Goals have dried up. Why? We have three strikers who are of at least reasonable Championship quality. Martin is a good finisher. Marriott is a good finisher. Waghorn misses as many as he scores, if not more, but will put away his share. But none of them have ability to create their own chance by a moment of individual skill.
Marriott is overweight and appears to lack the necessary professionalism to keep in shape. He’s a fans’ favourite but both Lampard and Cocu have left him out of the team for long periods. Clearly there is a reason for this. But I regard that as a bit of a distraction to the real problem. We simply aren’t creating chances or even many dangerous situations.
In the second half yesterday we were without Keogh, Clarke, Shinnie, Bielik, Evans, Huddlestone and Bennett. All bar Evans would certainly have improved the team but none have a real creative spark. Who has? Holmes plays attractively but despite the industry there is close to zero end product. Contrast with Harry Wilson who frequently played poorly but banged in almost twenty goals last season.
Who, with the ball at his feet and facing the opposition, looks likely to beat a man or get a decent shot away? Yesterday I felt that of our players the most likely contender was Lawrence. This is a sobering thought.
Rooney will doubtless help but we are desperate for more. Wide players who will beat a man. Feed Martin and he will score. Feed Marriott and he will score. Feed Waghorn and he will occasionally score. Whittaker isn’t ready. Josefzoon is crap. Paterson is going back to Brizzle or wherever he came from.
I remain of the opinion that the margins are so tight in this league that a small improvement in performance can translate into a lot more points. Cocu can turn this tanker around. Hamer is looking OK. Clarke and a new centre half with Davies as back-up should be solid enough. Full backs are OK. We have enough honest midfield workers, we have decent enough strikers and we have Rooney, soon. Just give us a spark please Phil.
Creativity (absence of)
posted on 28/12/19
comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted 1 hour, 50 minutes ago
Naturally I respect all opinions even when they are expressed as though they are fact. For those who can see no good in Lawrence though, I ask why they think it is that successive managers have had him as a permanent fixture in the team?
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I don't know the answer to your question Vidal. I was talking about this to my son this afternoon and he has no answer.
I have watched TL this season and except for the Udders and 1st half v Preston he has been dire. The 10 bookings are a disgrace, maybe he's got a party to go to on Tuesday evening.
Vidal it is not only my opinion, but many around me think the same and the fans are getting fed up with him. However I was leaving the ground after one of his bad games and heard someone say that Tommy was MOTM! So it just shows, the manager and a fan in the West stand lower at the South end of it think Tommy is a good lad.
I hope on Monday we have Martin and Marriott up front and I would play Dowell in the number 10 role and see if he can improve. Let's face it we must win this game or our manager will be on the Ryanair site, Amsterdam section.
posted on 28/12/19
I have been of the opinion that Lawrence has played poorly on occasion, although I very much disagree with the “dire except for one and a half matches” assessment. There have been matches when I think he should have been subbed and times when I have thought it wouldn’t harm him to have been dropped. But I am also open to the possibility that managers of the club might know a bit more about it than me. Surely there has got to be at least a chance of that, VC? Or am I being overly humble?
posted on 28/12/19
comment by Scouse (U9675)
posted 2 hours, 51 minutes ago
In other news The Looney seems to be having a decent start at Watford.
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He's not had a transfer window yet!
posted on 28/12/19
comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted 4 minutes ago
I have been of the opinion that Lawrence has played poorly on occasion, although I very much disagree with the “dire except for one and a half matches” assessment. There have been matches when I think he should have been subbed and times when I have thought it wouldn’t harm him to have been dropped. But I am also open to the possibility that managers of the club might know a bit more about it than me. Surely there has got to be at least a chance of that, VC? Or am I being overly humble?
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No Vidal you are not being humble. I keep thinking a man who has done well as manager at another club and has played for Barcelona knows more than us. But we could be wrong!
We were doing better with the 2 Ms up front and he went and changed it and it has been dismal since.
These experts that Mel has employed have got us into the mess we seem to be in. Anya? Butters? Johnson? Camara? Zooom? And plenty of others.
We couldn't do much worse.....Vidal and VC, the new dynamic management duo.
posted on 28/12/19
At least you have the order right in the pairing. I will resist the temptation to make the “number two” joke.
posted on 28/12/19
comment by VC10Ram (U18980)
posted 23 minutes ago
comment by Scouse (U9675)
posted 2 hours, 51 minutes ago
In other news The Looney seems to be having a decent start at Watford.
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He's not had a transfer window yet!
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Rumour is we get Will back on a free and Deeney on loan until May with Watford paying all the wages.
posted on 28/12/19
I'd say out of all the options on the wing Lawrence would be selected first due to his ability.
Lawrence
Holmes
Bennett
Zoon
Waghorn
Paterson
Knight
Sibley
Anya ( injured / hardly selected when fit)
In previous seasons only Wilson would beat him to first choice, which is why every manager has selected TL in my humble opinion.
posted on 28/12/19
Which comes back to the point I made at the start, which is that if he is our most potent creative force then it is little wonder that we are struggling to score goals. Not fair to blame him for the deficiencies of others though.
posted on 30/12/19
Assists are over rated. Sure, they can be used as some sort of performance barometer, but they're not foolproof, if a player in the centre circle plays a little 10 yard pass to his team mate, who then turns and sticks a worldie into the top corner from 35 yards, the initial player gets awarded an assist, whereas another player could collect the ball, skin 5 opposition players on a mazy run, lay the ball on a sixpence 2 yards from goal but the striker get himself onto the blooper reel and skies it over the bar when it's easier to score, no assist.
posted on 30/12/19
I’d never heard of assists until Sky took over football and started jazzing everything it up.
It was an ice hockey thing.