Walter’s pre match presser with Mike white https://x.com/humbersidesport/status/1836465209667653736?s=46&t=xcKqqLsTSZZbiOk3tbnUcw
They weren’t dropped, Zambrona started vs Leeds and Symonds replaced him, same as vs Millwall. I have no idea how they fared vs Leeds, after which they had an international break. They didn’t start Sheffield United, I assume because Tim wanted the extra height of Burns. If Pandur was lobbed, it would be down entirely to Walt’s system. As was Allsopp’s down to Rosenior’s. The pile on Allsopp gathered momentum then and was ridiculous.
If they started games and then got benched they were dropped. And in isolation, the lob itself was a good finish, just seen as indicative of Allsopps already perceived weakness, hence the pile on, which Tbh I though was unfair as he was being scapegoated - same with the one that bounced off a divot vs stoke. As I've stated before I'm ok with risks being taken as long as there's an upside. We're yet to see evidence of that.
Fair point, but as fan that what we do, most have watched enough football or played it to know whether something is working or not. But your point about the opposition is a fair one, they are there to stop you doing what you are trying to do.
Personally I don't think the lob vs Allsop was his fault. Equally I don't think the lob on Pandur in preseason was his fault either but they both got **** for it.
I don’t agree at all with your first point (and I suspect you don’t). With current squad sizes and fitness levels required, managers utilise the subs bench for numerous reasons, often having a plan before the game of who’s going to be subbed. Zambrano is still getting his fitness levels up. Allsop was lobbed once in 40(odd?) games, despite his manager’s expectation that he had a role as a bit of a fly goalie, which is impressive. I suspect the weakness was in the perception rather than his skill in that specific area, There was no denying his shot stopping was a weakness.
I didn’t even know Pandur was lobbed preseason (though don’t particularly put much emphasis on pre season training sessions), which emphasises my point re Allsop’s treatment, so certainly didn’t see the same pile on.
I think it was the first game. He came out to close down a striker we'd let go and he got chipped. It was a big part of the reason people thought he was ****, but then as soon as the actual season started he got constant MOTM votes because he looked assured.
How would I know. Ask Tim. I could have just said another ineffective performance I suppose. No cutting edge, giving chances to the opposition etc etc.....
You suspect I don't agree with my own point? Look, you can come up with any word salad you like. If a player was starting, then are dropped to the bench,then they have been dropped. Zambrano was fit enough to play 2 in a row, so I'm not buying that. If the manager felt he was providing what he wanted from that particular role, he wouldn't have been dropped. He put Burns in because he wanted something different against sheff utd. Which ended up being an even bigger hole where the midfield is supposed to be.
He looked like he had cauliflower wrists all pre season. It wasn't just the lob. Grown into it since the season started though, for sure. Still a matter of time before Rushworth is in mind.
So you don’t believe in squad rotation, easing player back to fitness, changes in tactics, easing young players into a team? Ok. Fair enough
Semantics - for when you absolutely gotta bore to death every mutha ****er on the board just to win the argument.....
Of course players can be rotated, but if they're dropped from the starting.line up theyre still dropped, and they wouldn't be if they were delelivering what the manager wanted, fitness issues aside which there's no suggestion was the case with Zambrano, Slater and Simons. So are you suggesting if a manager changes selection and the incoming players are less effective in an area than the ones who have been dropped then that's not on the manager? Or disputing that if a player delivers what the manager wants in a role then 99 times out of 100 they arent dropped? So clearly Zambrano and Simons didn't deliver what the manager wanted, or they wouldn't have been dropped, rotated, deselected or whatever other verbiage you wish to deploy to describe being dropped.
So who are we expecting to be in the team for Stoke ? I really couldn't predict it except I don't think Burns worked in midfield and would be surprised to see him start again
I suspect we'll see the same starting 11 as Sheffield United, except for Burns. City might as well play the team that's had the most time together implementing Walter's system.
