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Post by workshyfop on Apr 2, 2024 22:16:59 GMT 1
Listening to Curtis Davies tonight was similar to someone scraping long finger nails down a blackboard. Excruciating. It might have been slightly easier on the ear if it hadn't been the usual 'say what you see' shite. wasn't it aaron mclean , ex posh cf? Curtis Davies in the studio, Aaron McLean on co-commentary. The former is quite dull, the latter has an annoying voice and played for Posh (as you say) so might have been talking sense but my ears were bleeding in protest at that point.
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Post by workshyfop on Apr 2, 2024 21:40:48 GMT 1
Pundits are worse in L1 too. Good game though, both teams far better than Town.
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Post by workshyfop on Apr 2, 2024 17:05:06 GMT 1
Hate to break this to you, but whilst this club is in the top 2 divisions, then more often than not we'll not be winning all the time. but what the 'losers' have done is win enough so we stay in the top 2 divisions. But, here’s the thing. The disappointment lies with the fact that a two-year stint in the Premier League usually guarantees being stable or challenging in the Championship not constant struggle. It’s why I rate Corberan so highly as the squad we’ve had since coming down has been relegation fodder and the side that finished third was only marginally better than the current one. For some reason, you’d need to ask your hero Hoyle, we didn’t see any benefit from the parachute payments or player sales on going back down. Of course, you think we’re entitled and it’s due to cheap season tickets! 🤦🏻♂️🤣
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Post by workshyfop on Apr 2, 2024 15:14:11 GMT 1
To retain at all costs: Goalkeepers: Nicholls, Maxwell Defenders: Helik, Headley, Spencer, Balker Midfielders: Rudoni, Thomas, Jones Forwards: Radulovic, Healey That’s your core. You then have the likes of Pearson, Lees, Hogg, Kasumu. Players who you want to retain but aren’t maybe as key as they were. The players who will be pushed out by a squad reshuffle, but who you still need in the squad until their place is taken. It’s never as easy as just saying ‘we need a new squad.’ The current squad has to form a nucleus of the next. So far, Balker, Radulovic and Healey have missed more games than they’ve played. Jones has been a prospect for three or four years, yet has never broken through, largely because of injuries. Headley is very hit and miss. I wish Diarra had been given half the opportunities some others have had. I agree it’s probably time to move on, but think there’s a player in there. Thomas will be onto his agent already, no doubt. Not sure you can build a team round those sorts of players. It’s no coincidence that Ipswich have used 17 players that have made at least 15 league appearances out of a possible 40 and only 3 of those did not contribute to their promotion campaign from last year. You need a consistent settled squad.
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Post by workshyfop on Apr 2, 2024 14:50:30 GMT 1
I wouldn’t be bothered if they let the lot go. Helik, Rudoni, Spencer and Nicholls are the only ones who are currently at the required level. Why anyone would want Hogg as a player-coach is beyond me? He’s limited technically and seems to shift the blame to others, maybe better as a fitness coach, but I was surprised he came back as captain after being sent off and suspended. Town fans (or perhaps it's just football fans in general?) seem to have this obsession with players going on to become the manager. Before Hogg it was Michael Hefele and before that it was Andy Booth and before that it was Darren Bullock. Just beyond weird. Bar one season, all Hogg has known at Huddersfield Town is losing. He's a big part of the losing mentality at the club and shouldn't be offered a new contract. We need a fresh start, with as many of the serial losers out of the door as possible. Otherwise, we'll never ever move on. Agreed. His one great season was alongside Mooy. That’s what we’ve missed. Even Wednesday have that with Bannan. The ability of our midfield has been shocking this season. I rate Rudoni, but also understand the frustration with him. Kasumu does some good work, but is always let down with his final pass/shot. Matos likewise grafts, but offers little creativity and is equally as likely to pick up a card as the others. I don’t know what to say about Wiles. I suspect he has some ability, but has found it difficult for whatever reason (possibly fitness).
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Post by workshyfop on Apr 2, 2024 14:39:55 GMT 1
I wouldn’t be bothered if they let the lot go. Helik, Rudoni, Spencer and Nicholls are the only ones who are currently at the required level. Why anyone would want Hogg as a player-coach is beyond me? He’s limited technically and seems to shift the blame to others, maybe better as a fitness coach, but I was surprised he came back as captain after being sent off and suspended.
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Post by workshyfop on Apr 1, 2024 12:57:24 GMT 1
Norwich City leading Leicester 1-0 - unusual corner set-piece (simple, yet never seen before) Great set-piece, but surely a foul (as there is on pretty much every corner). Anywhere else on the pitch, grabbing someone and pushing them so one of your teammates can get to the ball first and the referee gives a free-kick, yet the commentators and pundits never even comment. Bizarre.
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 31, 2024 20:39:24 GMT 1
If this were any other teams it would just be an another poor game but because it’s Man City and Arsenal it’s going to be called a tactical masterclass. Though it is refreshing to see top players can’t always pass the ball properly. Apparently Roy Keane said Haaland’s general play was like a league two player ! Was waiting for some VAR drama though . Might have livened things up however. That one where the ball fell to him in the six yard box and he missed the ball totally was unbelievable. I was starting to think the players had all lumped on 0-0. No goalscoring attempts, timewasting, world class players not being able to kick a ball. It was all very strange. That Liverpool v Man City game a few weeks ago was insanely like watching a different sport to what we’re used to.
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 30, 2024 11:54:42 GMT 1
Which in 10 years might only have 40 professional teams in it: premier league and a training/feeder league. Football is a business now and only the biggest firms survive.. that’s capitalism.. I firmly believe teams that fall out of the championship now won’t be here in the 20 years. People have been saying smaller clubs would all fold for about 40 years. before the premier division days I remember the padlocks been put on the gates at clubs like Middlesbrough and hull..Burnley were going to go..loads of clubs were teetering on the edge of oblivion.. Most were clubs in decrepit grounds getting crowds of 3 or 4000 They all survived and look them now.. Most clubs sell more tickets now than they have in almost all their history and most play in new stadiums and have training facilities that are on a different planet to what they once had. Think theres a problem with competitiveness between the very rich and everyone else. Not sure what can be done about that. But at the same time theres currently Luton, Bournemouth and Brentford in the top flight...3 clubs who traditionally most think of as 3rd tier clubs. So if you get enough right, clubs can still get to the top end. Leicester even showed its still even possible to win it if all the stars align. … and if you cheat FFP! 😉
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 29, 2024 23:17:08 GMT 1
Perhaps the saddest thing for me today was the lack of atmosphere and hope in the ground . In previous predicaments there has been real energy in the crowd to help the team. Today ( and I include myself in this ) it just felt like we’ve all just taken one hit too many. To have any chance of surviving, the ground needs to be bouncing with encouragement - but when you see the team not even being able to fulfill the basic task of passing the ball then hope just drains from your body. The fans need something to get behind and the players need to drive that, not the other way around. And that's the same for almost all English clubs....ok in Europe they sing all game regardless of result but in England it's not like that. We've had years of this shit and we know what to expect now unfortunately. In previous predicaments we had something to get behind e.g. Warnock but this season feels like one year too many I'm afraid. It’s the hope that kills you … and I think that’s finally disappeared. We need to win all three home games and pick up something on Monday now to have a chance. Not many can see that happening, unfortunately.
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 29, 2024 18:18:27 GMT 1
We could probably do with Millwall winning at Rotherham on Monday, making them fairly safe by the time they play us. Not confident about getting anything at Preston, Bristol City or Ipswich, so need to get something at Stoke and win our three home games (Swansea and Birmingham are the others).
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 24, 2024 10:11:18 GMT 1
If Karma is actually a thing, then surely we get to relegate them Brummie wankers in our final home game and get to sing them a few songs.... That should have happened back in '17 but Wagner chose to field a weakened team and we gifted them 3 points which ultimately saved them. We did end up getting promoted to the Premier League though, so, y’know, swings and roundabouts … Agree it’d be nice to send them down.
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 23, 2024 22:02:01 GMT 1
Is that now 25 games Southgate has managed against Top 10 ranked sides and only 4 wins? Doing a great job though That’s a great stat. Sounds about right.
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 23, 2024 22:00:40 GMT 1
Playing Southgate ball with this crop of young talent is a travesty. Young talent? Gomez, Dunk, Chilwell, Konsa, even Gallagher. Not good enough. I think if everyone is fit and we had a decent manager we’d have a chance. But, the squad isn’t all that strong and Southgate is obviously too negative.
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 23, 2024 21:43:34 GMT 1
Maybe this year’s Euros aren’t a formality after all … send in the Red Cross!
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 23, 2024 20:57:15 GMT 1
Brazil should be winning. Chilwell having a mare.
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 23, 2024 20:32:31 GMT 1
Plenty of niggle. Good to see. Nothing worse than a friendly friendly.
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 23, 2024 20:23:05 GMT 1
What went first there Kyle? The hamstring or bottle when you realised they had some pacey forwards?!
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 23, 2024 17:47:41 GMT 1
Richard Keogh 🤦🏻♂️
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 23, 2024 17:37:50 GMT 1
2-0 SU now, looked to go straight in from a corner! 3-0, volleyed rocket from edge of the box on the run. Fantastic finish. After a brief upturn in form under Steve Cotterill, FGR look like they’re going down. 😢
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 23, 2024 16:22:11 GMT 1
I’m at Sutton United v Accrington Stanley. For some unknown reason SU are in a maroon strip instead of the usual amber. Accy are in a nice looking bright blue and white stripes! Raising money for a cancer charity with all the kits raffled. 1-0 up too.
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 19, 2024 10:11:22 GMT 1
Dave nails it when he says “actions speak louder than words”. I don’t think they fully appreciate the difference between the US and the English. We’re naturally pessimistic, especially football fans, and it’s difficult to adopt a winning mentality after years of struggle. I like what KN says. Let’s just hope we can scrape up and start to look forward more positively.
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 19, 2024 8:15:54 GMT 1
I’m still not sure Colin Larkin’s late goal should’ve been disallowed. But, thank fuck it was and god bless Liam Lawrence’s misplaced confidence and misplaced Panenka!
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 17, 2024 10:18:45 GMT 1
Agreed. It’s not lack of effort, just lack of ability.
Apart from Helik, none of the others would get a game in a top half Championship side. I like Rudoni for his attitude, but probably not producing enough to be a top player. Thomas has Premier League dead ball delivery, but little else and terrible attitude. Balker hasn’t played enough to judge, seems to be a bit delicate. Nicholls on his day is decent, but form has been up and down. Spencer and Headley look promising but wouldn’t be near a lot of first 11s yet. Can’t say I’m impressed by Burgzorg, but his record is ok so would need to see him a bit more.
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 16, 2024 22:40:44 GMT 1
I don’t blame KN. He doesn’t know any better. Someone somewhere didn’t recognise the miracle Warnock performed and thought the players were capable of competing at this level. The people KN put in place to run things have let him down badly. Jake Edwards’ smug “position of strength” is the new “won’t sleepwalk into relegation”.
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 16, 2024 22:36:34 GMT 1
You have to agree though, we have gone backwards in the last 3 games. Teams have good and bad spells. We had a decent spell after coming out from under Moore. We're in a worse spell now. I'm not hitting any panic buttons on the basis of three games under a new manager where things haven't quite gone right. I disagree with some of his decisions, but I'm not calling for the man's head because he hasn't won every game. A quick fix in football is rare. We got lucky with Warnock last season, but even then it took him a few games to get us going. He won one of his first five before things clicked in a mad spell against Middlesbrough. He's a manager who knows the division inside out and is a known quantity to the players, and vice versa. Even then, it took a bit of luck to get things going - the equaliser against Middlesbrough was a fantastic goal, but it owed as much to luck as tenacity and skill. Until then, many people were questioning the wisdom of bringing him in as there had been no instant uplift, the football was dire, and we were adrift. We are on our sixth manager in under two years. It's ridiculous. It’s almost as if (and I realise I’ve been repeating this for a while) the players aren’t up to scratch at this level. 🤔
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 16, 2024 9:12:27 GMT 1
It doesn’t matter how we play today, we just need those three points. A scrappy nail-biting 1-0 will do at the end of the day (not great for nerves, blood pressure or goal difference).
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 12, 2024 8:07:49 GMT 1
… and the OP can go back to supporting Man U.
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 11, 2024 18:55:43 GMT 1
What I hate most is his banter with the commentator when he is self-deprecating about his own career, but with that sort of little laugh that suggests “of course, that’s not really the case … I was fucking brilliant!”
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Post by workshyfop on Mar 10, 2024 21:55:33 GMT 1
Another weekend ruined. Grow up for fucksake They don't mean that literally, its just something people say, considering the weekend was practically over by the final whistle. Correct. The whataboutery is ridiculous. Saying your weekend is ruined by a football result is hyperbole but valid. To then counter that with “there’s worse things happening in the world, grow up” is just stupid. Obviously. Do you think the poster thinks Town losing is worse than genocide of the Palestinian people or whatever bad news story you want to bring up? Of course not.
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