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Reply | Armstrong extended
at 21:21 13 Jun 2024
I have you right there Anti,
If Cifuentes had read this forum everything could have worked out better sooner and we would'nt have been relying on those last two games,
One average fan advised him having seen a lot of these players (not as much as some mind) that:
1) We did'nt have the midfielders to play 4-3-3 & needed to change to a 4-2-3-1 (he eventually did)
2) We were playing with 10 men with Dozzell, he needed to drop him (he did asap)
3) We needed a strong spine & to get Dunne, Field & Dykes back in Starting XI (he did, after the Stoke non-performance)
4) We needed to start Dykes in the run-in as Armstrong & Frey were'nt starters (he eventually did, whether by fortune or judgment)
You don't need too many coaching badges to have worked out the above mind |
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Reply | Armstrong extended
at 17:12 13 Jun 2024
Cheers cobber!
Looking forward to seeing some more of your 7's & 8's next year mate! |
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Reply | Richards.
at 17:07 13 Jun 2024
Played a full season for Doncaster Rovers in League 1 so had desire at some point,
Relocated from Shepherds Bush to Manchester (City) for his teenage years so has some fibre,
Just think coming back to Shepherds Bush with a lot of money and hooking up with Central Cee and your old mates is just too big a distraction and really something the Recruitment Dept is'nt going to factor into their spreadsheets. |
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Reply | Armstrong extended
at 17:02 13 Jun 2024
Attributes wise....
Positives - he has strength, pace and desire.
Negatives - he has poor control, poor technical ability (ie does'nt have a trick to beat a player), is very one-footed, not a threat in the air but most worryingly for me he has that lack of flexibility in his hips which results in a heavy touch all too often.
I like the lad but reckon the R Block and Twitter see something I'm missing. |
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Reply | Armstrong extended
at 16:57 13 Jun 2024
Apologies in advance for labouring the point, but thought that was another of the 'must not lose' games where we got it tactically all wrong,
I get there is a possibility the players may have ignored the game-plan but if you're starting Armstrong as a lone striker what are you expecting you're players to do?
I think it was the stark reality of this game and the Birmingham City home game that brought home to Cifuentes what most of us knew, that if you start Frey or Armstrong as you're lone striker you're not going to win many games or pick up enough points to stay up. |
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Reply | Eze for England!
at 18:58 6 Jun 2024
Absolutely delighted for Eze, good things do come to good people!
Likewise Wharton, what a meteoric last few months that lad has had, indirectly sorted him out tickets for the Blackburn 0-4 home game at ours, if I'd known then I'd have negotiated a return favour!
Good to see Southgate being so bold too. |
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Reply | Bush Hall Fundraiser
at 16:25 5 Jun 2024
Unfortunately Chels had a much bigger profile in the early 60's when those boys would have been picking their teams. |
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Reply | Dykes injured?
at 12:09 5 Jun 2024
Fortunately, whether by choice or good fortune,
Cifuentes also realised Dykes was irreplaceable in the run in. |
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Reply | End of Term 23/24 – Attack
at 13:13 27 May 2024
Ferdinand was very athletic (sure he played in goal for Christoper Wren as could'nt get in school football team otherwise for first few years) as opposed to just being a fast runner, a very and significant difference. |
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Reply | End of Term 23/24 – Attack
at 16:19 26 May 2024
C'mon Northern, whats that saying, if you can't say some something nice best...... 
Does'nt surprise as never bought into Dykes being slow, likewise Dunne, but would'nt say either are quickest off a standing start, which is more important the higher the level you play. |
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Reply | End of Term 23/24 – Attack
at 11:37 26 May 2024
Attack wise I'm still not sure I can see a discernible plan in our attacking play and believe like our defence, out attack has to be considered and marked as an attacking unit as a whole,
I have held a different viewpoint throughout this season to many (post Ainsworth's sacking) as always thought these players were more than good enough to stay up, just needed to be played in a formation than best suited them and to start your best XI as often as possible and have a clear plan for your substitutions,
Examples being Willock & Chair always play better when played closer together (rather than 50 metres apart on opposite flanks), unfortunately both are more effective playing on the left but the signing of Andersen offered the opportunity to allow them to play closer together in a 3 and interchange on the left and centre, to good effect,
Armstrong - If there are any sports physiotherapists amongst us they can better explain why I just don't see Sinclair Armstrong being a consistent and effective forward (or winger) in a starting XI at this level. Armstrong's physiology (seems to lack flexibility as too much muscle) is likely reason he gasses so quickly but more so why he has'nt the skill or technique to beat a player and likely why his final touch is always too heavy. A winger he is not, a lone striker he is not, but can be effective as a 2nd striker against tiring defences if played on the last man's shoulder,
Frey - We seemed to be on a decent run when for whatever reason Cifuentes brought Frey back in as a starter and like Stoke away, we yet again nearly gifted 3 points to a fellow relegation candidate in starting Frey versus Birmingham, until Jimmy Dunne stepped up and likely changed course of our season, getting his Manager off the hook. Too many went overboard on Frey after a decent flicked finish most of us do weekly in over 40's 5 aside games. I gave up on Washington after 5 games but will give Frey the benefit of a pre-season, but that's looks a very odd and poorly researched signing so far.
Dykes - In the same way our defensive displays improved immeasurably when we played a settled defence, the same can be said of our attacking play. Dykes strikes me as a lad with imposter syndrome having not grown up coming through academy football. Dykes scoring streaks (short) and barren spells (long) would also suggest he's a confidence player. Starting Frey and Armstrong ahead of me, let alone Dykes, would shatter most players confidence (Jimmy Dunne aside).
I'm hoping Cifuentes learnt from this mistake and the settled attack in the run-in was'nt down to Frey just fortunately being unavailable. Also saw signs that Cifuentes was adopting a similar approach to Warburton in our run-in with Dykes being used to pull centre-halves out of position to create space for the 10's (Chair's goal at Coventry being a good example) and the game Anderson ran to Dykes to congratulate him for his near-post run to create space behind for Chair to finish when attacking the penalty spot,
Going into the season with Dykes, Armstrong and Kelman was a massive risk, especially without a fully fit Willock, and fortunately we got away with it. Most obvious area that needs investment in the close season is our attack. |
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Reply | End of Term Report 23/24 – Midfield (plus part two of the Patreon pod)
at 17:58 24 May 2024
Fair point, but you could also argue if he played the 'run-in' team earlier we might'nt have been looking at the table going into those tough final 2 fixtures thinking this could go seriously wrong.
I get 'alls well that ends well' and there are lots of calls Marti made that you think I like that (eg changing formation to 4-2-31 to suit the players he had, offloading Dozzell as soon as Hadyn came in & Colback returned to fitness) but there were also other calls he made in games before that final run-in where you think you're making this maybe more difficult than you need to in this Division.
Maybe one for after the Forwards End of Term Report and don't know if its on the horizon but I'd be interested in a www / ebi thread on Marti as reckon he probably made 7 out of 10 calls right, which I suppose for a foreign Manager new to the Championship mid-season is a decent return. |
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Reply | End of Term Report 23/24 – Midfield (plus part two of the Patreon pod)
at 13:51 24 May 2024
Interesting point you make about Marti being a purist or a pragmatist,
I get its hard to call (and tin-hat on) but did circumstances & more importantly luck also play a part,
Easy to go back to Stoke away as possibly last wrong call & low point, but did injuries to Cannon & Frey force Marti's hand into a settled starting XI and also importantly more consistent use of substitutes, which had previously been questionable,
Lots Marti got right but no doubt transfer window signings helped him massively as did good foresight or good fortune in bringing Dunne back into starting XI and having a settled best XI for run-in. |
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Reply | End of Term Report 23/24 – Defenders
at 23:26 20 May 2024
Which is why I said I'm glad he's in our squad and worthy of a B, as were JCS, Dunne and Paal imo, just think too many things came together in the 2nd half of the season to really say Cook was the standout defensively. Just my opinion mind. |
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Reply | End of Term Report 23/24 – Defenders
at 17:50 20 May 2024
Stand corrected on the C/D and was certainly not having a dig about the Millwall game scores again, just I always go back to that game when so many were hiding and he was'nt and it was those leadership qualities we saw at the end of the season (for example gambling to go forward and win that flick-on v Birmingham), and why I said Cifuentes had to get Dunne, Field and Dykes back in that team for the run-in.
Regardless of scores, I'm glad to have both in our Squad for next season, thanks for the report and fair play for mentioning that comment from one of the other players. |
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Reply | End of Term Report 23/24 – Defenders
at 15:28 20 May 2024
As others have been consistent in their support of Cook I've been reticent from the outset as was'nt really seeing a leader of the team, someone with a strong will to win yes, but someone who was blaming others too often and passing up responsibility to step out with the ball to others too often.
I often refer back to that Millwall game as JCS was'nt playing with the confidence that he developed later in the season (compare how fragile in contact he was that day to winning that header against Leeds) and with him on his left, Kakay on his right and Dozzell I really dont know where, Dunne did what he always does, show leadership, and for me was thrown under the bus by our fans for it, probably picking up one of his 2's or many 3's when really those who should have been picking up those scores should have been Cifuentes, Dozzell, Kakay and JCS that day.
Scoring Cook an A and Dunne a C/D is doubling down on a previously formed opinion as it could also be argued Cook & JCS form improved when they had Field and Hadeyn/Colback protecting them rather than Dozzell, and who would'nt look better behind those two playing at CDM.
Over the course of the season I'd have Cook, JCS and Dunne on similar scores and believe all deserve a B (but to put in context, over the course of the season only Sam Field merits an A in my opinion, with Chair very close on a B+). |
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Reply | Eze Rumours
at 10:32 20 May 2024
Could be wrong but reckon Eze is exactly the type of player Postecoglou wants now, always looking for that forward line breaking pass, hope I'm right. |
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Reply | We Just Dont Get Enough From Our Strikers
at 16:04 13 May 2024
His strengths being whacking the ball aimlessly across the area as hard + fast as he can?
Like the lad alot, but needs to engage his brain more before releasing the ball as his end product needs a major improvement if he is to be a consistent player at this level. |
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Reply | Andre the friendly ghost departs
at 12:44 11 May 2024
Posted after pre-season game at Wimbledon we would be relegated if he was to be a first team starter during season.
1 of my 3 things Marti needed to do to keep us up was bomb him out which he thankfully did.
Nice sideways pass but no heart, desire or stamina. MLS would be his best option. |
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Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 1917 | | Comment Votes: | 7 | | Prediction League: | 0 | | TOTAL: | 1924 |
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