an alternative view

[chase_out 0]

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...