Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Bovril

We now have a mid-table championship side

Recommended Posts

Assuming no further major transfers we now have a squad of mid-table quality with lambert in charge I predict a finish between 6th-14th which for me would be a great season (even if we finish 14th)

Ruddy

K Smith Whitbread Ward Drury

Crofts

Fox Surman

Hoolahan

Holt Jackson

Subs: Rudd, Nelson, R Martin, S Smith, Lappin, C Martin, S Hughes

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Don''t like your team. Whitbread has done nothing to get in the team. Jackson hasn''t either, it would be unfair to drop Martin imo. And Korey Smith at RB?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My team

Ruddy

Martin Whitbread Ward Smith

                 Crofts

      K.Smith        Surman

                 Hoolahan

     Holt                    Jackson

 

Id start with jackson as i believe that they will work well together, pace power on the shoulder and strength hold up target man, weve seen in many times over the years that combination works. Martin will play a major role and will start many games aswell depending on opposition, we may even have a Martin Jackson partneship for a while if they are the best.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Interesting that everyone is immediatelt going for Jackson over Martin immediately. Martin got a similar amount of goals as Jackson in league one last season and I would say he is the man in possession until as/when Jackson can proce otherwise.

  We saw a whole season''s worth of Martin with our own eyes compared to the odd snippet of Jackson , not sure why people would pick Jackson straight away purely on that basis?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary"]

Interesting that everyone is immediatelt going for Jackson over Martin immediately. Martin got a similar amount of goals as Jackson in league one last season and I would say he is the man in possession until as/when Jackson can proce otherwise.

  We saw a whole season''s worth of Martin with our own eyes compared to the odd snippet of Jackson , not sure why people would pick Jackson straight away purely on that basis?

[/quote]

yes similar goals, but one didnt play all season and he played in a very poor Gills team. Martin played in the best team in the league with the best players delivering for him. Jackson had to work a lot harder for his goals. I dont think that Jackson is overly better than Martin if at all just that Jackson Holt is better than Holt Martin. Holt and martin lack pace and are very similar.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="City penguin"][quote user="GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary"]

Interesting that everyone is immediatelt going for Jackson over Martin immediately. Martin got a similar amount of goals as Jackson in league one last season and I would say he is the man in possession until as/when Jackson can proce otherwise.

  We saw a whole season''s worth of Martin with our own eyes compared to the odd snippet of Jackson , not sure why people would pick Jackson straight away purely on that basis?

[/quote]

yes similar goals, but one didnt play all season and he played in a very poor Gills team. Martin played in the best team in the league with the best players delivering for him. Jackson had to work a lot harder for his goals. I dont think that Jackson is overly better than Martin if at all just that Jackson Holt is better than Holt Martin. Holt and martin lack pace and are very similar.

[/quote]

That maybe true but who amongst us would have been pleased to see Martin replaced with a Gillingham player mid-way through last season?. I''m firmly in Martin''s corner on this one until I''ve at very least seen Jackson play with my own eyes a few times before I start clamouring for him to be in a starting XI

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I think Martin will still play a massive role this season no doubt but put jackson in for one simple reason.....pace. It doesn''t matter what league your in, if you have pace you cause problems and we have the definition of a little and large partnership now, hopefully he''ll do what AJ did at palace, he''ll certaintly get a few dodgy penalties

Korey Smith at rightback, one-on-one he hassles the oppositon better and can run up and down all day long, I saw most games last year home and away and still not convinced of martins ability at a higher level, don''t forget he couldnt get in an abymsal posh team last year under 3 separate managers

Whitbread over Nelson, depends on injuries but Nelson was great last year but this year you need skill as well as heading and tough tackling, the fact he has a bigger turning circle then the London eye will prove big problems ala the doc 2 years before

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary"]

Interesting that everyone is immediatelt going for Jackson over Martin immediately. Martin got a similar amount of goals as Jackson in league one last season and I would say he is the man in possession until as/when Jackson can proce otherwise.

  We saw a whole season''s worth of Martin with our own eyes compared to the odd snippet of Jackson , not sure why people would pick Jackson straight away purely on that basis?

[/quote]

 

Agree, although I was thnking today - we''ve got 3 strikers who scored 70 goals between them last season and Ollie Johnson behind them and even Hoolahan got 14 last time around!

 

The same ethic must apply to Zak Whitbread. Last season he done nothing and was nowhere near as good as what Nelson was. I sincerely hope that Whitbread turns out as good as many have been suggesting but until he proves himself then for me Nelson should be in the team cause he was excellent for most of last season!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

[quote user="City penguin"][quote user="GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary"]

Interesting that everyone is immediatelt going for Jackson over Martin immediately. Martin got a similar amount of goals as Jackson in league one last season and I would say he is the man in possession until as/when Jackson can proce otherwise.

  We saw a whole season''s worth of Martin with our own eyes compared to the odd snippet of Jackson , not sure why people would pick Jackson straight away purely on that basis?

[/quote]

yes similar goals, but one didnt play all season and he played in a very poor Gills team. Martin played in the best team in the league with the best players delivering for him. Jackson had to work a lot harder for his goals. I dont think that Jackson is overly better than Martin if at all just that Jackson Holt is better than Holt Martin. Holt and martin lack pace and are very similar.

[/quote]

To counter that Jackson took penaltys. Just my opinion but its Martins place to lose.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Martin''s earned first shot in my book.

Which is not to say I''m not pleased with Jackson signing.

Still think we need a right winger because if Wes is out we have nobody who can cover for him and we''ll need to have the width as an alternative.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Chris Martin is the man in possession and re-assuringly we have just invested a potential 1m on a third striker to go with what will be a strong looking bench and a strong bench is the sign of a strong team.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="RUDOLPH HUCKER"]Chris Martin is the man in possession and re-assuringly we have just invested a potential 1m on a third striker to go with what will be a strong looking bench and a strong bench is the sign of a strong team.[/quote]Bugger! I totally agree.[:(]

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="RUDOLPH HUCKER"]Lord,

What do you think we need to be better in this division?[/quote]

Like I said if we peak we reach play-offs, so I''m gonna answer your question based on a top 2 position being the target...

I personally think were weak at RB, GK? CM? and squad depth..

RB = Russell Martin is average, Korey Smith not his best position

GK = Never seen Ruddy play, so this could be a great or average signing, gut feeling is a good acquisition...would like to see an experienced keeper as cover in loan / rudd out on loan

CM = yes were well covered here but the right hand side I don''t think has enough quality to be top 2

Squad depth = Excluding the first 11, I would say the average squad is lower champ/top league 1 standard

Don''t get me wrong I think we have a really good squad, one capable of challenging definately but lack the REAL quality (as you would naturally expect given the last few years and finances) to survive injuries and suspensions and finish top 2

Boro for me are massive favourates, then burnley/forest/reading, then the sides that always finish near the play-offs cardiff, sheff utd..

Then comes us in a pool with the likes of Bristol City, Leeds, Leicester, Swansea, possibly Ipswich

based on current squads

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The Lord said:

"I saw most games last year home and away and still not convinced of martins ability at a higher level, don''t forget he couldnt get in an abymsal posh team last year under 3 separate managers"

Couldn''t get in the team?

http://www.theposh.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10427~30740,00.html

Begs to differ, 25 league appearances in 2009/10 for the posh. All before he joined us on Jan 4th. Hardly the amount of appearances of someone who can''t get into a team now is it? Also by the time Martin had left they had only just moved onto their 2nd manager. Please please please if you going to bash a player needlessly use facts not fiction.

Davo

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

                                       Ruddy

K.Smith               Ward               Whitbread         Drury

                  Crofts            Fox              Surman

                                    Hoolahan

                     Holt                           Martin

Subs: Rudd/Steer, S.Smith, Askou, Lappin, McNamee, Johnson, Jackson.  (I think I''ve left someone out on the bench who is pretty obvious but can''t think who!)

I think this is similar to what we will see vs Watford.  I have K.Smith at right back because I really don''t rate R.Martin and although I really don''t think RB is Smith''s strongest position I would always have him there over R.Martin.  Also I''m very unsure about the style of player Crofts is.  I thought initially he was Russel''s replacement but then from the sounds of the Dereham game he sounded a lot more attacking than most of us thought.  That is why I have him on the right and Fox in the middle so Crofts can use his energy and attack a bit more whilst Fox sits and spreads the play.  However I don''t know if Fox is strong enough for that posisiton.  Also I think inside left is Surman''s best and favoured position.  This then lets the full backs drive forward and also keeps Wes in his favoured position.  Then the front two pick themselves.

What worries me is the bench, although I think I have missed someone out.  None of the players on there are players who the defences couldn''t handle with a degree of ease IMO.  It is by no means a bad squad but a little bit more strength in depth would get us a hell of a lot further and if we had that little bit more then I would say we would be play off certanties. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I think a bench that contains Jackson, Johnson, McNamee and Hughes us pretty damn strong. Those players could change a game for sure. Plus we have the likes of Dawkin coming through as a bit of wildcard.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Davo,

Fair enough about the managers, but he wasn''t regarded as good enough for the team hence why they let us have him on loan, whilst he''s rarely had absolute shockers I still think he is a liability and nowhere near as consistent as drury...

do you think he is a good enough for this season or would you like to see the position reinforced?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Davo"]The Lord said:

"I saw most games last year home and away and still not convinced of martins ability at a higher level, don''t forget he couldnt get in an abymsal posh team last year under 3 separate managers"

Couldn''t get in the team?

http://www.theposh.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10427~30740,00.html

Begs to differ, 25 league appearances in 2009/10 for the posh. All before he joined us on Jan 4th. Hardly the amount of appearances of someone who can''t get into a team now is it? Also by the time Martin had left they had only just moved onto their 2nd manager. Please please please if you going to bash a player needlessly use facts not fiction.

Davo[/quote]You''re a little confused there with that link, all that link says is he started 8 games for Posh last season in the Championship.Please, please please can you state your FACTs correctly.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
My team would be:               RuddyMartin Ward Askou Drury                Crofts    Smith              Surman              Hoolahan       Martin       Holt

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Holt and Martin every time.  Jackson will be thrown on for some pace only during the first half of the season.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

[quote user="The Lord"]Davo, Fair enough about the managers, but he wasn''t regarded as good enough for the team hence why they let us have him on loan[/quote]

I''m honestly not sure how much you can read into that. I mean this is the same team team that let George Boyd go on loan to Forest. Ok his time at Forest wasn''t a success but he was certainly one of Posh''s better players. It''s almost like us letting Hoolahan go out on loan for the last few months of the season.

[quote user="The Lord"]whilst he''s rarely had absolute shockers I still think he is a liability and nowhere near as consistent as drury... ?[/quote]

Liability maybe, but as consistant as Drury? Of course not but then over the last 10 years how many players have we had who play as consistantly as him? Very few players in the league are as consistant as Drury let alone our team.

[quote user="The Lord"]do you think he is a good enough for this season or would you like to see the position reinforced?[/quote]

Is he good enough? Depends on what your aiming for. I think he is going to be the weakest of our defenders but not by much and I think he will be good enough for this season. Would I like to see that position reinforced? Sure but given our limited budget and where the management want to take this club we have to prioritise. Which of these two choices would you make:

a) We get in a Striker who is going to be challenging Martin and Holt for a first team slot and no one else.

b) We by in a striker to bench warm and we get in a mediocre right back who may or may not be better than what we have.

c)We forget the strker and just bring in a replacement right back.

I would prefer a) spend more money on a top striker now who will make more of a difference between a relegation battle and the playoffs. Then you look at the right back position either in January or next summer. If Martin really does turn out to be Otsemobor reincarnated minus the pace then we can always get a loan in for a few months.

Davo

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I see no reason to presume whitbread starts over nelson and jackson over martin, that is not the way lambert works. Look at last season mcnamee was on the bench until he proved himself.

i think we see a similiar 4-3-3/4-4-2 formation dependaing on the game

gk

ruddy

fb

martin

drury

cb

nelson

ward

midfield

lappin

smith

crofts (in for russell)

for

martin

holt

hoolahan

mcnamee, fox, jackson, hughes, whitbread, rudd/steer, stephen smith as probable subs.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
This would be my starting 11:                                     Ruddy      S.Smith    Whitbread         Ward        Drury                                      Crofts                    Hughes                    Surman                                  Hoolahan                           Holt           JacksonBench:Rudd, Askou, R.Martin, K.Smith, Fox, McNamee & C.MartinPersonally I don''t see why S.Smith can''t play as a RB? I don''t see how it is much different from LB, thoughts?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...