Drop Martin?

comment by I'm not Spartacus. and definitely not Vidal (U4603)
posted 5 hours, 37 minutes ago
Well not Blackman. In 103 games for Reading he managed 18 goals so why is he suddenly a better striker than Martin who has scored around 50 in the same number of games. Not only that Blackman doesn't hold the ball up and his defensive qualities are poor. Have some of you taken leave of your senses preferring Blackman to Martin.

Johnson should be given the same instructions that Brain Clough gave Roy Keane, win the ball, pass to someone else and run. Roy Keane said he made a career of it. Football is a simple game. If Johnson can't do this he should be taken out and shot.

Ince should be dropped because there is something about him I don't like. That is as good an explanation as I can give as I can't identify what it is. He definitely isn't a winger, that's for certain.

Last season Maghoma gave Christie a torrid time and only the intervention of the much maligned Jamie Ward (who scored yesterday) kept Maghoma in check. Ince isn't capable of offering that sort of cover, or if he is, is reluctant to do it.
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Oh Spart how I agree with you, but I'm now reluctant to criticise a certain player because I get flamed.

It seems to me that Blackman is a Mk2 Ince and some posters want a front 3 of those 2 plus Camera. What a lightweight bunch they would be. Camera did well attacking and crossing the ball but he can't defend like the much maligned Russell.

There have been too many bad buys and I'm sorry to say the manager is not doing his job properly at present. I couldn't believe he could leave out Butterfield, who with Carson and Shackell are the only decent buys.

The team that Nigel left would thrash this lot.

I can't understand this antipathy towards Blackman after his league debut for us. FFS. We don't half have some small-minded "supporters" whose main pleasure seems to be to slate players who have been here five minutes. It's absolutely ridiculous.We should try actually getting behind the team for a change. It's got to be worth a try.

Team for Burnley

Carson
Back 4 as usual
Ince Butters Thorne Camara
Martin Blackman

I cheer Blackman when his name is announced and will cheer when(if) he scores but he is an average Championship striker whereas Martin is a good Championship striker. Look at his previous record vidal. It hardly inspires confidence in his ability.

Agree with Vidals. We might need more than 90 minutes before we figure this 5hit out.

Back to the basics against Burnley.

Don't concede more than 3 goals.

Try and pass the ball over the halfway line to another player once.

Try one quick counter attack.

Find the striker with a clean pass to feet 3 times in 90mins.

Find the strikers head with a cross once in 90 mins.

See if the striker can find space for a through ball once in 90 mins.

Then level up in it

More than half of Blackman's appearances for Reading were as a substitute as it happens Spart. 18 goals from 51 starts in the League is not so bad for a centre-forward, and for a fair chunk of that time he has been used wide when you would not expect a great strike rate. He's not here to replace Martin, who has been very good for us since signing, but to add options up front where we are relatively thin on the ground. I thought there were some signs yesterday that he might be able to link up with Martin and he looks better suited to being a sole striker than Bent. From what I have seen of him this season on telly and in yesterday's game I think he has a good chance of doing well for us.

So he can't get in Reading's starting line up, hardly the most potent strike force. He may come good but the evidence that he will is lacking. He has had a good start to the season but I can remember strikers having a run of scoring without being very good. Remember Michael Rickets, started the seaon with a rush of goals and was then picked for England. His career dived from there. Seemed to play like he had rickets.

Does a sole striker beat up flat fish?

Before he came to Derby Chris Martin had scored 44 goals in 180 appearances and couldn't get in Norwich's team in this division or in the top flight. In the Championship he was considered inferior to Steve Morison and Simeon Jackson as well as Grant Holt. So go figure that one out.

I hate to harp on about this but for a start to give Baird the captaincy was a blunder as there was no way he was going to be in the starting 11 for the best part of the season.

To hand it to a forward who has been dropped at times and f's off the fans in the south stand after scoring an equalising peno is criminal.

Does Johnson believe he should be top ram, does, George, does the Shack and Warnock who has probably been our best player of late but who has no luck with it.

We probably need a few outgoing's to balance things up as to see a bench without Bent after scoring last weekend was amateur.

Hope they all have a long hard look at themselves and save us fans the usual sound bites and embrace the chance to show actions for the viewing public to see in our next 2 games.

Marco OUT

Damn now I'm feeling sheepish…… r u?