Our central defence…

[HawkingsHalfpint]

Stacey North and Chris Whyte. A very good centre half pairing.

One went on to be a Champion of England, the other held as a marker to just how shit we’d become.  Partnerships are required but also the coaching.  I really don’t understand why his needs reiterating when we watched Steve Bruce’s Albion followed by CC’s. I remember that team had a bad attitude and was heading for L1, by the end of the season we lost a play-off place on the last game of the season.

Mepham played 40+ games for last season’s play-off winners and Philips played well at Derby to the point Eustace really wanted to keep him.  And now they’re both shit and worse than a half fit Bartley and Ajayi?  Are they bollocks.  This is the real stick to beat Mason with.

North and Whyte a good example. And few would have predicted Chambers and Butler to gel quite so well when they did. With CHs, compatibility/understanding seems to count as much as ability, as well as the tactics (in particular marking strategy) employed. And look also at how pleasantly surprisingly brilliant GMac turned out to be - perhaps the best-value signing in a generation.

What does concern me about a 3-5-2 is that is really does require mobile and able wing-backs. We have options, but do any of them tick all of the boxes. I’m not so sure.

But I think that we will be OK, with better coaching. Let’s not forget that during the late springtime of our upward curve, we featured such talents as Pele, Cesar and Donk! Even with problems in other areas. 

But we did, ultimately, get there. Just wish that this side had a few more characters of the Ilk of Clement, Brunt and Mozza within it to rely upon. The only real long-term club man through and through that we have - despite scoring twice in a week - is getting on in years, and really struggling it seems to stay consistently fit. I hope that we can get a swansong out of him for the second part of this season, because for what he lacks in pace a little these days he more than makes up for in expertise and influence.

[Chippy Clark 1966]

We are too slow to close attackers down. It's too easy for them to get shots away. Most times an opponent gets a shot on taregt our guy seems to get out of the way!

[fuzzbox]

Stacey North and Chris Whyte. A very good centre half pairing.

One went on to be a Champion of England, the other held as a marker to just how shit we’d become.  Partnerships are required but also the coaching.  I really don’t understand why his needs reiterating when we watched Steve Bruce’s Albion followed by CC’s. I remember that team had a bad attitude and was heading for L1, by the end of the season we lost a play-off place on the last game of the season.

Mepham played 40+ games for last season’s play-off winners and Philips played well at Derby to the point Eustace really wanted to keep him.  And now they’re both shit and worse than a half fit Bartley and Ajayi?  Are they bollocks.  This is the real stick to beat Mason with.

The proof if they are any good is whether they now improve. I’m sure we can play with more discipline and with a better structure to mitigate some problems but if the same problems persist then is it the players or the coaches? I’m in no way convinced that they are better than Ajayi or Bartley currently.

That's a much fairer stance. You might be right (or not) but we'll find out soon enough. If three managers can't get get anything out of them, that points to the players. But we're not there yet.

[Hughie Reed 31]

I think the biggest problem is whenever the opposition has a shot
It normally results in a goal our keepers whichever one don’t make many saves