I guess part of the problem is that so far players have been able to get into our side based on being good at one aspect of play. Johnson is good at breaking up play but can't really pass and Fox is the other way around. To take us to the next level we need someone adept at both, and that costs serious money.
Fox picks up the pieces following a breakdown, he's ideal for how we play. Fox isn't an amazing player, he's just the best we have at passing in that midfield and I can't for the life of me understand why he's not been given a run in the team when we so clearly need it. There is no-one in our midfield who can pass a ball. We give the ball away time after time and yet no effort has been put into that aspect.
Before you can pass the ball,you need to win it first,hence the need for a hard tackling midfielder. Fox can pick a pass but is not the answer at this level,but as DH says these players cost a lot of money
Fox is too lightweight for the prem, he rode our first season bounce last season I think he will be a victim of our sucess and be sold soon
You can also say you need not to give it away so readily to begin with. Fox on his own isn't the answer, but I never said that anyway. I said I respect passers more than the water carriers. And passing a ball is the answer at this level, if you can't be a passing team in the top division then its not a worthy division.
Yesterday Johnson's passing was the best I've seen from him, but generally I agree that he is lacking in that area.
I think what's most infuriating about Fox is that he hasn't been given a run in the team. At least if he'd had a chance alongside Johnson/Tettey we'd be able to judge how effective he can be at this level, and whether he's going to be a useful player going forward. It's even more baffling when you consider he signed a new contract in October/November.
He's only lightweight if he's asked to do a job he's not built for. Would anyone stick Johnson behind the main striker? no. Fox would be fine if he's got someone doing the grunt work beside him, but to be effective he's got to be part of a rhythm of play. You can't just do that when the team has been set up as it has.
That's all fair He's a lambert player so i think he will go, hopwfully we will acquire a better version who can also tackle and can run with / pass the ball, it's a priority area
Bridcutt, El-Nenny, neither look like the big money, 'complete' DM we need. I'd happily take one as competition, but don't see either as being the solution. If we're playing with 2 DM's next season (which seems likely), then Johnson, Tettey, Bridcutt/El-Nenny and 'Biglia' would be healthy competition for that part of the pitch. I'd like to see Howson freed up to play further forward, because he's wasted as a DM.
The Spurs fans that I work with don't rate him, they say he holds the team back. By the way YARCO, I'm with you, Bradley has been immense for us this season, my vote for PoS.
I notice Redruth that after a long struggle Truro have been relegated due to the points deduction although they did seem to make a fight of it towards the end, Any chance they will bounce back next year?
I would say Truro could well head back to where they came from. They always faced a challenge in getting recognition and support in the area. For instance, I started watching them, then City got in the Prem and I could watch the boys instead. The Cornish Pirates rugby team, who are one step away from the Premiership, have seen a decrease in support so there is a general lack of interest in the area. Football does take a back seat in West Cornwall. And people are very parochial down here. Truro will not get any more than 150 watching them next season apart from early season midweek when we all go and watch as its nice to have a pint and watch a match in the late summer evenings. Which in itself won't be enough for them to succeed. If they can hold onto some of the better players they might stop the slide but some of those guys were on £500 a game so I don't think the finance will be there. Unless these guys are happy to play for less of course. But many of them were there at the start of Truro's unbelievable climb through the divisions so I don't know if they will have it in them to reverse the fortunes. The new joint owners are local businessman but not with the financial clout to improve the facilities or bring in top players. Thank goodness they stepped in or the club would have folded. The only hope is that the supporters club who were estranged by that crook Heaney who was the previous owner, so much so that they wore red and black the clubs old colours instead of white, will come back and build up the finances through the bar etc. To be honest I don't see it happening. I see the Imps managed to stay up. Another thread is commenting on the Stockport dilemna, but at least Lincoln managed to avoid the big drop and maybe can rebuild as many of the ex league Conference sides have done i.e. Mansfield. Look at Histon. I think they are heading out of Conf North and maybe back playing Lowestoft after many years. They are giving up their ground and sharing with Cambridge City. I mean, how does an area like Cambridge which is not massively populated think it can sustain three clubs in the higher echelons of non-league? I think these teams should merge. Some die hards might moan but if you are getting small gates then you aren't brassing off too many are you?
Huddlestone has stated in the press he will/maybe looking to move on in the summer for regular first team football.
