Sara to start?

[Dean Coneys boots 1,398]

Help me understand why Sara is still on the bench and Kenny is deployed week in and week out? 

[Newtopia 517]

I assume it is getting Sara back to full fitness.  Sobering to think we could have had 3 Nunez's for one Sara.  That will put some pressure on him, I imagine the team are looking long term opposed to rushing him back.

Also Kenny is an experienced / capable member of the squad, so why take a risk.

[Capt. Pants 4,203]

Other than our back 4, which picks itself, we have competition for places so like everyone else Sara has to win his.

Compared to Nunez he doesn't look anything special and it's not clear what he can offer, at the moment.

Smith has to find the right balance of winning football matches, keeping players happy and individual development. McLean and Dowell have deserved their starts imo. Deano is getting more right than wrong at the moment.

 

[Tetteys Jig 830]

45 minutes ago, Dean Coneys boots said:

Help me understand why Sara is still on the bench and Kenny is deployed week in and week out? 

Kenny doing the “sorenson role” at left back and doing a good enough job so far. Sara still building match fitness.

[TheBaldOne66 681]

52 minutes ago, Dean Coneys boots said:

Help me understand why Sara is still on the bench and Kenny is deployed week in and week out? 

It would make more sense if Sara got regular minutes so he can get up to speed but he doesn’t so I too am baffled.

as for Kenny, have you not seen the compromising photos he has of Smith? 🤣

[Branston Pickle 3,638]

Think back to when Emi came - he was eased in gently, I’m not sure he played a full game into September. There’s little point in rushing if he’s not ready and we’re winning anyway.

[Dr Greenthumb 746]

56 minutes ago, Dean Coneys boots said:

Help me understand why Sara is still on the bench and Kenny is deployed week in and week out? 

Kenny has been playing left back (mostly) and it’s been documented numerous times about Sara’s injury. He didn’t even get a pre season.

[LaUnionCanary 86]

10 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

Think back to when Emi came - he was eased in gently, I’m not sure he played a full game into September. There’s little point in rushing if he’s not ready and we’re winning anyway.

And he was not injured when he arrived

[AJ 1,218]

It's a long ol' season, he'll get plenty of opportunities to start when he's fully fit and we've done okay so no need to rush him

[GodlyOtsemobor 2,250]

I feel like he'll get his start today. Hopefully can show something to show why we forked out so much and put up a 100ft mural of the geezer. 

[Boris 56]

Sara have only cameo role so far so for league game to start from 1st min seems very unlikely.Probabbly first need to grantet more kin from bench also make impact and then start eventually.

 

 

[king canary 7,580]

2 hours ago, Capt. Pants said:

Other than our back 4, which picks itself, we have competition for places so like everyone else Sara has to win his.

Compared to Nunez he doesn't look anything special and it's not clear what he can offer, at the moment.

Smith has to find the right balance of winning football matches, keeping players happy and individual development. McLean and Dowell have deserved their starts imo. Deano is getting more right than wrong at the moment.

 

I thought he showed some nice flashes v Birmingham, one very neat backheel. But everything I've seen of him suggests he's an attacking midfielders so would likely be replacing someone like Dowell if he started, not McLean right now.

[Monty13 2,229]

3 hours ago, Dean Coneys boots said:

Help me understand why Sara is still on the bench and Kenny is deployed week in and week out? 

Because Sara isn’t a DM and while neither is Kenny he has a history of doing a half decent job there.

[wcorkcanary 4,329]

4 hours ago, Dean Coneys boots said:

Help me understand why Sara is still on the bench and Kenny is deployed week in and week out? 

FFS!!! Sometimes I am astounded at the lack of thinky juice some people have. Homer Simpson starting to look bright.

[CowboyCanary 37]

6 hours ago, Newtopia said:

 Sobering to think we could have had 3 Nunez's for one Sara. 

If only we had a functioning crystal ball.

[cambridgeshire canary 6,680]

Fair to say he's not burst onto the scene like Nunez has. Wonder if he's still injured?

[Bovril 219]

From the brief cameo's we've seen so far, it's hard to tell exactly what type of player/role he does, in keeping with the whole play style under Smith. 

He currently looks like one of those 33-year old Brazilians who's winding down their career. Nothing particulary wrong with him at this stage but equally no spark/obvious magic/reason we paid £10m whilst in the Championship for him. 

Coming off the back of a bad injury though, so deserves time to bed in. 

[AJ 1,218]

26 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Fair to say he's not burst onto the scene like Nunez has. Wonder if he's still injured?

Thought he looked good in his cameo today, won the ball back several times then bust a gut to get forwards. He'll definitely score a few for us this season

[Google Bot 3,259]

Sara not up to fitness yet, new to the English game AND needs a translator for instructions.  Versus an experienced campaigner?

I think I'd do the same, he needs to be brought in slowly.... It's a longterm plan and we need the full squad this season.

[Mason 47 1,375]

33 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Fair to say he's not burst onto the scene like Nunez has. Wonder if he's still injured?

Not even Buendia burst onto the scene like Marcelino did tbf. He was a brilliant spark at exactly the right time.

Sara hasn't yet 'arrived', he needs Championship minutes but we also need points. It'll come 

 

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

We obviously do have to get some hard minutes into Sara's legs. Don't think it will be Burnley though.

[1902 1,167]

I tend to take the view that when every transfer is a risk, it's worth viewing windows as a whole rather than players in isolation. We spent £14 million on central midfielders and so far we seem to have picked up the kind of players in the middle of the park that we needed.  

[BroadstairsR 2,139]

As long as the team keeps winning, Smith might just as well pro-long Sara's period of acclimatization.

The player has yet to make his mark, but has hardly had a chance.

Today's showing was a good example of him needing to play a functional, keep it tight role without the need for risks or anything expansive.

He needs an outstanding moment to establish himself. A powerful run followed by a sizzler. Something to announce his arrival and inject confidence.

That will happen sooner rather than later as he looks a player.  

[PurpleCanary 5,555]

3 hours ago, BroadstairsR said:

As long as the team keeps winning, Smith might just as well pro-long Sara's period of acclimatization.

The player has yet to make his mark, but has hardly had a chance.

Today's showing was a good example of him needing to play a functional, keep it tight role without the need for risks or anything expansive.

He needs an outstanding moment to establish himself. A powerful run followed by a sizzler. Something to announce his arrival and inject confidence.

That will happen sooner rather than later as he looks a player.  

That third paragraph is apposite. One shouldn’t invest too much importance in one player but once Hayden is fit and playing the central defensive midfield role then Sara should be able, when we have possession, to be a bit more adventurous. He seemed today to be very conscious of not making a mistake and so played only simple passes and stayed disciplined.
 

[Dean Coneys boots 1,398]

A midfield of Hayden, Nunez and Sara is exciting me. 

[BroadstairsR 2,139]

11 minutes ago, Dean Coneys boots said:

A midfield of Hayden, Nunez and Sara is exciting me. 

That actually hints of Premier League.

Is this a first?

In the meantime, let's squeeze the last drop of effort from the Mayor before he is assigned as (useful) back-up and then, all being well for the club, retires peacefully to the Scottish Leagues.

All in all, what a terrific signing Kenny McClean has been. What a marvellous servant through thick and thin. He didn't even cost that much.

The epitome of a stalwart, an essential role for all teams.

Despite the continuous tirade of criticism levelled at the player from some quarters of this forum, I, for one, am mighty glad we signed him in the first place.

Job well done, Kenny. You owe the club nothing.

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by BroadstairsR