Dangerous Thoughts ?

[Dubai Blue]

There have been some interesting comments on here in the last few days. I wasn't there yesterday but just listened on the radio and read all the thoughts on here but there are a couple of 'dangerous thoughts' that I would like to share with you. Would be interested in your thoughts.....

a. Sito has had a great season so far and shown lots of promise but am I wrong ? Did Wilnis give him a lesson in how to play as an attacking RB yesterday? Is that part of what we are missing ? A flying Fabien down the right flank. Sure he only has 30 minutes of this in his legs but don't let this hide the point I am making.

b. Barron & Collins had good games yesterday but let's not grind them down and suck out their confidence by playing them all the time. how about genuine rotation. We still need a new LB even if he and Barron are sharing the role.

c. DeVos is a changed man. Why is that ? Not just yesterday but throughout December.

d. I think we have seen enough of Williams to know that he is a great addition to the squad. Let's not bleat on about whether he is worth 300k or 350k. It looks to me like 350k is a fair price so let's just enjoy the fact that he ours.

e. What about a transfer for Juan ? Sooner or later someone will notice him and make Monaco an offer won't they ? He's not the finished article yet so don't leave it too long JR or his price will go up.

f. Ricardo Fuller ? Great. Robbie Fowler ? Great. Come on, we need goalscorers. We do create chances. That's one of the reasons Kuqi was a success (along with his workrate).

g. More assists for Currie. Come on guys Currie is an okay Champ player let's get off his back. If JR has learned one thing from this terrible spell of injuries then it is that he can rotate and substitute his MF to get the best out of them for a given situation. Currie is part of that.

h. we started the season with 10 points from the first 5 games to be in a play-off position. Serious overachievement. We then had a terrible run of 10 games with 6 losses. But now we have only lost 4 from our last 13.
For an evolving team in injury turmoil and with little goalscoring capability I think this is a remarkable run. JR out ? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE JOKING ! Whilst match to match we might not agree with all of his tactical decisions he is getting the job done. And the job, let us not forget, is to keep us in this division while bringing through a side to compete next year and challenge for promotion the year after that.

My view on JR will change only if he brings in a couple of complete donkeys in the transfer window and wastes good team development money.

Okay shields up .......

[Ojc]

Nail on head there mate, I will admit I was one to jump on the Royle out bandwagon but thats just a knee jerk reaction to some bad results, you sometimes have to stand back and take in the bigger picture.

[Shed on tour]

Dubai
Sorry but I wish I could share your optimism.
Out of those 13 games we have only won 3 (2 of those against clubs below us in the table) and have gained a total of 15 points out of a possible 39.
Imo DeVos is still far to slow and over the course of a season will continue to be more of a liability than an asset. JR's tactics this season have at times been very questionable to say the least. Just have a feeling that the last 2 games have just papered over the cracks.

[Dubai Blue]

Shed, actually I am not all that optimistic either but wanted to bring some perspective to the forum if possible. You are right 3-6-4 form from 13 games is not going to get us promoted. But it won't get us relegated either especially if we keep beating teams below us (the 6 pointers).

There are plenty of cracks and papering over them is JRs present main task so that over a period of time they can start to be repaired.

At the start of the season we had cracks in goal (star keeper gone), cracks in defense (no visible effect on reducing goals conceeded), cracks in midfield (ageing and slow) and cracks in attack (no recognisable attack at all).

So there's plenty of paper (McEverley, Currie perhaps, Proudlock, Forster) but there's plenty of fresh plaster to fill them up too (Sito, Williams, Juan, Garvan, some other of the youngsters). This plaster needs time to harden and while it does the paper still need to be applied regularly.

[Earl Blue]

Shed, actually I am not all that optimistic either but wanted to bring some perspective to the forum if possible. You are right 3-6-4 form from 13 games is not going to get us promoted. But it won't get us relegated either especially if we keep beating teams below us (the 6 pointers).

There are plenty of cracks and papering over them is JRs present main task so that over a period of time they can start to be repaired.

At the start of the season we had cracks in goal (star keeper gone), cracks in defense (no visible effect on reducing goals conceeded), cracks in midfield (ageing and slow) and cracks in attack (no recognisable attack at all).

So there's plenty of paper (McEverley, Currie perhaps, Proudlock, Forster) but there's plenty of fresh plaster to fill them up too (Sito, Williams, Juan, Garvan, some other of the youngsters). This plaster needs time to harden and while it does the paper still need to be applied regularly.

Best thing is to D.I.Y.


Good postings guys..

[hallamblue]

There have been some interesting comments on here in the last few days. I wasn't there yesterday but just listened on the radio and read all the thoughts on here but there are a couple of 'dangerous thoughts' that I would like to share with you. Would be interested in your thoughts.....

a. Sito has had a great season so far and shown lots of promise but am I wrong ? Did Wilnis give him a lesson in how to play as an attacking RB yesterday? Is that part of what we are missing ? A flying Fabien down the right flank. Sure he only has 30 minutes of this in his legs but don't let this hide the point I am making.

Good point !...and maybe we have yet to see this from Sito who is surely still "adjusting" to his first season in the English game ?

b. Barron & Collins had good games yesterday but let's not grind them down and suck out their confidence by playing them all the time. how about genuine rotation. We still need a new LB even if he and Barron are sharing the role.

Spot on IMHO ...a point Ive tried to make on various other posts...so we agree here too ! lol

c. DeVos is a changed man. Why is that ? Not just yesterday but throughout December.
I wonder if he comes to the fore when Magic is not in the side...they have similar leadership qualities which maybe cancel each other out when both play in the same team !

d. I think we have seen enough of Williams to know that he is a great addition to the squad. Let's not bleat on about whether he is worth 300k or 350k. It looks to me like 350k is a fair price so let's just enjoy the fact that he ours....he's a very good YOUNG midfileder - will mix nicely with the likes of Juan Westy Garvan Richards...an excellent midfield in the making here !

e. What about a transfer for Juan ? Sooner or later someone will notice him and make Monaco an offer won't they ? He's not the finished article yet so don't leave it too long JR or his price will go up.
I would be amazed if Town are not already negotiating behind the scenes for this silky, no nonsense talent

f. Ricardo Fuller ? Great. Robbie Fowler ? Great. Come on, we need goalscorers. We do create chances. That's one of the reasons Kuqi was a success (along with his workrate)....the jury's out on this one..am \awaiting imminent transfer news with baited breath !

g. More assists for Currie. Come on guys Currie is an okay Champ player let's get off his back. If JR has learned one thing from this terrible spell of injuries then it is that he can rotate and substitute his MF to get the best out of them for a given situation. Currie is part of that.

Currie plays his "role" to the full and more some. A good indicator is when the opposition fans ring in to say how effective he was..yes he's slow...but he provides those vital match turning, assists - we'd miss him if he wasnt their ...who else will provide those telling passes at the moment ?!

h. we started the season with 10 points from the first 5 games to be in a play-off position. Serious overachievement. We then had a terrible run of 10 games with 6 losses. But now we have only lost 4 from our last 13.
For an evolving team in injury turmoil and with little goalscoring capability I think this is a remarkable run. JR out ? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE JOKING ! Whilst match to match we might not agree with all of his tactical decisions he is getting the job done. And the job, let us not forget, is to keep us in this division while bringing through a side to compete next year and challenge for promotion the year after that.
Couldnt have put it better myself !
My view on JR will change only if he brings in a couple of complete donkeys in the transfer window and wastes good team development money.

Okay shields up .......

[Dazza]

Good to see someone so positive, I thought I was the only one.

Sito - He is having a fantastic season, although lets hope that "2nd season curse" doesnt set in like it did to Westlake.

As for Currie I have to disagree, I think he should be dropped when we have Westlake, Williams, Juan and Garvan all fit. (and this Skard bloke - if he lives up to the hype - lets hope he isnt another Peters)

I agree about Williams, I think its a good price. JR for once buys a young players and everyone seems to be unhappy, lol

[uefacup81]

Excellent points there DB, we need to get hold of the kinda skill that Juan is promising, so why not start with him, I'm sure Monaco wouldn't ask too much considering. As for the situation regarding the defence, continuity works well, but I'd like to see a rotation system tried - it seems to have worked ok these last few days - enforced as it was.