comment by Sheepthrills (U1954)
posted 5 minutes ago
On a positive note I hope Nugent starts on Tuesday
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...but where? Bent is scoring goals. It seems from his cameos that Nugent might be more Martin-esque in his bringing others into play, holding up and having midfielders run past him, but it'd be a huge gamble to drop a striker who is scoring.

He has not yet confided in me 666, so I don't know for sure. Johnson also played against Leicester so my best guess is that he wanted to keep a spine of sorts while changing the rest.

The midfield three that started on Saturday have done well previously. I thought the selection was reasonable, however they all played rubbish. He was right to change it although I would have liked to have seen De Sart rather than Butterfield coming on. De Sart having played 120 minutes vs Leicester I was not surprised he didn't start.

Could it be that McClaren struggles when the pressure is on, (play-off final, England, Newcastle)?

I'm not having a go BTW, just making an observation.

I would definitely like to see Nugent over Bent. Like Spart's fave Jordan Rhodes, Bent's goals mask his overall lack of contribution and the fact that having an invisible centre-forward affects the whole dynamic of the team and ultimately contributes to conceding possession, losing control of games and making it easier for team who play against us. Bent is better coming on to try to poach a goal than leading the line from the start.

I'm not against the idea at all, just think it's unlikely given that Bent scored two and got MoTM.

Nugent isn't match fit and obviously won't be until we give him matches but, unlike Camara, isn't likely to flatter to deceive with late cameo appearances as an impact sub and then play like 'George Weah's cousin' when he gets a start. Nugent for an hour or so, Bent on when he tires, seems like a plan unless of course Bent has some personal milestone that he fancies, in which case we must play him irrespective of form or circumstance, apparently.

Maybe McLaren continues to pick Keogh in the hope that this will lead to a fatal myocardial infarction on the part of everybody's favourite pasty-muncher. In which case, it's very hard to argue with the wisdom of the selection.

A more disturbing feature of the game was that we conceded yet again from a far post corner. Carson, Keogh and Pearce control the centre of the box OK and Bent takes the near post (with sometimes comic results) and Johnson is supposed to take the far post. We have no one else who is commanding in the air since Fozzies injury. I am surprised Bristol didn't exploit this more but they only had 3 corners of which one was after Johnson was subbed, so one goal in 3 isn't bad except for us.

#McClarenOUT2017 #MistaKeogh #CB4 #ThrillsKnows #WGT

comment by I'm not Spartacus. and definitely not Vidal (U4603)
posted 2 minutes ago
A more disturbing feature of the game was that we conceded yet again from a far post corner. Carson, Keogh and Pearce control the centre of the box OK and Bent takes the near post (with sometimes comic results) and Johnson is supposed to take the far post. We have no one else who is commanding in the air since Fozzies injury. I am surprised Bristol didn't exploit this more but they only had 3 corners of which one was after Johnson was subbed, so one goal in 3 isn't bad except for us.
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Keogh, watching his man rather than the flight of the ball, ran with his beyond the near post and so well under the cross. Not sure who was supposed to be marking who after that but we either need to go zonal or everyone marks their man; it looked a bit of a shambles to be honest. Keogh followed his man before the ball was kicked so cannot be blamed for his position for the first and we can't be surprised to be dominated at set pieces when we've sent out a team which in comparison looks like a Filipino XI against the Harlem Globetrotters.

comment by I'm not Spartacus. and definitely not Vidal (U4603)
posted 32 minutes ago
A more disturbing feature of the game was that we conceded yet again from a far post corner. Carson, Keogh and Pearce control the centre of the box OK and Bent takes the near post (with sometimes comic results) and Johnson is supposed to take the far post. We have no one else who is commanding in the air since Fozzies injury. I am surprised Bristol didn't exploit this more but they only had 3 corners of which one was after Johnson was subbed, so one goal in 3 isn't bad except for us.
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Seeing as VC is not awake yet, I thought Id state that out best defender at corners for the last couple of years has been Mr C Martin.....

No goals for CM since deadline day passed. Hauled off before the hour was up on Saturday.

comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted 1 minute ago
No goals for CM since deadline day passed. Hauled off before the hour was up on Saturday.
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But he could replace Keogh

On Saturday, Abrahams treated Keogh with the contempt that he treats the driving laws in this Country. ie: he ignores their presence

The last three games I have seen we have conceded from far post corners. I am certain Neil Warnock must have noticed so McClaren better get some coaching done and PDQ.

Will we be able to hold out to Cardiff who play a very simple but occasionally effective game of putting the ball in the box and let's see what happens?

Colin will be Colin tomorrow. There will be a time wasting extravaganza.

comment by 666 ⚽️ (U11795)
posted 6 hours, 11 minutes ago
McClaren set up the team and then changed it when it wasn't working; that's what he's paid to do, to put the club first over the individuals. Everyone here knows I'm a fan of #CB4 but if he deserved subbing then he should be subbed, no question about it.

If they weren't fit, which seems to be the consensus regarding both Bryson and Will, then that's a poor decision by McClaren. He was obviously desperate for a result on Saturday having put himself and the club in the centre of the FA Cup 5hitstorm in midweek and may have taken risks that he shouldn't have, but both Hughes and Bryson were apparently panting hard after about ten minutes. With Johnson dropping too deep (why BJ rather than de Sart?!!) that left the centre defended by Hughes and Bryson and neither of those is comfortable in that role; we all know it, why doesn't McClaren? With BJ too deep and offering no midfield assistance, we were effectively with the same midfield pair that saw Pearson sacked.
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A reasonable, well balanced comment, 666

See, you can do it, when you take the plank out of your eye !

comment by 🏁AnglianRam🏁 (U17428)
posted 16 minutes ago
comment by 666 ⚽️ (U11795)
posted 6 hours, 11 minutes ago
McClaren set up the team and then changed it when it wasn't working; that's what he's paid to do, to put the club first over the individuals. Everyone here knows I'm a fan of #CB4 but if he deserved subbing then he should be subbed, no question about it.

If they weren't fit, which seems to be the consensus regarding both Bryson and Will, then that's a poor decision by McClaren. He was obviously desperate for a result on Saturday having put himself and the club in the centre of the FA Cup 5hitstorm in midweek and may have taken risks that he shouldn't have, but both Hughes and Bryson were apparently panting hard after about ten minutes. With Johnson dropping too deep (why BJ rather than de Sart?!!) that left the centre defended by Hughes and Bryson and neither of those is comfortable in that role; we all know it, why doesn't McClaren? With BJ too deep and offering no midfield assistance, we were effectively with the same midfield pair that saw Pearson sacked.
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A reasonable, well balanced comment, 666

See, you can do it, when you take the plank out of your eye !
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So I'm allowed an opinion today because it accords with your own..?

How gracious of you.

comment by 666 ⚽️ (U11795)
posted 14 seconds ago
comment by 🏁AnglianRam🏁 (U17428)
posted 16 minutes ago
comment by 666 ⚽️ (U11795)
posted 6 hours, 11 minutes ago
McClaren set up the team and then changed it when it wasn't working; that's what he's paid to do, to put the club first over the individuals. Everyone here knows I'm a fan of #CB4 but if he deserved subbing then he should be subbed, no question about it.

If they weren't fit, which seems to be the consensus regarding both Bryson and Will, then that's a poor decision by McClaren. He was obviously desperate for a result on Saturday having put himself and the club in the centre of the FA Cup 5hitstorm in midweek and may have taken risks that he shouldn't have, but both Hughes and Bryson were apparently panting hard after about ten minutes. With Johnson dropping too deep (why BJ rather than de Sart?!!) that left the centre defended by Hughes and Bryson and neither of those is comfortable in that role; we all know it, why doesn't McClaren? With BJ too deep and offering no midfield assistance, we were effectively with the same midfield pair that saw Pearson sacked.
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A reasonable, well balanced comment, 666

See, you can do it, when you take the plank out of your eye !
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So I'm allowed an opinion today because it accords with your own..?

How gracious of you.
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Of course you're allowed it !
Doesn't mean I always have to concur, though

Never suggested otherwise, except obviously it all means nothing anyway as neither of us went, so it's all moot.

I went and I'm beginning to wonder about Pearce.

I think when Martin loses his speed he could become a centre half. John Charles made that move and it worked well. I think a fat horrible bloke who played for us a few times did the same thing when he was at Birmingham or Notts Forest, but that wasn't so successful.

Do you mean Burns?

I thought Pearce was a bit off his game on Saturday but that seems to happen to all players - except Jake Buxton?

Yes Ramdini I do mean Kenneth!

Quite right about the great Bucko