Kid in the Riot

Another update: the noises I'm hearing seem to suggest that Roverzzz are confident this JR will be chucked out and they'll be on site in the spring some time. Could mean UWE bowl ready for 2015/16 season, same time as new EE will be ready...

It was a good performance, especially first half hour.

Thought Wade Elliott and Pack were fantastic.

No coincidence that possibly our best performance of the season (that I've seen) came with our most experienced line-up to date. Only Williams in the starting line up could be considered young and inexperienced.

I'd take a draw today.

Blimey they'll be goals in this Id of thought!

El abd and flint in a 3 again, concerning...

just funny how Bryan was flourishing under SOD and now seems shot of confidence under SC

He wasn't flourishing! Struggles with the physicality of L1 and the confidence to beat his man.

Just when we need a confidence boost going into 7 games in 21 days boom conceding for fun.

Wonder if the heads are dropping or not?

That's the danger now. I expected us to lose both games but to concede 6 goals and counting...very disappointing.

character, personality yes 100%

 

Performances on the pitch? Debatable

Really?! Haha I wonder how many people will be saying this when we go on a bad run...

I keep hearing "positivity" he came across as very downbeat and negative today on player...

This El Abd is heading to be one of the least effective signings ever... 7 goals conceded in 2.5 games with him at the back!

Hasn't exactly improved things so far has he?

2 wins in 8 since sod has gone. That isn't going to be good enough to keep us.

If we lose Tuesday we are going to start being adrift at the bottom and playing catch up.

I say we need to drop jet and have 11 players on the pitch who work for 90mins.

8 pts from 7 games for SC. 9 pts from SODs last 7 games.

Hardly the "bounce" we were expecting under a new manager? We seem terminally ****ed going back 3 years at least...and conceding more goals than ever.

Having watched Brentford last night, they WILL create plenty of chances Tues. Not looking good.

The threads are so predictable.

As predictable as our games unfortunately!

Can't see Osbourne getting forward much as a wing back, so that formation could well morph into a 442 with Cunningham joining the midfield 3?

Maloney would've surely been a better option at RWB

I read it. Do you think he has scored some one on ones? If he has missed 12 how many one on ones has he scored? I noticed these stats were left out for some reason. Likewise the easy chances missed. How many easy and not so easy chsnces has he finished out of the 14 scored. All good and well giving a one sided view. I'll take more interest when he catalogues the goals scored and goals setup to give a more balanced view, thank you very much noggers

Well 2 of his 14 have been pens so that leaves 12 from open play. I can only think of 2 one-on-ones he's scored - at Tranmere and MK.

I think it was 'Harry' who listed a large number of Baldock's misses a few weeks ago and of course there are quite a few more to add even in the last few games. Perhaps he could do an update? 

Read this: http://thenatchwall.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/must-do-better.pdf

20 clear cut chances missed including an astonishing 12 one-on-ones. No wonder Baldock himself has been very self-critical.

It's not just the type of chances he's missing though, it's the timing of them - often early in games, the important ones.

They can also fall victim to confirmation bias. Stats help you to apply some objectivity.

You don't need stats or particularly sound judgement to realise that complaining about our strikers when they're both scoring and creating more regularly than any we've had since before Brooker and Lita, and that the rest of the team is frankly a complete shambles, is churlish to say the least. It's embarrassing.

Only as embarrassing as your overly simplistic theory.

Good luck, I tried stats, logic and reason and it didn't work!

Both you and Ians posts rely too heavily on stats. You have to be qualitative in your assessment as well as quantatitive. People can use their eyes to make sound judgement.

Okay...but before that...

Hahaha

He started a couple of games for Brighton in Dec. Truth is he is just ****ing slow.

Nothing to do with match fitness.

We are a very slow team.

Well if he finished better than he did, he wouldn't be a league 1 striker would he? He seems to have good effort and approach to the game, if he had the lot he wouldn't be here would he?!

Well on course for a 20+ season in a relegation threatened team

Classic response from someone who wasn't there. If you were, you'd agree that he cost us points today. And I say that as a complement as I know you aint stupid.

On the contary, SoD tried to get El Abd earlier in the season but it didn't go through and Dunk joined instead, so it would be faro to say that it is a Burt recommendation that Cotterill has accepted.

Wasn't el adb offered to us instead of Dunk?

Really doesn't strike me as a Burt signing. Maybe El Abd was on "the list" before Burt even got here - like Flint.

No probs. Any questions just ask!

Any idea why he has moved to us at this stage in his career after being a "one club man" for so long??

Also, any truth in a bust up with your coach Nathan Jones?

I saw the rumour he has signed to be captain on the brighton forum too. Just realised its a 3 and a half year deal for a 29 year old! not happy with that, club going back on their policy again. 2 years would have been better, proving were still a soft touch. Also I noticed cotteril says he can play the ball from the back, SOD didn't think so...who do we believe?

He will punt it all game, bet ya. Also sounds like a boxer that's taken too many knocks to the head on the OS. Good luck to him though, he was starting for BHA last week so must be decent.

It's 3.5 years urgh

Jesus, tuesday you said we needed to sort the defence out.

Glad you're paying attention. In fairness, as someone else has said; 2.5 years isn't ridiculous. Still seems to be a sea change in the types of signings, and I'm sure these aren't Burt's recommendations.

You're happy that we've signed a defender though, surely?

If it means Fontaine slips down the pecking order then yes, great.

Merely an observation that Cotterill's two signings in this window are 28 & 29 years old, and both have slightly dubious reputations in terms of their mentality. The other (Osborne) is also over 25 though to be fair a Burt signing.

Yawn

Past your bedtime?

Makes no sense to me, long-term contract for a 29 year old - thought we had finished doing that sort of nonsense...

My thoughts exactly.

The pillars are beginning to creek.