Us Football Managers

[CusworthRovers]

Us experts on here know what is best for this club as we are all proper ace in DRFC players.

What is your ideal 11 for us at this moment in time, assuming all are fit:

............Sulli...............

JOC........Martis..Thomas........Chambo (but Friend needs integrating as much as poss)


..........Gillett....Stock.............(Payne/Wilson to come on)

......Oster................Woods....(Shiels/Mason to come on)

...............Copps................(Hayts)

...............Sharp.................(Brooker/Fairhurst/Hayts)

[DMnumber4]

CusworthRovers wrote:

Us experts on here know what is best for this club as we are all proper ace in DRFC players.

What is your ideal 11 for us at this moment in time, assuming all are fit:

............Sulli...............

JOC........Martis..Thomas........Chambo (but Friend needs integrating as much as poss)


..........Gillett....Stock.............(Payne/Wilson to come on)

......Oster................Woods....(Shiels/Mason to come on)

...............Copps................(Hayts)

...............Sharp.................(Brooker/Fairhurst/Hayts)

That's our strongest XI right there mate.

[VikingJames]

Sullivan
O'Connor Martis Thomas/NEW CB Friend
Stock Gillett
Copps Oster Hayter
Sharp

Give Friend a chance. If it doesn't work out, give Chambo a place.
Martin Woods is really frustrating me. I haven't seen him play well for months!
Hayter, Oster and Copps are crucial.

[Viking Don]

I'm going gung-ho

............Woods...............   (I know, but looking to the future)

Chambers.....Martis......JoC......Friend

..........Gillett....................

Copps......Stock.........Oster.......

...........Sharp...Brooker..............

[CusworthRovers]

I'm with you on Friend mate, I just feel he:

1. Needs time to integrate to the systems
2. Needs a decent defence round him.


I pick Chambo as I rate him and he has experience in our ways, which we seem to need at this moment in time. My ideal scenario is for Friend to be our No3, as he is our only natural left back.

As for Woods, I rate that chuff too. Somebody pointed out on another thread, all our midfielders give us something different and no two seem alike. I like what Woods brings, I like his work rate, I like his passing ability, I like his availability that he gives to others, I like his deadball play, I like the balance he gives us with his left. He get's some wrong, but he's one of those players where many focus on 1 bad dead ball situation or 1 bad pass and say nothing or forget the 5 good ones that went before.

[DMnumber4]

CusworthRovers wrote:

I'm with you on Friend mate, I just feel he:

1. Needs time to integrate to the systems
2. Needs a decent defence round him.


I pick Chambo as I rate him and he has experience in our ways, which we seem to need at this moment in time. My ideal scenario is for Friend to be our No3, as he is our only natural left back.

As for Woods, I rate that chuff too. Somebody pointed out on another thread, all our midfielders give us something different and no two seem alike. I like what Woods brings, I like his work rate, I like his passing ability, I like his availability that he gives to others, I like his deadball play, I like the balance he gives us with his left. He get's some wrong, but he's one of those players where many focus on 1 bad dead ball situation or 1 bad pass and say nothing or forget the 5 good ones that went before.

I bet you like the money he's paid you to say all this. Are you his agent or something? What a load of cobblers. This is the same one-footed Martin Woods I see that has yet to beat the front man from a corner or get a free kick on target. And lets brush under the carpet the points he cost us last season shall we? Scunny, Newcastle, Plymouth?

1 decent game, 4 where he fades in to the background I'm afraid.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I don't understand peoples obsession in having 2 big centre halves. The key centre half for me is the one who has a brain and can read a game and has got enough pace not to be caught out like Locky did yesterday.

Sure if you can find one that's got an aeriel presence as well as being good on the floor then even better. History tells you the best centre halves or those that can time a tackle or a header, the ones that anticipate danger and have good positioning.

From Rovers history, Colin Sutherland was not that tall, he may have only scraped 6 foot, but because he was fearless (or stupid) he wouldn't get beat in the air many times. Steve Nicol was a class centre half for us, Mark Atkins was excellent.Steve Foster and Mark Albrighton were not that tall and neither is Matt Mills.

Puyol from Spain is a shorty by CB standards, Gareth Southgate, Gary Mabbutt to name but few were all relatively small guys but defended with their brain, not braun.

JOC every time for me.

On the full back point of view, you have to be able to stop the cross, you have to be able to take your man where they don't want to go. Since Robbo has left we are very lacking in that department.

There's one who I think could do a job at full back and that's Sam Hird. Basic defending and not going to be done for pace.

[Viking Don]

So is he in the strongest 11 or not (Woods that is)?

Not, for me. I've lost count of the number of stiff necks his 'shots' have given me. He was brilliant for Rotherham, maybe they'd like to swap for that Le Fondler?

[DMnumber4]

Quite right DBR, the best centre half I've ever seen was Fabio Cannavarro and he's 5' 9\" i think

[CusworthRovers]

Scapegoat is a word that springs to mind here.

Newcastle- He and the team played well for 45. The WHOLE team were under the cosh and we were lucky we were not beat 4-1...remember the open goals they missed. But then he had a good penalty saved. That's a 50/50 chance and he came off worse, but at least he hit it well. To base that day on Woods is wrong, but does 1 person have to carry the can.

Scunny- He was defending for the team, he was busting a gut to help the defence and ensure we hung on and won the game. The ball hit his arm. I don't recall him windmilling his arms or deliberately handballing it. Didn't we have 2 lads stupidly sent off that hindered us somewhat, but let's forget about that and focus on Woods, as we need a scapegoat. Oster was fantastic that game.

Plymouth- he was sent off, he's not the first and he wasn't the last. He played well that game up til that point and that was very much clumsy/mistimed in trying to stop a breakaway rather than anything malicious. Again I refer to the sendings off above which cost us 2 points, but let's forget them. Scapegoat

I'm not for one minute suggesting he's the bee's knees, as he wouldn't be playing for us, but he'll do for me. I think we need a Woods watch this Saturday

[DMnumber4]

CusworthRovers wrote:

Scapegoat is a word that springs to mind here.

Newcastle- He and the team played well for 45. The WHOLE team were under the cosh and we were lucky we were not beat 4-1...remember the open goals they missed. But then he had a good penalty saved. That's a 50/50 chance and he came off worse, but at least he hit it well. To base that day on Woods is wrong, but does 1 person have to carry the can.

Scunny- He was defending for the team, he was busting a gut to help the defence and ensure we hung on and won the game. The ball hit his arm. I don't recall him windmilling his arms or deliberately handballing it. Didn't we have 2 lads stupidly sent off that hindered us somewhat, but let's forget about that and focus on Woods, as we need a scapegoat. Oster was fantastic that game.

Plymouth- he was sent off, he's not the first and he wasn't the last. He played well that game up til that point and that was very much clumsy/mistimed in trying to stop a breakaway rather than anything malicious. Again I refer to the sendings off above which cost us 2 points, but let's forget them. Scapegoat

I'm not for one minute suggesting he's the bee's knees, as he wouldn't be playing for us, but he'll do for me. I think we need a Woods watch this Saturday

Oh please, stop it. My sides are actually aching. When it says 'getting a pint' under your picture, is it your 10th?      

[CusworthRovers]

I give up and despair......although you could try and put your point across in those 3 games on why it was all Woods' fault and nobody elses.


And you may want to suggest why you agreed with me on him being in the strongest 11.


and finally when it says 'Queuing for a ticket' after your name. Did you actually ever buy one?

[DMnumber4]

Yeah I've changed my mind, I'd have Viking James' team with Hayter in it instead.

Woods is only in the side because he has a left foot. He's not a scapegoat, Mark Wilson and Lewis Guy were scapegoats! And if 'everything' was always Woods' fault, doesn't that tell you something?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=badE2gTu4UY

Yeah unlucky with this one Woodsy, Harper saved your good penalty  :S  :dry:

[Viking Don]

He's not our worst player by any means, but he'd be just out of the starting 11 for me. If the Preston rumours were true I'd have sold him (as a fantasy manager!).

He pissed me off most last season when he was defending and someone in the crowd shouted at him to get stuck in (or something along those lines) and Woods just seemed to forget he was playing in a game and started shouting stuff back. SoD preaches discipline, shouting at some knob in the crowd shows a complete lack of discipline. OK by me like, but only when the danger has gone, which it hadn't!

He shouldn't be let anywhere near a deadball though.

[VikingJames]

DonnyBazR0ver wrote:

I don't understand peoples obsession in having 2 big centre halves. The key centre half for me is the one who has a brain and can read a game and has got enough pace not to be caught out like Locky did yesterday.

Sure if you can find one that's got an aeriel presence as well as being good on the floor then even better. History tells you the best centre halves or those that can time a tackle or a header, the ones that anticipate danger and have good positioning.

From Rovers history, Colin Sutherland was not that tall, he may have only scraped 6 foot, but because he was fearless (or stupid) he wouldn't get beat in the air many times. Steve Nicol was a class centre half for us, Mark Atkins was excellent.Steve Foster and Mark Albrighton were not that tall and neither is Matt Mills.

Puyol from Spain is a shorty by CB standards, Gareth Southgate, Gary Mabbutt to name but few were all relatively small guys but defended with their brain, not braun.

JOC every time for me.

On the full back point of view, you have to be able to stop the cross, you have to be able to take your man where they don't want to go. Since Robbo has left we are very lacking in that department.

There's one who I think could do a job at full back and that's Sam Hird. Basic defending and not going to be done for pace.

Matt Mills not tall?

You might want to look that one up again.

There's no obsession with having 2 big centre backs, but we must have at least one to deal with the Iwelumo's, Parkin's and Bothroyd's of this division.
Also, I'm not sure whether it's coincidence or not, but the 3 best all-round centre backs I've seen in Rovers colours (Matt Mills, Jason Shackell and Elliott Ward) were all tall.

[CusworthRovers]

My apologies re the pen.

My argument/points still stand for that game and the others that you mention. As said, tell me about his overall performances that cost us each game to counter the rest of the teams performance.

He's not a scapegoat, Mark Wilson and Lewis Guy were scapegoats! And if 'everything' was always Woods' fault, doesn't that tell you something?

No, it tells me you don't rate him.

[DMnumber4]

So those three incidents which I've picked out as game changing moments by one player wasn't enough?

We got him in as a dead ball specialist. Whats so special? He adds a bit of balance to a right footed midfield and that's about it, there's no width!

He's not quick enough to be a winger, and cant cross either, he's not strong enough to break up play and his one-footedness severely hampers him with regards his 'passing game'.

John Oster played as many games as Stock and Woods combined last season, he was better than them both!

[CusworthRovers]

2 players being sent off is always a bind for any team. Like I said, I feel that cost us the game more than an accidental handball. If you feel it was still Woods' fault then I'm wasting my time. Again I'm going round in circles, but if you feel Woods' penalty cost us at Newcastle rather than their complete hammering of our whole team in the 2nd half and a hat-full of missed chances, then I'm wasting my time.

Whilst there is a legitimate argument for Oster over Woods, I cannot see Oster over Stock, but there you go.

I'm trying to think out of the box here and focus on all aspects of our team/game, rather than it's Lewis, it's Wilson, it's Woods, it's Martis, it's Friend, it's Sulli, it's Chambo it's O'Driscoll, it's blah blah blah blah

Try it, the picture is somewhat better than focusing on one player all the time.

Right shag, I'm off to na-nights

Edit....and since when have we played with width?

[Woodhead Passer]

Sullivan

Chambers  O'Connor  Thomas  Friend

Gillett  Stock  Oster

Coppinger  Hayter

Sharp

[Superspy]

adam3rovers wrote:

Sullivan

Chambers  O'Connor  Thomas  Friend

Gillett  Stock  Oster

Coppinger  Hayter

Sharp

thats probably what i would go for aswell.

regarding the whole woods issue, i like woods, and agree with a lot of what cusworth is saying, but he wouldn't be in my starting 11 right now purely because i think the 5 in that list are better for our team, especially hayter, i know woods has a very good work rate but hayter is in a different league imo.

[redrover19]

Sullivan
JOC  Thomas Hird Friend
Oster (when fit)
Copps Stock Gillet Mason
Sharp

Hayter to come on as attacking option
webster as defensive
payne as midfeild

got to be worth something,

promotion maybe