Disappointed he didn't tuck away that 1 on 1 second half. Good alround performance, encouraging for the future, but a goal there would of given him a big boost IMO
wrong foot, if it had been on the other side I would have been annoyed, but for his first game in a long while he did well, wanted to play facing goal, and the seeds of the partnership with big Chris are there
[cite]Posted By: Rothko[/cite]wanted to play facing goal
youve picked out the key thing there.
That was the thing for me, the other strikers are quite happy to get the ball with their backs to goal, Varney wants it in front of him, and he's off, the times he got down the channels, and wanted to go at goal were really good to watch
Actually, I think the key to what Rothko said there was "wrong foot".
On two or three occassions early doors he was played into a decent position on the left to either forge on and shoot or whip over a cross but every time he wanted to cut back onto his right. I sussed it after 5 or 10 mins, and so did the Norwich defence.
Still, a promising start. He looked tidy, although was a bit smaller than I expected for someone who is not blessed with pace.
1. Iwelumo - Strong aerial with some ability on the ground
2. Varney - skillfull, some pace and (hopefully a real strikers instinct)
3. Tody - classy, link up player who can score goals
4. McLeod - Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrooooooommmmmm!!!!!!!!!!
Last year we had
Darren Bent
and a bunch of crap
Ok its the Championship but I doubt that any other team in this division has this kind of balanced and varied attack.
To think that when Benty was injured last year our attacking options were Marcus Bent and Jimmy Fattelbaink is a real indictment of the poor transfer policy of Curbs/Dowie.
In fact, Benty aside, you could make a case that we have a stronger squad this year than we did last year especially in midfield and up front.
I thought Varney was magic. He caused them no end of problems with hsi Thierry Henry esq movement out left and the bloke wanted to shoot from outside the box.
This is harsh as it was his first start. He got into great space wide to run onto the ball but it meant there was often no one to get onto the cross. More to do with Sam and ZZ not making the late runs perhaps or hsi pace leaving the rest of the team behind.
As has been said always wanted to get it onto his good foot and should have done better with the 1 on 1 but when he and Big Chris/Toddy/Lightening McLeod get a partnership going he will be very good for us.
I know it was only his first game but I was pretty disappointed with him to be honest. He didn't look particularly quick and was always too far away from Big Chris to pick up the flick ons. Showed a real lack of composure in the 1 on 1 with the keeper.
Thought McCleod showed more in 10-15 minutes than Varney showed all night.
[cite]Posted By: Barn Door Lisbie[/cite]I know it was only his first game but I was pretty disappointed with him to be honest. He didn't look particularly quick and was always too far away from Big Chris to pick up the flick ons. .
That'll come with game time, thought there was the start of a promising partnership there
[cite]Posted By: Barn Door Lisbie[/cite]I know it was only his first game but I was pretty disappointed with him to be honest. He didn't look particularly quick and was always too far away from Big Chris to pick up the flick ons. Showed a real lack of composure in the 1 on 1 with the keeper.
Thought McCleod showed more in 10-15 minutes than Varney showed all night.
Maybe your expectations were/are a tad high for the lad
[quote][cite]Posted By: Barn Door Lisbie[/cite]I know it was only his first game but I was pretty disappointed with him to be honest. He didn't look particularly quick and was always too far away from Big Chris to pick up the flick ons. Showed a real lack of composure in the 1 on 1 with the keeper.
Thought McCleod showed more in 10-15 minutes than Varney showed all night.[/quote]
Bit harsh BDL. he's not as quick as Mcloed, but this was his first meaningful match of the season. He was always a willing runner into the channels, looked to play facing the goal and he wasn't scared to have a shot either. He was also being pushed, pulled and hacked to bits for most of the game. Not sure about the composure issue for the one on one chance, it was on his weaker foot and I thought the keeper did well.
McLeod was getting slated by some (well NorthStandSteve actually : - 0 ) a few weeks ago and now it's Varney. I think we just need to remember they are young, just coming into a very changed and changing side and making a step up from Div 3 and Div 4. Same goes for Samedo (who is all of 22)Yassin and Racon coming to a new club, new country etc.
I know each player has flaws but I'm feeling really postive about the squad right now .For the Norwich and Palace games we've been able to bring on a striker to win the game late on. Seen it done to us so many times when the other side has an ace in the hole and we've conceded.
Nice for us to be the big team with the bench to turn a game.
[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]
Nice for us to be the big team
Perhaps its just my pessimistic outlook, but there is still a nagging doubt with me that we aren't as much the big team as we think we are. We had a lot of possession last night, but other than that Varney 1 on 1, we didn't really create any clear cut chances from open play, and we still look frail defensively.
A win and good performance against Leicester though will certainly ease those doubts, and we will then be able to look back and say its been a very good start to the season. Home games are vital to us while the team is still finding its feet.
[cite]Posted By: Ledge Knows[/cite]I thought Varney was magic. He caused them no end of problems with hsi Thierry Henry esq movement out left and the bloke wanted to shoot from outside the box.
The only problem is that he wanted to transfer everything to his right foot. Still an encouraging performance.
[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]
Nice for us to be the big team
Perhaps its just my pessimistic outlook, but there is still a nagging doubt with me that we aren't as much the big team as we think we are. We had a lot of possession last night, but other than that Varney 1 on 1, we didn't really create any clear cut chances from open play, and we still look frail defensively.
A win and good performance against Leicester though will certainly ease those doubts, and we will then be able to look back and say its been a very good start to the season. Home games are vital to us while the team is still finding its feet.
It's your pessimistic outlook ; - )
IF we beat Leicester then it is 14 pts from 7 games. Bang on promotion form and we may even move up to 2nd.
I don't think we will just walk this league, as last night showed, but I think we have just that little bit of extra class and depth plus now the bite to do very well.
But as the Inspector says ask me again when we've been spanked by Bristol City or Blackpool.
If someone had offered me this start back before the Scunny game I would have bitten their arm off and we are only going to get stronger.
This is a totally new team which lost its first choice centre-half (Diawara) right on the start of the campaign and has also had bad injuries to Holland, Varney and Mouataokil to cope with.
This team are still gelling together but you could not have wished for a better start realistically and I can only see us getting better and better. Yes, there will be some speed bumps along the way but I really feel that in Weaver, Reid, Ambrose, Zheng and Todorov we have some of the best players in this Division.
The inclusion of Ambrose on that list might surprise people but when you look back at the action on TV you see that he has played a big, big role in the final third for us although, admittedly, he can go missing at times.
Moreover, we have a huge squad with bags of strength in depth and the signings of Mills and Sodje might well prove to be masterstrokes by Pards.
I'm not slating him and I don't doubt that he will be a big plus for us this season, simply saying that, based on last nights performances, I thought McCloed was more impressive. Varney seemed to playing a similar role to big Chris and I was expecting him to be more the main attacker looking to get in the box rather than work the channels.
I wouldn't mind seeing a Varney/McCleod partnership at some point.
[cite]Posted By: Barn Door Lisbie[/cite]I'm not slating him and I don't doubt that he will be a big plus for us this season, simply saying that, based on last nights performances, I thought McCloed was more impressive. Varney seemed to playing a similar role to big Chris and I was expecting him to be more the main attacker looking to get in the box rather than work the channels.
I wouldn't mind seeing a Varney/McCleod partnership at some point.
Varney was coming short into the hole to link up play and also getting wide into the left hand channel. He an Big Chris need to work on their understanding but I liked the way he wasn't afraid to shoot on sight. You need variety in attack and we have got that for the first time in a long while. I hope all the strikers keep one another on their toes by playing well and scoring when they are in the team. The tactical options that Pards now has coupled with the competition for the shirt is a pretty potent combination.
Comments
youve picked out the key thing there.
Opponents will be terrified of his pace and as long as he gets in the right positions at the right times, he'll score plenty.
That was the thing for me, the other strikers are quite happy to get the ball with their backs to goal, Varney wants it in front of him, and he's off, the times he got down the channels, and wanted to go at goal were really good to watch
On two or three occassions early doors he was played into a decent position on the left to either forge on and shoot or whip over a cross but every time he wanted to cut back onto his right. I sussed it after 5 or 10 mins, and so did the Norwich defence.
Still, a promising start. He looked tidy, although was a bit smaller than I expected for someone who is not blessed with pace.
Thought he looked like he looked pacy and someone who timed his runs well
;o)
It strikes me as amazing that we now have
1. Iwelumo - Strong aerial with some ability on the ground
2. Varney - skillfull, some pace and (hopefully a real strikers instinct)
3. Tody - classy, link up player who can score goals
4. McLeod - Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrooooooommmmmm!!!!!!!!!!
Last year we had
Darren Bent
and a bunch of crap
Ok its the Championship but I doubt that any other team in this division has this kind of balanced and varied attack.
To think that when Benty was injured last year our attacking options were Marcus Bent and Jimmy Fattelbaink is a real indictment of the poor transfer policy of Curbs/Dowie.
In fact, Benty aside, you could make a case that we have a stronger squad this year than we did last year especially in midfield and up front.
As has been said always wanted to get it onto his good foot and should have done better with the 1 on 1 but when he and Big Chris/Toddy/Lightening McLeod get a partnership going he will be very good for us.
And I hear he's quite easy on the eye as well.
Thought McCleod showed more in 10-15 minutes than Varney showed all night.
That'll come with game time, thought there was the start of a promising partnership there
Maybe your expectations were/are a tad high for the lad
Thought McCleod showed more in 10-15 minutes than Varney showed all night.[/quote]
Bit harsh BDL. he's not as quick as Mcloed, but this was his first meaningful match of the season. He was always a willing runner into the channels, looked to play facing the goal and he wasn't scared to have a shot either. He was also being pushed, pulled and hacked to bits for most of the game. Not sure about the composure issue for the one on one chance, it was on his weaker foot and I thought the keeper did well.
I know each player has flaws but I'm feeling really postive about the squad right now .For the Norwich and Palace games we've been able to bring on a striker to win the game late on. Seen it done to us so many times when the other side has an ace in the hole and we've conceded.
Nice for us to be the big team with the bench to turn a game.
Perhaps its just my pessimistic outlook, but there is still a nagging doubt with me that we aren't as much the big team as we think we are. We had a lot of possession last night, but other than that Varney 1 on 1, we didn't really create any clear cut chances from open play, and we still look frail defensively.
A win and good performance against Leicester though will certainly ease those doubts, and we will then be able to look back and say its been a very good start to the season. Home games are vital to us while the team is still finding its feet.
The only problem is that he wanted to transfer everything to his right foot. Still an encouraging performance.
It's your pessimistic outlook ; - )
IF we beat Leicester then it is 14 pts from 7 games. Bang on promotion form and we may even move up to 2nd.
I don't think we will just walk this league, as last night showed, but I think we have just that little bit of extra class and depth plus now the bite to do very well.
But as the Inspector says ask me again when we've been spanked by Bristol City or Blackpool.
This is a totally new team which lost its first choice centre-half (Diawara) right on the start of the campaign and has also had bad injuries to Holland, Varney and Mouataokil to cope with.
This team are still gelling together but you could not have wished for a better start realistically and I can only see us getting better and better. Yes, there will be some speed bumps along the way but I really feel that in Weaver, Reid, Ambrose, Zheng and Todorov we have some of the best players in this Division.
The inclusion of Ambrose on that list might surprise people but when you look back at the action on TV you see that he has played a big, big role in the final third for us although, admittedly, he can go missing at times.
Moreover, we have a huge squad with bags of strength in depth and the signings of Mills and Sodje might well prove to be masterstrokes by Pards.
I wouldn't mind seeing a Varney/McCleod partnership at some point.
Varney was coming short into the hole to link up play and also getting wide into the left hand channel. He an Big Chris need to work on their understanding but I liked the way he wasn't afraid to shoot on sight. You need variety in attack and we have got that for the first time in a long while. I hope all the strikers keep one another on their toes by playing well and scoring when they are in the team. The tactical options that Pards now has coupled with the competition for the shirt is a pretty potent combination.