more points and yes i am a great believer in attack being the best form of defence but saying that you do need a certain amount of decent attack minded players to be able to adopt that attitude!! As Guru has said 'maybe we will bring in a couple of great prem class loanees' that will put a totally different slant on things, as long as they aint defenders!!! oh and any of you guys seen much of Bishop and McQueen, if so what are your thoughts??
" I see nothing to stop me writing off our season already. " Can you at least try and stay with us until the 10 game mark and then feel free to moan to hell!?! haha. Ah Spanish I do quite like you really! For what it's worth, I really do not want Tabb LM either. I want balance at last. Round pegs in round holes please! Rather have Tabby in CM than Hyam mind you.... Mick I think has bought reasonably well over the summer. It's our first summer where we haven't had a complete overhaul of the squad and continuity helps. I think we'll have a couple of very good loanees arriving yet. Interested how Bru/ the new striker will do. I think the striker could be a very good addition, not sure about Bru though! I think Wordy could have a good season too. I don't think Mings is good enough at LB so Henshall there with Mings.......... I don't think that's possible. Parr/ Henshall though sure. I think Tabby may start LM with Henshall coming on. I would like one thing from you Spanish this season though. Last season even when we were 5th / 6th you were slating Mick left right and centre and the style of play etc. If we're doing similarly this season even if it's garbage to watch can you be a little bit more supportive !?
I will try, guess its just one of those things, i detest the man, he could take us to champions league glory and i would still hate the guy!! Probably the same with Roy Keane and most of you guys!! Sometimes you just dislike someone and nothing will change your mind!!
Try it, give it a go you may enjoy it.............. End of the day he's signed a three year contract. You may aswell get behind him Spanish, like it or not, he's here to stay. Again, like it or not we've made a lot of forward progress in the last 18 months, when Jewell and Keane completely wrecked the club. I must confess I thought Christmas had come early when Keano was appointed manager. I was delighted with his appointment, however so much happened during his spell that I didn't agree with so I'm pleased he's gone. I think the style of play will be better this season. Mick does actually when he has a squad capable play good football. He transformed the ROI into a very good passing side. Wolves he had two quality wingers and didn't play hoofball there. I mean sure, he could have been like Jewell. Play good football and get zero results with a soft underbelly. Mick builds a foundation, adds to it, and over time the style will come. It's the only way unfortunately after the ridiculous turnover of players we had the past five years. That finally is under control which at least offers us half a chance. I'm not the most pro McCarthy man either Spanish. He does have limitations and isn't blameless when results go wrong. However, we have our club back after the previous two clowns and I can see what he's trying to do. I cannot think of another manager considering our financial limitations I would rather have incharge therefore Mick really does have my full backing. However, if we're in the bottom 3 after 10 /12 / 15 games or having a mare my opinion may change.
