Quote:
Originally Posted by Outback Ozzy
we only have 20 or 21 due to financial irregularities earlier in the season and embargoes etc. JC saw fit to keep at that level until the end of the season.  |
we have a squad of 20? I thought it was 12! We have the 10 usual outfield players and 2 goalkeepers.
Players do get tired and it probably isn't fitness, more a case of mental tiredness. Don't forget this team has playing way above it's expected level for quite some time and something had to give. However, by resting a player here and there you can keep their focus at its peak for longer (apparently).
Symes and Grant could have been rested at any point for a more than able Kee.
Proctor, Ryan, and Joyce could have been rotated more than dropping or subbing the same player each time.
Miles could have been dropped way more often.
Kempson or Edwards could have been rested now and again for Flynn (an International Under 21 player).
Playing the same players every game gives room for individaul error and under par performances. Which is what we got. When a couple of results go against you, especially given the circumstances of the Rochdale match, then it becomes even harder for a tired team to raise all their performances at once.
Symes will have had his rest so will come back all guns blazing, hopefully, and Grant will have benefitted from an injury enforced break and will be fully fit by the time he gets his partner back. The back four look worryingly knackered so I dont know what is gonna happen there. But with a bit of luck and hopefully tonking Barnet on tuesday, we may get the confidence back up and anything
can still happen. We are one of four or five teams all battling for seventh spot. Whoever has the best run out of their last games will win that spot.
But how great is it to be arguing amongst ourselves whether we are disappointed to miss out on the play offs or whether we should be grateful to have been anywhere near them!!!!!!!! IMHO I am disappointed if we don't get there but I am very hopeful of a great 2011 because the only way Coley can keep up his 12 year improvement record will be to either get us into the play offs or get another job - hopefully it'll be number 1!
As for the Chris Turner thing - well it is agreed that we all think he is a crowd favourite because he takes people on. I like him because he probably the only player we have who wants to cross the ball at every opportunity - and very good at it he is! The problem with that is the team are used to having the wide men cut in (cos they're on their wrong foot?) towards the penalty box and play low balls across the six yard box, so there is rarely anybody gambling on the cross coming in. We all thought he should have featured more prior to Torquay but when he came on against them he was magnificent until we stopped passing to him. He should have started the next game purely on merit but didn't. That must be crushing for a young player like him who will be left wondering what he has to do to earn a spot. He did then get starts but was sacrificed in one (Barnet when Dunsavin got sent off) and rightly subbed in another. He'll come good but needs to have more than cameo spots - especially when Miles has his spot in the team secured on the basis of 'look what he
can do when he wants' Well if Turner played forty games a season I am sure he would create more chances than Miles, and at least he's involved in the tracking back game.
As far as the transparency thing is concerned - I dont give a monkeys!