ZLF 275 Posted January 17, 2005 If he is good enough, and O''Leary did have the option of putting De La Cruz at full back, Delaney at centre back to avoid playing Ridgewell, then surely shacks is too.The boy has always played well at centre half in a city shirt - given the peformances of the back line at the moment surely (dont keep calling me shirley) he cant do any worse?I am expecting Shacks to appear with McVeigh is the latest police missing persons listsOTBC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire canary 0 Posted January 17, 2005 Had the same thought re Shacks myself ZLF after reading the Pink Un articles today.Can''t see Flem being dropped though, and Doc is improving steadily so I suspect it''ll be a non-starter again.At least we know he can find the bench though unlike WLY.What on earth is going on there? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Being Jan Kristiansen... 0 Posted January 17, 2005 I hope you are right BUT.........At least once a week we get a ''give the youngstes a go post''. They are very similar to the ''lets give McV a go'' & ''all our problems will end when Mullers play''. Its a bit to easy to assume that whoever is not playing is the answer to our problems.Worthy works with these guys day to day and gets advice from a bunch of other coaching profesionals.(ps, I am in bad mood today) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZLF 275 Posted January 17, 2005 To me it is that very rigidity of thought that is likely to get this side relegated - Worthys reluctance to see just how poor the current defence has been, despite personnel changes, all season and the one consistent player has been Flem. I do not doubt his committment but his early season poise has long gone and it is a long while since he had even an OK game let alone a good one. To make him captain to me is Worthy saying clearly that you will be an ever present, I am sure that will cost us in the long run, but more importantly suggests that no defensive player will be brought in before the summer - a huge tactical error of a decision.OTBC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Being Jan Kristiansen... 0 Posted January 17, 2005 [quote]To me it is that very rigidity of thought that is likely to get this side relegated - Worthys reluctance to see just how poor the current defence has been, despite personnel changes, all season and th...[/quote]To me fantasy thoughts will not help the situation.I agree with all of the above but why is Shacks a saviour. He might be worse/not ready ect. Having one good game against Earnshaw and a good preseason game against Keane is not a sign of greatness.It is cluching at straws to think that the players in our reserves will make a positive differance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 0 Posted January 17, 2005 If we don''t change the defense - we WILL be relegated. What harm would it do replacing flem with shackell? Shackell was immense vs Newcastle, yet Flem has hardly had an excellent game at all.If I were manager, I''d play Shackell on Saturday. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZLF 275 Posted January 17, 2005 I agree that Shacks is not the messiah either, what I posted is that he cant possibly be any worse than what we are already seeing can he? Given the fact that we have now conceeded 42 goals in just 23 games and no clean sheets since Jan means that some changes should be tried. If we pick him we will he should give 100% as he tries to keep the slot, as well as giving some complacent senior pros a reminder that no one player is important enough to be undroppable.Picking him is a risk as we dont know how he will perform but if Ridgewell can do it why cant Shacks?The only real answer to our defencive frailties is to get new faces in, but as I mentioned earlier, I think the captains armband going to Flem is a firm indicator that no defensive signings are on the cards and that is a disasterous decision, if made, in my eyes.OTBC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Being Jan Kristiansen... 0 Posted January 17, 2005 [quote]I agree that Shacks is not the messiah either, what I posted is that he cant possibly be any worse than what we are already seeing can he? Given the fact that we have now conceeded 42 goals in just 23...[/quote]Fair enough, I agree with that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlyBlyBabes 0 Posted January 17, 2005 Take a chance''Turn to the Yell..........'' - you said it yourself.OTBC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ou Est Anselin? 0 Posted January 17, 2005 I would love to see Shackell play, but only a centre back. He has only ever played well in that position for us, never had a bad game. Like you though, cant see Fleming or Doherty being dropped. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Being Jan Kristiansen... 0 Posted January 18, 2005 [quote]Take a chance ''Turn to the Yell..........'' - you said it yourself. OTBC[/quote]Maybe I should change my tag to ''Take a calculated risk''. My post was not against giving Shacks a chance but jsut a bit of frustration that we/Worthy still has no idea who our best team.Every week a new saviour from our reserves gets promoted on here, then they are picked and finally they fail to meet expectations..I am even reading some post now stating that we are missing Holt and as soon he gets back everything will be ok!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Robbo007 0 Posted January 18, 2005 Couple of interesting points there zippersleftfoot, Fleming has been made captain which would indicate he is there long-term. I would disagree with that, firstly most people thought Drury as undroppable seeing as he was a player of the season, team captain and from Iwans book, it would seem that Drury was Worthys favourite. Secondly, Flem is club captain, and so to appoint someone else above him would not have gone down well.As for the "we''ve kept no clean sheets since January".....don''t quite get that one :-)Why exactly is Shackell suddenly the saviour??? "If he''s good enough then play him", what exactly has Shackell done to make you think he''s good enough. He played all of 3 games (from what i can remember last year). PLayed well against a poor Cardiff team, although did well against Earnshaw, and then got Heckled by our own fans away at Millwall.If he was good enough he would be in the team. Everyone has had there chance this yr, Mulryne, Mcveigh..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZLF 275 Posted January 18, 2005 Not sure why I typed Jan - the last clean sheet was the baggies in Nov.As I have repeatedly said Shacks is not the saviour but as you point out every other player has had a chance to prove whether or not they are up to it, including Crow and Jarvis. Not changing the defence is just as big a risk as not giving shacks a go - 14 goals in the last 6 games, things can hardly get much worse can they? And the real answer is to bring in new faces, I just dont see that happening, so we have to use the squad we already have.No shacks does not have a lot of first team appearances. However each game he has played at centre back he has been composed and defended well, including against Earnshaw last year (who didnt get a kick) and Kluivert this year (both prem and international strikers). He was exceptionally poor at left back against a rampant Routledge, but there are several fullbacks who have suffered that this season too. Left back does not seem to be his best position so perhaps wrongly I place little value in that appearance. All I know is that we have a defender who has not ben tried and he MAY make a difference on the very limited evidence I have seen so far.OTBC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
