Michael Bates 9 Posted July 30, 2008 [quote user="Indy_Bones"][quote user="londoncanary"]Totally agree!!! Croft is an absolute liability! Has failed to produce any type of form this since we signed him, and his goal scoring record for an "attacking" player is laughable![/quote]Really,Croft scored a single league goal last season, not a great return admittedly...However...Perhaps then you feel that players such as Emmanuel Eboue, Anderson, (0 league goals last season), Paul Scholes (1 league goal last season), Shaun Wright-Phillips, Aaron Lennon (2 league goals last season), Ryan Giggs, Nani, and Benayoun (3 league goals last season), were ALL also laughable players last season due to their poor goal scoring record???We''re talking about some of the most established or promising younger players in the league here, and in most cases they only managed a goal or two more than Croft did, which is particularly intruiging considering the quality of players around them compared to Croft.Croft CAN pass a ball, his crossing is not great, but so what? Who on earth is he aiming for? The height of players like Curo, Martin or Lupoli??? Croft can do a very good job if he concentrates on keeping the ball on the deck and running at the defenders, and being fair, many wingers aren''t the best shots in the game, if they were, chances are they''d be upfront.Give the guy a break, as if we were actually getting him to play to his strengths you''d see far more fans realise the quality he does possess.[/quote]I may be wrong but you need to look at what croft actually does for the team... He works hard and tries to track back and defend... Thats about it because even if he does get past the oppositions full back, he either runs it off for a goal kick or the cross he puts in it total garbage... Half the time its 5meters up in the air and our left winger is sprinting to try and keep it in play on the other side of the pitch... And again wingers should be putting in a good share of assists and goals... Croft certainly doesnt do that.... Maybe if we sign Jay simpson of Arsenal and Shola Ameobi as the two strikers Roeder hopes to get.... Then we will see a team like this... *Marhsall*/(Hungarian if signed)*Ostomobor*/Omuzusi *Kennedy*/Dogherty *Stefanovic*/Shackell Drury/*Bertrand* *Clinghan*Bell/Croft/Chadwick(*Simpson* if signed) Fotheringham/*Rusell* *Hoolahan*/Lappin *(Ameobi if signed)* *Lupoli*/Cureton/Martin As you will guess... The stars are the players i would play in my starting 11... Some are subject to whether we sign them or not.... In all opinions.. I rekon when u look at the squad like that, we have a decent squad who are more than capable of getting into the play-offs spot but it all depends on how we play as a team, how quickly new players all gel and how many injuries we get... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Bates 9 Posted July 30, 2008 okay that went wrong....Marshall,Ostomobor,Kennedy,Stefanovic,Bertrand,Simpson(if he is the 48 hour man),Clinghan,Russell,Hoolahan,Ameobi(if he is the 7-14day man..), Lupoli Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ncfcstar 292 Posted July 30, 2008 Mine will have to be:MarshallSemi Shackell Stefanovic BertrandBell Clingan Fozzy HoolahanA. Nother LupoliBench: A. Keeper, Kennedy, Russell, Cureton, Croft Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Slob 0 Posted July 30, 2008 [quote user="ncfcstar"]Mine will have to be:MarshallSemi Shackell Stefanovic BertrandBell Clingan Fozzy HoolahanA. Nother LupoliBench: A. Keeper, Kennedy, Russell, Cureton, Croft[/quote]whats the point in having omuzusi then if your not even gonna have him on the bench. I can guarentee hes better than otsemobor Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Great Wall Of Tettey 0 Posted July 30, 2008 you can see by the players he has signed he likes to keep the side even.hoolahan tracks back, huckerby didntim sure bell tracks back, croft did rarelyostemobor cant defend, elliot ( not going to say his name) is a better defender anyday. side has to be even! MarshallElliot Kennedy Stefanovic BertrandBell Fozzy Clingan HoolahanLupoli (Big Man) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary Ascent 0 Posted July 30, 2008 So far everyone has put Fozzy ahead of Russell. This really baffles me because I can not see what Fozzy brings to the party. IMO no real creativity and all passes are a yard sideways or backwards. Personally I''d put Russell alongside Clingan.A question for you; have you included Fozzy because he is the captain or because you believe him to be the better player?Oh and Bell over Croft everytime. I don''t want to make a habit out of bashing City players but what use is a winger who can pass 3 players and then fail to make a cross?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ncfcstar 292 Posted July 30, 2008 Ever seen him play haynes~hater? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
San Miguel 0 Posted July 30, 2008 my two cents1. its too early to tell with the new players, and2. why are so many people leaving out Russell? who came 2nd to Dublin in POTY last season? hate to think what our midfield would be like if Fozzy and Pattison were left to their own devices... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
7rew 0 Posted July 30, 2008 [quote user="Rusty Steele"]So far everyone has put Fozzy ahead of Russell. This really baffles me because I can not see what Fozzy brings to the party. IMO no real creativity and all passes are a yard sideways or backwards. Personally I''d put Russell alongside Clingan.A question for you; have you included Fozzy because he is the captain or because you believe him to be the better player?Oh and Bell over Croft everytime. I don''t want to make a habit out of bashing City players but what use is a winger who can pass 3 players and then fail to make a cross??[/quote]You mean Fozzy whose games genarally coincided with wins/draws and absences (especially his injury) with losses?People choose Fozzy over Rusty because Fozzy keeps posession, while Rusty runs round alot more and looks to be doing more, but doesn''t actually do as much that is useful for the team. Its workrate/battling against keeping the ball and patience. The preference for Rusty is indicative of why England do nothing at international level. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
7rew 0 Posted July 30, 2008 My team:Defensive version___________MarshallOmozumi Kennedy Stefanovic DruryBell Clingan Fotheringham Chadwick_______Hoolahan______________Target DudeBench: New Goalie(GK), Russell(CM), Otsemobor(RW/RB/CD/LB), Lupoli(SS/CF/LW), Cureton(SS/CF)Attacking version:___________MarshallOtsemobor Kennedy Stefanovic BertrandBell Clingan Fotheringham Hoolahan________Lupoli______________Target DudeBench: New Goalie(GK), Russell(CM), Omozumi(RB/CD/LB), Cureton(SS/CF), Croft (RW/LW)The positions in brackets show where an injury would occur for them to come on. (not necc. in that position) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary Ascent 0 Posted July 30, 2008 [quote user="7rew"][quote user="Rusty Steele"]So far everyone has put Fozzy ahead of Russell. This really baffles me because I can not see what Fozzy brings to the party. IMO no real creativity and all passes are a yard sideways or backwards. Personally I''d put Russell alongside Clingan.A question for you; have you included Fozzy because he is the captain or because you believe him to be the better player?Oh and Bell over Croft everytime. I don''t want to make a habit out of bashing City players but what use is a winger who can pass 3 players and then fail to make a cross??[/quote]You mean Fozzy whose games genarally coincided with wins/draws and absences (especially his injury) with losses?People choose Fozzy over Rusty because Fozzy keeps posession, while Rusty runs round alot more and looks to be doing more, but doesn''t actually do as much that is useful for the team. Its workrate/battling against keeping the ball and patience. The preference for Rusty is indicative of why England do nothing at international level.[/quote]Can''t agree with this, maybe I''m missing something but Fozzy is another Andy Hughes IMO. Lots of passion but not a great deal of quality. Russell adds some steel to the midfield. Personally I''d replace both with a ball player and an attacking midfielder who can score goals but for the time being Russell edges it for me. I''m hoping Clingan could be our ball player - he certainly looked good in possesion against Spurs and rarely misplaced a pass. Fozzy and Rusty would be useful squad players. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites