Shackell and how to throw away a two - nil lead

[Chunky! 0]

I doubted Shackell, I said maybe he was a bit of a gamble, but he played well tonight.

School-boy errors, as my sunday-league coach describes, you know your man, pick him up, don''t do stupid tackles!

I don''t see how the coaches or management can make players pick their men up, why don''t the players do the simple things! We got two good goals, and at least one preventable goal, and the fact Jonson got himself sent off is just plain stupid!

We should have won tonight, 20 minutes gone, we''d won the game, and even with the first good goal, we should have won 2-1 or 3-1 or something, but instead we threw it away.

I''m a very positive person, but its going to take alot from here!

Chunky.

OTBC!

[August 64 0]

[quote]I doubted Shackell, I said maybe he was a bit of a gamble, but he played well tonight. School-boy errors, as my sunday-league coach describes, you know your man, pick him up, don''t do stupid tackles!...[/quote]

I agree, it will take a lot from here.  A lot from the players, the management, the supporters, but I believe that we can do it.  It is way too early to show the despondency of the already defeated, the catastrophic calamity of the coca cola bound, the fatefullness of the Fizzy league fancied, because we still have time.  I am not one of the heurologically challenged (!), we can still do it.  Thirty points to play for.  KEEP THE FAITH.

[Anderz 0]

Must admit, Jonson looked like he''d lost his head a bit out there... He had a tussle with Mills early in the first half and after a brief confrontation I think Jonson thought he could take them all on... His tackle on Jordan which ultimately saw him booked a second time was deserved and could well have been a straight red, whilst the first booking was, in my opinion, for him committing one too many fouls of a persistent nature. Not sure it was just a rush of blood to the head and over -anxious recklessness but he ought to have realised he was treading a fine line when he got the first yellow. Still, good to see him battling for the cause. Is his sending off likely to result in a one-match ban or two?

As for Shacks? I think he looked quite comfortable at the heart of the defence. Wouldn''t have any qualms about playing him there for the rest of the season, maybe alongside Fleming AND Doherty in a 5-man defence. I do think, despite the defeat and the manner in which we lost, Shackell will have benefitted from the game. It was a big occasion for him, as well as the presence of the Sky TV cameras, and in my opinion, I think he handled it well, outshining a run-ragged Fleming. Think we all saw that Shackell is a centreback and one with some promise, I''d hate to see him become a utility defender pushed out onto the flanks where he''s inevitably likely not to fare so well.

All in all, the game against Manchester City has answered a few questions and asked a whole lot more, but ultimately it has demonstrated our defensive frailties as a time when these deficiencies desperately need ironing out.     

[FilletTheFishWife . 0]

[quote]Must admit, Jonson looked like he''d lost his head a bit out there... He had a tussle with Mills early in the first half and after a brief confrontation I think Jonson thought he could take them all on...[/quote]

its a pity he''s not suspended for 10 matches. As per usual he was all bluster and no end-product. The guy has had 2 or 3 good games for us at the most this season and gets himself deservedly sent off in a game we had to win. Apart from Green and Edworthy who has played so much and not scored. When was the last decent cross? Is he really that good in the air? I''m not Hendo''s biggest fan but at least he lives up to expectation. MJ has been a 100% disappointment and yet we get the usual "Super Matt" when he leaves us with ten men. Swedish international? My A*se!

On the plus side, good performances from Ashton, Shackell and Stuart in particular but - as much as I''d love to be proved wrong - we''re down (C Pal and Soton aren''t both going to balls it up and I can''t see us getting 6 points even if C Pal lost all theirs).

 

 

[ZLF 273]

FTFW - Is Jonson your equivalent to my Eddy?  Jonson tried to hard and seemed to have a brief to help Drury contain SWP - which he did at a cost to attacking.   Unfortunately he deserved to go.

 

How do we have to play the wide left or right positions against Chelsea?

 

OTBC

[FilletTheFishWife . 0]

maybe he is my equivalent to your eddy but i''ll give him credit when its due. unfortunately thats rarely the case (a couple of games before Xmas maybe). He seems to have endeared himself to the fans thru endeavour alone. he gets bashed around the head a few times and everyone thinks he''s a hero. Unfortunately for a swedish international i was expecting a bit more like a goal or two, a cross or two maybe. And a few crunching tackles exaggerate his defensive abilities too.

I agree we''re not exactly blessed on the flanks , especially on the right, and maybe he does have the edge over McVeigh and Henderson although i think the former perhaps deserves as many chances as Mr Jonson has had.

I was stunned to hear the fans when he got sent off. He probably cost us the game. Not that he was effective, but his absence forced the team and specifically Ashton back and left SWP to run at Drury without the additional obstacle. Until that point the Man C defence was there for the taking with Ashton and Mckenzie causing problems.

And for those who want to switch him to centre forward. Do you really believe he''s better than the strikers we have in situ? Every time he''s had sight on goal its like watching a rabbit in the headlights and for his heading abilities rewind to Everton and Mboro games and weep.

Come relegation, he''ll be on his way probably, and I doubt there''ll be any takers in the premiership. I think that will speak volumes.

 

 

[ZLF 273]

I cant agree with anything you have put FTFW, Jonson has had enough games now to know that he is very much a typical Worthy player, full of endeavour but does not deliver enough of real value on the pitch, unfortuntately in that goup of players are 4 others who started on Monday in Flem Eddy Holt and Leon, while the seasons best defenders sits on the bench! This more than anywhere is where Worthy has gone wrong, relying on his old faithfuls. 

I agree with Worthy on his handling of the Mcveigh & Mullers situations, both are not starting because they are not good enough - worthy needs to apply the same ruthlessness to his ''favourites'' - we wont be winning games until he does.

Starting a game with 5 players who cant cut the mustard in this leagues explains why our goals against column is so bad and why we are one spot off bottom, and on current form about to finish bottom.  Conceed 3 against Chelsea and we are at the 2 goals against per game rate

OTBC

[Saint Canary 0]

The worry is that Shackell won''t play for months again now.

[ZLF 273]

[quote]I cant agree with anything you have put FTFW, Jonson has had enough games now to know that he is very much a typical Worthy player, full of endeavour but does not deliver enough of real value on the p...[/quote]

Whoops - that shoudl start ''I cant disagree'' - sorry FTFW.

 

OTBC

[FilletTheFishWife . 0]

[quote]I doubted Shackell, I said maybe he was a bit of a gamble, but he played well tonight. School-boy errors, as my sunday-league coach describes, you know your man, pick him up, don''t do stupid tackles!...[/quote]

ZLF :- i must confess i was perplexed by the contradictions within your opening retort and what followed but I''ll sleep better now...

 

Also how much did we pay for MJ? Given the transfer fee and the fact he is a swedish intl I think its not unreasonable to have higher expectations from him than the others you mention. We were hoping for a Larsson and got a Brolin I''m afraid.