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Huff, Puff, But No Cutting Edge. Cardiff Reflections
Here are my reflections on the game between Blues and Cardiff City at St Andrews.
Unrewarded Effort
I will admit that it saddened me and shocked me somewhat that the final whistle was greeted by boos from the Tilton. Booing players should be reserved for when there is no gall, no gumption and no effort and none of that was true today. I don’t think we could have expected more of the team – there was plenty of effort, they tried really hard but for one reason or another it didn’t run for them. This is a team missing twelve players at kick off, which lost two more players during the game. A team whose leading scorer on the pitch was a centre back and who has as one of its most experienced players an 18-year-old. Whilst there have been abject performances from Blues in the past this wasn’t one of them. We’ll play worse than this and win.
The front three
I felt a lot for Nathan Redmond, Rob Hall and Ravel Morrison. You can see all three are skilful players, all three obviously like to play together and work well together. However, playing the three of them in and around the front meant that there was no presence, no strength up front and consequently they found it hard to penetrate the Cardiff defence to any meaningful degree. It was painfully obvious that none are strikers because of the lack of efforts that they had on goal; Morrison often took three extra touches and lost the ball when maybe a snap shot would have served him better. This isn’t their fault though – this is the way they play, with quick feet and jinking runs. However, we needed a targetman, someone who could win the ball with their back to goal and then spread the play forwards – we didn’t have that at all.
The defence
I will admit pre-match I was concerned that despite some previously shocking performances Steven Caldwell was still in the line-up. However, credit to the Scotsman, he actually had a half decent game as did Curtis Davies next to him. Whilst the Blues defence weren’t always in control Cardiff didn’t actually massively impose themselves on us and I can’t remember Jack Butland having to make that many saves (barring the one that spooned off him for the goal). I think someone has gotten through to Caldwell that sometimes lumping it forwards doesn’t work and Blues did try to play more patiently out from the back – albeit sometimes to the frustration of the crowd who wanted them to “gerrit forwards”.
Injuries
The injuries are piling up for Blues; if Packwood, Reilly or Mullins can’t fight off their injuries for the visit to Leeds I make it thirteen players out injured, one suspended (Nikola Zigic), one cup-tied (Jake Jervis) and potentially one ineligible (Robert Hall) a back of the envelope calculation names nineteen players we can use and that includes players like James Fry, Josh Hawker, and Reece Hales. Worrying times.
Today wasn’t as enjoyable as the three home games that preceded it but it wasn’t as shockingly bad as I think some have made out. We’re very much in a relegation dogfight now and to use a McLeishism every point is a prisoner. One can only hope that by the time Blues go to Huddersfield they’ll have some more players to bring back.
Tags: Cardiff City, Curtis Davies, Nathan Redmond, Ravel Morrison, Robert Hall, Steven Caldwell
83 Responses to “Huff, Puff, But No Cutting Edge. Cardiff Reflections”
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Thanks for the update — I am out of the country so wasn’t at the game.
So “we needed a targetman, someone who could win the ball with their back to goal and then spread the play forwards – we didn’t have that at all” — yes, that’ll be Zigic, currently picking up £150k for his three-week suspension. Cheers.
Talking of McLeish, nice to see him working his usual wonders with a 3-0 defeat for Forest.
Yes, we definitely missed him
I presume you mean Zigic, not McLeish?
Yup
To be fair to the tilton (I was in family stand) I thought the booing was for the referee as he didn’t give a penalty for possible handball in injury time. But i could be wrong!!!!
Yes badly missed Zigic and/or King but unfortunately we also have wingers/full backs who can’t beat first man with a cross we never looked like scoring in the 2nd half but otherwise pretty good solid performance with Packwood my man of the match. Very surprised Burke didn’t come on though.
Hopefully Clark can get em up for Huddersfield KRO
it wouldn’t have mattered if we’ld won a penalty as marshal is a penalty specialist like doyle, so he would have probably saved it, so it was stupid booing!
Zigic would have been a waste of money even if he was earning £50 a week, let alone £50k or whatever it is. Don’t give me any guff about the Carling Cup and Leeds away, he’s been a liability too often and his two red cards this season added to his many “injuries” over the past have meant he’s missed far too many games. I wish I could believe Pannu that he’s going to try to shift him on. But I can’t.
What a ridiculous post, perhaps the most ridiculous I’ve read here.
Don’t give you any ‘guff’ about the Carling Cup? Our single most important event in the last ten years? In which Zigic was integral throughout and including scoring in the final…and you call it ‘guff’?
And then you fail to remember his two in two at the start of the season before being needlessly dropped followed by his recent two in two before picking up a suspension.
Sorry, but whilst Zigic may be earning well over the odds – if he was on a modest wage he’d be more than worth it.
He’s a troll mate, got banned from SHA for it.
Don’t try ruining this site pal.
Zigic is a hero to this club.
I know Will personally, he’s alright.
And you are incorrect for the reason as to why Will had a ban from SHA also.
Then I bow to your superior knowledge of the man Dan although it does look like a troll post to me.
TBF you have to go some to get banned from SHA
He is a hero, yes. But what a cost.
Oh dear.
I know it’s your favourite hobby horse Will, but you are wrong. For some reason you seem to have a real dislike of Zigic and I don’t understand why.
Yes, he’s on a wedge. Yes, we can’t afford it. Whose fault is that? We (BCFC) gave him the contract. The thing is that when he plays (and I know you don’t see us as often as maybe you would like and might not see this) he offers us something different. He can be annoying, he can be frustrating – but he’s also talismanic. He gets the crowd going, he’s scored some important goals and when played with the kids he was a leader. We need leaders.
I just ignored him….
I didn’t hear any boos from the Tilton at the end (I was in the Kop) but if that’s true that’s a disgrace, as was the attendance. I wouldn’t have said the atmosphere was “poisonous” but the place is definitely flat – I think I only heard two half-hearted renditions of Keep Right On today.
Blues today deserved far better, Cardiff can consider themselves very fortunate and undeserved of the three points. Bellamy “the best player in the Championship” spent the game in the pocket of Davis and was largely anonymous.
Agree whole heartedly about the target man – with King (or even Zigic) available, I feel we would have won this game. Also I can’t understand for the life of me why Gomis is not a regular, he was excellent today, aggressive, determined, several times winning possesion in the middle of the pitch, and not lacking in skill either. Morrison has great close ball control, but tends to over elaborate at times – but as you say he is no striker. What impressed me most was the attitude of Hall at the final whistle – he’d just been named man of the match but it didn’t register with him – you could see he was gutted at the end to have lost the game.
I wasn’t a fan of us signing Paul Robinson, but felt he was a real warrior today, that crunching tackle he won in the first to break up a promising Cardiff counter-attack bought the crowd to life for the first time.
You guys have seen more of Butland than I have, this was only the second time in the flesh but I’m still of the opinion that he is vastly over-rated. Good shot stopper yes (although he was at fault for the goal today) – if someone offers us £7 million for him I’d bite their hands off. Doyle is more than adequate at this level, especially with a sustained run in the first team?
I was really impressed with the spirit shown today. Yes, I’m no fan of Lee Clarke, but am changing my views on the current set-up, as fans we really have no choice but to back them and turn out in large numbers – it’s all we can do. Negativity either here or on the terraces will achieve F*** A** – If we want more days out at Wembley then we need to support them through the lean times – starting now.
Enough experts have rated Butland extremely highly and he didn’t get his England cap without demonstrating this to Hodgson and co. That he isn’t as convincing to us I would suggest is down to what happens as Wast Hills during the week
If we do sell him and he is loaned back I hope for his sake he trains with his new parent club and just turns on our matchdays
It’s CLARK, maybe you should go down more…
What a ridiculous response, I live in the North West with a young family so I go when I can (usually mid-week games). Yes you’re right, let’s blame CLARK for Butland’s performance, while you’re at it let’s blame CLARK for global warming, CLARK for the Arab . Israeli conflict, CLARK for the poor state of the economy…
Rathater, was your reply aimed at me?
I agree Butland is over rated. Hes obviously got talent,but he’s definitly not the next joe Hart yet! Doyle made his debut at the same age as Butland and he didn’t make half the mistakes Butland has made in fact he saved a penalty to get us promoted!
I think my problem with Butland is that because of all the hype and the fact he’s already picked up an England cap – in his mind he’s already “made it” and consequently feels Blues are beneath him. I base this just on what I’ve seen of him – he doesn’t command the penalty area like he should, he’s not particularly vocal, other than to berate defenders AFTER the event. He has potential yes, but as you say he’s a long way off becoming a Joe Hart and frankly a long-way off John Ruddy at Norwich, his supposed rivals to the throne. He needs to be working on improving his game but he doesn’t seem to be. I read with interest an interview on “Teamtalk” with Butland where he expressed his desire to play in the Premiership as soon as possible. He had the good grace to say he wanted to do it with the Blues, but this was really a very thinly disguised “Come and get me plea”.
Like I said, £7 mill plus add-ons and appearance fees I reckon a good deal for Blues for a player who in my mind doesn’t want to be here.
We are Bluenoses and would turn out in the Blue Square North to watch Blues, but to berate a professional footballer for not wanting to be at the club at present defies logic. Why would any of them want to be here given the chance to move to a club that isnt being destroyed from the inside out?
I don’t dispute that – but it also defies logic to try and hang on to them in that case, take the best price you can – wouldn’t you agree?
TBH under normal circumstances I would say yes, but from a fan’s persepctive, as things stand today, if we get next to nothing for a player, then why sell them and if we get a fair old whack, what’s the point as it wont come back to the club in any case. If we cant find room for any new loan players, cant afford to buy players and cant afford the wages for free transfers, the more players we lose, the more certain we are of relegation.
The reason the squad is bare is because we have no money! Its gone on massive wages and huge transfer fees this board paid out during our glory years! Ziggy is on a million a week and thats killing us DONT YOU KNOW?
Don’t think it’s quite a million a week ;)
Why is Burke always a sub?
Clarke uses him like Lambert uses Bent.
What’s his beef with last years player of the season?
If I was him I’d be off…wouldn’t blame him.
Cos he’s been a shadow of the player he was last season….I think the problem lies in that Burke doesn’t want to play for us anymore.
Basically, cos he’s been continually crap.
It’s CLARK, maybe you should go down more often….
I was gutted we lost like that but u get rotten luck like the ball bouncing off the keeper into the path of a Cardiff player when ur in the dog fight.
Just to confirm the tilton did not boo em off today but instead clapped them off. Thought Gomis had a great game and the kids did alright without really threatening – hoofed and puffed did sum it up nicely. At least they were full of energy which was great to see. Butland waved to the tilton at full time which does suggest he’s off. Leeds should be fun with hardly any players….
Got to say I didnt hear any booing and I did see many supporters stand to applaud despite the defeat
Pannu said in his statement last week that we need a holding midfielder & another striker, he could add to that a right midfielder who can go past players, a central attacking midfielder who can spray the ball around as well as score a few goals, a central defender with a bit of pace, a couple of full backs that don’t get injured every time they’re tackled & probably another striker just in case. I’ve always tried to be optimistic through this rough patch but must admit it’s getting harder by the minute!! KRO
Spot on, I agree we definitely need a few of the players you suggest. What I would really like to see is a general clear out of the old crocks and general has been’s that Clark has bought in. Would love to see them replaced with a few like Halll and Caddis (although he does seem to be injured a lot).
Oh & can someone please tell us what the hell is going on with Fahey???????
Fahey is on compassionate leave because of personal problems in Ireland, there’s been no news on when he’s coming back.
…..and perhaps as they are PERSONAL we should all respect that and leave the lad alone eh?
If you had a loss in the family or depression (for example) the last thing you’d want to be doing would be working (i.e playing football) with everyone on ur back when you missed a pass or tackle.
ROI is the best place for Keith right now and any fan who says otherwise is an insensitive prat.
KRO
Well I must be an insensitive pratt then mate, we’ve all lost loved ones & been down about it, but some of us in the real world get just 3 days compassionate leave & we have to pull ourselves together & get on with life & we don’t sit around earning £1000’s each week while the club that pays us is in deep s***. So less of the insults mate ok?.
The fact the Compassionate is ongoing should tell you that it’s not a death related leave. I don’t know what is going on but the span of time should be enough to tell you something.
On radio WM tonight the presenter said that Keith Fahey and Leroy Lita had a spat and he won’t play again for Blues, and he seemed to think it was common knowledge.
Zigic is now becoming a massive prob,i know hes scored some important goals in his time but at 50k a week hes gota go,but who is going to buy a 30 plus year old striker on that money?and lets get it right he cant even get in team when others are fit or we had lita on loan,the zigic situation worries me big time he,ll earn nearly 1 million b4 end of season,sounds soft but we could end up selling say davies in jan just 2 cover the big mans wages.and i was livid with his sending off sat he let us down when we needed him most.
Zigic a liability? Fans booing players and Mullins? Why isn’t Burke playing? C-l-a-r-k-e? Our fans are becoming an embarrassment if these comments are anything to go by. Hello, wake up, Pannu, Yeung – that’s where the underlying cause of this club’s problems are OUT NOW
so true. i’m wondering whether i should renew my season ticket the way this lot are clinging on. we might have to force them out!
I don’t understand all the Apathy towards Zigic, the guy on his day is unplayable, he offers us a different dimention upfront and the only thing he has lacked a bit this year is a few more goals (5 in 16 apps 7 of which as sub, 4 assists).
His sending off at Bolton was a joke, for me he gets victimised for his height and gets a rough deal from refs, much like the horse did when he played. I remember one occasion last year (can’t remember who we played) Zigic got hacked down on the edge of the area and got booked for diving…
I know hes on stupid wages, but we need him, an i gurantee he will be what keeps us in this division.
If you want to look at how poorly wages are spent at this club… Diop, 1 game in 3months (yes i know he is injured at the moment) Fahey 1 game all season? Stephen Carr, crocked for 2 years? An i bet none of these are on small wages. With Fahey, while I admit I don’t have a clue why he is on leave, there has to come a point where someone says, ‘look either you come back an do your job or we arnt paying you’.
I saw enough about us yesterday to believe in my heart of hearts, once we have everyone fit, we will easily avoid the drop.
KRO
Don’t agree and I will copy what I said above to highlight it: Keith Fahey’s problems are clearly PERSONAL.
If you had a loss in the family or depression (for example) the last thing you’d want to be doing would be working (i.e playing football) with everyone on ur back when you missed a pass or tackle.
Also if your boss said he wouldn’t pay you despite you being away for legitimate reasons you’d be taking him to the cleaners legally speaking. So that’s not an option now is it???
ROI is the best place for Keith right now and any fan who says otherwise is an insensitive prat.
KRO
I really hope it is for legitmate reasons Neil, but I just don’t believe it is, the smell of his missus who wants him to stay in Ireland is all I can smell. I really hope I am wide of the mark.
I should of edited the part about not paying him, but all i see with fahey is that the club is pissing away cash that they dont have. At the end of the day I dont have a right to know whats going on with him, and i’m not the sort of person who wants to invade his personal life, all i know is that he is a paid professional footballer, who is costing this club money at a time where we are/could be heading towards administration? It just worries me greatly.
If an employer gives an employee time of on ‘compassionate’ grounds, the employer can decide whether any or all of that time off will be paid, partly paid or wholly unpaid. To be fair this would be agreed when the employee made the request.
A reasonable employer would grant a reasonable amount of time, fully paid depending on the individual circumstances. A reasonable length of time would also depend on how necessary the employee’s role is e.g would the employer be required to hire a replacement? If this was to occur a reasonable employee could not expect to receive a full salary. However a reasonable employer would be mindful of the employee’s financial circumstances in deciding to reduce or cease salary payments.
As its hard to imagine a case for hardship on the face of it would not be unreasonable for BCFC to not be paying Keith’s salary now
By the sound of it, bluenoseneil, you know the PERSONAL reasons for Fahey’s absence. If it is because of a loss of a loved one,he of course,,gets all of our sympathies. But the majority of us,who lose family members, for whatever reasons, have maybe a few days off work and then we realise,that life has to go on. There is nothing insensetive about that. Most of the enquiries about Fahey,are simply because,the team could do with his help now.
Totally agree with your comments about Zigic.
I think some fans moaning about him are pathetic. Yes, he is costing us £2m a year and that is expensive, but that is not the sole, or even the main reason we are in a financial mess. And, the fact is, BLUES signed him on that ridiculous contract, he didnt force us to.
It really gets my goat when players say he should get out of the club. Why?? Whats he done wrong? Apart from letting us down at Bolton he has been a great player for us this season……. and apart from that, he will always be remembered by me for being instrumental in winning us the League cup.
Zigic is continually mauled by defenders and given no protection by referees because he’s the big guy. Is it little wonder he fights back and surprise, surprise gets booked and sent off ? Maybe he should have learned by now but I can understand his frustration. I would rather lay the blame at the appalling standard of refereeing we have seen at St Andrews this season. And the linesman (sorry Assistant referee !!) on the Main stand side yesterday was constantly behind play and gave some bizarre decisions.
Lets get used to the idea that Blues will be starting from scratch, possibly in League One, a number of clubs have gone this way and with player sales looming i cant see any light at the end of the tunnel.
More food for thought from yesterday – Blues back-four had a relatively untroubled day yesterday against supposedly the best team in the division. Could this be because:
a) For the first time in a long-while they had a defensive holding midfielder in Gomis that actually offered them real protection – broke up play and won the ball in the Blues half with some controlled aggression
b) With Redmond up-front supported by Hall and Morrsion, playing with pace and close control, the Cardiff midfield had more on their mind trying to nullify their threat (and consequently did not have the freedom to get forward as much?)
Answers on a postcard to LEE CLARK, Birmingham City Football Club, St Andrews Stadium, Birmingham.
One of the many issues at the club is that the senior players clearly do not have any respect for Clark’s methods/tactics. Yesterday’s team selection had only three regulars from the Hughton era and a very young makeshift team contained the top of the table side – at a time of so many difficulties for the club we have to seek out the positives.
We were shocking again but hopefully we will buy 5 or 6 experienced players in January
We won’t but the relentless optimism is superb, Jake….
If we can seure the takeover in the next 2 weeks then why not?
“If” being the operative word. It i a very big if and stands almost no chance of happening.
You heard Pannu we are about to head into admin if we can’t recover significant funds in Jan. We really need a takeover and Yeung to acept a significant loss. He gambled having no football knowledge and its backfired big time
not gonna happen this season
Those who played at some time in central midfield yesterday ie Spector, Reilly, Elliott and Gomis did far more than Mullins could have done. Spector, Reilly & Gomis in particular TACKLE. Mullins gives us absolutely nothing; he runs around like a headless chicken, doesn’t tackle only shadows sometimes. It was a blessing he did not play. Incidentally Mutch made one telling pass and that was all. Apart from adding to our depleted squad, his sale was a very good one from Blues’ point of view; and have you noticed how often he is injured.
Happy New Year all.
I think it is fair to say that it is highly unikely that we will see some players in a Royal Blue shirt again.
Carr and Fahey immediately spring to mind, and it looks likely that Butland, Burke and possibly Zigic could be on their way pretty soon.
With Robinson and Diop only being short-term stop-gaps and with us yet to sign Caddis permanently, we really are looking like a squad that has an air of desperation about them and that is no negative reflection on our younger players. The only positive to take from it all is having the opportunity to try and create a togetherness from those that are left because in years to come the experience will count for something.
Those that are coming to the end of their contracts have a look of ambivalence about them and you get the feeling that LC would be more than happy to move them on in this window. Quite a few have said that our manager is kicking his heels in frustration as he has a good list of young (younger than our present several 30+ seniors), hungry and skilled players who could more than likely do a job for us in our present situation but is unable to do anything for obvious reasons.
Just hope that after such high expectations in pre-season, we do not end-up in a messy relegation fight although we should be nervous about our position, but still we can turn things around in this peculiar league with a couple of back to back victories and we put up a decent show yesterday against one of the allegedly ‘best’ teams in this division.
But it is obvious that we need investment into the team and we will suffer without it.
What happens at the end of the season when we lose £8m from the parachute payments, have to contend with Yang Yeuzhou’s loan in August for several million and a greater reduction in revenue into the club as more and more drift away because of our current owner/takeover impasse?
We could conceiveably not have anyone ‘worth’ multi-millions to sell by then as well to keep us going like as at present.
Sorry Atahualpa -” kicking his heels in frustration as he has a good list of young (younger than our present several 30+ seniors), hungry and skilled players who could more than likely do a job for us in our present situation but is unable to do anything for obvious reasons” – not sure I understand, what are the “obvious reasons” why he can’t play them?
Totally agree 100% with your comment re Gomis – if Clarke drops him for Mullins when fit, it will confirm my doubts about his managerial ability.
Agree with all of the above Atahualpa; sticking together and trying to stay in the division is all we can hope for.
I can’t see an end to the takeover anytime soon, so we have to rely on the kids and some of the old pro’s we have left. If it’s just Butland to leave in Jan we have a chance of staying up
KRO
Do you know what James,
There was a sense that our rookies were playing without fear and knew that the crowd was appreciating their efforts yesterday – regardless of the result. It could be because the ‘burden’ of expectation of achieving the play-offs has somewhat subsided, and perhaps they do not feel the misery of what is going on in the upper echelons of the club. Was really glad to see Gomis back and hope he has done enough to convince LC of a starting spot against Leeds.
One thing I will say about LC whether you agree with his appointment or not, the fella has never said that he is working under bullshit conditions or that he is not happy with his lot. I feel he really wants to make a success of his role and is trying to make the very best of a complex and messy situation. I applaud him for that.
I with largely agree with the above and Almajir’s overall assessment of the game yesterday. Sadly though I’ve come round to the view that Clark has to take some of the blame for our on field predicament.
From day one players who played a big part for us last season have been underused, Fahey and Gomis spring to mind. I also felt from day one the Caddis/Rooney swap deal wasn’t right. Don’t get me wrong Caddis is a fine individual player, but his presence has not improved the defence as a unit. Again Clark must take the blame in my view for our poor defensive showings. None of his other signings have added anything significant in my view.
He’s was still deliberating over his best team/formation even before injuries and with some players he simply doesn’t know how to get the best out of them e.g. Lovenkrands, is he a winger, a central striker or a “no.10”? A similar conundrum Bruce had with Dunn and McLeish with McFadden. out of desperation (and now injuries) he’s thrown his lot in with the kids.
That said I hope for his sake it works out…and I’ll be ther come what may!
Agreed.
Fingers crossed he sticks with Gomis and persists with some of the youth; with one or two exceptions, the old guard who are no longer interested in wearing the shirt can also jump ship in Jan.
I was cautious about his appointment and would have hoped to be in at least mid table. The injury list is horrific, I can’t think of a time when it was this bad. Maybe under Bruce’s 3rd/4th season???
Short term he’s our manager and he’s dealing with a much worse situation than CH, so regardless of what’s taking place, he get’s my backing.
KRO
With all the injuries – has to be down to lack of sports science… if I remember correctly Big Eck fired a fitness coach due to the injury rate at that time.
There are enough sports science people around almost every student unable to do a proper degree does sports science.
There was booing for definite at the end but a lot of clapping also. Anyone who booed that performance is a complete moron but sadly they are there. What got my goat was the way the boo boys (not finding much to boo about on the performnce overall front) are on the backs of our players the minute they make a mistake. Are these people perfect? The one guy in front of me after Caldwell mistimed a pass turned round and said ‘what a wanker, shite every week’. I pointed out that he was actually having a good game and that Cardiff weren’t giving us many problems at the back. He couldn’t take it in. Computer says no. This is a mindset problem caused by gang mentality and not thinking for oneself.
Everyone says Caldwells shite. OK he must be shite then. Clearly he’s not shite every week but to these people he’s incapable of a good game. Same applies to Mullins who also isn’t shite every week. Try watching the game with an open mind not looking for reasons to moan. And I’ll say it again, the reason we have inconsistent players is because we’re feckin broke FFS. Can’t you take it in? We can’t afford consistently good players, they go elsewhere. We’re left with those who aren’t consistently good. The other thing a different guy said to me is that Clark has ruined Burke? How? That CH motivated him where Clark can’t? How? The players don’t wanna play for Clark? How does anyone know this? Are we mindreaders?
At the end of the day we either back our team through this shit period we’re in or we don’t. 14,000 fans if you take Cardiffs lot off. That’s one of the reasons we have to sell, and don’t give me the money thing. 11,000 found the dough for Brugge away.
I was proud as punch after this game. Our kids bless em gave their all and as a team/club/unit it was a great feeling.
Agree with most of your comments Paul – except for a couple. Who would you rather have on Saturday in the middle, Mullins or Gomis? And do you still think that we should persist with Caudwell (who for me has become a liability) or give one of the kids a chance – move Packwood into his preferred position or guve Delfonesu a chance (when fit) and play them alongside Curtis Daves?
I think Delfouneso is out for the remainder of the season
I’d prefer Gomis over Mullins, leave Packwood where he is who also had a good game and leave Caldwell in also. Which kid would you choose to take his place? Delfonesu is injured. Also make no mistake you can’t blood new kids all the time and get away with it. You have to have some experience around them that’s vital. At the moment we need every body we can get and I’d definitely keep Caldwell in.
That’s where I disagree – Cadwell should now become a squad player and offered the chance to do his coaching badges – I’d rather have Packwood alongside the experience of Davies. Even if Davies leaves in Jan, perm Packwood with either Ibanez or Caldwell (or even Robinson) in the middle if you want experience, I just don’t feel Caldwell should be getting the automatic nod, his legs have gone.
But he’s not though, Clark dropped him for Blackpool and said ‘reputations or positions in the club are irrelevant to me, ages are irrelevant to me. If I feel someone needs to come out of the team and someone else deserves an opportunity then it’s got to be done’
Course Clark can’t win though can he. Change the side and lose ah well he’s feckin about with the team don’t know his best side etc, change the side and win well we’re always gonna win some aren’t we.
Clark is PP’s chosen one –
“He is my appointment,” said the acting chairman, who recommended Clark from a shortlist that was whittled down to include Alan Curbishley, Roy Keane and Phil Brown
“He is a young and hungry manager.
“People might say that we didn’t have the money to hire a manager so we took someone from League One – that is absolutely wrong.
Really…!! Lets have a vote then…
I vote for – we didn’t have the money to hire a manager , so we took someone from League One
who had already been sacked from that job , then remarkabley his successor got the promotion he had been trying for years , within months…
Paul, good question regarding who should replace Delfounso. As an avid Blue nose I thought there seems to a ready made person, who at the start of the season, Munchengladbach, Shrewsbury did brilliant in a variety of positions. Jack Deaman! Not sure if he is on any type of granted leave!! But having seen him play he answers your question, does he not?
He answers the question which kid could play there yes, whether he’s up to it I don’t know.
I was at all the friendlies but don’t remember him if I’m honest.
Paul, for once you truly are ‘The voice of reason’!
Fair play, great post!
Which one Al? They’re all pretty good :)
To RichardM at 3.37pm.
Sorry, trying to do several things at once. Meant to say that rather than have the players at present, LC has a list of those players who could significantly enhance our squad if he could buy them from their current clubs, and the obvious reason he cannot do so is due to the state of the BCFC’s finances. Maybe the problem with some current senior players is pre-conceived views about LC? It could be said that he has made errors with formations, players out of form/position etc… But he is aching to get it right but simply cannot do so until he receives proper backing. As much as CH did for us, he did not fancy the challenge of this season and you cannot really blame him. LC has the baton so we must show trust and faith in his judgement.
Wish we has Mcleish back we would be far better off
Freddy you were a legend then , & your a legend now…!!
Paul, I suppose the if he is up to it, is not the same for Packwood, Hancox, Delfounso, Hirst, Reilly, Hawker, who were either on the same pre season tour, or no where near the first team thoughts. Maybe he is a footballing centre half that is not required by the current manager, just needs a lump it up to Zigic type of player.
Having watched friendlies, U21, and a training session or two on a Sunday morning, he is technically as good as I have seen, but you only get experience playing, and there lies the issue, like you said you don’t know him. Shame non of the squad can answer it, haha.