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Reply | Willock?
at 09:59 28 Nov 2024
Appreciate we have 3 key injuries, but he’s the biggest difference between us in H2 last season vs this. His ability to keep us up the pitch when we need to go more direct can’t be underestimated.
It moves the whole team up the pitch, and when it’s more urgent he has the ability to go it alone.
I really don’t understand the hatchet many on here carry for him. He had a really bad injury that wasn’t being managed properly for a long period, especially during the Beale era. Ultimately, it just prolonged the issues. All this nonsense of calling it in along with the so called glass salter was embarrassing to read. Under Marti’s team they were our best 2, and most important players last season. Hands down.
Was gutted we couldn’t work out a deal with him, but we don’t actually know what that deal was, nor whether Cardiff are paying over the league odds for an attacking player with his known ability and stats.
Personally, I’ve been secretly hoping he doesn’t settle down there and ends up back here on loan. I’d have him back in a heartbeat |
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Reply | Ben Doak - Cifuentes Tactics & Team Set Up
at 10:10 17 Nov 2024
Forgetting the personnel for a sec. Initially, I couldn’t understand why we switched from a solid 3 4 3 against Sunderland to a flat back 4 against boro, given we had a CM playing at CB. My assumption was that Marti didn’t want to leave that space in the wide areas, so maybe he did change things up.
Also, the seemingly world beating Doak didn’t fancy it against Saito in the 2nd half. Tried a couple of times without joy, then started putting early balls in. Saito had him all day long for pace and got himself touch tight on a few of the early encounters, so the only way past was the long way and Saito just nipped in with ease.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I’d have stayed with 343 and had Saito at left wing back, where he hasn’t put a foot wrong. Although, I personally like to see him further up the pitch, as he’s been the one breath of fresh air this season. Every away fan I’ve chatted to in the days after has mentioned him. |
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Reply | Sent to Coventry match thread.
at 19:14 22 Oct 2024
Smyth can have all the pace in the world, but there’s no end product. He’ll definitely get a chance, he usually does when he starts, it’s whether he can finish it for once. |
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Reply | Sent to Coventry match thread.
at 12:36 22 Oct 2024
If JCS is fit, we'll revert to 4 at the back - but in this back 3 line up, who are your wingbacks, chair and saito?
Plus, if we start with 10, as you suggest, we'll likely be lessening our chances |
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Reply | Anyone know ?
at 14:02 15 Oct 2024
Well known Spurs fan and face, who frequented his local club, too |
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Reply | Rammed if you do, Rammed if you don't - Derby Vs Qpr Match Thread
at 14:50 5 Oct 2024
He’s hardly kicked a ball?
Madson is picked because he can control a football and we need at least one of those in CM. But I’d be inclined to play him deep with Field chasing down further up the pitch. You can’t have someone who can’t be relied on to control a ball playing in that deep role. Its too dangerous and ultimately ends up with us knocking it around at the back for ages as there’s often no viable outlet |
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Reply | Bottom 3
at 10:50 3 Oct 2024
Some are virtually up to speed. Saito is all but there, and will improve further with games. Dembele is good, we just need to work out a position for him. Santos gets the boo boy vote this week, but he did little wrong in the first half and only started to get caught when pushing on in the 2nd. When you’re caught on the break and readjusting, facing a tricky winger isn’t the easiest of tasks, as you’ll also have one eye on the movement around them. Everytime Chair and Willock ripped people one it was because the defender was rubbish, or did they take advantage of the situation and do their job brilliantly? It can’t be both.
We’ve had no Chair and especially Willock, who has been a huge loss (sorry boo boys, I read what many of you thought of him for 2 years after Beale flogged him like a knacker). Both, but especially Willock could be relied on to keep the ball up the pitch. His strength shielding the ball while the rest of the team moved up the pitch can’t be underestimated. They also had central midfielders who could support play. Our best CM has missed the majority of the season, Varane has some potential, but isn’t a tidy player who collects and turns as per Collback, although will be an upgrade on Field in the coming months (love Field’s covering, but he looks like a frightened rabbit anytime people look to pass to him and ultimately never receives the ball comfortably and looks for the safest pass backwards, inviting on a press). We’ve also been without our best CB for half the games. These are huge losses compared to the team that finished the season at Coventry. In a nutshell, maybe some of these players would be playing off the bench in this early part of the season, rather than thrown in at the deep end. Somebody mentioned Hull losing key players, but have you taken any notice of how much they’ve been spending on players? They have one signing that would wipe out our entire spend. We will be fine, if we can keep Collback on the pitch, plus Chair and CS. |
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Reply | Field on Hull
at 14:52 2 Oct 2024
Maybe you didn't see Ashby's showing at Blackburn. He and Smyth gifted that opportunity for the first goal. Currently don't see him as the answer either |
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Reply | Tactical approach
at 12:53 2 Oct 2024
That would require having two of the best attacking players in the division available for selection as per 6 months ago. Our best defender available every week and our best central midfielder, or only tidy one. The tactics haven’t changed, they’ll get switched up slightly for different games, but the big thing is the personnel have.
It was much much better tonight than previous games, but it needs to be for 90 mins. Saito is getting up to speed and Chair will be up to speed in a month, and those attacking options are crucial. Putting other teams on the back foot makes things a lot easier for the defence. They were under the kosh in the first 20, and didn’t lay a glove on us. One goal out of nothing and it changed.
We’ll be fine if we can keep key players fit. |
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Reply | Tactical approach
at 10:45 2 Oct 2024
That would require having two of the best attacking players in the division available for selection as per 6 months ago. Our best defender available every week and our best central midfielder, or only tidy one. The tactics haven’t changed, they’ll get switched up slightly for different games, but the big thing is the personnel have.
It was much much better tonight than previous games, but it needs to be for 90 mins. Saito is getting up to speed and Chair will be up to speed in a month, and those attacking options are crucial. Putting other teams on the back foot makes things a lot easier for the defence. They were under the kosh in the first 20, and didn’t lay a glove on us. One goal out of nothing and it changed.
We’ll be fine if we can keep key players fit. |
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Reply | Match Thread: Hull is for Heroes
at 19:23 1 Oct 2024
Saito doesn’t get a lot of love on here, possibly because of his slightness, but his end product when he gets in the right area is second to none. The ball in to smyth on Saturday, the run and clever pullback to Anderson in the first half against milwall. Did similar against Palace (I live down that neck and he’s the only folk spoke to me about), front and centre of the chaos goal at Wednesday, and generally challenges for all headers in his vicinity.
Even Pat Nevin was adored by the hawks and he was about 8 stone… |
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Reply | Knew millwall would get the hump
at 20:57 9 Sep 2024
Really, I thought they traveled quite well. Maybe it’s just those grounds
close enough for them to dominate the atmosphere. Saints etc |
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Reply | Prolific striker
at 20:32 9 Sep 2024
He plays on the shoulder of the last man, but if the ball doesn’t come he rolls off side.
Maybe selfish to think it’s coming, but he is a striker and every millisecond counts, and they are selfish.
Other teams will play to his strengths and play the ball earlier. He wasn’t half as bad as most on here make out.
As an ex respectable servant of my club I wish him all the best |
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Reply | Defending crosses
at 11:30 1 Sep 2024
Smyth pulled the defender central to leave Frey on his own. Very good movement from Smyth, as he seems to glance behind him to make sure it’s a potential 2 on 1 as he makes the move from over the defender’s shoulder. |
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Reply | Defending crosses
at 09:51 1 Sep 2024
I think you’re looking at the wrong side of the pitch for most of the crossed goals. It took Smyth to come on to stem that the other night. I love Dunne, but as with most big lads, first couple of yards in a sprint ain’t where they win a race. |
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Reply | Frey
at 10:32 31 Aug 2024
Smyth changed the game. 2 pieces of brilliant defending, moved us up the pitch, but check out his movement for Frey’s goal. As we moved the ball over to the left, he has a little glance over his shoulder to check he and Frey have a 2 on 1 at the back post. He then made a blind early run across the defender who duly followed him leaving Frey on his own at the back.
Exactly what you want from the bench.
Not sure where Lloyd’s best position is, but he doesn’t have enough close control of the ball to play wide. Would have been better off going kick n run using his strength, cos it was painful watching him trying to dribble it. Lots of effort though, just need to work out how best to utilise him. |
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Reply | Most expensive pub.
at 21:06 30 Aug 2024
You all deserve what you get for going to Templebar. I pay 6.20 euro, so 5.50 sterling for a Guinness 3 miles from the city Centre.
All youngs pubs in Wandsworth/clapham area charge £7.20 for a Guinness |
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Reply | Always Enjoy
at 14:49 29 Aug 2024
“Once again, as it’s been said before, we need a striker who can find the net”
Arguably the best, or one of the best frontlines in the division… |
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Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 261 | | Comment Votes: | 4 | | Prediction League: | 0 | | TOTAL: | 265 |
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