Wanderers v The Delusional (Mackems)

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

Did anyone spot Robbo's attempted clearing header for their first?
suppose you could say it came at him a bit quick
but then you could say that about most things

[Worthy4England]

Did anyone spot Robbo's attempted clearing header for their first?
suppose you could say it came at him a bit quick
but then you could say that about most things

I might have spotted that one - yes.

In Robbo's defence, the LAST thing you'd expect as a defender, from an opposition corner, is the ball coming into the box for you to head clear...

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Coyle said Muamba was out of the squad cos he wasn't good enough to be in it (Radio Manc, post Wigan)

Have we got a quote anywhere... not that I don't trust you, but that is unbelievable. Can you remember anything like his exact words?

All the more shocking when the alternative is Pratley, who, for me, offers nothing and looks like he would struggle to get into a Championship midfield (which was his exact situation last season, of course...).

[BWFC_Insane]

Coyle said Muamba was out of the squad cos he wasn't good enough to be in it (Radio Manc, post Wigan)

Have we got a quote anywhere... not that I don't trust you, but that is unbelievable. Can you remember anything like his exact words?

All the more shocking when the alternative is Pratley, who, for me, offers nothing and looks like he would struggle to get into a Championship midfield (which was his exact situation last season, of course...).

Coyle said Muamba and Steinsson hadn't been playing well enough to be in the squad for Wigan I believe.

[bobo the clown]

Coyle said Muamba was out of the squad cos he wasn't good enough to be in it (Radio Manc, post Wigan)

Have we got a quote anywhere... not that I don't trust you, but that is unbelievable. Can you remember anything like his exact words?

All the more shocking when the alternative is Pratley, who, for me, offers nothing and looks like he would struggle to get into a Championship midfield (which was his exact situation last season, of course...).

Coyle said Muamba and Steinsson hadn't been playing well enough to be in the squad for Wigan I believe.

Which is different.

That's a dangerous game with the Moo, who strikes me as someone who needs cuddling and telling how special he is, not rubbishing in public.

But he offers more than Pratley, as does Mavis. As does Brian Bromley, today, for that matter.

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

Pratley/M Davies/Reo Coker much of a muchness for me. though Pratley seems to be the latest whipping boy on here (unfairly in my view- much in the same way Muamba used to be- funny that)

Muamba is/was and will be better than all of them especially in terms of defensive ability which is what we need right now but Coyle will probably sell him in Jan.

[Prufrock]

Reo-Coker the best of the (fit bunch), by some way. Moo better than the other two.

[jmjhb]

9 games in and we're still nowhere near from knowing our best team. The manager doesn't either.

It's just chaos and a damning indictment.

[William the White]

Reo-Coker the best of the (fit bunch), by some way. Moo better than the other two.

agreed...

[Tombwfc]

I believe the quote was along the lines of “I don’t put them out of the team, their performances put them out of the team."

Either way, using a win to have a pop at two of our longest serving players, who were no worse prior to that than most of the other shite we have, is Megson-esque man management.

[officer_dibble]

Yup think Tom is right with the quote, sure there is a BN article with quotes which focusses more on Steinsson but mentions Muamba.

For me, Muamba is better defensively than Pratley. Muamba is more athletic as well I think, bet he's the fittest player at the club mind. Pratley probably better in the box on the basis he hasn't hit row z yet...but then Muamba scored his 1 on 1 this season...Pratley missed two on saturday.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Yup think Tom is right with the quote, sure there is a BN article with quotes which focusses more on Steinsson but mentions Muamba.

For me, Muamba is better defensively than Pratley. Muamba is more athletic as well I think, bet he's the fittest player at the club mind. Pratley probably better in the box on the basis he hasn't hit row z yet...but then Muamba scored his 1 on 1 this season...Pratley missed two on saturday.

He's streets ahead of Pratley defensively and far more mobile. Those things are intimately linked, of course.

And for me, Muamba is actually also more of a threat going forward because he has the pace and the engine to go beyond a man.

[boltonboris]

It's amazing. Players that are deemed shit when we're doing alright automatically become better when they're out of the team. We saw in with J Lloyd a couple of seasons back. He got his chance, then once again proved he was shit.

Heaven forbid Wheater should have a few stinkers. Zat Knight will become Baresi mkII

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

....and Elmander bless his shot shy boots is now the Swedish Eusebio

[keveh]

It's amazing. Players that are deemed shit when we're doing alright automatically become better when they're out of the team. We saw in with J Lloyd a couple of seasons back. He got his chance, then once again proved he was shit.

I am a little baffled as to how many people are now coming out and saying how good Muamba is, I'm sure if you checked back it would be the same people calling for him to be dropped.

I don't think putting Muamba in midfield is going to change us a whole lot, to be honest I'm not sure what will.

[BWFC_Insane]

....and Elmander bless his shot shy boots is now the Swedish Eusebio

Top scorer from last season. And comfortably better than owt we've got in the squad now!

[boltonboris]

N'gog has mega skillz!

Shame he seems like a Davies-esque goal threat..

[Sponge]

It's amazing. Players that are deemed shit when we're doing alright automatically become better when they're out of the team. We saw in with J Lloyd a couple of seasons back. He got his chance, then once again proved he was shit.

I am a little baffled as to how many people are now coming out and saying how good Muamba is, I'm sure if you checked back it would be the same people calling for him to be dropped.

I don't think putting Muamba in midfield is going to change us a whole lot, to be honest I'm not sure what will.

Exactly. I'm a big fan of Muamba, but you've got to laugh when people say things like : "Muamba is actually also more of a threat going forward because he has the pace and the engine to go beyond a man."

If he goes beyond the man it certainly ain't gonna be with the ball at his feet. For all his virtues (superb at harrying and tackling), he has to be one of the worst on-ball players I've seen at the club.

[Prufrock]

In fairness, once he has it under control he does go past people quite often, and then passes it to no-one. Fab is limited, and with every one fit, it would be Nireoker and Holden no doubt, but as shite as Fabrice is going forward, he doesn't offer less in that regard than Mavies or Pratley at the moment, and is far far superior defensively, where we have been shit. Folk went on about Holden and Muamba being knackered at the back end of last year cpz there was only those two defending, imagine how Nige feels!

[Worthy4England]

In fairness, once he has it under control he does go past people quite often, and then passes it to no-one. Fab is limited, and with every one fit, it would be Nireoker and Holden no doubt, but as shite as Fabrice is going forward, he doesn't offer less in that regard than Mavies or Pratley at the moment, and is far far superior defensively, where we have been shit. Folk went on about Holden and Muamba being knackered at the back end of last year cpz there was only those two defending, imagine how Nige feels!

I'd agree with a lot of this. Moo isn't the best attacking MF in the Prem, but he's a country mile better than Pratley defensively. I have not yet worked out what Pratley is in the team to do. Either way it isn't working. Then again, I'm not sure how much N'Gog adds either.

I don't think it's hugely amazing that when out of the team he's become a much better player. A lot of the criticism of any of our players tends to come from one or two people repeatedly - rather than from everyone, once or twice (bit like me with Robinson )