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Comment | Judge to Rejoin Blackburn
at 17:17:40
I find it strange how when several clubs are interested in you that you choose the 'big historic name' instead of the team who are doing things the right way and progressing. You could say us, Derby and Charlton are all doing that and so for Judge to choose a club in as much disarray as Blackburn seems odd. Also, I would normally presume that if a club let you go and then wanted you back you may feel inclined to say no because the club have rejected you in the first place. They do have a decent squad and perhaps they will settle down next season and improve but it just seems some players decisions are based solely on the name and nothing else, and I would imagine a healthy salary played a big part in this decision. We move on. |
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Comment | What Have We Learnt?
at 17:11:03
Like the blog, it shows good up front honesty about what is needed to do well in a League like the Championship. You're comments about us being careful with how much we pay for players is so true, the team is being built around players who have been frees, came up through the ranks or quite modest fees which proves a lot is about development as a pose to reputation and I feel we have the perfect manager to progress this further, Mick is very good at finding suitable players for small fees and has a good scouting network. Just look at Nouble, yes he has a long way to go but what was he? £25k? compare that to Priskin who I think was £1.8m. Also thinks that buying younger players for this kind of money brings about enthusiasm because they have a lot to prove and that rubs of on everyone else and lifts the spirit. Compare this to Qpr, big reputations, big wages but they don't look like they're in it together and have seen the disadvantages on the pitch. |
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Comment | “Well Done Lee and Thank You….” - Notes for the Birmingham City Game
at 15:17:28
Cheers again Harry good read, and I'm surprised to see a large extent of realism amongst their fans. Not an easy job for Clark, Hughton did a decent job and Clark hasn't had a great deal of financial backing and has relied on loan signings and as we know that doesn't always work out. Alot will depend on how Smith and Chambo handle Zigic, if Zigic wins too many balls others can get around him so we can't let him get his own way. As for us I see no reason why we cannot win this one, we should be on confidence and our home record bar Hull, has been very good of late and Nouble particularly has been in decent form for a few games lately. I can see Birmingham scoring but I think we will nick it 2-1. |
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Comment | Taylor Fit for Pre-Season
at 14:38:31
It does seem a long time to be out for, but just because the majority of foot injuries take 2-4 months doesn't mean they all do. Not every injury takes the same length of time even if they involve the same body part. As mentioned earlier Wilshere missed 14 months with an ankle problem, and think about the intensive and professional treatment he would have had from the Arsenal medical team. Ryan Taylor another who picked up an injury in a Europa League game early on in the season and has been ruled out ever since and has recently suffered a setback and will miss the whole of next season too. Don't underestimate the level of football these guys play at, it is high tempo ,non stop stuff and the foot takes alot of pressure through running, turning, landing after a jump, tackling, shooting and the worst thing would be for Taylor to return prematurely and take another knock than rules him out for a few more months, that would be a disaster. Also we are not foot surgeons and so medically we don't know the details of the injury itself so we are not in a position to speculate, hopefully he will have a good pre season and be fully fit for next season. |
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Comment | An Individual Report on Those That Started the Season
at 18:48:42
Len Brennan- I agree about Taylor, He has great quality and Mick will find the right solution as to where he fits in, I even think he may end up playing on the right of midfield in a 4-4-2. Also agree about questioning why he was signed,at a time when we had struggled it did feel almost like an expensive luxury that was done to try and make fans more positive amongst alot of dicontent, I don't mean that against Taylor. It will be good to see him get going again but just hope its in a system that suits him. |
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Comment | An Individual Report on Those That Started the Season
at 16:53:00
Thanks for the comments, @DanLyles- I agree with that, I would like to see him in a free role behind McGoldrick but the problem is our style of play, Taylor for me is ideally suited to a fluid 4-2-3-1 type formation where he can pick the ball up and drive like a Sessengnon or a Mata I suppose. The problem is if we go direct to McGoldrick and Hope Taylor gets the knock downs I'm not sure thats the right way to use Taylor, who needs the ball to feet. That's why he did well at Peterborough, full backs linking up with him and the midfield like Boyd, McCann, Rowe, Tomlin. Taylor would fit into Palace where Stephen Dobbie plays and think the set up has to suit him. Its the same with Chopra in a different way, he loves service from outwide and alot of what we do comes down the middle so Chopra is another who I think needs to have the right service and I dont think he gets that the way we play at the moment. |
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Comment | McCarthy Up for Challenge of Unfair Fight
at 12:57:19
The parachute payments are just bewildeing, it basically says "their you go, I'm sorry about the relegation but spend this £23m right and you can get straight back up". Whlst the likes of us and Peterborough know that every decision counts because we have to keep a lid on everything financially. I dont want to moan too much though because it could be a blessing in descise, Nouble cost £25k, Stearman on loan, Tabb may join on a free and lets not forget the signings of Jarvis and Kightly at Wolves which were quite modest fees. So Mick seems the perfect manager to deal with this situation. Keane and Jewell I wouldn't of been as confident. It also makes me feel a certain pride, we will do things the hard but honest way and we have a manager with a stiff upper lip who revels in fighting the odds. |
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Comment | The Art Of Communication
at 14:45:33
Pessmistic- I agree but not entirely, I think players should be able to dispute decisions but too often this is done in an abusive and confrontational way. There is nothing wrong with disagreeing and asking the ref why he made a certain call. But its when 2,3,4 get in the refs face and start swearing and harassing him, thats what I don't like, remember Roy Keane and 5 or 6 others for Man Utd corner the ref that time? I can't remember the exact game. I think perhaps being more friendly and approachabe asa referee almost soothes the players because they respect the ref more, not doing this infuriates players and the game has a chance of boiling over.
Blues041273- You make some good points, the abuse is almost natural and acceptable nowadays, managers disgreeing doesn't help though its impossible for a referee because a manager or player will always stand up for their team and you cannot please everyone, more honesty would really help. The FA should do more but I think they feel intimidated themselves. They would never give Fergie a ban because of who he is, remember the way he attacked the ref at half-time when Man Utd beat Newcastle 4-3 around Christmas time, not even punished and it happens so frequently now that the FA have basically surrended. |
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Comment | ”A Two-Horse Race for Second” - Notes for the Hull City Game this Weekend.
at 14:26:24
Great work again Harry, really intrigued by this game. They have alot of quality but we've been very solid. Just worry because Derby on paper did lack a bit of cutting edge and Hull will be a bigger proposition with variation and players who can score from all over the pitch. This a real tough game but so was Leicester so was Bolton, I think like most of our fans I don't really fear anyone now. The mind-set has changed from pessimism to optomism or even realism because I feel we are capable of winning any game regardless of the strength of the opposition. |
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Comment | Style Wars
at 14:21:44
Thanks for the comment @DanLyles and agree with that, in terms of Ipswich we can't keep being reliant on the defensive because they will not always keep clean sheets, as you said hopefully Wordsworth and Taylor can make us more of a force going forward next season but Mick knows this is an area that needs improving. Coterill has certainly done well, whether he is great in League 1 but not quite at it in the Championship I don't know but he may not want to stay in League 1 if Donny fail to go up.
I'm not completeley convinced by Cleverley but both him and particularly Wilshere are showing the benefits of working under a manager who believes in playing passing football but can't be relied upon because they're still young players. I'm struggling to see many others though who can play like this though and I feel something needs to be in place, whether that be coaching, facilities I'm not sure but we should be producing players who are more confident in possession than we do. |
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