chase_out

I''m braced for a kicking.....   I think today could be a kick-start. It shouldn''t be, i''m not excusing, defending or accepting today''s performance in any way, in fact i''m still shocked by the score, but i don''t think we''re a doomed side. Before today you couldn''t find a forum poster that wasn''t brimming with confidence for the season, the squad was nicely balanced and full of confidence etc etc. There were even people supporting John Otsemobor. Does a potentially good side become **** overnight? I don''t think so. We''ve still got a goalkeeper who was credited with winning the A-league single handedly (4-4-2 magazine July) and is undoubtedly a capable keeper. (what happened today, I daren''t imagine, but aren''t calls for him never to play again a little OTT? I expect everyone calling for his head to apologise IF he turns it around). From the other comments today - Nelson isn''t the worst defender ever. He wouldn''t be the captain of a fellow league one side if so. Equally, Tudor Jones isn''t crap. Neither is Holt. Neither is Whaley, Gill or Martin. The Doc might be. Clearly we''ve a lot more work to do than we expected before today, but i believe today''s was a freak result that will be forgotten by the end of the season. I''m happy to be slated if i''m wrong, but let''s give the team more than one game. Am i the only one to stand by my optimism from before today?

Source.....official site - so not bull

Anyone shed any light on the undisclosed fee? I thought he was out of contract...

It''s without a doubt that the BBC recorded plenty of stuff that wasn''t broadcast. If they couldn''t show it for legal reasons the only way it could get into the public domain is if the BBC were required to present it to a court as evidence - where you''re exempt from libel. With that in the back of my mind I wouldn''t take the BBC to court.

Funny how people see players so differently. I always felt a LOT more comfortable with Kennedy in the team sheet. It''s easy to be blinded by the odd good performance, I remember Cov away on the opening day and if i''m right Kennedy and Stefanovic were impressive, only a Koroma catastrophe prevented a decent result. I still think it''s hard to put the Doc above Kennedy in preference. Either way, we don''t have that option. I''d keep Doc next year, but sadly I think Norwich fans will be expecting better even though most teams in League 1 would kill for someone like him. Doc and Stefanovic, on paper, is as good as league one will ever get...if they perform.  

http://twitter.com/pinkun Swap deal - rumoured on another thread - appears to be a rumour rather than anything concrete. Still going with Clingan out...but not to Coventry.

Sorry, but while I think Doc will do fine in League 1 IF we keep him, he''s in a different world to John Kennedy. Statistics of goals conceded don''t say everything, there''s a midfield, full backs and opposition to consider rather than just the number of goals against. I defy anyone who saw Kennedy play frequently to argue that he wasn''t head and shoulders above the other centre backs last season, perhaps Stefanovic excluded thanks to his injury. Also - while people here are getting excited about Stefanovic pledging his commitment to the cause, didn''t Marshall do that a few days before leaving? It''s easy to say the right things when your agent is negotiating a move...maybe i''m wrong, I hope I am, but on his wages I think we might welcome a transfer fee.

Intriguing twitter message... logic says it wont be hoolahan out - isn''t he injured and therefore not likely to pass a medical? For my money i''d look at something a little more down the Clingan line.... just a hunch but can''t imagine too many other players in demand.

You got 7?!   I was pleased with 5: although I hope age has something to do with it - the early ones really aint something to know about unless you''ve done your homework!

Thanks Ryan, a proper response to my question.. If you live with a leeds fan you''ll know that Jermaine Beckford will be nowhere near Elland Road next season. Douglas is a decent player, with 9 international caps. I don''t think many league 1 teams would turn him down. The reason I ignored the ''hundreds'' of championship players is because, Leroy Lita apart, they aren''t listed on the PFA site. Further, i''d rather take talented lower league players who make the step-up than failed championhip players taking a step down. We''ve a squad full of those already. Navarro, for example, playd in 38 games for an MK Dons team who finished 3rd in League 1. Why couldn''t he do a job for us? He''ll be more motivated and cheaper than Russel .

Does it always have to be insults that are thrown around this messageboard?[:@] I suggested half a dozen names, and you don''t like one so that makes me unambitious? Would you be happier if I suggested Darren Huckerby as the saviour to our future? Because we all know he wouldn''t be, and that bringing back a 30-something year old who''s best days and who''s pace are long gone is the ultimate ambition-lacking move, and yet if i remember rightly from other posts you think we should... Just trying to offer-up some alternative names and see what people think of that type of player.

Looking through the list...there''s some very good players amongst the un-known kids. Jonathan Douglas from Leeds Danny Graham from Carlisle Alan Navarro from MK Dons Peter Clarke from Southend Nick Chadwick from Shrewsbury Ryan France - Hull Jason Price - Doncaster Are these the sorts of players you would be pleased with / expect us to be signing for league one?   however - there''s som names not there, Lee Croft for example, or the Spanish defender we''re linked with from Dons. It''s clearly not definitive...

[quote user="kiwiNCFC"]"Sibierski scoring all the goals." What does aidy think he is! [/quote]   He can''t hvae said that? Seriously?!

I spent tonight watching the game with a combination of a Blackpool fan, one disappointed Newcastle supporter and two Barnsley fans. In short, they all said that our squad was better than the others in the bottom six. Can anyone disagree? Flick through the starting 22 players at Plymouth v Barnsley on Sunday...how many of those would you take if the season started now? My point? That the manager takes some blame, both Gunn and Roeder. And the board takes blame for appointing them. But every season is won and lost on the pitch and I can''t look beyond the selection policy (of both Gunn and Roeder) and performances of the players they put out. The players need to take a long look at themselves, and no-one on this board thinks they''ve done wrong. Disgraceful. David Marshall - labelled as Scotland''s number two. Good enough for the Championship then you would think. Elliot Omozusi - a right back that Fulham reluctantly let go on loan. If that''s true, they might be re-thinking...but is he worse than other players at our level? John Otsemobor - as above - he''s quick and strong, clueless position-wise but fairly committed. Is he one of the worst full backs in the league? John Kennedy - I think everyone agrees he''s the best centre back we had this season. A Celtic player who will go on to much better things. Dejan Stefanovic - Who knows what would have happened if he was fit. No question he is one of the bigger and better names in this division. Gary Docherty - Mr Reliable apparently, and I think he got MOTM tonight. Is he good enough to be captain? and first choice defender? The national team have turned their back and so will potential clubs in the summer. Jason Shackell - He left for a reason, and goodness knows what Wolves saw in him. Mick McCarthy is wondering himself after tonight. Couldn''t man-mark a statue. Ryan Bertrand - A Chelsea youth player. That doesn''t mean he has what it takes - but I think he''ll be at a higher level next season. Keiran Gibbs - Last season''s player - but did he deserve the stick he got last year? Or did Roeder play him out of position? EIther way he''s better than he performed for us. Lee Croft - Linked with Sheff Utd at xmas. Out of contract in the summer. His destination will tell us a lot about how good he really is. A bottom 3 player? Despite the fact he can''t cross I think he''s better than that. Wes Hoolahan - Blackpool fans regard him as the best player of last season. He was labelled the signing of the summer by Roeder. Did he simply not perfom? Was he played out of position? Or is he too clever for the rest of the squad? Either way, he''s better than a bottom six player. Sammy Clingan - I didn''t see who won player of the season, if it wasn''t Sammy then Norwich fans are blinder than they act. He''s off to Fulham in the summer, for a lot less than we could have got in January. But he''ll hold his own at that level, just like Dickson Etuhu is doing. Darel Russel - Had a terrible season. Discipline lets him down, and underperformed. But two years ago he was an ever-present for Stoke. He should be playing better. Simon Lappin - Treated terribly. Perhaps the onlyplayer who you can''t blame for the league position, and one of the few speaking out and wanting a contract next season...wise move to leave him on the bench tonight then. David Carney - pointless. Alan Gow - Done little wrong, a loan player who seems to me to work very hard, has skill...Blackpool fans were sorry to see him go, league leaders Wolves narrowly missed his signiature. He''s better than our position. Matty Pattison - He''s upset someone. Drink driving doesn''t help endear him to the club, whats the reason he''s out of the side now? Does Gunn not fancy him? Mark Fotheringham - nothing to say. Club captain? Easily the least talented player in my opinion to get a reguaar game, let alone the armband. one of the few players who will fit our level next season. Leroy Lita - Did the job, scored goals. A comfortable high-champtionship, low-premiership striker. Antoine Sibierski - Despie how poor he was for us, most clubs in the bottom six would celebrate his signiature like an away win. Why didn''t he do it for us? Jamie Cureton - golden boot winner two years ago - is it one goal this season? Hardly reaching his potential - despite getting too mny opportunities to play. Alan Lee - he''s played well, too little too late? Or the fact that he hasn''t scored important? I''m impressed by him, again, he''s not a bottom-six player. David Mooney - scored three in about 7 or 8. Only time will tell if he''s got what it takes for the Championship. Cody McDonald - on a parr with Lappin for sympathy. Thrown in at the deep end tonight and showed some pace but too raw and lacking in composure to make the difference. Luke Daley - Did Gunn really bring him on to make the difference tonight? No offence to the kid, I he goes on to do well for us, but tonight wasn''t the time to find out.   That''s it, I will have missed players out there - but can anyone truly say there''s a squad that deserve to be in the bottom three on paper? If not, then you''ve only got the managers (both of them), and the players themselves to blame. I don''t see a queue forming to replace the current board, but I no darn well that if eleven fans went on the pitch they would perform to their potential every week, and we''d each pick a team that wanted to fight. That''s not what we''ve seen. And for that we should vent some anger at the players. I welcome your thoughts...    

barnsley 1-1!!!!

barnsley scored. bugger

....Lawrie Sanchez? He''s listed at 8-1 with bookies - but I don''t think anyone''s mentioned him on here. He kept Wycombe up, and he kept Fulham up so he''s got credentials. fingers crossed it aint Pardew, who''s 10-1. Most interesting name is Jimmy Calderwood - current boss at Aberdeen - linked with us by the bookies. Almost all the other ''candidates'' are unemployed. Although i''ve just thought it could be a typo and they mean Colin Calderwood. That wouldn''t be good. Here''s the odds anyway Boothroyd A 5/2 Pardew A 10/1 Hoddle G 20/1 Ince P 4/1 Holloway I 10/1 Souness G 20/1 Dowie I 6/1 Robins M 12/1 Keane R 33/1 McAllister G 8/1 OLeary D 16/1 Robson B 33/1 Sanchez L 8/1 Calderwood J 16/1 Poyet G 33/1 Jewell P 10/1 Dublin D 16/1 Royle J 33/1 Cotterill S 10/1 Saunders D 20/1 Curbishley A 50/1

huckerby on the left is the two year old solution to a problem we face now. we under-performed last season with him there every week,and if bertrand is our best lb he needs someone more disciplined than hux. a shame, but true. cureton doesn''t deserve more chances just because he was here 10 years ago. he again had all of last season to prove his worth - he isn''t someone to rely on keeping us up. Lappin amd Spillane may have a role but I doubt we can call spillane back from luton. dublin as manager is a repeat of peter grant...nothing suggests he wants to manage or has enough experience, and i doubt we could buy out his sky contract. It will be someone cheap - my guess is boothroyd.

I never normally react on the back of a result - but tonights failure to score against a team in Charlton''s situation, at home, is a step too far. There is no justification - other than financial - for continuing with this management policy. Unless we simply don''t have the money to sack him it needs to be done. I believed that eventually his policy of clearly talented but young lon players, and a solid midfield would eventually work out. I made excuses that he was pinning his hopes on Iverson, and that Sibierski was a failure that might have changed our season.  I was praying that the return to form of Hoolahan would be the spark we needed. I even argued that, had we kept Stefanovic fit and Kennedy for the season it could all have been so different. But now, I sit here, wondering what Roeder''s saying to those players in the dressing room. Is he giving it the hairdryer treatment? Is he telling the players that they were unlucky again? Does he truly believe that we''re a ''good finisher'' away from climbing the table? Sadly it''s a lot more than that. Because once the team spirit is broken, once the club captain stats that his manager has ''lost faith in him'', once you find yourself with just one recognised centre back and one recognised striker after a summer of rebuilding, once you see that his best eleven is a mystry to everyone at the club and that fans are calling for your head, then there''s only one eventual outcome. The only question is whether Roeder wants to protect his CV and plough on regardless until h''s sacked, or whether he has the grace to stand down - because i''ve got a horrible feeling that this board simply don''t have the desire to sack ANOTHER manager.

Disagree about Marshall, otherwise here''s my thoughts... Marshall  - was at fault for the 3rd goal - came out and then changed his mind. Also tried to dribble around their striker which would have been 4-1. Omozusi - defended excellently in the 2nd half - linked up well with Croft and wasn''t at fault for goals. Kennedy - Excellent - but the two had a tough time aainst Hulse and Ellington. These two strikers posed the sorts of problems that we just didn''t seem to tonight. Bertrand - Did ok. In fact, his on poor pieceof play was his distribution not helped by Hoolahan going walkabout from his left wing too often. But he got forwards, and did little obviously wrong. Stefanovic - Solid in the air but his left foot is so frustrating. Sprays brilliant passes out to Croft but then lumps these wayward hopeful high balls over the top with no hope of a player winning them. And hdid that 6 or 7 times in the second half. Clingan - Solid but not his best game. Too often the Derby midfield passed it around us - partic in the first half. Russell - V poor - arguing with Kennedy on two orthree occasions after not picking up his man too. And he didn''t win a header. Croft - No final ball but that''s probably becaue he''s always trying to cross past his man, because he NEVER beats him. He was good in the second half, intelligent cross field passes, but if he has pace he never uses it to go past and make space himself. Hoolahan - Terrible. He looked lost after his mistake for the first goal and didn''t make a single telling contributionl. Lita - needs to learn the offside rule before saturday - he was flagged 7 or 8 times - although the midfield passes weren''t as quick as he might have anticipated. Otherwise worked hard and closed down well - disappointing miss at 2-1 which could have changed the game, he was clean through and took too long. Sibierski - A couple of flick-on''s. That was it. Subs Bell - PLayed on the left but didn''t look out of place. Great corner, couple of good crosses and came inside past his man to open up space. Pattison - Thought he played well - made one poor pass but worked back to defend well. Made some good challenges and burst forwards with pace once or twice. Should start on Saturday for a more solid midfield.

I''m afraid he was the worst player on the pitch by a long-way tonight. IMO he was very lucky to last until half-time. Unlike someone else said it''s the not the case of looking for a scape-goat. Playing away from home he offered no support for Bertrand, strayed inside but without any physical presence and tred to often to apply a tight pass or dummy when we were struggling to hold any possession. He''s a clever player, but there''s a time and a place and i don''t think 2-0 down away from home is it. To be fair Crofty and Russell were shocking in the first half too but Croft in particular impressed after haf time, and Bell seemed strong. Excusing one blip Matty Pattison proved v solid and shored up the struggling midfield.

For what its worth i''ll throw this idea in the ring. We''ll have two formations, one home and one away. Roeder did this last year and cant see why he''d change. Most away games last year he had Croft available but only made the bench and I cant see this changing. So for Coventry i''d expect:                                Marshall Omozusi       Stefanovic    Kenndy       Bertrand Russell         Clingan        Fotheringham    Hoolahan                      Lupoli         Koroma / new striker   Hoolahan can drop behind the strikers, Russell can tuck into the middle with Clingan and Fozzy and break down he right when there''s space. I suspect that''s what Bell was brought here to do - with Russell rotating with Fozzy in the middle. Unless, if a Shola-type player comes in, we go with 1 up front and five in the middle....I hope not though.  

yeh, i''m in leeds. should be going to those...may i also suggest finding a new location in the city to watch when we''e on sky...i keep finding myself watching the first 5minutes before the landlord switches over to rugby league....tut. send me a pm