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sgncfc

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Everything posted by sgncfc

  1. Apart from when they play Celtic, he should be MOM every week up there as long as Rangers play someone who can protect him. I am reminded of Dale Gordon doing a similar thing at the same age.
  2. But they both play down the middle.. If you play them both as strikers neither will be able to play their natural game. One has to drop or move wide and in either case you completely negate their strength.
  3. It's debatable whether we had the best squad in the league on both the last two occasions we won it. We probably had one of the best players in Buendia, with a decent enough supporting cast and a good finisher, but I would argue that last time out Bournemouth probably had a better squad and the time before that Leeds did. It's more about getting them to play as a team with each individual playing to their own strengths. That's what Farke was so good at and Smith was so bad at. Square pegs in round holes never works. We don't have the best squad this season either. But we do have some good players, who should be performing much better than they are.
  4. I've never seen Pukki and Sargent play well together and don't understand the clamour for them both to be shoe-horned into the side. They are very different players. They don't belong in the same side and by playing them together we reduce both of them. I'd like Wagner to have the cohones to recognise that. Pukki is a lone striker who runs the channels - he used to move to the near post when we had the ball wide but doesn't do that anymore (anyone know why?). His first touch is not as good as it used to be - no surprise as he gets older. His days are clearly numbered - good servant and all that, but time to move on. Sargent is a lone striker who battles and grinds then shoots on sight. He's never had a decent first touch so doesn't rely on it to be effective. His physicality is part of what makes him effective - at this level. He would play better with Idah if we ever go two up front, but neither will ever score enough goals to get us promoted. But if Sargent plays, he must play as a central striker. Any first team with Hernandez in it isn't going to finish in the top 6. Love him, but he isn't good enough. It's time to start Omo and Tomkinson, protected by Gibbs and Maclean., preferably within a 3 at the back - I'd play Sorensen as the 3rd CB. We have to keep the back door shut to let the fullbacks go forward. The creator and the 10 are the two biggest problem positions where we don't actually have players who are capable of playing there. I think we bought Nunez and Sara thinking they were those players, but they're clearly not. They are probably the best we have though. So my eleven is Gunn Aarons, Omo, Tomkinson, Sorensen, McCallum Gibbs, Maclean Nunez Sara Sargent
  5. I liked Kathy's article. But this concentration on a "Chairman" or a "CEO" is a bit misleading. Zoe Ward is titled Executive Director. She is the equivalent of the CEO I believe. She was here before her husband and effectively runs the non-football side of the football club. Stuart Webber is the Sporting Director, which is another misnomer because he doesn't sit on the Board, and he effectively runs the football side of the football club. The lack of a Chairman or any non-exec directors means that, on paper, Stuart Webber reports to his wife, but in reality he will report to the whole Board. Where Tom Smith, Delia, Michael and Mark Attanasio now sit alongside Zoe Ward. The Board is collectively responsible and accountable to the shareholders. It's not really the right type of set up for clarity and full disclosure, particularly when we have so many small shareholders, but I can't believe that Attanasio in particular would go along with a structure which doesn't contain some accountability, even as a minority shareholder. I remain convinced that the Attanasio takeover will complete in good time and he will put his own man/woman in place to look after his investment. I don't accept that professionally, the fact that Zoe Ward and Stuart Webber are married will impact his or her status at the club. I've seen and worked with this situation many times within small businesses and whilst it can be difficult, it is manageable. A NED or an independent Chairman would certainly give some comfort on accountability and disclosure but the lack of one of them doesn't mean they are running things badly. It's clear that Stuart Webber has not performed well professionally in the last 18 months, but in the 3 and a half years before that he ticked every box so it is reasonable that the Board should keep faith with him a bit longer. He has now filled the football positions with "his men". Let's see how it goes.
  6. Gunn is better than Krul, but that doesn't make him a great keeper even at this level. He's been solid enough rather than outstanding. Gibson's game has fallen off a cliff edge since we got promoted. Hanley is still what he's always been - a solid Championship level CB. AO has the potential to be our best CB, so does Tomkinson. I agree that they should be starting before the season's over.
  7. One win and suddenly Forest are safe. They're not. You have to look at who they can finish above. Everton will be OK, so will Wolves, West Ham and Villa. Can't see Southampton or Bournemouth surviving, so them two and Forest for me.
  8. I've been consistently blaming the players since the Liverpool game at the start of 21-22. They failed Farke and they failed Smith and will continue to fail unless they collectively do what they are paid to do. As a squad, each player seems to perform at no more than half their known ability. We know these players can play; they've shown it before and at times this season. For some reason, whether because of internal problems, lack of motivation etc they aren't doing it. There are many examples - a stand out international who suddenly can't finish; an international full back with the positional awareness of a 15 year old; a previously solid centre back who is so lacking in concentration that he consistently passes to the opposition. I'm not sure a new coach can solve all those and many more.
  9. If we are seriously looking for an interim I would go for Martin O'Neill, who could then stay on as mentor to a new, young and up and coming coach. Then Webber can move on, leaving Adams as SD with O'Neill as a sort of Technical Director. Whatever happens, I hope we can see the influence of Attanasio in it somewhere.
  10. Could that be why Saxon Early is going to Plymouth?
  11. Every team needs a Kenny Maclean. Anyone who has played at any level appreciates that player. It seems coaches do too.
  12. Nunez and Sara are clearly both good players but look completely lost. As we know, it's a team game - they don't fit at the moment. A new coach will have more chance of fitting them in but it will take time.
  13. I didn't see a lot in the performance last night that was an improvement. For some periods under Smith of 20 minutes or so, we played much better and quicker football. Reading were worth a point. I have also never bought into this "we have one of the best squads in the league" argument. We don't. It is horrendously unbalanced. Pukki, for me, is due a spell on the bench. I would start Sargent as striker, with Idah as his deputy. The only 10 we have in the squad is Dowell, assuming Cantwell is a continued no show. Maclean is still good enough in this league to be the midfield pivot, especially with Gibbs behind. Omo is our best centre back and has to start. If we must have one right and one left footer at the back then Hanley on the bench and Gibson alongside Omo. Gunn is now rightly our first choice in goal. Aarons a shoe in at right back but he must have cover. I'd persevere with McCallum at left back if only because Dimi isn't good enough to replace him. Doesn't matter who the new coach is, we are going nowhere this season. Clear out in the summer. Get rid of Krul, Pukki, Cantwell, Hernandez, Dimi, Rashica, Hayden, Dowell, Ramsey and a few other has beens and no hopers. Recall Mumba and Tzolis and start again.
  14. He was my absolute football hero. The 1970 World Cup was the pinnacle of the game and nothing has come close ever since. The England team that year was our best ever; West Germany and Italy also had teams which were full of world class players. But Brazil were simply awesome, and Pele was their greatest. To even mention the cheating Maradona in the same breath is sacrilege.
  15. I don't believe Bruce or Wagner are serious contenders despite what the bookies would have us believe. Webber has one last chance to save his career and make the right appointment. As a minimum he needs to buy time - namely, any new coach should be able to afford to lose a few games before the crowd turns again. A huge success from this point in the season would be playoffs. It's actually much more likely that we'll miss out, so any new man has to get next season as well. Neither of these two would get that leeway.
  16. Spot on about Sarge and Canada. Imagine if he was playing for them instead of USA. How many would he have bagged tonight?. The number of times Pulisic had an option to play him in and turned back was incredible against Wales; he must have been so frustrated.
  17. It follows that as collateral to a loan, the £50m isn't actually £50m. It could be as low as £23m if it gets taxed twice. Not enough to build a stand anyway.
  18. The other thing about equity in an asset that isn't your main residence is that when it's eventually passed on, however it's eventually passed on, it's taxable. If it's passed on to the nephew for nothing, IHT at 40% based on the market value at the time of the gift. If it's passed on in a sale, CGT at 28%. If it's passed on in a sale and then the cash goes to the nephew it gets taxed twice. I raised this issue years ago but no one has been able to answer it and the Club have never addressed it. Are D & M's shares held in a Trust? If they're not, the tax position is very onerous. If they are, there may be conditions in the deed about how the assets can be "passed on" or sold and to who, which we won't know about. And yes I get that even at 40% the £50m equity is worth £30m net, but HMRC has to have their money - so the only way nephew can raise the £20m is to sell the shares.... It makes absolutely no financial sense for 80 year olds to physically sell an asset for money - it would in all likelihood get the double tax hit. I can't believe they haven't had that advice so I don't see a straight sale to a third party as a possibility.
  19. Club. I'd be very happy for about 10 minutes if we won it, but can you imagine the garbage we would then face for the rest of our lives about Southgate being the best manager ever and the players being knighted etc. I think I'd prefer to lose on penalties.
  20. There are three teams in contention currently for the top two. One of those will drop into the playoffs and history suggests that team will not win them. We can only hope.....
  21. Is that true though? I can't recall Coventry spending massively on players or wages - wasn't it just their reckless and incompetent owners who screwed them?
  22. Absolutely. He's not getting a lot of game time for Spurs - nor will he with at least two players in front of him for his position.
  23. It's still not too late. Get Skipp on loan in January with an option to buy for £20m. Play the double pivot with Hayden, make ourselves hard to beat. We'll score enough goals to win enough matches to get in the playoffs (top two is already gone).
  24. Wow, we have had some bad managers over the years.....! I'd go with O'Neill as long as he doesn't bring Roy Keane with him.
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