Brown, who has barely played a game before this season, and is generally regarded as $hite. Cowgill and Holgate, who before today have one professional game between them. Cranie who has been fairly $hite, at least by his standards this year. Sounds perfect, dunnit? Hope the wilson out brigade realise you can't plan against so many injuries.
It ain't good, but giving players like Cowgill & Holgate some games may pay off later. Worrying thing for me is how useless the few senior pros are performing, Turnbull & Cranie excluded.
I think most people's consensus, after reading different reports is that he was the best of a bad lot yesterday, & I would say he has been reasonably good in the last 8 or so games. Whether he's captain material is a totally different matter.
Well, out of what we had available... Turnbull, Cranie, Nyatanga, Tracy, Lita & arguably on experience Trotta... Was trying to find some positives, in that Cowgill & Holgate have done OK, bearing in mind they have been dropped in at a very low point in confidence & form of others. If we get players back like Ramage, Williams, Winnall & someone to win the ball in midfield these two young lads could do well. We are all f@@ked off & a bit bemused by some of Danny's tactics & the way the team is set up. As I say, just trying to find a small ray of sunshine, before I go and reach for the service revolver....
In the highlights hes nowhere to be seen for any of the goals. Doing his usual arriving headlessly on the scene as the ball sits in the back of the net. Im not sure what his strengths are to be honest. Leadership? No way. Aerial ability? Definitely not. Speed? Nope. Tackling? Obviously not. Passing? Well hes been a central figure of our passing it across the back four tactic for years so no. Reading the game? Hes **** at it as proved by how often players get the ball unmarked in and around our box.
For me other posters have hit the nail on the head that we are lacking a ball winning midfielder. Danny has clearly been searching that all season (& last too for that matter). Everyone who has been tried in that role has failed. To be fair to Abbott it is hard for a young lad to come in & play holding midfielder. As a result the defence is woefully exposed & we clearly are missing Ramage, Dudgeon & Bree. With Nyatanga injured as well we could in in for trouble at Chester. We lack a spine in the team. Ramage would make one part of that. Trotta has been brought in a presume to be the target man in the centre of attack, but doesn't look interested, central midfield is a chasm, especially now Hourihane is clearly off form. I'd rest Hourihane vs Chester if we can & hope he can regain some composure for the next league game. We need to focus on the league campaign at the moment. Middlesbro will spank us anyway in the next round, if we get through.
Trotta has been played out of position. Same with hourriane. Oh and brown and berry and williams and hemmings and cole and treacy and bree and holgate and erm well pretty much everyone. All because wilson ignored key positions
What worries me is the calibre of player we will be able to attract in January, a team low on confidence near the bottom of the league isn't exactly an attractive proposition
We can talk about the defence as much as we want - it's the lack of an intelligent midfielder with a defensive instinct that is leaving us repeatedly so exposed. There isn't 1 in the entire squad. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Whilst you are right that they have often been played out of position (not sure how you could say Trotta is out of position though), the thinness of the squad has often called for that & players should be able to step up to the plate. To mention the "Bobby" word, can you ever remember him having a bad game, whether at full back (left or right), central defence, central midfield, or even goalie! Players have to take some responsibility & roll their f-ing sleeves up. We probably have too many young lads in the team, but we have senior players who are on the bench, as they can't be arsed training hard & getting fit. If I were Danny Tracy would be packing his bags in January, along with JYM & Lita & money used for an experienced midfielder who can pass & tackle.