Colgan - Really not to blame for what happened today

First and foremost - let's sort this out. Colgan did the best he could today. Absolutely made the best of a bad situation and believe me, he kept it to four when it could have been seven or eight. I'm not makinig that up. The four that went in were shocking defensive errors and he would have every right to be pissed off with his defence. We could have had Gordon Banks in goal today and we would still have gotten beaten quite heavily - and I doubt he would have done anything about the four that went in either.</p>

Austin and Heckingbottom went AWOL today (again) and the story was very similarto Norwich. Coventry have a player (somebody name him for me? their 17 I think?) who was very quick, good feet and was regularly cutting through our defencelike a hot knife through butter. To the impartial fan - an exciting player to watch, to a Barnsley fan, a heart attack waiting to happen. Think Darren Huckerby.</p>

We were much better after the substitutions were made in the second half, but it was too late, and to be fair I was surprised that Howard got taken off for Nardiello. Howard was the only player wehad taking the ball down and looking to play a proper pass. Nardiello did nothing.No star players today. Devaney was still basking in the glory of midweek and forgot to turn up today.</p>

Nice ground, somewhat lacking in atmosphere, a bit clinical, and the entertainment was bizarre - from Irish dancers, to a paradeofflags, an opera singer - and some fat bloke who couldn't sing trying to sing 'Oh Danny Boy'. The cheer leaders were crap but the stunt elephant was endearing. Nice tumbling.</p>

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A couple of points (and strong disagreement!)

Firstly, I think that those that blindly say that Colgan is no worse than the back 4 are every bit as bad as those that can't see some positives in his game at the moment, and there are plenty of those on this board too.

I considered Colgan to be at fault for the 1st and 4th goals today. The first he got a hand to but only pushed the ball upwards into the net. As a one-off I wouldn't be too critical but following handling errors in recent weeks he is clearly low on confidence and even the best part of his game (his shot-stopping) is suffering. The 4th was very much his fault IMO, since he has seen the ball coming a long way, seen Reid lose the tussle and still stood in his 6 yard. From where I was sat he could very easily have come to the edge of the area and claime the ball before either of them players, with the added guarentee that if Adebola challenged him he'd get a free kick.

As for the ironic cheers as he caught the ball, I most definitely saw him turn to the away fans and call them 'w@nkers.' it isn't a difficult word to lip-read, and to do that to the folk who pay your wages is a disgrace. Yes, some fans are very personal in their abuse of him, but he is paid to be a professional, and if I did that to the people that pay my wages I'd be sacked instantly.

The bottom line for me is he isn't good enough, I'd have loved to see him stick 2 fingers up by working hard at his game, acknowledging his weaknesses and getting out of this rut he is in at present, but it isn't happening and we can't afford to carry him right now.

 

i totally agree with you there. i think all the defence went walkabouts, and its them who are to blame for ALL goals.</p>

NOT ONE WAS COLGANS FAULT.</p>

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The fans.

Whether they pay Colgans wages or not have NO right to hurl abuse at anyone. None what so ever.
I was as dissapointed as the next bloke at the performance but, on the day the better team won. This hard fact seems to be far too bitter pill for the common moron in the street to swallow these days and a sad reflection on society in general.
Calling our own players ******* isn't going to help now, is it? FFS!

 

Errr

didn't he say Colgan called the fans w*nkers, Dave?</p>

Which in my book is inexcusable whatever the provocation.</p>

 

blameless?

Colgan is not the root of all our problems but he is very much a part of them along with Heckingbottom, Reid and Austin.
To say the goals were not his fault is naive, the 4 players named all contributed very little and Colgan could have done more as I've already said for the 1st and 4th goals. To say he made a couple of good save does not excuse the mediocracy he usually serves up, it is after all his job to make saves.
So is it well done for being up to scratch for 20% of the time?

 

I agree. He spilt one as is customary but was offered very little protection by his defence or even his midfielders.

 

RE: Errr

Would you stand for it Sharpy lad? week in week out? It'd fair get on my fookin paddy and no mistake.
But right enough - there's no need for it in any direction.

 

RE: Errr

No Dave, I'd have ter **** sumbdi an no mistake - unless I got shitloads of money fer doin **** all, then I could grit me teeth (wots left of em) an shut me ears for an hour an aif.
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Anyway from what people were saying, it weren't personal abuse as such that rattled his cage - just a bit o' sarcastic clappin cos he caught a ball.</p>

 

Av just tried it mate....

... y'know clapping sarcastically. 'Fraid it all sounded the same like.

Same as happy clapping. Where's that sambora when you need an explanation?

 

Other side of the coin...

I think it's fair to say that Colgan isn't the perfect keeper - but I can't see how we can afford a better one right now. Let's face it, Watson was ***** on crosses and was always vulnerable from corners and highballs (remember Wolves away in the promotion season?) - but we forgave him that for his excellent shot stopping skills. In that side it wasn't as apparent because we had decent full backs - our fullbacks are very poor and I'd rather spend what little money we have on replacing them.</p>

In terms ofColgan'sperformance today - I accept what you say, although I think that Colgan getting a handto the ball for the first goal was more an indication of how well he haddone asopposed to howbadly. Many keepers would not have gotteneven a hand to that ball and forTabb to get his shot in from that area unchallenged was ridiculous. The whole defence was in no mans land - stranded between the striker and the goalie, nothing more than an obstruction to the keeper. Colgan had a hard time dealing with alow shot coming through a crowd of players and did well to get down andget a hand onit imho. </p>

For the fourth one - I can see why youcould blame Colgan, but personally, as I saw it, Adebola camethrough two centrebacks to win a ball he had no right to andReid should havedone better. I hold Reid responsible first and foremost.</p>

Colgan was getting stick for his past mistakes today - not necessarily what he was doing during the match. Getting on his back is not going to help him and we shouldn't be looking to bury him in boos and abuse (some of the stuff being shouted at Colgan today was just abusive). As for the '******' remark - wellI saw it and recognised it as well as anyone else - and I wasn't offended by it, but it was a suitable reply to those who were booing and jeering. Talkingabout sacking him seems disproportionate to me - most of the crowdwere effing and blinding so how the goalie mouthing a single word can be so outrageous seems ironic to me. </p>

Personally, Idon't want to see the back of Colgan. For hiserrors, I want to see the best of him again. We can't replace every player we'd like to, and, for me, there are greater priorities (especially when we know that Colgan can do a capable and competant job when his confidenceis there). It's getting a bit like the situation we had with Steve Agnew and Nicky Eaden - both excellent players who would walk into the team we now have - but at the tail end of their time withBarnsley every single mistake got booed and jeered disproportionately, and quite undeservedly, they became the scape goats, the whippingboys. We don't need to go down that route with Colgan - it's something that Barnsley fans are particularly guilty of.</p>

 

RE: The fans.

I agree that the fans do not have the right to hurl personal abuse at the players, however it goes on at every ground in the country and is not the easiest of problems to address. It doesn't make it right, but we are talking a small minority of many thousands, and there are plenty of idiots in all walks of life. However Colgan is a professional footballer in the employment of Barnsley FC and yes, I do think that for the money he is paid and the profession he is in he should button his lip and get on with it.

For the sake of balance, I also thought the whole of the back 4 (Nyatanga included) were awful today, so my intention was not to single Colgan out. I guess that happens mainly because of the crucial role that a goalie plays in any team and because mistakes are more noticeable, but I really cannot understand anyone that thinks Colgan is doing a good enough job right now.

 

was to blame for first 1

in as much as he got a hand to it and it found it's way in, but the fact is the player was allowed an easy shot on goal. The defensive protection was non-existent and it is Heckingbottom, Reid and Austin who were to blame for today's performance.

 

stayed rooted to the line for the second goal too,never tried to cut the cross out

 

RE: Av just tried it mate....

Still in his cot sulkin frum t'pasting we gid im t'other week

 

Fair enough but...

... I though Nyatango had a decent game. Shame he was overrun in the first half.
This was the first time I've seen him. He looks a good, well balanced young player with a boat load of potential.
As the sagacious man next to me remarked "Derby must av some f*ckin' reght laikers if they can spare that young 'un"
I understood once his better brought up son explained what he'd said. The half a steak and kidney growler in his gob didn't help his linguistic cause much either.

 

RE: Av just tried it mate....

reight enough !! :$

 

Some very good points there

Full-backs were terrible, in fact there is little point singling anyone out as the whole team were just dreadful. I also agree that personal abuse should have no place in football (though it has been since I was a kid, so I don't see it ever changing), and I also agree that our fans seem to take great delight in making a scapegoat out of an individual. I'd add Kevin Betsy and Bruce Dyer to the list of players that have received unwarrented levels of abuse.

As for the specific 'w@nkers' remark, sorry I have to maintain that that was well out of order. As a professional that is being paid extremely well, I expect him to be able to keep his cool and work hard to prove the doubters wrong, and if he can't handle a few idiots getting personal, then he shouldn't walk out in front of 10,000+ people every week. To clarify also, I am ceratinly not suggesting he ought to be sacked, simply trying to draw a parallel and highlight the fact that he made that remark to people that had spent a lot of time, effort and money to get to Coventry, and whose endeavor to do so keeps him very nicely indeed.

Some on here seem to be getting very defensive about anyone that criticises Colgan and automatically assume that they are the same people that are shouting abuse in the ground. It isn't always the case.

 

RE: Fair enough but...

Nyatanga has been outstanding in every game I've seen him but he was spun a bit too easily for me today. I guess being pulled out of position by gaping holes behind the full backs didn't help!

He has the look of a top-class player in the future though

 

Ah come on now!

The ball came over very quickly to an unmarked player 6 yards out. He had no chance. try looking at Austin for the hole behind him and the centre backs that didn't pick the runner if you need an excuse for the 2nd.