If Pilks is out on Saturday.........

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="morty"]Personally I think, the key point for me, is the full backs. Our solidity in defence has a lot to do with their orders to stay there, rather than bomb forward often. [/quote]That is where someone like Whittaker could do a job. He is much better as an attacking full back than R Martin.  Perhaps that is why Hughts sticks with Martin, for solidity and keeping the shape.  A bit strange given Whittaker played the vast majority of the unbeaten run. (R Martin has 3 wins all season)

[Yellow Wal 314]

Without the infamous edit button this board can be dangerous.

The quote from another contributor - "He doesn''t track back, he doesn''t run with the ball, he very rarely tackles and I don''t remember him scoring in the three leagues he''s played in. He''s a good player............. " was written about David Fox.

I have far from written Elliot Bennett off but I can understand why he wasn''t picked when other players were available, something that many others couldn''t see when he was not playing.

Simply Bennett was not picked because there were better players than him for the position he would be playing, just as there are better players than Fox for that position.

Hughton does not necessarily want defensive players in his midfield, but he does want the best. If Fox was better than those players he would be playing, certainly he would be playing in front of Howson.

I am sorry but I feel you are overestimating his ability and to make a comparison to one of the best plyers in the Premiership this season, Carrick, is foolish. I could never imagine Fox filling in at centre back.

You wrote - b) Just because he is good enough for Norwich, does not mean he will attract the interest of larger clubs.

But I was not aware of any interest from any smaller clubs either.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="Vanwink"]Get Foxy in there today and get some go forward[/quote]  It wouldn''t even be so bad if he was used as a sub once in a while.  It is not like we have been clinging onto leads recently.  We were losing in the last game and Tettey was brought on for Howson. hardly an attacking substitution.

[Highland Canary 76]

I hope Holt starts today. If we go 4-5-1, which I expect, maybe Kamara in for Bennett to increase hopefully our attacking options.

[BOO 0]

He''s the best distributer of the ball that we have, qualities that''s have been badly missing!

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="Yellow Wall"]Hughton does not necessarily want defensive players in his midfield, but he does want the best. If Fox was better than those players he would be playing, certainly he would be playing in front of Howson. [/quote]Bizarre because Howson''s record at NCFC is appalling.  I think he has 2 wins in 16 starts for us this season.   And a similarly poor showing last season. Perhaps one day he will show us why we signed him.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="Yellow Wall"]

I am sorry but I feel you are overestimating his ability[/quote]I did no such thing. I said if you want a player who can distribute the ball effectively, imaginatively and quickly, and who does not give the ball away Fox is your man.  No wonder we have to do so much defending this season given we have the 2nd worse passing accuracy as a team in the premiership.As for Hughton.  I think we have a stronger squad than last season due to his excellent signings.  I also think the team is less than the sum of its parts under his management this season.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="Citizen Journalist Foghorn"] 3rd worse passing accuracy as a team in the premiership.  (ahead of Stoke and Reading)[/quote]

[morty 0]

[quote user="Citizen Journalist Foghorn"][quote user="morty"]Personally I think, the key point for me, is the full backs. Our solidity in defence has a lot to do with their orders to stay there, rather than bomb forward often. [/quote]That is where someone like Whittaker could do a job. He is much better as an attacking full back than R Martin.  Perhaps that is why Hughts sticks with Martin, for solidity and keeping the shape.  A bit strange given Whittaker played the vast majority of the unbeaten run. (R Martin has 3 wins all season)[/quote]But thats kind of the point. We have sacrificed full backs getting forward for being tighter defensively. Its a shame, but its all part of our process of growing up into being a proper team. That said, if you are playing two defensive midfielders then the odd foray forward from a full back shouldn''t be out of the question.

[Yellow Wal 314]

You may feel it is strange after what has been written but in some ways I fully agree with you.

Our midfield should be more attacking and players playing in those central positions should have contributed goals this season.

I just feel that David Fox will not contribute this. He is not renowned for scoring and his defensive qualities are quite poor at times.

Howson, I''m afraid, is the disappointment for me. I hoped that he could live up to some of the hype he was given when he joined, but he has not. Unfortunately because of Fox''s inadequacies, and I accept that he is a better passer than Howson, I still would prefer Howson, and that is disappointing.

This position is, I am sure, one that will be improved in the summer.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="Yellow Wall"]You may feel it is strange after what has been written but in some ways I fully agree with you.

Our midfield should be more attacking and players playing in those central positions should have contributed goals this season.

I just feel that David Fox will not contribute this. He is not renowned for scoring and his defensive qualities are quite poor at times.

Howson, I''m afraid, is the disappointment for me. I hoped that he could live up to some of the hype he was given when he joined, but he has not. Unfortunately because of Fox''s inadequacies, and I accept that he is a better passer than Howson, I still would prefer Howson, and that is disappointing.

This position is, I am sure, one that will be improved in the summer.[/quote]I just feel that a player who was third in POTS last year has been scandalously underused this season - 7 premiership minutes.  I do not think Fox is "The Messiah", but I do feel that he offers qualities in central midfield noone else has.  Given our relegation form of one win in 14 games and our inability to create chances it is disapointing Hughton does not have the vision to utilise the squad.  Howson has been underwhelming so far. Slow and laboured both with the ball and without it. No good coming forward and not offering a lot defensively either.  Our record when he starts is that of a team finishing bottom of the league.On the poistive side for Fox, we did score a goal during the 7 minutes he played this year.

[railwaycanary 0]

Fox should be in the side every time over Howson as his contribution is negligible, Fox even if he isn''t match fit would have far more influence, Hughtons pigheadedness is absolutely mystifying, if Howson is to play at all it should be in Wes''s position, and no wonder Holty is frustrated when Kamara is picked ahead of him, if KK doesn''t show some improvement he will be back in the MLS.