No cause for alarm. Yesterday we were missing arguably our 3 most creative players, Holmes, Marshall and Reeves. Once you add those 3 in and take out 2/3 of the starting XI we have a relatively good bench
We were told Clarke was first choice no.10 and so far he's lived up to that billing
Was debating this with my son yesterday. What exactly do they have in mind for Reeves - shoe-horn him in to an unfamiliar position or replace Clarke, one of our more successful recent acquisitions? Clarke has cemented his place imo
We were told Clarke was first choice no.10 and so far he's lived up to that billing
Was debating this with my son yesterday. What exactly do they have in mind for Reeves - shoe-horn him in to an unfamiliar position or replace Clarke, one of our more successful recent acquisitions? Clarke has cemented his place imo
Was wondering this myself during the match
There is such an eagerness to see Reeves play it surely means Clarke has to be dropped else were putting square pegs into round holes by playing one out wide
We can't moan about a lack of depth then question why we have Reeves and Clarke. We should have this problem in more positions.
Reeves has played on the right for MK Dons, there could be room for both of them in positions they're comfortable with.
No moaning from me Scoham, I just wouldn't want to see him step in and replace Clarke. It'll be interesting to see what happens when Reeves and Marshall are both fit, whenever that may be.
Is one question I'd love to ask Robinson: When all fit who would you drop out of: Reeves | Clarke | Marshall | Holmes... After 10mins of talk though I'd probably be none the wiser
We were told Clarke was first choice no.10 and so far he's lived up to that billing
Was debating this with my son yesterday. What exactly do they have in mind for Reeves - shoe-horn him in to an unfamiliar position or replace Clarke, one of our more successful recent acquisitions? Clarke has cemented his place imo
We were told Clarke was first choice no.10 and so far he's lived up to that billing
Was debating this with my son yesterday. What exactly do they have in mind for Reeves - shoe-horn him in to an unfamiliar position or replace Clarke, one of our more successful recent acquisitions? Clarke has cemented his place imo
Was wondering this myself during the match
There is such an eagerness to see Reeves play it surely means Clarke has to be dropped else were putting square pegs into round holes by playing one out wide
We can't moan about a lack of depth then question why we have Reeves and Clarke. We should have this problem in more positions.
Reeves has played on the right for MK Dons, there could be room for both of them in positions they're comfortable with.
No moaning from me Scoham, I just wouldn't want to see him step in and replace Clarke. It'll be interesting to see what happens when Reeves and Marshall are both fit, whenever that may be.
Is one question I'd love to ask Robinson: When all fit who would you drop out of: Reeves | Clarke | Marshall | Holmes... After 10mins of talk though I'd probably be none the wiser
We were told Clarke was first choice no.10 and so far he's lived up to that billing
Was debating this with my son yesterday. What exactly do they have in mind for Reeves - shoe-horn him in to an unfamiliar position or replace Clarke, one of our more successful recent acquisitions? Clarke has cemented his place imo
We were told Clarke was first choice no.10 and so far he's lived up to that billing
Was debating this with my son yesterday. What exactly do they have in mind for Reeves - shoe-horn him in to an unfamiliar position or replace Clarke, one of our more successful recent acquisitions? Clarke has cemented his place imo
Was wondering this myself during the match
There is such an eagerness to see Reeves play it surely means Clarke has to be dropped else were putting square pegs into round holes by playing one out wide
We can't moan about a lack of depth then question why we have Reeves and Clarke. We should have this problem in more positions.
Reeves has played on the right for MK Dons, there could be room for both of them in positions they're comfortable with.
No moaning from me Scoham, I just wouldn't want to see him step in and replace Clarke. It'll be interesting to see what happens when Reeves and Marshall are both fit, whenever that may be.
Is one question I'd love to ask Robinson: When all fit who would you drop out of: Reeves | Clarke | Marshall | Holmes... After 10mins of talk though I'd probably be none the wiser
Niether would he
He'd probably give me the response of: What was the question again?
(1) 19 shots on goal of which 8 on target but only one goal to show for it; or
(2) 540 minutes of football played ,6 games and 6 defeats ,0 points , 0 goals scored and 13 conceded
One is in a pub League and one in the Premiership
There are Sunday teams with better records than Man Utd this season
This 'League One is a pub league' mentality is absolute Billy Big-Bollocks horseshit
While I have to agree with you here I still believe it's the weakest league one I've seen for a few years. There is no Sheffield utd,Sheffield Wednesday or Leeds this season. Had we strengthend properly this summer we would have had a great chance of automatic promotion. But yet again we didn't.
I'd argue, without having seen everyone in the league this year, that while there aren't the big names like Hudds or Sheff Wed/United or Southampton, there is a lot more strength in depth in teams. I do think there is a trickle down effect in that while Premier League clubs can spend more and more on players, decent players who maybe even five or ten years ago would have been in a Premier League squad are pushed down the divisions.
Blackburn, a team I think was in Europe in the last decade, and Wigan who won the League Cup like five years ago are in this division and I'd argue both are big names. But I think the fact that the table is so tight is 1) because it's still very early doors and 2) I think this is a league where anyone can beat anyone on a given day.
A lot of you people seem to forget that this is a third division team. We were the better one today, but often lacked the final ball which is not uncommon in Premiership sides. Our goal was class, as was Clarke; best player on the pitch.
In his post-match interview Robinson said 'But you can't just rely on Joe coming on to score a goal - he’s still a young player learning his trade'. So there's the manager complaining that his temporary loan signing, and our only other striker, isn't good enough to change games for us. Brilliant. Really glad we chucked off all our other strikers and just brought him in as cover then. It's just the same mistakes every single season.
Perhaps Joe and KAG would do better if they were played in the positions they some experience and have been coached to play rather than sticking them out on the wing. The number of times we had 3 or even 4 players out on the wing trying to supply 1 easily marked striker in the middle is really just a demonstration of how other teams have now worked out Robinson's tactic.
Or that we just don't have anyone other than Josh to fill the striker roll. That's not Robinson's tactics being "worked out" just the reality of our once again unbalanced squad.
It's possible, however, that we only have one striker because of Robinson's tactics, i.e. it's not that attractive to be the back-up to one man, much like the issue with second-choice keepers. Novak, for example, might have taken a different view if Robinson was more flexible, because he'd have had more opportunities to play.
I'd argue that we might not have players like Reeves or Clarkw if we played 4-4-2. I'd rather have them than Novak.
It's clear Robinson wanted another player, and maybe some were put off by being back-up to Magennis, but how many players are actually available who have the quality to compete with him? We talk about Grigg but were Wigan actually going to let him go? For the life of me I can't see why they would.
To me it sounds like Novak sort of voiced his desire to leave late on, but also it has shown the problem in only scouting British players. We were literally able to name all the players in England who might be good enough and might be available (Godden, Akinde, Madvididi, Taylor). We all know British players are more expensive and often require higher wages. I think we've swung too far from one extreme of signing anyone from the continent who might have resale value to the other which is seemingly no interest in anyone not on this island.
A lot of you people seem to forget that this is a third division team. We were the better one today, but often lacked the final ball which is not uncommon in Premiership sides. Our goal was class, as was Clarke; best player on the pitch.
In his post-match interview Robinson said 'But you can't just rely on Joe coming on to score a goal - he’s still a young player learning his trade'. So there's the manager complaining that his temporary loan signing, and our only other striker, isn't good enough to change games for us. Brilliant. Really glad we chucked off all our other strikers and just brought him in as cover then. It's just the same mistakes every single season.
Perhaps Joe and KAG would do better if they were played in the positions they some experience and have been coached to play rather than sticking them out on the wing. The number of times we had 3 or even 4 players out on the wing trying to supply 1 easily marked striker in the middle is really just a demonstration of how other teams have now worked out Robinson's tactic.
Or that we just don't have anyone other than Josh to fill the striker roll. That's not Robinson's tactics being "worked out" just the reality of our once again unbalanced squad.
Robinson could try playing Dodoo and KAG as a second striker along Magennis for part of the game - other sides are capable of changing their formation during the game.
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
Hands up who would rather have another striker than Reeves
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
Hands up who would rather have another striker than Reeves
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
Hands up who would rather have another striker than Reeves
A decent striker would have been a far more useful asset so far, though partially that's due to the complete absence of Reeves 5/6 weeks into the league season
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
Hands up who would rather have another striker than Reeves
A decent striker would have been a far more useful asset so far, though partially that's due to the complete absence of Reeves 5/6 weeks into the league season
Right, we're 9 games in. It's a 46 game season. And again, what striker do we think we'd be getting because it wouldn't be Grigg or Taylor?
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
Hands up who would rather have another striker than Reeves
A decent striker would have been a far more useful asset so far, though partially that's due to the complete absence of Reeves 5/6 weeks into the league season
Right, we're 9 games in. It's a 46 game season. And again, what striker do we think we'd be getting because it wouldn't be Grigg or Taylor?
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
Hands up who would rather have another striker than Reeves
A decent striker would have been a far more useful asset so far, though partially that's due to the complete absence of Reeves 5/6 weeks into the league season
Right, we're 9 games in. It's a 46 game season. And again, what striker do we think we'd be getting because it wouldn't be Grigg or Taylor?
Someone better than Dodoo and at least as good as Magennis wouldn't have been beyond the realms of possibility
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
Hands up who would rather have another striker than Reeves
A decent striker would have been a far more useful asset so far, though partially that's due to the complete absence of Reeves 5/6 weeks into the league season
Right, we're 9 games in. It's a 46 game season. And again, what striker do we think we'd be getting because it wouldn't be Grigg or Taylor?
The thing is Robinson is spending Duchatalatet's money whichever way you look at it & this guy hasn't been to a Charlton game since when? Feb 2014?? We are owned by a guy who just isn't interested - so I would agree that Robinson's hands are tied & how is he - or any coach for that matter - ever going to convince RD to spend more money than allocated because the bloke just doesn't care. We have zero ambition.
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
This in spades. You only have to look at two teams - Arsenal & Liverpool - who both had players wanting to leave & even had big money on the table for them. Both teams decided that as they couldn't get a replacement they couldn't leave. Simple as.
I just hope that KR isn't a father because I can see his children getting anything they want. No backbone.
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
SLP (I think it was) first reported it a week or two before the window shut, and I think Robinson then confirmed that he sat down with Novak and his agent around then. It was definitely no earlier than mid-August.
As for telling him no, I mean part of me wishes we had but is it worth it to keep a player, who is on a decent wage, around when he doesn't want to be there?
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
Hands up who would rather have another striker than Reeves
Me. Said this when he signed & have said so every week since then.
A striker would score more goals than he will & goals win games. Apart from the Wigan game the main reason why we have been struggling of late is that we can't kill teams off because we aren't scoring enough goals. As mentioned above; KR could try playing 2 up top for a couple of games & se where that gets us. he wont of course & so we will continue to fall down the table.
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
Hands up who would rather have another striker than Reeves
Me. Said this when he signed & have said so every week since then.
A striker would score more goals than he will & goals win games. Apart from the Wigan game the main reason why we have been struggling of late is that we can't kill teams off because we aren't scoring enough goals. As mentioned above; KR could try playing 2 up top for a couple of games & se where that gets us. he wont of course & so we will continue to fall down the table.
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
SLP (I think it was) first reported it a week or two before the window shut, and I think Robinson then confirmed that he sat down with Novak and his agent around then. It was definitely no earlier than mid-August.
As for telling him no, I mean part of me wishes we had but is it worth it to keep a player, who is on a decent wage, around when he doesn't want to be there?
This is what happens when you have no squad depth. End up playing the same way, get found out, no options to change things up. Its all very familiar and predictable.
No squad in L1 has depth.
I wouldn't agree with that. I would say any team can have depth regardless of the level. Obviously the quality of the depth wouldn't be the same as, say, the Premier League but it's all relative to the Division you're in.
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
I just hope that KR isn't a father because I can see his children getting anything they want. No backbone.
KR was impressed by the fact that KM was very nice to his daughter.
No cause for alarm. Yesterday we were missing arguably our 3 most creative players, Holmes, Marshall and Reeves. Once you add those 3 in and take out 2/3 of the starting XI we have a relatively good bench
We were missing those three but, apart from Holmes, not sure about the creativity part seeing as neither Marshall or Reeves has shown us what they can do. They, possibly, will either be perpetually injured or not as good as we've been led to believe. Seen it all before.
(1) 19 shots on goal of which 8 on target but only one goal to show for it; or
(2) 540 minutes of football played ,6 games and 6 defeats ,0 points , 0 goals scored and 13 conceded
One is in a pub League and one in the Premiership
There are Sunday teams with better records than Man Utd this season
This 'League One is a pub league' mentality is absolute Billy Big-Bollocks horseshit
While I have to agree with you here I still believe it's the weakest league one I've seen for a few years. There is no Sheffield utd,Sheffield Wednesday or Leeds this season. Had we strengthend properly this summer we would have had a great chance of automatic promotion. But yet again we didn't.
This is what happens when you have no squad depth. End up playing the same way, get found out, no options to change things up. Its all very familiar and predictable.
No squad in L1 has depth.
I wouldn't agree with that. I would say any team can have depth regardless of the level. Obviously the quality of the depth wouldn't be the same as, say, the Premier League but it's all relative to the Division you're in.
But the team does have some depth - It is just it doesn't have it in a key area. An area that it is simply stupid not to have it in!
Magennis is not the answer, in January if we want to win promotion or make the play offs we need a player that can hold the ball and play smart football. He is devoid of much natural / technical skill, and very rarely is he able to hold the ball and release pressure by holding up play to allow the midfield and defence to move up. A man by the name Yann was an absolute genius at this...
On ability Yann should never have had to drop to League 1, I don't think we can expect to sign players of his quality while we're at this level.
What we ideally should have is two reasonably proven strikers to compete with Magennis. He's a good player for this league even if he wouldn't be the answer in the Championship.
I can't believe Novak wanting to leave just happened on the 29th August. Either it happened much earlier, in which case we had ample time to being in someone, but if Novak did spring it on KR at the last moment, he could have said no, it's too late to find a replacement, you can go in January
I just hope that KR isn't a father because I can see his children getting anything they want. No backbone.
KR was impressed by the fact that KM was very nice to his daughter.
Comments
Blackburn, a team I think was in Europe in the last decade, and Wigan who won the League Cup like five years ago are in this division and I'd argue both are big names. But I think the fact that the table is so tight is 1) because it's still very early doors and 2) I think this is a league where anyone can beat anyone on a given day.
It's clear Robinson wanted another player, and maybe some were put off by being back-up to Magennis, but how many players are actually available who have the quality to compete with him? We talk about Grigg but were Wigan actually going to let him go? For the life of me I can't see why they would.
To me it sounds like Novak sort of voiced his desire to leave late on, but also it has shown the problem in only scouting British players. We were literally able to name all the players in England who might be good enough and might be available (Godden, Akinde, Madvididi, Taylor). We all know British players are more expensive and often require higher wages. I think we've swung too far from one extreme of signing anyone from the continent who might have resale value to the other which is seemingly no interest in anyone not on this island.
I just hope that KR isn't a father because I can see his children getting anything they want. No backbone.
As for telling him no, I mean part of me wishes we had but is it worth it to keep a player, who is on a decent wage, around when he doesn't want to be there?
Edit: Here's an article from Aug 24 where Robinson addresses the Novak rumor.
And here's the original SLP article from Aug 21 about him leaving.
Should be said that he could have wanted away for a while and just started pressing the issue end of August.
A striker would score more goals than he will & goals win games. Apart from the Wigan game the main reason why we have been struggling of late is that we can't kill teams off because we aren't scoring enough goals. As mentioned above; KR could try playing 2 up top for a couple of games & se where that gets us. he wont of course & so we will continue to fall down the table.
We've got Reeves
Slade did manage to find Magennis in the first place. To judge from some views it's hard to see how that could have happened.
What we ideally should have is two reasonably proven strikers to compete with Magennis. He's a good player for this league even if he wouldn't be the answer in the Championship.