January transfer window...

[BWFC_Insane]

Thats....fine.



Despite the fact it seems we're now doing everything in our power to chip away at that positive goal difference, you're not in the least bit worried that we've stopped scoring goals whilst carrying on conceding the same?

I am.

I don't understand the argument against us tightning up defensively a little.

I don't believe our strike force will be consistently bagging 2/3 a game all season. Our better season's in the Prem, we managed 47-49 goals, combined with a greater number of clean sheets. So for me it's about trying to balance the two - not look for one over the other.

Having a couple of big wins - 5-1, 4-2 distorts the equation somewhat, as you still only get 3 points for them. That's a quarter of our goals bagging us 6 points. Take them out of the equation as outliers and you're back nearer an average of a goal per game, which if the oppo is nigh on guaranteed to get 1, could use some improvement, in my opinion.

I'm with the "we need a tighter backline" argument.

I've said so all season. I'm also not believing that our "style" or "system" precludes us from clean sheets.

Ok we're more open, but take Saturday as an example. The first goal had nowt to do with "being open" but more to do with sloppy defending. The second goal was just rank bad play from one of our centre halves. We concede bad goals, and as a consequence lose points.

I think our backfour could be better and our midfield could do a better job of protecting them when the need is there and also protecting the ball.

[Worthy4England]

I'm not as convinced our second one was just rank bad play (edit: by Knight alone), although Knight covering back was always going to be no better than a 50:50 chance in our favour. Where was Robinson? Probably somewhere around the centre circle pointing at people.

[Lofthouse Lower]

Woah, you're not allowed to criticise Robinson! He's passionate, can't you see that? That's the most important quality - not, you know, actual defensive nous.

Shame on you.

[BWFC_Insane]

I'm not as convinced our second one was just rank bad play, although Knight covering back was always going to be no better than a 50:50 chance in our favour. Where was Robinson? Probably somewhere around the centre circle pointing at people.

See I think Robinson is ok. I think when we're backs to the wall he puts himself where he needs to be and sorts it out.

Ok he lacks pace and sometimes gets caught up the pitch, but I think we're mostly soft through the centre.

What I meant with the second was, Knight was caught for pace, got back, lunged in stupidly and gave away a penalty when really it might have been better to let Etherington get his shot away.

It was shocking against York how much trouble their striker gave to Cahill and Knight, especially with long balls pumped up the middle that neither dealt with well, though Knight was considerably more shaky than Cahill.

[Lofthouse Lower]

Don't forget Muamba - his decline has been remarkable this season. It might even be possible that he's playing much worse than he did in his first season.....that leaves us with a softer centre than a bloody caramel creme

[BWFC_Insane]

Don't forget Muamba - his decline has been remarkable this season. It might even be possible that he's playing much worse than he did in his first season.....that leaves us with a softer centre than a bloody caramel creme

Agreed, the centre of midfield certainly since Holden and Muamba haven't been together has been soft.

I don't think Mark Davies can play there in a 4 though and I think he leaves us wide open all the time.

Add that to Muamba being poor IMO and we're left soft through there.

But the centre backs behind aren't solid and as a result I feel we don't make teams work hard enough to score against us.

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

more Muamba hating.
i thought first half against Stoke he was the only outfield player who tried to show some bottle in possession.
the others just got harried and chased out of it all over the park

[Lofthouse Lower]

more Muamba hating.
i thought first half against Stoke he was the only outfield player who tried to show some bottle in possession.
the others just got harried and chased out of it all over the park

I don't hate him at all - I just think he's suffering from a bad spell.

[BWFC_Insane]

more Muamba hating.
i thought first half against Stoke he was the only outfield player who tried to show some bottle in possession.
the others just got harried and chased out of it all over the park

I don't think its hating, I think its that he's not developed. At his best he's a tigerish midfield destroyer, but when he's not at his best being that he's woeful at so many basic things it gets people frustrated I think! Well me certainly.

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

"remarkable decline" infers more than "a bad spell" though mate

i dont think he's suffering from the former OR even the latter for that matter.

if we're looking to strengthen order of priorities for me is defence first (a yard dog centre half preferably)
striker (with pace) second (or try Moreno up top)
midfield a distant last

[BWFC_Insane]

"remarkable decline" infers more than "a bad spell" though mate

i dont think he's suffering from the former OR even the latter for that matter.

if we're looking to strengthen order of priorities for me is defence first (a yard dog centre half preferably)
striker (with pace) second (or try Moreno up top)
midfield a distant last

Just can't agree with that. When Holden's been missing we've picked up two draws and 4 or 5 defeats. No coincidence for me in that.

We're very light in central midfield. Mark Davies is not suitable.

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

i wouldn't swap Muamba for a CM from any of the teams outside the Prem.top six. Your point about Holden can also be taken to indicate Muambas importance in that he (Muamba) gives the platform for Holden to play and that without Holden, Muamba simply has to shoulder too much of the responsibility.
Midfield ceased to exist when Muamba went off on Sat.

[Lofthouse Lower]

[Prufrock]

Hmmm yeah. West Ham for instance can keep Parker, Liverpool Gerrard, Everton Fellaini, Cahill, Arteta, Fulham Murphy etc. et cetera.

[BWFC_Insane]

i wouldn't swap Muamba for a CM from any of the teams outside the Prem.top six. Your point about Holden can also be taken to indicate Muambas importance in that he (Muamba) gives the platform for Holden to play and that without Holden, Muamba simply has to shoulder too much of the responsibility.
Midfield ceased to exist when Muamba went off on Sat.

Have you watched any football this season?

For a starter I'll give you West Brom, both games versus us. Mulumbu ran the midfield in both cases and was easily the stand out player on the pitch. Whenever I've seen them play he always look excellent. Miles ahead of Muamba I'd say. Miles.

And thats just a starter.

But given that my point is, should Muamba or Holden not be available we don't have anyone else. Hence the urgent need for another midfield player.

[TKIZ!]

I wouldn't mind Coyle having the same amount of money to spend as HWSNBN

[Tombwfc]

"remarkable decline" infers more than "a bad spell" though mate

i dont think he's suffering from the former OR even the latter for that matter.

if we're looking to strengthen order of priorities for me is defence first (a yard dog centre half preferably)
striker (with pace) second (or try Moreno up top)
midfield a distant last

Just can't agree with that. When Holden's been missing we've picked up two draws and 4 or 5 defeats. No coincidence for me in that.

We're very light in central midfield. Mark Davies is not suitable.

He's missed four games. Two draws (Blackpool and Wigan) and two defeats (City and Liverpool). We've also lost three of the last four we've played with him. It's hardly conclusive, although it would be nice if we could handily put all our problems at Mark Davies' door.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Sky have been talking to Curtis Davies; Celtic are interested in loaning him with a view to a permanent transfer. Stoke (them again) are interested too. Player would prefer a permanent move.

Just sayin'.

[Worthy4England]

"remarkable decline" infers more than "a bad spell" though mate

i dont think he's suffering from the former OR even the latter for that matter.

if we're looking to strengthen order of priorities for me is defence first (a yard dog centre half preferably)
striker (with pace) second (or try Moreno up top)
midfield a distant last

Just can't agree with that. When Holden's been missing we've picked up two draws and 4 or 5 defeats. No coincidence for me in that.

We're very light in central midfield. Mark Davies is not suitable.

He's missed four games. Two draws (Blackpool and Wigan) and two defeats (City and Liverpool). We've also lost three of the last four we've played with him. It's hardly conclusive, although it would be nice if we could handily put all our problems at Mark Davies' door.

Not putting all our problems at Mark Davies door, but I don't think he's very good at the minute - along with most of the rest of the team.

When you look at our results month by month, 4 of the 6 months of the season so far, we've ranked 10th or below on form. Two of those months - Sept and Jan we were 19th on form (Sept) and 20th thus far for Jan. We've had two mid-table months - October 11th on form and December 10th (despite BWFCI's stark warning - half way isn't bad for us). And we've had 2 excellent months - Aug (5th) and November (2nd).

I think probably people have reset the bar at November and compare against that, but generally, teams below you, are below you, because they're playing even shitter than you are.

I'm still of the opinion that we need another CM - both as cover and/or as a replacement for Muamba (when he needs a rest) or Holden (when he's injured), as has been said elsewhere, I can see Mark Davies in a 5, but in a 4, I think it leaves us open even more to being overrun in midfield. Liverpool took the pi$$ second half at Anfield - couldn't get the ball off 'em and when we did we gave it straight back. Stoke hadly look troubled in MF for long periods on Saturday, City looked very comfortable in midfield and never under serious threat, West Brom dominated mainly through Mulumbu.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

SWP is wank!

Sean Wank Phillips?

Short Wank Philip ?