Edinburgh has said that he's calling in the players tomorrow (Sunday) and will be throwing a few hairdryers. He 'defended' the subs today ( Garmston Hessenthaler and Williamson ), and claims that some players won't feature for some time to come -- so who do you think are 'safe' and nailed on. The squad for today was Nelson Jackson Egan Ehmer Dickenson Osadebe Houghton Loft A,Morris McDonand Donnelly Subs Hessenthaler Garmston McGlashan Williamson Oldaker G Morris. Notable absentees were Lennon Dack Oshilaja. So - if the subs are 'safe', and the 'absentees' - if fit, are immune - who are likely for the chop ? ..........and have we really got better in reserve ? I haven't got a problem with JE kicking a few backsides - but I don't think that the squad are capable of making many silk purses. edit - sorry about the apostrophe failure.
The most nailed on person to be dropped has to be Dickenson. Awful for game after game. A.Morris also needs to be dropped, very poor today - tried to force things to happen and they never did. Ehmer perhaps as well, considering the hype around his signing and the hunt for him, he hasn't played great. I think Egan, Jackson and Loft will always be in the squad week in week out. I would like to see this (not including Norris): GK: Nelson RWB: Jackson CB: Lennon CB: Oshilaja CB: Egan RWB: Garmston CDM: Wright CDM: Loft/ Houghton CAM: Dack ST: Donnelly ST: Cody Subs: G.Morris Ehmer Houghton/ Loft Hessenthaler Osadebe McGlashan Williamson Left Out: Dickenson, A.Morris (+ likes of Oldaker, Davies etc.) I think this would be perfectly fair and would reflect some of the performances that have been put in of late.
I'd still have Houghton in the team ahead of Hessenthaler. Today, when most of the team looked dreadful, he at least put his foot on the ball and was trying to spread the ball around. Would have been my MOTM if I had to pick one ahead of Osadebe and Nelson/ Egan.
patchy You nominate Dickenson for the chop ! You'll be aware that the 'Dickenson' thread that I started, prompted some 'lively' discussion. If you're about Dickenson @ LB, then I agree with you - but when he's been playing wide 'up front,' I'm not so sure that he's ahead of the others to be dropped. As for Houghton - He has gone 'backwards' - in fact he's now reached a standard where he'll easily get into the first 11 at his parent club. Hessenthaler - has frustrated me in the past - I expected him to have made the same progress as Dack ( especially as I would have thought his dad would have kicked lumps out of Jake ). However, Jake isn't a bad player - he isn't as 'dynamic' as ANDY - but performances have been too inconsistent - perhaps it's his father's aggression that is lacking as the catalyst for better performances. Ehmer - works well with Egan - but less so with others at the back - and, definitely hasn't maintained the high standard that he undoubtedly possesses. McGlashan - I'm sorry to say is a ' last 20 minute' player. He isn't good enough to start games -but isn't being used as an impact sub - when opposing defenders may be tiring - and Jermaine should be able to beat them to get crosses into the box. McDonald is suffering ! We know he can score goals - loads of goals -- but it's just not going right for him - and it's been too long like that ! It doesn't help him ( or Donnelly ) when the ball is hoofed long and they are competing with huge centre backs. The service to McDonald, Donnelly, Norris has got to be better than of late. I think that our strongest 11 is good enough for top 6.However, I don't think that we have quality in depth to cater for injuries and suspensions - so overall, I suspect that we'll be out of these places come next May. But we definitely won't be in contention if JE doesn't get back to playing football on the ground. Last week - at Walsall, all their build up was on the floor - it looked good and worked. JE definitely needs to smack several backsides ( including his own ), - and just maybe, we can keep the season alive.
alwaysright, not having a go but just merely asking a question, why do people always blame the service to McDonald, particularly in defense of him (not suggesting your defending him). Dack manages to find the ball and net. I accept Cody is a natural goal scorer but there are times and many of them where you can't just wait around like a Jo Kuffour. I'll cease my comments there on the latter. If Cody is not aggressive enough then we need to find another striker that is. I don't worship player gods and never have, the closest i ever came to that was Ron Hillyard. I judge on performance, consistent performance, all round ability. Norwich and Coventry benched warmed him for a reason. Yeah he's scored us plenty of goals and has been rewarded with games and wages, and much accolade from supporters other than myself. Now it's his time to stand up and be counted again, my comments will not sit favourably with some, but we need to sort this before Dack goes, who's up to the mark and who's not, as JE will decide today.
Really really hope that Dack stays....at least until the end of the season. Moving him on will be an admission that the ambition of the club is not as great as has been 'suggested'.
brb It doesn't matter who we have as the 'target man.' Their 'defence' would be equally applicable. We have often employed only one striker - be it McDonald, Norris, Donnelly or Williamson. In those games it becomes vital that the service is decent, and the support quick. That has not happened in the same way as when we had McDonald and Akinfenwa. I appreciate that our style of play is different to the days of Cody & the Beast. Goals are being shared around the whole team - and that is no bad thing - and this might be a reason why Donnelly's 'purple patch' has come to a halt. McDonald hasn't always attempted to shoot as soon as an opportunity has been 'apparent' [to fans]. Whilst this has been a little frustrating, I also find it a little strange - that a 'natural' striker should pass up the 'first' chance to score a goal - rather than be cautious and 'develop' an opportunity to score a 'perfect' goal ! --- it actually makes me wonder why there is all that shooting practise, from 20 yards, in the pre-match warm up - if the players then don't bother during the main event. Dack is in a different position - having more freedom to go wherever he likes - be it defence or attack - so - that when we're going forward he's more likely to be in and around the action - and as likely as anyone else to stick the ball in the net. However - of late - we have hoofed the ball up to our lone striker - who is beaten all day long by huge defenders. You really have to be 'world class' to overcome the obvious difficulties of winning the hoofball, beating the defenders, creating an opening and shooting for goal - beating the goalkeeper and containing the ball within crossbar and posts. McDonald, Donnelly, Norris, Williamson cannot do that more than a couple of times a season - and that is not enough. At the start of the season we passed the ball quickly from the back, through our midfield - who were therefore in a better position to link up with the forward line and goalscoring situations were created. Our goals were good 'team' goals rather than speculative 45 yard crosses that confuses a dodgy keeper. Just lately we have resorted to hoofball - and very quickly lost possession. I repeat what I said about what happened at Walsall last week. They did not lump the ball upfield. They passed and moved from the back - and with some pace - and created many problems for our defenders. It was a painful ' joy ' to watch - and ultimately it worked. It is the sort of tactic that will [should] succeed more often than not - and certainly more of a chance than hoofball - where I submit, even Ronaldo and Messi would struggle. Our tactics need to change - we proved earlier in the season that we can play the same way as Walsall - and, if we do, even Williamson (or any other donkey) will stand a good chance of scoring. Our 'problem' lies with JE - he needs to employ the correct tactics to maximise the potential that exists in all the players - but he (yesterday) still persists in using Dickenson at LB, albeit that he again was shown that to be a mistake - and had to sub him .
alwaysright - In general i agree with your comments, having watched the Stevenage highlights, i just thought what the heck (well stronger). Thinking our weakness is our change of tactics from the start of the season, that you mention. What's the point in developing a decent attacking side to only then expect it to play hoofball! We might as well just get MadDog back lol
I won't mention individuals but rather look at where the team have changed from the first 8 games to the last 8 games. 1st 8, won 5, drawn 2, lost 1, goals for 14 against 6. 2nd 8, won 4, drawn 2, lost 2, goals for 17 against 12. Those stats suggest we are scoring plenty but conceding twice as many in the second 8 games. defenders or defensive midfielders look a good bet for change with central defenders being favourite..
You musn't always blame the waiter ! grumpygit I think that you should mention names ! As a 'paying' supporter, you are entitled to name and 'shame' those who are not giving value for your money - if you paid over £ 20 for a meal, would you say nothing if it was under cooked ? The stats you have given do indicate that our problem is in defending, (not necessarily just the defence). It would seemingly be difficult to argue against that presumption. I make no apology for 'naming' when I mention Dickenson ! Within the stats of goals conceded - we - or rather JE, has created problems for our defenders by using Brennan at LB. Opposing teams have attacked this square peg in a round hole - and unnecessary goals were conceded. I thought that JE had realised his mistake with Dickenson at LB - but, for a while at Stevenage, Dickenson was deployed at LB - before being subbed. Very recently others in the team have less than impressed me ! Jackson has been very erratic - and at Walsall was dreadful. McGlashan can't defend if his life depended on it -- although, in his case, I have said he is probably 'most' useful as an 'impact' sub in the last 20 minutes. I have also been worried about Garmston. At times he has been nowhere near his 'man' -- but I think that is probably due to the 'formation.' When we play with 3 centre backs, it does require the wing backs to be sharper into their defensive positions when we are under pressure - there has been too much 'loose' marking. I hesitate to criticise our centre backs ! Surely not Egan, nor Lennon ? Both have done a good job for players of a L1 side. Ehmer got dropped some time ago - and didn't really do himself any favours at Stevenage. Osadebe, on current form wouldn't be missed. Houghton possesses a lot of ability - but not evident enough ! - however he hasn't had a consistent run in the side of late - whereas Morris has had a few games. He is a reasonable player - but not brilliant. Hessenthaler has been in and out of the side -- and his performances have reflected his selection - when, really he should, by now, looking to be compared with the ability and value to the side as Dack. What I actually mean is that Jake should be looking to make it impossible for Loft to get a game - but Hess, and Loft have put in too many 'average' performances --- which is very well if we are willing to accept 'average.' Oshilaja - Let's hope he can return as good as before injury. I will defend ALL the strikers ( and Williamson ). They really cannot be expected to do much with hoofball. It's a wonder that we're still scoring an almost respectful number of goals. JE - must take some of the blame - he is the head chef ! He has taken too long to realise that square pegs don't fit into round holes. He has ( until the Stevenage game ), defended his players - when it has been obvious that he needed to smack more often. There are individual inadequacies - which compound collective short-comings - which, in turn are exacerbated when several players under perform in the same game. We haven't got world beaters - but players who can do much better than the sort of rubbish at Stevenage. .......... So, the question has to be - Why do they allow their performance to drop ? I hope that the answer isn't just because they know their selection is assured because we haven't got anyone better to replace them -- I'd rather not go to matches than to see players not trying.
Of the starting midfield of Morris, Loft, Houghton & Osadebe, only Osadebe proved go be of any use. Osadebe was looking to turn our defence into attack on a consistent basis but the rest of the team failed to be on his wavelength. Arguably our 2 best chances were thanks to him, 1st his tenacity to keep the ball going out for a corner and managing to spot Hessenthaler on the edge of the box only for Hess go smash it over, and for his audacious lob which the keeper touched onto the bar. For the rest though, they often did nothing apart from just passing to Jackson over and over again only for him to be dispossessed. Both Loft and Morris were incredibly woeful and they both looked even worse when they kept swapping as the third centre back for the last 20 minutes. We definitely missed Dack, we needed a midfielder who was going to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and create something, sadly none of the rest of them were able to do.
I don't want to get into arguing about individuals (especially Dickenson again) but you've reeled me in. Hess and Loft have both started the same number of games. games involving Hess have 4 clean sheets and a 57% win rate, games involving Loft have 1 clean sheet and a 33% win rate. I know which one I would prefer to see in the starting eleven.
grumpygit I agree with regards to Hess instead of Loft - but my point with regards to Hess is that 57% is 'very average' - and not really good enough
Always, 57% win rate equates to 78.66 points for the season, not great maybe but playoff place a good possibility, I'd take that.
sounds good when you look at it from that angle - but percentages are out of 100 ! I'd like you to consider your opinion about a player who is 'performing' at a level, just over half of which he is capable......... or to put it in a different way - if your car was capable of giving you 100 miles per gallon - but only gave you 57 would you " take that ? " I understand how / why you are tweaking the figures - but if you're quoting percentages - then you need to confine the numbers as a portion of 100, otherwise I will compare you with a politician ( statistics and damned lies )
Not too sure what your getting at with the percentages being out of 100? As for 57% not being good enough, our 2012/13 Championship winning side had a win rate of 50%.
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCoQFjACahUKEwjJuoqd6oPJAhVE9g4KHTW0C0s&url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percentage&usg=AFQjCNGKkoJ4UNGo8_ql021qcL1rWFJiXA&sig2=hQ8vZbxp5DujDIIjFYw07g Always glad to help - How are you getting on with Decimalisation ? Grumpy - I do understand your point - but I do note that you didn't answer my query about the mph of a car. So, if we are to assume that 57% is acceptable - why do managers keep referring to their players giving 110% ? .......... And, if players regularly give all they can ( which presumably is 100% effort ), why is it OK to accept a performance barely more than half capacity ? - and I'm not talking about when that capacity is restricted by any 'superiority' of the opposition. - Here, I can accept that influences beyond our total control ( the other team is better ! ) - will be the factors that ultimately reduce the overall achievement in the course of a season to 50-57%. Those sort of levels of 'results' is acceptable when playing teams at the top of the division - not those near the bottom of L2. AND............. In a match-on-match basis, I cannot find it acceptable that players perform at 50% or 57% of capacity when they should have done better.
