Gj

[bh_red]

What did he actually do whilst he was here????? NOTHING

As for the best midfielder at the club whilst he was here i presume thats just a joke and you have had 1 to many x-mas drinks.

played a key role in the play-offs without which we may not have gotten to wembley.

He was one of the best midfielders at the club, he could tackle, he had bottle, he could shot, he could pass. Persanlly speaking he had the abiltiy and potential to be probably the best central midfielder at City since Gary Shelton (if he had been played in his best position!)

[GrahamC]

do you feel Nick Carle got a fair run in the team in his best position??? Of course he didn't, it wasn't until the sheffield utd game that he got his chance, that run in from then to the hull game, we played some of our best football of the season.

Gavin Williams wasn't Carle's replacement, Johnson has said that himself.

Prior to the Sheff U game Carle had started both the Plymouth home and Cardiff away games in central midfield, we lost both of them and GJ then decided to use other options, firstly Skuse in the 0-0 home draw with Wolves.

You obviously don't agree, but to me the issue wasn't the selling of Carle, as a 100%+ profit in six months was a good deal, but if Williams wasn't the replacement or isn't to play there, it was in not replacing him.

[Mr Mosquito]

Totally agree, as his no goals and one asisist in his time with us showed (or was that all the fault of LJ, too?).

The bigger issue for me was the replacement we were said to have lined up, if it was Gavin Williams then let's give him a run in that position, or if it was David Jones, then of Derby and now of Wolves, we should have gone out and bought another CM player when we missed out.

A shame we missed out on Dave Jones if that story is true i.e. that he was lined up to be Nick Carle's replacement. Dave Jones is becoming an excellent midfielder at Wolves. The way things are at the moment we could sign Gattuso and he'd be left on the bench so Lee Johnson could get a trot out. A midfielder that doesn't shirk tackles and always takes the team forwards to victory.....

[GrahamC]

A shame we missed out on Dave Jones if that story is true i.e. that he was lined up to be Nick Carle's replacement. Dave Jones is becoming an excellent midfielder at Wolves. The way things are at the moment we could sign Gattuso and he'd be left on the bench so Lee Johnson could get a trot out. A midfielder that doesn't shirk tackles and always takes the team forwards to victory.....

For god's sake change the record..........

[Rob k]

played a key role in the play-offs without which we may not have gotten to wembley.

He was one of the best midfielders at the club, he could tackle, he had bottle, he could shot, he could pass. Persanlly speaking he had the abiltiy and potential to be probably the best central midfielder at City since Gary Shelton (if he had been played in his best position!)

Did F all at wembley when it mattered though, i really cant understand this love in for Nick Carle. Its just another stick to beat Lee Johnson with. For me the sooner LJ's gone the better, even though after hes gone i wonder who will be next to be on the receiving end of supporters abuse. My money is on Nicky Maynard.

[neilos]

I can't see LJ going anywhere, young family and dad keeping him sorted, blood thicker blah blah, sure Gary's waiting for him to come out the other side of where he's at

Bring back Cole !

[cheese]

played a key role in the play-offs without which we may not have gotten to wembley.

He was one of the best midfielders at the club, he could tackle, he had bottle, he could shot, he could pass. Persanlly speaking he had the abiltiy and potential to be probably the best central midfielder at City since Gary Shelton (if he had been played in his best position!)

Ah yes, I remember his shooting ability - powder puff shot off target against Hull at Wembley from just inside the box. And how many goals did that maginificent shot get us??

And his tacking - oh yes, thank goodness Palace missed that penalty otherwise we wouldn't have got to wembley at all!

[Mr Mosquito]

For god's sake change the record..........

It's worth a shout, some £billionaire City supporter in America may be reading this and buy Gattuso for us.

[Guest RobbieTurner]

Why do that when Palarse will be cruising down here next Sunday. I just hope it's us and not Palarse that cruise off with the 3 points.

Like they said - if you love him so much go support Palace mate....getting a bit sick of all the Nick Carle lovers - get behind your team instead of an average midfielder who has left - for whatever reason, it doesn't matter - he's gone. Lets look forward, not back.

[bh_red]

Ah yes, I remember his shooting ability - powder puff shot off target against Hull at Wembley from just inside the box. And how many goals did that maginificent shot get us??

And his tacking - oh yes, thank goodness Palace missed that penalty otherwise we wouldn't have got to wembley at all!

so, he hit a shot off target......at least he's willing to take a shot, rather than look around and lay it back to a full-back.

Yes, his tackling, so he missed that taclke, to be honest there wasn't much wrong with it, at least he attempted to stop the player, I'd rather have that than a player who'll just totally bottle it and back out of a tackle, still......it won't be his fault when that player carries on and scores.

[bh_red]

Like they said - if you love him so much go support Palace mate....getting a bit sick of all the Nick Carle lovers - get behind your team instead of an average midfielder who has left - for whatever reason, it doesn't matter - he's gone. Lets look forward, not back.

I wish Gary Johnson would do that, instead of looking at what players have done in the past, concertrate on players who can perform in the present and the future.

People are missing the point though, it's not about Loving Nick Carle, is about Loving players that are better than those who are currently under-performing or are simply just not good enough, it doesn't help matter when Gary sells a better player to a rival, (a rival who is doing VERY well in this divsion while we are struggling)

[Rob k]

Ah yes, I remember his shooting ability - powder puff shot off target against Hull at Wembley from just inside the box. And how many goals did that maginificent shot get us??

And his tacking - oh yes, thank goodness Palace missed that penalty otherwise we wouldn't have got to wembley at all!

You cant say that, it wont fit well with the "Nick Carle is the greatest midfielder in the world" brigade.

[Rob k]

so, he hit a shot off target......at least he's willing to take a shot, rather than look around and lay it back to a full-back.

Yes, his tackling, so he missed that taclke, to be honest there wasn't much wrong with it, at least he attempted to stop the player, I'd rather have that than a player who'll just totally bottle it and back out of a tackle, still......it won't be his fault when that player carries on and scores.

why are we now talking about Michal Mcindoe?

[kachina]

I have my own opinions on the Carle saga. When I was 17 I was playing in Ireland and catching a couple of scouts eye's. I was quick with the ball and wasn't afraid having a pop at goal now and again, as luck would have it a few went in and confidence grew.

When Reading came knocking and the chance came to move back to England I jumped at the chance. I spent my first ten games for Reading being knocked sideways and playing dreadful. Despite being left footed I couldn't play as well on the left wing as the right as I liked to cut in for one-two's. The gaffer at the time thought I simply as a cheap chancy buy couldn't cope and dropped me into the reserves. I personally felt I wasn't given adequate time to adapt into English football and given a chance to play how I could play.

I had 27 starts in the reserves on the right wing scoring 18 times and impressed Wycombe. I had 2 months on loan scoring 5 from 8 but on my final loan game I pulled up sharply and had pulled muscles in my quads. After that I was released at the end of the season by Reading and whilst a couple of contracts came my way from Conference and League 2 teams, I sat down with my family and decided that a chance of career was needed to progress. I decided to study to go into the media side.

Basically my point is, if someone see's the quality in someone to take a chance on them, you don't rush them. We rushed Carle, we played him out of position and didn't give him enough time to adapt. Neil Warnock despite a whinger is one of the best managers in this Country and knows talent. He knew 1m for Carle was a bargain and now he has adapted to the game is putting in decent performances for a decent side. Our problem was we didn't give him that long chance he needed.

Ask a lawyer's chambers. You don't bring in a top rookie and expect results instantly, you blood them in. Then after a year or 2 if they can't produce you replace them. You don't give someone 3 or 4 months and decide they're not good enough and ship them out.

I've never been bitter about my chances at Reading but I do feel I was better than I was shown to be, I feel I showed that at Wycombe. My downfault was I wanted to be better than I was and low league football was not enough for me.

I personally feel we made a mistake selling Carle, but by not replacing him the 500k really isn't an issue. Like or loathe Lee Johnson he is a very good player and if he wasn't he wouldn't be playing in this league. I don't think for one minute that there isn't a number of clubs in this league that wouldn't want him. The problem however is he works best in a defensive unit, the 4-5-1 and we are showing that, that unit is not going to work to get us where we want to be. It's nothing about his ability or his work rate, nor about is technical attributes. It's about playing players in the best formations. In a 4-4-2 Johnson is not an ideal central midfielder, Noble would be. In a 4-5-1 he is ideal and links up very well. I do feel somewhat sorry that Johnson seem's to be constantly abused by the fans, trust me when I say that when you play and people jeer and boo you that you hear and it really does effect you, sometimes you try too hard and that's as bad as not trying at all. Unless you give players your support all you will do is make them under perform. I suppose it's like a pet dog, every time you throw the ball he runs off more vibrant and is more excited when he returns, however the more you ignore him or tell him to go to bed or go away he sulks and doesn't want to play.

I really hope Lee Johnson can be part of our team, but Johnson needs to think does he want to attack and play on the ground, or try and become a top long ball team. I hope its the former but if it's the latter Stoke proved it can be done, but we will start to need some bigger stronger players at the back, a solid midfield of defensive midfielders who can track back and shoot from range as well as two men (or one) up top who is at least 6ft 5 and is solid like 16 stone. Someone like Fuller.

Either way changes need to be made. As I said I see why people feel Carle should have been sold and why we should have kept him. Unfortunately nothing can be done about it now, but he won't be the first or the last player to be shipped off before given the chance he needed.

[bh_red]

Did F all at wembley when it mattered though, i really cant understand this love in for Nick Carle. Its just another stick to beat Lee Johnson with. For me the sooner LJ's gone the better, even though after hes gone i wonder who will be next to be on the receiving end of supporters abuse. My money is on Nicky Maynard.

who did though?........11 players out there for which Lee Johnson was also one of them.

[screech]

Ah yes, I remember his shooting ability - powder puff shot off target against Hull at Wembley from just inside the box. And how many goals did that maginificent shot get us??

And his tacking - oh yes, thank goodness Palace missed that penalty otherwise we wouldn't have got to wembley at all!

If your going to bring up tackling and shooting and defend Lee two goals in 2 years powderpuff Johnson, you are on to a loser.

Most of the other midfielders get 1 or two starts in centre midfield only when he gets injured, the rest of the time they have to fight amongst themselves to play wide right, tell me why doesn't Lee Johnson get picked to play wide right on his return and wait for his moment to get back in the middle?

He has been allowed to carry on in that position regardless of performance.

Nick Carle may not have been an exceptional midfield player, but he at least gave us another option and more strength in depth in the middle of the park, but he was asked to play the majority of his games out wide, what a surprise.

Selling him was crazy, especially for £500,000 profit.

It will take a lot more than that to convince a decent midfielder to come to a relegation threatened side in January.

[redfred]

Ah yes, I remember his shooting ability - powder puff shot off target against Hull at Wembley from just inside the box. And how many goals did that maginificent shot get us??

And his tacking - oh yes, thank goodness Palace missed that penalty otherwise we wouldn't have got to wembley at all!

Yeh but if LJ was fit he would have played instead of Carle and then he never would have given away that penalty, so it's all LJ's fault, again, that Carle gave away that penalty and we nearly didn't get to Wembley. Little rascal.

Nick Carle played three good games for us. Sheff U away, Preston at home and Palace away. Other than that he was distinctly average. The rose tinted spectacles that people are wearing when talking about him is comical because he didn't do nearly enough in his time with us to warrant this kind of love in. Or is it just another excuse to bash the Johnson's? As has already been said we had a replacement lined up for him but lost out because of Carle dragging his feet. Subsequently if Johnson had just gone out and bought any old replacement just to appease the fans then he would have been criticised for doing it and then criticised again if the player wasn't up to scratch and not buying an adequate replacement. If the right player wasn't out there after the Jones deal fell through, then i for one am happy to wait until he is out there.

[Mr Mosquito]

who did though?........11 players out there for which Lee Johnson was also one of them.

Did Lee Johnson come on in midfield at Wembley to replace Marvin Elliott who was then put at right back to replce the injured Bradley Orr?

[Redtucks]

so, he hit a shot off target......at least he's willing to take a shot, rather than look around and lay it back to a full-back.

Yes, his tackling, so he missed that taclke, to be honest there wasn't much wrong with it, at least he attempted to stop the player, I'd rather have that than a player who'll just totally bottle it and back out of a tackle, still......it won't be his fault when that player carries on and scores.

But you want Noble in the side, a player whose tackling is legendary, like his total lack of a challenge for Prestons first goal.

But I don't remember much critisism of that.

[cheese]

who did though?........11 players out there for which Lee Johnson was also one of them.

Yes, but you don't ever ever ever, single out any other player but LJ. Correction, the other player you constantly bang on about is NC. Give it up for crissakes - you've made your point (ad nauseum), we know what it is, we know those who don't agree and we know those who do. The arguments have been well-practised - there is nothing new to be said. Move on.

[kachina]

Redtucks, what position was Noble playing in against Preston !!!!

The bloke is not a winger.

[Mr Mosquito]

But you want Noble in the side, a player whose tackling is legendary, like his total lack of a challenge for Prestons first goal.

But I don't remember much critisism of that.

At the end of the day there's a staffing problem with our midfield, a problem that was evident when we played Birmingham way back in September when it was totally out classed. Unless some real quality comes into our midfield in the January transfer window I reckon we could be involved in a relegation battle instead of going for a pray-off place. It's as simple as that in my opinion.

[Nibor]

But you want Noble in the side, a player whose tackling is legendary, like his total lack of a challenge for Prestons first goal.

But I don't remember much critisism of that.

I'd rather have a player who doesn't tackle and does create than a player who does neither.

Ideally we need a signing who can do both.

[Rob k]

I'd rather have a player who doesn't tackle and does create than a player who does neither.

Ideally we need a signing who can do both.

Noble should be playing, for me there is no doubt about that, natural ball player and has scored the odd goal.

[screech]

Did Lee Johnson come on in midfield at Wembley to replace Marvin Elliott who was then put at right back to replce the injured Bradley Orr?

Mustn't talk about that Goblin, you weren't supposed to noticed the player of the season making way for Lee Johnson to get on the Wembley pitch. Especially when we didn't have defensive cover, what's that, we did?

[neilos]

Second Division Bristol City in a £500,000 deal - at the time he was the Ashton Gate club's most expensively signed player.

Having proved himself as a competent young goalscorer with Bristol City (who began the 1992-93 in the new Football League Division One following the creation of the Premier League), Cole was quickly one of the hottest prospects in England and his name was regularly linked with Premier League clubs throughout the 1992-93 season.

[edit] Newcastle United

In February 1993, Division One leaders Newcastle United splashed out a then club record £1.75 million for his services. He then scored 12 goals in as many league games.

[kachina]

Second Division Bristol City in a £500,000 deal - at the time he was the Ashton Gate club's most expensively signed player.

Having proved himself as a competent young goalscorer with Bristol City (who began the 1992-93 in the new Football League Division One following the creation of the Premier League), Cole was quickly one of the hottest prospects in England and his name was regularly linked with Premier League clubs throughout the 1992-93 season.

[edit] Newcastle United

In February 1993, Division One leaders Newcastle United splashed out a then club record £1.75 million for his services. He then scored 12 goals in as many league games.

point being ?

[Mr Mosquito]

Mustn't talk about that Goblin, you weren't supposed to noticed the player of the season making way for Lee Johnson to get on the Wembley pitch. Especially when we didn't have defensive cover, what's that, we did?

I'm amazed I have remembered considering the amount of booze I consumed on the day. Perhaps my memory cells from that day were preserved in all the alcohol?

[big p]

If he didnt let NC go he would have been another talented attacking midfielder of which is played out of position.If he played at all,his confidence would have dropped.And we would of let him go for £250,000.

The way I see it whats the point of signing another attacking midfielder when the manager obviously wants the boy wonder to be the star of the show.Its gotta stop.I wonder if Steven Gerrard would get a start in the middle of our midfield.Probably not.Why cant SL have a word in his ear.

[Mr Mosquito]

point being ?

I'm not sure but Andy Cole was superb for us. We sold both Super Bob Taylor and then Andy Cole on during that early 90's period. The biggest gaffs in this club's post war history?