Check out Best's record as a player, he is never going to be a top striker and if mick wasn't so pig headed he would admit he was not signed as our main threat to opposition teams. the decision to sell Mutphy without getting a proper replacement in is so ridiculous and has scupperred any chance of a high finish this season.

Is McCarthy being a wiley old dog?

I pose this question, trying to work out what McCarthy is trying to do with the team at the moment. He has rightly come in for criticism for both selection and style of play. But are we as fans being a little naive and is McCarthy a bit more subtle and cleverer than we think?

The championship is a long old season, and Mick knows this division better than most. 2 seasons ago we started well got to xmas and faded. We flogged the same old 11 week after week and we ran out of steam. Sides who get promoted generally have a better 2nd half to the season.

So like a good marathon runner is Mick putting us in a good position ready for a 2nd half assault? Is he flogging Skuse, Bru and Douglas in the knowledge that when fit our other more creative players will take up the baton for a sprint finish? After all Mick has continually said Bishop is one of our best players, but has been reluctant to start him. Is Mick getting him and others (Mcgoldrick, Williams, Best and Lawrence up to full fitness before making a real go of it? Is he utilising the full depth of the squad, knowing it takes more than 11 to get promoted?

I don't know the answers I'm just trying to get a handle on what Mick is doing?

Let's be honest we've had a tough set of games recently, we could of got spanked, lost confidence and struggled for the rest of the season. We havnt, we've picked up points, we've got a solid defensive base to build and we are on the shoulders of the play off's.

Listen, I'm thoroughly bored of the current style of play, but there must be a reason Mick is doing it, the best teams in the land build from a solid Base. We have that now let's see if we can make our move after the international break when players are back. Maybe Nick a win on Saturday and it puts us on the shoulders of the playoffs.

That's a relief. When I read that headline I my first thought was that Best was going to get the Sears treatment!

DJ 27, I think you overestimate MM. Surely with the results we've had lately, if he did know how to get us a win then he would, just to ease some of the gloom?! I get what you're saying but I think if he were such a genius then we'd have seen glimpses of that by now

Best will become more of a threat when he plays in front of a midfield that actually has the ability to play him a pass to his feet - something that failed to happen once on Tuesday.

As he was substituted my friend commented "Brighton have kept him out of the game well" - my reply was "not as well as us!".

I keep seeing these pigs flying over portman road,

No McCarthy is a one trick (not a very good one) pony.

Haven't you seen enough evidence of that yet?

Its easy to be down on Town currently but we got a draw with Brighton which wad better than last season, we've picked up good points at Derby, Wolves etc several new players are gradually settling into the team - Ward, Webster, Best, Grant - all have good quality, and McG, Jonny Williams, Pitboy to return. And Emmanuel has just played very well against a top Championship team. The real boost will come when Jonny returns then we have to pray he doesn't get crocked in no time. Could be a very good season half of the season so hang in there everyone.

Best has scored 63 goals in 300 appearances prior to joining us. Never been prolific. I really hope this is his time and club to bang in the goals, but to do that he will need creative influences in the middle of the park. Step forward Dougie and Skusey.

Big gaz67, you are spot on. For the most part , I thought Best competed well with the high balls played up to him & he won his fair share of headers ( which Bru didn't gamble on several times ). As for DJ27's cunning theory, I simply don't buy it, MM's not that shrewd. Our second half fading, especially the one a couple of seasons back when we were top on Boxing Day having thrashed Brentford away, was down to a lack of investment in the squad where we had the Jan window opportunity.....same happened last year & buck stops with ME & MM. As a club we should have learnt by now..........even sir Bobby said his biggest regret was not pushing to secure a couple of extra players which would have made the difference & would have doubtless led to at least one, possibly two titles. The games changed for sure but there's still the need for deep pockets and the promised land prize is significant, even if only for a season. Surely we need to speculate to accumulate?. As for Best, let's give him the benefit until he's fully match fit...........am sure he can better Sears' stats !!!

Best will need some support though, as it's a lonely task battling alone up front. On Saturday he did well first half and won plenty of headers, but there was no one close enough to him to pick up on them. It's difficult with so many strikers injured, but I hope we find away to pose a goal threat to get wins in the home games against Huddersfield, Burton and Rotherham this month.

It doesn't matter if Best or anybody else is fully fit, if we continue to play 3 defensive central midfield players in Skuse, Douglas and Bru we are not going to create any chances which was the problem v Brighton

Would help Best if he had a strike partner to share the workload: 4-4-2 instead of 4-5-1.

Dj27 well thought out post I believe you could be correct I always think whilst reading these posts that MM Is not the Schmuck that some people like to think.

I'm not a tactical genius but do we not need a balance?

Yes we need to be tight at the back but it is really difficult to win a game if you don't score!

Picking a midfield of Bru, Skuse & Douglas is in my view negative, especially at home. Add that to having no fully fit strikers(none of whom are prolific scorers anyway) & my untrained eye can definitely see a problem.

Personally I'd drop Bru & play Bishop Saturday. Wouldn't mind a bet that same team starts though..

Dj27- talk to any Wolves or Sunderland supporter, no MM is not a wiley old fox he's an insult to the beautiful game. One of my best friends is a Sunderland supporter & he says MM was even worse than Keane, football tedious & negative & they couldn't wait to get rid of him.

Even the most fleeting glance at Leon Best's past record will show you that even once fit he doesn't score any goals, despite having played for a whole hatful of clubs at this level.

My advice...up for sale with Varney and Douglas

OH FOR A GOAL OF SOME SORTS !!!!!!!! So we can get up and have a good cheer !! instead fans are now clapping a Throw in, and cheering a Corner??
Low Profile teams (dare I say that) are free scoring, Brentford, Bristol city are two names that come to mind ???
We are not letting any in (well we should not with Eight defenders) but it is the other end where we are so weak,, and drawing games especially at home is going to keep us in the lower half of the league ??? Playing out of form favourites does not help our situation either ???
let us all Hope that it will sort itself in the very near future !!!!! COYB !

Flying on one wing....... The man needs a red bull

Okee dokee Dinosaur Mick.... Point taken :-), so we the fans can barely stand the suspense for the coming of the biiiig day where we can see what our 'Best Man' (last rejected by the mighty "juggernaut" team known as Rotherham United and with just 4 goals in his last close-to-50 games!) can do with both of 'em wings!!! :-)

HOWEVER since he obviously has to 'do it' within the archaic constraints of your very own trademark-like & unwavering favorite-laden "Hedgehog Tactical Scheme" dear Dinosaur Mick.... allow me -- while we are waiting for that "other wing" -- to enlighten you with a couple of quite fitting classic quotes on this very subject:





LOL

Hope this works.. hope it happens

DJ27 - I don't want pay to watch my team turn up and play football for half a season though so it matters little.

Best. Heck of a name to live up to. Picture is real for those who don't know that George Best played in our blue shirt once. Just once sadly, but he still looked fit. Alan Hunter's testimonial wasn't it ?

Only The Best is good enough

I think we would be more of a threat if we brought in STRIKERS in the summer who score GOALS (remember them?) and replaced Murphy properly.

Does he take us fans for idiots?

Lots of pressure on Best to score goals now. Always good to do that to a player who has only just joined the club and as MicksZzzztactics has pointed out, has only scored 4 goals in his last 50 odd matches (having been released from Rotherham). I hope he does well, but given Micks previous comments "Williams is doing really well" (3 days later...Williams injured and returning to Palace) "Mcgoldrick great in training" (Mcgoldrick out for 6 weeks) "Bishop will supply creativity" (Bishop out for rest of season) "Coke ready for first team football" (Coke broken down yet again in training) "Pittman and Varney good replacements for Murphs" (both injured now), I fear for Best now. Be mindful in training mate and don't walk under any ladders or let black cats cross your path.....