Tractor Boys - the Barry Knight Testimonial Match

[DJBlu]

N'gog will be thrown up top with Davo.

Take your pick from midfield.

Warnock, Knight, Mills, Ricketts/Mears

[Prufrock]

N'Gog for Davo and Mavies for Andrews is what I'd do.

[Worthy4England]

I was listening to a debate on the radio, about workrate type forwards vs lazy arsed forwards who score. The debate was about Darren Bent as it happened. (and before Willy makes some wild arsed assertions about comparing Kevin Davies scoring rate to that of Darren Bent, I'm not). The discussion generally talked about the fact that Bent scores a goal every other game (just shy of), so why wouldn't you have in in the team at Villa.

Well apparently that's not the vogue anymore, because we play with this concept of link-men, and apparently it matters feck-all whether they actually score or set goals up, it's just the way to go, whilst you bring into play your free-scorring Barca-like midfield. The point that was made fairly pointedly was that's fine and dandy, if you happen to have Barca's free-scoring midfield behind your "can run and pass" forward, but actually doesn't pay much dividend if you don't. Even that's fairly subjective and depends on whether you think Messi is a forward or a midfielder - Barca have him listed as a forward.

The top 4 in England all scored significantly more goals from forwards than midfielders last season - City/United at about two thirds from their forwards, Arsenal/Chelski around 50% (in Arsenal's case, that counts Walcott as a midfielder rather than a forward - but if you want to put him in the "forwards" then they're over two thirds too).

So whilst N'gog playing a link up role is fine and dandy, he needs to start bagging goals too, otherwise he's every bit a passenger as Davo. I'd be delighted to replace Davo with someone who scored twice as many (Klasnic springs to mind), but to think dropping Davo and playing N'gog instead, will solve world peace, I think is too short sighted.

[CrazyHorse]

Shorts and t-shirts today. It's like Malibu Beach up at the Reebok.

[DJBlu]

What's disappointing is the midfield ran the show on Wed and it will be changed to accommodate Mark Davies.

I'll probably be thrown to the lions but I believe we performed more solidly as a team.

[CAPSLOCK]

N'Gog for Davo and Mavies for Andrews is what I'd do.

I wouldn't, but then I have long argued for the formation we are finally starting to see

A back 4, 2 solid centre mids, and then flair on both wings, an attacking midfielder behind a striker WHO CAN MOVE

Fcuk Davies off for NGog and toss a coin over Mark Davies and Butterfield - if Davies wins the coin toss, consider Butterfield ahead of Lee

[thebish]

So whilst N'gog playing a link up role is fine and dandy, he needs to start bagging goals too, otherwise he's every bit a passenger as Davo. I'd be delighted to replace Davo with someone who scored twice as many (Klasnic springs to mind), but to think dropping Davo and playing N'gog instead, will solve world peace, I think is too short sighted.

in our time with us, Klas scored about 1 in 4
Davo (over a much longer period) has scored 1 in 5

[CAPSLOCK]

What's disappointing is the midfield ran the show on Wed and it will be changed to accommodate Mark Davies

Above, you said we'll go 2 up top

So it'll have fcuk all to do with Mark Davies

[CAPSLOCK]

So whilst N'gog playing a link up role is fine and dandy, he needs to start bagging goals too, otherwise he's every bit a passenger as Davo. I'd be delighted to replace Davo with someone who scored twice as many (Klasnic springs to mind), but to think dropping Davo and playing N'gog instead, will solve world peace, I think is too short sighted.

in our time with us, Klas scored about 1 in 4
Davo (over a much longer period) has scored 1 in 5

Average time per game for Klasnic was probably nearer 5 minutes than NSKD's 94 minutes

Only a complete knobcheese would try to make a case for Davies coming anywhere close to Klasnic as a goalscorer

[Prufrock]

N'Gog for Davo and Mavies for Andrews is what I'd do.

I wouldn't, but then I have long argued for the formation we are finally starting to see

A back 4, 2 solid centre mids, and then flair on both wings, an attacking midfielder behind a striker WHO CAN MOVE

Fcuk Davies off for NGog and toss a coin over Mark Davies and Butterfield - if Davies wins the coin toss, consider Butterfield ahead of Lee

Normally I'd be with you, but reckon we can get away with being a little more open at home to Ipswich. Davies has had a couple of decent games deeper since Coyle went. My only problem with Andrews and Spearing at home is neither is going to make anything happen, so it puts a lot of the burden on your three in behind.

[Worthy4England]

So whilst N'gog playing a link up role is fine and dandy, he needs to start bagging goals too, otherwise he's every bit a passenger as Davo. I'd be delighted to replace Davo with someone who scored twice as many (Klasnic springs to mind), but to think dropping Davo and playing N'gog instead, will solve world peace, I think is too short sighted.

in our time with us, Klas scored about 1 in 4
Davo (over a much longer period) has scored 1 in 5

Average time per game for Klasnic was probably nearer 5 minutes than NSKD's 94 minutes

Only a complete knobcheese would try to make a case for Davies coming anywhere close to Klasnic as a goalscorer

I think someone looked at this in the press last season. Klasnic, I think, was second in the Prem on minutes played / Goals scored.

You're right, you can't just divide the number of goals by the number of appearances and get anywhere near to the truth.

[thebish]

Only a complete knobcheese would try to make a case for Davies coming anywhere close to Klasnic as a goalscorer

it's just as well nobody has, then, isn't it?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I always wondered what I'd be called if I tried to make a case for Davies coming anywhere close to Klasnic as a goalscorer: I was thinking maybe, 'deluded', a 'know-nowt', 'hard of thinking'. I never considered I might be called a complete knobcheese, and I therefore congratulate myself that I refrained from doing so.

[DJBlu]

BWFC: Bogdan, Mears, Ricketts, Knight, Alonso, Spearing, Andrews, Eagles, M Davies, Ngog, K Davies

BWFC Subs: Lonergan, Mills, Ream, Pratley, Afobe, Chung-Yong, Butterfield

[Dartisan]

BWFC: Bogdan, Mears, Ricketts, Knight, Alonso, Spearing, Andrews, Eagles, M Davies, Ngog, K Davies

BWFC Subs: Lonergan, Mills, Ream, Pratley, Afobe, Chung-Yong, Butterfield

Well, if it's a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1 that spells an experiment out wide again I'd say. I'd suspect the latter with N'Gog having another try as a wide player.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

He's not going 4-4-2, Shirley to God.?

[Sponge]

I assume Butterfield's still not fit enough for two games in a week.

Alonso: scary.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Where is our left back?

[Armchair Wanderer]

He's not going 4-4-2, Shirley to God.?

Ipswich are near the bottom. If we can't play 4-4-2 at home against them then we can't play it!

If N'gog is on the wing then it looks much wider, if not it looks very narrow. How have we been doing cross-wise this season?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

He's not going 4-4-2, Shirley to God.?

we can't play it!

I thought that was the default opinion. Carved in stone, it was.