ALF

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cecil.bob
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ALF

Post by cecil.bob » Sat Dec 09, 2017 5:07 pm

So is ALF that bad? Haven't seen an actual match in ages so going off text and highlights from last year. Thought carrying him up to the Championship this year was a good thing.

So why isn't he playing? I'd think he could get a run out over the likes of Armstrong or Noone, at least once?

So is he shite? Something transpire with he and Parky?

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Re: ALF

Post by Athertonian » Sun Dec 10, 2017 10:45 am

According to some fans we can't accommodate him because we can only play one way? What a load of old bollox.

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Re: ALF

Post by TANGODANCER » Sun Dec 10, 2017 11:46 am

TANGODANCER wrote:
Sun Dec 10, 2017 11:46 am
More then a bit surprising considering how the fans desperately wanted him back. Seems Parky is relying on attacking right now, but considering the number of times we get hit and scored against, something needs to change, not sure what. We bombarded their goal area late on but couldn't break through, maybe Alf, who is a box specialist, can be the one to change that? Mind you, all said, Vela's glaring miss and some shoddy defending were more at fault than the overall performance, least that's how it seemed to me?
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Re: ALF

Post by cecil.bob » Sun Dec 10, 2017 1:33 pm

So did Parky resign ALF or was it the fans that essentially got him signed again?

Seems even with our shoddy defending yesterday our strikers weren't up for it anyway...

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Re: ALF

Post by bristol_Wanderer3 » Sun Dec 10, 2017 10:34 pm

My two penneth:

So how do we accommodate ALF?

Right now our best available team is flat out trying to compete in this league. At our peak we are possibly good enough to be around mid table. By the process of elimination we have arrived at a system that best suits our players. That involves a 4-2-3-1, where Henry and Pratley as the "2" protect the defence as best they can, whilst the "3" offer another line of defence whilst along with Madine creating and scoring goals. The "3" are Vela, Ameobi, and Buckley/Armstrong. Madine is the focal point who tussles with defenders to hold the ball up whilst bringing the "3" into play. Wilbraham does this role also. I do not see a role for ALF in this system. He doesn't appear to have the engine to do the defensive work nor the creative ability to replace any of Ameobi, Vela, Buckley, Armstrong. He doesn't have pace nor strength to be the lone striker and bring others into the game. The only role I see for him in this system is impact sub, where we can bring him on when we need a goal and hope his finishing ability gives us what the others can't.

There are other systems that can better accommodate ALF. We started off the season with a 3-5-2. This failed miserably, largely because we hadn't yet signed Henry and were horribly weak in centre midfield, and we got overrun, which exposed a defence that hasn't yet proved good enough at this level whether 3 or 4 at the back. Maybe we might go back to this system at some point and it might work better with Henry and Pratley in there. But that only leaves room for one of Buckley, Vela, Armstrong, Ameobi, Noone, Moaris, assuming we play Madine and ALF up front. And surely that list of players is where our strength is. Along with Henry, it is the return of Ameobi, and Vela that has improved us enough to compete. Buckley is starting to look a good player. Armstrong is only 20 and has potential to offer goals and workrate. I am not sure ALF should be picked in the "2" up front based on what we have seen so far.

We haven't tried 4-4-2 as yet, nor any other system, at least not from the start. When we have switched to 4-4-2 out of desperation late in games we are losing, we open the game up and generally concede more. Essentially we are not good enough to cope in this league in a 4-4-2 with someone like ALF in it. We need everyone doing their bit defending to make up for the fact that we have little possession and our defence is suspect.

Finally, just how good is ALF at being a goalscoring striker at this level? If he played 46 games how many would he actually he score in a team that won't make many clear cut chances? His record is sketchy at best. His best period was in a Reading team where he actually scored a number of his goals as an impact sub. He did well here under Lennon but he has failed completely at Cardiff, Wolves and Wigan in the Championship in the last few years. ALF seems a good egg, and is the subject of our best song, so it would be nice if he was playing, but the evidence suggests he just isn't good enough to be a regular starter at this level, and that has been the case for a couple of years. This league with larger parachute payments and rich owners has clearly got a lot stronger, and it seems to me there is a strong case that ALF has regressed in comparison to the general level, and is more of a L1 striker these days.

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Re: ALF

Post by Hoboh » Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:35 am

bristol_Wanderer3 wrote:
Sun Dec 10, 2017 10:34 pm
My two penneth:

So how do we accommodate ALF?

Right now our best available team is flat out trying to compete in this league. At our peak we are possibly good enough to be around mid table. By the process of elimination we have arrived at a system that best suits our players. That involves a 4-2-3-1, where Henry and Pratley as the "2" protect the defence as best they can, whilst the "3" offer another line of defence whilst along with Madine creating and scoring goals. The "3" are Vela, Ameobi, and Buckley/Armstrong. Madine is the focal point who tussles with defenders to hold the ball up whilst bringing the "3" into play. Wilbraham does this role also. I do not see a role for ALF in this system. He doesn't appear to have the engine to do the defensive work nor the creative ability to replace any of Ameobi, Vela, Buckley, Armstrong. He doesn't have pace nor strength to be the lone striker and bring others into the game. The only role I see for him in this system is impact sub, where we can bring him on when we need a goal and hope his finishing ability gives us what the others can't.

There are other systems that can better accommodate ALF. We started off the season with a 3-5-2. This failed miserably, largely because we hadn't yet signed Henry and were horribly weak in centre midfield, and we got overrun, which exposed a defence that hasn't yet proved good enough at this level whether 3 or 4 at the back. Maybe we might go back to this system at some point and it might work better with Henry and Pratley in there. But that only leaves room for one of Buckley, Vela, Armstrong, Ameobi, Noone, Moaris, assuming we play Madine and ALF up front. And surely that list of players is where our strength is. Along with Henry, it is the return of Ameobi, and Vela that has improved us enough to compete. Buckley is starting to look a good player. Armstrong is only 20 and has potential to offer goals and workrate. I am not sure ALF should be picked in the "2" up front based on what we have seen so far.

We haven't tried 4-4-2 as yet, nor any other system, at least not from the start. When we have switched to 4-4-2 out of desperation late in games we are losing, we open the game up and generally concede more. Essentially we are not good enough to cope in this league in a 4-4-2 with someone like ALF in it. We need everyone doing their bit defending to make up for the fact that we have little possession and our defence is suspect.

Finally, just how good is ALF at being a goalscoring striker at this level? If he played 46 games how many would he actually he score in a team that won't make many clear cut chances? His record is sketchy at best. His best period was in a Reading team where he actually scored a number of his goals as an impact sub. He did well here under Lennon but he has failed completely at Cardiff, Wolves and Wigan in the Championship in the last few years. ALF seems a good egg, and is the subject of our best song, so it would be nice if he was playing, but the evidence suggests he just isn't good enough to be a regular starter at this level, and that has been the case for a couple of years. This league with larger parachute payments and rich owners has clearly got a lot stronger, and it seems to me there is a strong case that ALF has regressed in comparison to the general level, and is more of a L1 striker these days.
Looks TBH, he is turning out to be a waste of a squad place and wage.

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Re: ALF

Post by BWFC_Insane » Mon Dec 11, 2017 9:36 am

We've scored 5 goals in our last two games but conceded 4. So the answer is throw in a player who offers nothing but the vague possibility he might score goals if given an extended run in the side?

I've no idea why there is an obsession with him. Unless people think he'll stiffen up the backline somehow magically?

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Re: ALF

Post by cecil.bob » Mon Dec 11, 2017 3:51 pm

bristol_Wanderer3 wrote:
Sun Dec 10, 2017 10:34 pm
My two penneth:

So how do we accommodate ALF?

Right now our best available team is flat out trying to compete in this league. At our peak we are possibly good enough to be around mid table. By the process of elimination we have arrived at a system that best suits our players. That involves a 4-2-3-1, where Henry and Pratley as the "2" protect the defence as best they can, whilst the "3" offer another line of defence whilst along with Madine creating and scoring goals. The "3" are Vela, Ameobi, and Buckley/Armstrong. Madine is the focal point who tussles with defenders to hold the ball up whilst bringing the "3" into play. Wilbraham does this role also. I do not see a role for ALF in this system. He doesn't appear to have the engine to do the defensive work nor the creative ability to replace any of Ameobi, Vela, Buckley, Armstrong. He doesn't have pace nor strength to be the lone striker and bring others into the game. The only role I see for him in this system is impact sub, where we can bring him on when we need a goal and hope his finishing ability gives us what the others can't.

There are other systems that can better accommodate ALF. We started off the season with a 3-5-2. This failed miserably, largely because we hadn't yet signed Henry and were horribly weak in centre midfield, and we got overrun, which exposed a defence that hasn't yet proved good enough at this level whether 3 or 4 at the back. Maybe we might go back to this system at some point and it might work better with Henry and Pratley in there. But that only leaves room for one of Buckley, Vela, Armstrong, Ameobi, Noone, Moaris, assuming we play Madine and ALF up front. And surely that list of players is where our strength is. Along with Henry, it is the return of Ameobi, and Vela that has improved us enough to compete. Buckley is starting to look a good player. Armstrong is only 20 and has potential to offer goals and workrate. I am not sure ALF should be picked in the "2" up front based on what we have seen so far.

We haven't tried 4-4-2 as yet, nor any other system, at least not from the start. When we have switched to 4-4-2 out of desperation late in games we are losing, we open the game up and generally concede more. Essentially we are not good enough to cope in this league in a 4-4-2 with someone like ALF in it. We need everyone doing their bit defending to make up for the fact that we have little possession and our defence is suspect.

Finally, just how good is ALF at being a goalscoring striker at this level? If he played 46 games how many would he actually he score in a team that won't make many clear cut chances? His record is sketchy at best. His best period was in a Reading team where he actually scored a number of his goals as an impact sub. He did well here under Lennon but he has failed completely at Cardiff, Wolves and Wigan in the Championship in the last few years. ALF seems a good egg, and is the subject of our best song, so it would be nice if he was playing, but the evidence suggests he just isn't good enough to be a regular starter at this level, and that has been the case for a couple of years. This league with larger parachute payments and rich owners has clearly got a lot stronger, and it seems to me there is a strong case that ALF has regressed in comparison to the general level, and is more of a L1 striker these days.
So a little bit of both, then? I don't know as to whether or not he'd be better than what we've got, but sometimes I think it might be nice to see a bit of a change. (Perhaps when we're getting walloped at Wolves?)

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