Roberto Merino

[DOLMANDAN]

If he was going to take 3 months to get fit, and that was a reason not to sign him, then why was he on trial in the first place? Bleep test and bus ticket.

Exactly

[QuedgeRed]

Hmmm Merino Sheep !!!

I think GJ is trying to pull the wool over our eyes!

[red man dan]

If he was going to take 3 months to get fit, and that was a reason not to sign him, then why was he on trial in the first place? Bleep test and bus ticket.

if he was never going to be fit enough to sign, why take him on trial ?

A simple bleep test would only have given us an indication of his fitness, not his ability. Surely having him on trial is a better option. We clearly had an idea that he was unfit as gj knew he hadnt played for a while, however had he been extremely gifted/promising then we may have signed him for the future? and of course the bleep test would not have told us this.

Getting him on trial in a game kills two birds with one stone, plus there is always the issue of match fitness, which isnt really related to a VO2 max bleep test.

[Nibor]

A simple bleep test would only have given us an indication of his fitness, not his ability. Surely having him on trial is a better option. We clearly had an idea that he was unfit as gj knew he hadnt played for a while, however had he been extremely gifted/promising then we may have signed him for the future? and of course the bleep test would not have told us this.

Getting him on trial in a game kills two birds with one stone, plus there is always the issue of match fitness, which isnt really related to a VO2 max bleep test.

GJ gave the very clear reason that he wasn't fit enough as a reason for not pursuing the player, nowt to do with ability.

You can find out very easily how fit a player is with some simple tests.

If that's not fit enough then there's no need for a trial.

Why waste time looking at a player who isn't fit enough? Spend the time looking at one who is and might be good enough.

Match sharpness is a completely different issue and just requires a few games to get your timing.

I really find it hard to believe we had a player on trial who can do 90 minutes in any reserve game yet is 3 months away from being fit enough to play a part in the Championship.

I also find it hard to believe that a player we bring in not understanding a dressing room hair dryer is a reason not to supplement a midfield that was already weak and is now fragile with Elliott's injury.

The decisions coming out of the football side of the club at the moment really do make me question WTF is going on.

I won't be saying I told you so come February/March no matter what happens but I really do doubt this little run of form is in any way sustainable with our current squad.

Edit: I certainly don't object to giving players trials, said before it's great because there's no risk. I just think that reason smacks of an excuse to be honest.

[richie1]

Does anyone else think we may not be following this one up as he has been named, therefore allerting other clubs that he is on trial?!

Would seem strange making sure nobody could go because of a trialist who they didn't want people to know about, then name him on the website straight after the game?

I wouldn't be suprised if we get told he hasn't been offered a contract.

NO CONTRACT OFFER JOHNSON SAYS HE HASNT PLAYED FOR AGES DUE TO A CONTRACT DISPUTE AND WOULD NEED 2 TO 3 MONTHS TO BE CHAMPIONSHIP FIT SO HES BEEN TOLD NO

[tompo]

What crap it would not take him 3 months to get match fit. Will we sign a midfielder? Looks like a big NO!!!

Well it appears that David Noble hasn't got match fit in 3 years.

[Bobz-BS14]

Gj is pulling the wool surely, he played the full 90 ?

[Redtilldead]

Well it appears that David Noble hasn't got match fit in 3 years.

Didn't Nobes last the full 90 mins tonight ?

[bh red]

Didn't Nobes last the full 90 mins tonight ?

yep, as did Gavin Williams, what the betting though, neither of them will be anywhere near first team on saturday though

[Nibor]

Didn't Nobes last the full 90 mins tonight ?

Ah yes but it was only a reserve game so he won't be fit enough.

Never mind the fact that Steven Gerrard runs about 12k in 90 minutes and you can train to run a half marathon (21k) in a sub two hour time in 3 months.

[garlicbread]

So he wasn't fit enough?

So how come he lasted 90 minutes? If he was flagging surely GJ would have pulled him off (no pun intended)

Exactly!

Didnt he bring in Carle unfit and give him 10 games to get up to fitness?

FFS!

[Redtilldead]

Ah yes but it was only a reserve game so he won't be fit enough.

Never mind the fact that Steven Gerrard runs about 12k in 90 minutes and you can train to run a half marathon (21k) in a sub two hour time in 3 months.

Exactly my point Nibor,

some of the excuses that are coming out of the dressing room are becoming mind boggling.

[red man dan]

GJ gave the very clear reason that he wasn't fit enough as a reason for not pursuing the player, nowt to do with ability.

Edit: I certainly don't object to giving players trials, said before it's great because there's no risk. I just think that reason smacks of an excuse to be honest.

An excuse for what? why would GJ have to make up an excuse to not sign a player? I'm lost.

If he didnt want him at the club, or he wasnt right for whatever reason why would GJ not come out and say it? Like he did with Mifsud? What am i not seeing that others are?

[red man dan]

yep, as did Gavin Williams, what the betting though, neither of them will be anywhere near first team on saturday though

I'd say it would be odds on that they wont as the current first team squad have won 3 in the last 4 and come back from 2 down against the leaders in the forth game. One might sneak in as ME is injured, but if he hadnt have been, why else would they?

[Nibor]

An excuse for what? why would GJ have to make up an excuse to not sign a player? I'm lost.

If he didnt want him at the club, or he wasnt right for whatever reason why would GJ not come out and say it? Like he did with Mifsud? What am i not seeing that others are?

GJ's public statements in the press and his actions in the transfer market lead me to believe he's extremely reluctant to sign a central midfielder. I'm not going to speculate as to why, I am just very frustrated by it because it seems to me to be a very weak area of the team. We have two fit players for 3 positions with two other fit players not seemingly considered yet we're not looking to sign cover because they won't understand the dressing room. Contrast that with central defence where we have two fit players for two positions and are signing cover.

Here's some predictions. On Saturday due to Elliott's absence we'll switch back to 442 with Skuse and LJ in the middle. It might be a makeshift 433 with McIndoe on the left which to all intents and purposes is the same thing. The starting line up won't include Williams or Noble, Williams might make the bench. If he does he'll get 10-15 minutes on the right barring injury. Noble will be in the Williams. We won't sign a central midfielder before the deadline. A week or two post the deadline we'll bring Elliott back from injury too early and he won't regain the form he's shown recently this season.

And just to be clear, I'd absolutely love to be wrong.

[bh red]

GJ's public statements in the press and his actions in the transfer market lead me to believe he's extremely reluctant to sign a central midfielder. I'm not going to speculate as to why, I am just very frustrated by it because it seems to me to be a very weak area of the team. We have two fit players for 3 positions with two other fit players not seemingly considered yet we're not looking to sign cover because they won't understand the dressing room. Contrast that with central defence where we have two fit players for two positions and are signing cover.

Here's some predictions. On Saturday due to Elliott's absence we'll switch back to 442 with Skuse and LJ in the middle. It might be a makeshift 433 with McIndoe on the left which to all intents and purposes is the same thing. The starting line up won't include Williams or Noble, Williams might make the bench. If he does he'll get 10-15 minutes on the right barring injury. Noble will be in the Williams. We won't sign a central midfielder before the deadline. A week or two post the deadline we'll bring Elliott back from injury too early and he won't regain the form he's shown recently this season.

And just to be clear, I'd absolutely love to be wrong.

depressingly I'd agree with that.....though I'd imagine other players form will drop after the window has closed, and then Gary Johnson will bemoan the transfer window nationally as he's then not able to make the changes to the squad he requires,

In the summer we will then sign Darren Way from Yeovil while amazingly also giving Williams, Murray and Noble all new contracts.

I'd also love to be wrong

[red man dan]

Here's some predictions. On Saturday due to Elliott's absence we'll switch back to 442 with Skuse and LJ in the middle. It might be a makeshift 433 with McIndoe on the left which to all intents and purposes is the same thing. The starting line up won't include Williams or Noble, Williams might make the bench. If he does he'll get 10-15 minutes on the right barring injury. Noble will be in the Williams. We won't sign a central midfielder before the deadline. A week or two post the deadline we'll bring Elliott back from injury too early and he won't regain the form he's shown recently this season.

And just to be clear, I'd absolutely love to be wrong.

You may very well be right with those team selection predictions, and i don't see what would be the travesty in that. However i doubt ME will be brought back too early. If anything, i would imagine Williams will as you say play small parts in the next game or two or three, to get back in the swing before making a claim for a starting place, i don't see why he would walk straight into the starting line up,unless GJ felt he was ok to do so. I agree with you regarding Noble, I'm not sure he will be in the squad.

[Nibor]

You may very well be right with those team selection predictions, and i don't see what would be the travesty in that. However i doubt ME will be brought back too early. If anything, i would imagine Williams will as you say play small parts in the next game or two or three, to get back in the swing before making a claim for a starting place, i don't see why he would walk straight into the starting line up,unless GJ felt he was ok to do so. I agree with you regarding Noble, I'm not sure he will be in the squad.

The travesty would be that we're playing 433 which some would have you believe is the reason for our turnaround in form. And we'll change that because we're a player short rather than play one of the two players who prefer that position. And we're not looking to sign a player even for cover there for a very flimsy reason that directly contradicts the signing we're looking to make at centre back where we're not actually a player short in the XI. How do you explain that inconsistency?

[Robbored]

GJ's public statements in the press and his actions in the transfer market lead me to believe he's extremely reluctant to sign a central midfielder. I'm not going to speculate as to why, I am just very frustrated by it because it seems to me to be a very weak area of the team. We have two fit players for 3 positions with two other fit players not seemingly considered yet we're not looking to sign cover because they won't understand the dressing room. Contrast that with central defence where we have two fit players for two positions and are signing cover.

Here's some predictions. On Saturday due to Elliott's absence we'll switch back to 442 with Skuse and LJ in the middle. It might be a makeshift 433 with McIndoe on the left which to all intents and purposes is the same thing. The starting line up won't include Williams or Noble, Williams might make the bench. If he does he'll get 10-15 minutes on the right barring injury. Noble will be in the Williams. We won't sign a central midfielder before the deadline. A week or two post the deadline we'll bring Elliott back from injury too early and he won't regain the form he's shown recently this season.

And just to be clear, I'd absolutely love to be wrong.

Nibor, I hope your're wrong as well but I don't think you will be. You've summed up the situation perfectly, other than saying why you think Johnson is reluctant to sign a quality midfielder. Your post is classic example of sometimes things are best left unsaid...

[Portland Bill]

Do you think that we will ever know who yessir is??

nosir

[red man dan]

The travesty would be that we're playing 433 which some would have you believe is the reason for our turnaround in form. And we'll change that because we're a player short rather than play one of the two players who prefer that position. And we're not looking to sign a player even for cover there for a very flimsy reason that directly contradicts the signing we're looking to make at centre back where we're not actually a player short in the XI. How do you explain that inconsistency?

I would imagine we'll start with the formation we finished with against plymouth, which was 442, so it would seem the team did ok playing in that formation after elliot had gone off. So its a choice for GJ to make, stick with that and as you say change from the 433 (but in actual fact keep the last used formation of 442) or bring in a player who hasnt really set things alight, williams, and stick with the 433. I'm not sure which way he'll go to be honest, but given that he likes to keep winning teams, i would have thought he's stick with the 442 and same line up.

As to the signing of a midfielder, yes i agree with you, i would like a MF but who knows, we could be actively banging on that door without wanting to say it publicly, if not, maybe GJ has more faith in DN and williams than people seem to think.

[Ian M]

The travesty would be that we're playing 433 which some would have you believe is the reason for our turnaround in form. And we'll change that because we're a player short rather than play one of the two players who prefer that position. And we're not looking to sign a player even for cover there for a very flimsy reason that directly contradicts the signing we're looking to make at centre back where we're not actually a player short in the XI. How do you explain that inconsistency?

Nibor, are you deliberately choosing your angle to maximise the criticism you can direct at the club?

Only a week or so ago you were bemoaning the 433 formation, insisting that we would be better employing a 442.

Elliott goes off injured and McIndoe comes on leading to us lining up in 442 in the second half and going on to win 2-0.

Now you appear to be aghast at the prospect of us switching to the 442 formation you seem to favour us using.

:noexpression:

[Ian M]

I would imagine we'll start with the formation we finished with against plymouth, which was 442, so it would seem the team did ok playing in that formation after elliot had gone off. So its a choice for GJ to make, stick with that and as you say change from the 433 (but in actual fact keep the last used formation of 442) or bring in a player who hasnt really set things alight, williams, and stick with the 433. I'm not sure which way he'll go to be honest, but given that he likes to keep winning teams, i would have thought he's stick with the 442 and same line up.

As to the signing of a midfielder, yes i agree with you, i would like a MF but who knows, we could be actively banging on that door without wanting to say it publicly, if not, maybe GJ has more faith in DN and williams than people seem to think.

That said, didn't Williams line up as part of a 433 in the excellent win at Charlton or did I imagine that?

[Nibor]

I would imagine we'll start with the formation we finished with against plymouth, which was 442, so it would seem the team did ok playing in that formation after elliot had gone off. So its a choice for GJ to make, stick with that and as you say change from the 433 (but in actual fact keep the last used formation of 442) or bring in a player who hasnt really set things alight, williams, and stick with the 433. I'm not sure which way he'll go to be honest, but given that he likes to keep winning teams, i would have thought he's stick with the 442 and same line up.

As to the signing of a midfielder, yes i agree with you, i would like a MF but who knows, we be actively banging on that door without wanting to say it publicly, if not, maybe GJ has more faith in DN and williams than people seem to think.

If GJ had faith in Noble he'd have played him when LJ was injured or been on the 7 man bench against Pompey. If he had faith in Williams he'd have given him a chance in his preferred position instead of playing him wide by now. I'm still not sure how you explain GJ flat out saying he won't cover midfield but then signing cover for defence where we're not as badly off? Of course maybe Iriekpen is a shrinking violet in the dressing room of such meek character that he can take a bollocking that no other player coming in could possibly understand... now where's that photo?

I'm sorry I just find this quite alarming. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, we get three points Saturday, sign a class midfielder at one minute before the deadline and make a playoff push, but it seems to me more likely that I will be having a threesome with Angelina Jolie and Keira Knightley this evening. And I'm reliably informed they're both busy.

[Nibor]

Nibor, are you deliberately choosing your angle to maximise the criticism you can direct at the club?

Only a week or so ago you were bemoaning the 433 formation, insisting that we would be better employing a 442.

Elliott goes off injured and McIndoe comes on leading to us lining up in 442 in the second half and going on to win 2-0.

Now you appear to be aghast at the prospect of us switching to the 442 formation you seem to favour us using.

:noexpression:

No not at all. I think 442 is a better option and I've said that all along.

However GJ clearly doesn't.

So when he switches to 442 rather than play one of the other central midfielders on Saturday I will find that a bit strange. Won't you?

[Port Said Red]

An excuse for what? why would GJ have to make up an excuse to not sign a player? I'm lost.

If he didnt want him at the club, or he wasnt right for whatever reason why would GJ not come out and say it? Like he did with Mifsud? What am i not seeing that others are?

Don't worry Dan, what you are not seeing is that some people work themselves up over a couple of tricks on youtube and can't bear the fact that there might be more to getting a decent player than that. This is why GJ goes to so much trouble to do things as secretly as possible because he knows how this and other forums work.

Getting a player physically fit may not take 3 months, but there is the language, the difference in the style of the game and fitting in with the tactics etc. If he isn;t physically fit then thats going to affect the amount of training he will get with the squad and therefore the chance to work on those areas.

[Nibor]

Don't worry Dan, what you are not seeing is that some people work themselves up over a couple of tricks on youtube and can't bear the fact that there might be more to getting a decent player than that. This is why GJ goes to so much trouble to do things as secretly as possible because he knows how this and other forums work.

Youtube has nothing at all to do with my view.

Getting a player physically fit may not take 3 months, but there is the language, the difference in the style of the game and fitting in with the tactics etc. If he isn;t physically fit then thats going to affect the amount of training he will get with the squad and therefore the chance to work on those areas.

Don't see that at all. The players train in the mornings. Extra fitness work can be done after that if needed. He might be a bit unfit but we're talking professional athlete a bit off peak supported by a team of coaches and physios and doctors here, not a couch potato out for a jog. 3 months to get fit seems pretty ludicrous in that context does it not?

[red man dan]

If GJ had faith in Noble he'd have played him when LJ was injured or been on the 7 man bench against Pompey. If he had faith in Williams he'd have given him a chance in his preferred position instead of playing him wide by now. I'm still not sure how you explain GJ flat out saying he won't cover midfield but then signing cover for defence where we're not as badly off? Of course maybe Iriekpen is a shrinking violet in the dressing room of such meek character that he can take a bollocking that no other player coming in could possibly understand... now where's that photo?

I'm sorry I just find this quite alarming. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, we get three points Saturday, sign a class midfielder at one minute before the deadline and make a playoff push, but it seems to me more likely that I will be having a threesome with Angelina Jolie and Keira Knightley this evening.

Personally i'd say we have 'cover' in MF, in DN and williams, however i would like to see someone that would be a bit better than 'cover' come in. I agree, i felt the defender issue was odd, i feel as you say we have more cover there than midfield or at least more quality of cover and if you asked me now wether i would like a top quality MF or Defender i would say MF every time, however i don't think its all done and dusted just yet, and i don't think there is anything sinister in it regarding the 'thing' you wont mention for instance.

You have no chance of that threesome, as ive just dropped them home, they are very tired i might add.

[Nibor]

Personally i'd say we have 'cover' in MF, in DN and williams, however i would like to see someone that would be a bit better than 'cover' come in. I agree, i felt the defender issue was odd, i feel as you say we have more cover there than midfield or at least more quality of cover and if you asked me now wether i would like a top quality MF or Defender i would say MF every time, however i don't think its all done and dusted just yet, and i don't think there is anything sinister in it regarding the 'thing' you wont mention for instance.

You have no chance of that threesome, as ive just dropped them home, they are very tired i might add.

That's very churlish. You should have at least let them cook you breakfast.

[Ian M]

No not at all. I think 442 is a better option and I've said that all along.

However GJ clearly doesn't.

So when he switches to 442 rather than play one of the other central midfielders on Saturday I will find that a bit strange. Won't you?

Unless he thinks 433 is the best option with everyone available but 442 is the best with the current injuries.

Surely you should support GJ going with the formation that best suits the personnel currently available rather than steadfastedly sticking with the current formation when a potentially key instrument to its success is unavailable?