Team At Swansea

[NickJ]

Cole Skuse was almost 100% acclaimed as superb against Middlesborough. IMO he was quiet but effective against Coventry.

Dropped against Swansea. Why?

Shortage of strikers, Clarkson on the bench. Why not give him a game?

Meanwhile, earlier today, Sno was to be restricted to cameo roles over the next few weeks, and yet started tonight and played almost the entire game.

http://www.bcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,1...1796952,00.html

Apparently he was fit enough to start up front but not in midfield.

- Sproule is an impact player rather than starter, particularly away from home.

- Sno apparently excelled in midfield at AG therefore you would expect he was brought in on that basis.

- Skuse does everything Johnson does but can tackle and get up and down the pitch as well.

- Clarkson and/or Williams would have added some flair and inventiveness.

Just a few of my observations from tonights team.

Swansea were there for the taking tonight, IMO even allowing for the injuries, tonight's team selection was a wasted opportunity.

[Henry]

Did you not see the injury/illness crisis on the main site? Some of the players starting werent fit and most of the bench were only half fit

[Alex_BCFC]

It was a point gained. Even before I saw the teams I would have taken a point seeing as our record at the Liberty is poor and Swansea won't finish as low as they are at the moment.

The only thing that worries me is the lack of goals from anyone but Maynard. But the real test for that is when our strikers are all fit.

[And Its Smith]

Johnson, why didnt you start with unfit players? For christ's sake!

[Squeak]

Definitely a point gained. NickJ, read through the official site for our injury/illness breakdown and you'll understand.

[Economou]

I know what you mean Nick, we had a great chance of taking the three points and moving up the league but all things considered a soild point was OK.

[Riaz]

2 points dropped? one point gained. players dropping like flys at the moment! Clarkson, Sno, Skuse etc etc would'nt have played in normal circumstances.

[Chivs]

Cole Skuse was almost 100% acclaimed as superb against Middlesborough. IMO he was quiet but effective against Coventry.

Dropped against Swansea. Why?

Shortage of strikers, Clarkson on the bench. Why not give him a game?

Meanwhile, earlier today, Sno was to be restricted to cameo roles over the next few weeks, and yet started tonight and played almost the entire game.

http://www.bcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,1...1796952,00.html

Apparently he was fit enough to start up front but not in midfield.

- Sproule is an impact player rather than starter, particularly away from home.

- Sno apparently excelled in midfield at AG therefore you would expect he was brought in on that basis.

- Skuse does everything Johnson does but can tackle and get up and down the pitch as well.

- Clarkson and/or Williams would have added some flair and inventiveness.

Just a few of my observations from tonights team.

Swansea were there for the taking tonight, IMO even allowing for the injuries, tonight's team selection was a wasted opportunity.

Pathetic effort.

[NickJ]

Thanks for the replies however IMO Clarkson is a better and classier option starting as a striker than Sproule, and more likely to yield a goal. I can well imagine Sabario's clever play being completely wasted this evening.

And in anticipation of the "he's not fit" response, GJ said only today that Sno won't be fit enough to start for several weeks, and yet he did.

And IMO Sno or Skuse is an obvious improvement on Johnson in midfield, in terms of strength and dynamism. As performances this season and the end of last demonstrate.

Swansea are a team in disarray at the moment. Seven goals conceded at home in three games before this evening.

We have significantly improved our squad strength.

I well understand the injury list, but nevertheless think the team selection didnt give us the best chance of a win.

Just my opinion.

[NickJ]

Pathetic effort.

At what.

[Rich]

At what.

I understand your thoughts Nick but we must trust the man that knows not only our strengths but also how to hopefully exploit Swanseas weaknesses, perhaps that's why sproule started even though he is more effective as a sub.

Perhaps that's the formetion he wanted to play with the players we had available.

Rich

yes me again but I come in peace.

[Alex_BCFC]

Swansea are a team in disarray at the moment. Seven goals conceded at home in three games before this evening.

In the league they have conceeded 4 in 3 home league games. Middlesborough beat them 3-0 and we beat them. Swansea beat Coventry 1-0 and we drew with them. Just shows anyone can beat anyone and it was a point gained.

I suspect Sno was played today due to the lack of options with illness etc. It really is a good point on that basis and a win Saturday would back it up nicely.

[Robbored]

I have some sympathy for NickJ's points, I to thought that the Jacks were there for the taking despite City having a much changed side out through injury and illnes.

I agree that Skuse would have brought more to the team than Lee Johnson but we don't know how fit Skuse was. Maybe he was carrying a knock and not ready for 90 mins.

Clarkson has been unwell, not trained fully so he too might not have been able to manage 90 mins. Akinde and Maynard were both out so Johnson didn't have many options up front.

Personally I reckon a 4-5-1 might have been more effective with Alvaro up front on his own with Williams,Elliot,Hartley,Sno and Skuse across the midfield.

That said maybe 60 mins from Clarkson (who could do with the game time) and then bring on a fresh Sproule to run at a tiring defence may have been a better option.

But City got a result and a tough place to go and now its fingers crossed that Johnson will have a stronger squad available for Saturday against an in form Scunny who have scored 7 goals in their last two games. That game won't be an easy 3 points as some fans will undoubtedly think.

[NickJ]

I understand your thoughts Nick but we must trust the man that knows not only our strengths but also how to hopefully exploit Swanseas weaknesses, perhaps that's why sproule started even though he is more effective as a sub.

Perhaps that's the formetion he wanted to play with the players we had available.

Rich

yes me again but I come in peace.

Ha! fair enough Rich.

Yes I trust GJ overall but all of us on here are arrogant enough to think we could do even better!

Personally I'd be happy to a return of the good old days when you knew what the starting 11 would be for pretty much the whole season.

However if the football industry nowadays is going to insist on squads of 3 million, 4 subs guaranteed to do **** all the entire day, and a turnover of personnel not far removed from a brothel, it sort of invites opinions on who should and shouldnt be playing.

[NickJ]

http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=120306

And with that, from someone that was actually there, I rest my case.

[Strictly Obi]

Well done GJ and ALL the team for a well earned point!

[pdgifford64]

Feel free to correct me if i`m wrong but as i understand it we didn`t just fill the gaps with squad players tonight, a lot of the players playing wern`t 100% themselves. Now...if i`m wrong, fair enough, but if that is the case then it truly is a point gained and some people should stop bleating about `2 points dropped`. Some people really do beggar belief.

PDG

[sdc1978]

Happy with a point with all things considered. At to think last season it was our home form that cost us really, but if you look at our home games coming up until December, all of them are very winnable. Pick up away points like this and we'll be fine, especially when we get our squad fully fit!

[Coach]

Cole Skuse was almost 100% acclaimed as superb against Middlesborough. IMO he was quiet but effective against Coventry.

Dropped against Swansea. Why?

I would hazard a guess at this:

Elliott had a 2pm fitness test and was a doubtful starter let alone finisher of the game.

Hartley, after all his games recently and what GJ has said on the subject, had to be considered questionable whether he could truly last 90 mins.

Sno, as GJ has said before and since the game, doesn't have a full 90 mins in him yet.

We HAD to have Skuse - the only combative midfielder left - as a back up because GJ simply didn't know who would need replacing as the game went on.

And if Skuse had've started and got injured himself (as he has many times before) that really would have cooked us.

That's my take anyway and with all the illnesses / injuries - some of which we the fans will not know about, especially the extent of the individual problems - I think it is bang out of order questioning GJ at this moment in time.

[NickJ]

Feel free to correct me if i`m wrong but as i understand it we didn`t just fill the gaps with squad players tonight, a lot of the players playing wern`t 100% themselves. Now...if i`m wrong, fair enough, but if that is the case then it truly is a point gained and some people should stop bleating about `2 points dropped`. Some people really do beggar belief.

PDG

I think it also beggars belief that some people think that a person having an opinion on a forum, which does not coincide with their opinion, is "bleating".

Forum. Opinion.

GJ got the team selection and tactics spot on against M'boro, so I said so, on here.

Last night I didn't think so. If you don't like that opinion, tough.

[NickJ]

I would hazard a guess at this:

Elliott had a 2pm fitness test and was a doubtful starter let alone finisher of the game.

Hartley, after all his games recently and what GJ has said on the subject, had to be considered questionable whether he could truly last 90 mins.

Sno, as GJ has said before and since the game, doesn't have a full 90 mins in him yet.

We HAD to have Skuse - the only combative midfielder left - as a back up because GJ simply didn't know who would need replacing as the game went on.

And if Skuse had've started and got injured himself (as he has many times before) that really would have cooked us.

That's my take anyway and with all the illnesses / injuries - some of which we the fans will not know about, especially the extent of the individual problems - I think it is bang out of order questioning GJ at this moment in time.

So Elliott, Hartley and Sno were all unlikely to last 90 minutes. And Johnson - not said by you but an opinion stated by others - has a lack of match fitness this season.

So we put our only fit midfielder on the bench as "back up". According to your theory.

You may think it's bang out of order to question GJ's judgment.

I on the other hand think its bang out of order to suggest he's a ******* idiot.

GJ has done a great job here.

But as in the previous reply. There would be no point in a forum without opinions.

[RedM]

Just to put it simply in black and white:

Adriano Basso - Played first game this season after contract dispute.

Bradley Orr - Recent illness.

Liam Fontaine - subbed due to injury

Jamie McCombe -

Jamie McAllister -

Marvin Elliott - Subbed due to injury

Lee Johnson - past illness

Paul Hartley - probably playing more games than he thought

Ivan Sproule -

Evander Sno - not fully fit

Alvaro Saborio

Subs

Lewin Nyatanga - Recent illness

Gavin Williams -

Brian Wilson - recently back after long tern injury

Andre Blackman -

Cole Skuse - suffering dizziness since Coventry I want to emphasis this as many are remarking about Skuse.

David Clarkson - recent illness

Stephen Henderson - back after injury

Unavailable; illness/injury

Akinde

Haynes

Maynard

Gerkin

Carey

I've probably missed a few out etc, but the fact is that a point is a very good return I think.

[Riaz]

I think it also beggars belief that some people think that a person having an opinion on a forum, which does not coincide with their opinion, is "bleating".

Forum. Opinion.

GJ got the team selection and tactics spot on against M'boro, so I said so, on here.

Last night I didn't think so. If you don't like that opinion, tough.

I dont think there was too much "selecting" to do. Alot of the players that started were'nt ready to play either.......

Avoiding defeat in such circumstances deserves praise.

[Mr Ed]

Just to put it simply in black and white:

Cole Skuse - suffering dizziness since Coventry I want to emphasis this as many are remarking about Skuse.

The O/S stated it was Brian Wilson suffering dizziness since Coventry. Haven't seen any reason given for Cole not starting.

[NickJ]

Just to put it simply in black and white:

Adriano Basso - Played first game this season after contract dispute.

Bradley Orr - Recent illness.

Liam Fontaine - subbed due to injury

Jamie McCombe -

Jamie McAllister -

Marvin Elliott - Subbed due to injury

Lee Johnson - past illness

Paul Hartley - probably playing more games than he thought

Ivan Sproule -

Evander Sno - not fully fit

Alvaro Saborio

Subs

Lewin Nyatanga - Recent illness

Gavin Williams -

Brian Wilson - recently back after long tern injury

Andre Blackman -

Cole Skuse - suffering dizziness since Coventry I want to emphasis this as many are remarking about Skuse.

David Clarkson - recent illness

Stephen Henderson - back after injury

Unavailable; illness/injury

Akinde

Haynes

Maynard

Gerkin

Carey

I've probably missed a few out etc, but the fact is that a point is a very good return I think.

RedM, that's just encouraging an excuses mentality, IMO.

Yes, I agree we were missing influential players - Carey, Maynard, and to a lesser extent Akinde and Haynes.

But this huge squad is costing a fortune.

Past illness, a bit tired, recent injury, contract issues? Just get on with it.

I dont know about Skuse being dizzy from Saturday, but how to explain a 3 day dizzy spell ending during the middle of last night's second half?

Also in black and white - all 18 squad members were fit, at the start of the game.

And I would have selected a different team from those 18, thats all.

Its amazing how a simple opinion can provoke so much!!

[Pederho ll]

I think all in all it was a two good points from two away games.

The question I would ask is given this injuries/illness, is is wise to let Artus out on loan, a player that is quite clearly match fit as he is starting for Cheltenham Town and can play in a variety of positions? Could we not have exercised a recall clause or something?

[City Ben]

I don't think that all 18 squad members WERE fit at the start of the match though, were they?

I'm sure I read on the match squad that v Mids players were on the bench who had no hope of playing just as GJ didn't want to show our illness-induced weakness.

I think that it's pretty clear that all 18 weren't fit, and that in fact many who started weren't fit. With that in mind I'd be minded to agree that it's a decent point.

Anyway - four years ago who'd have been thinking that we'd be here now bemoaning a draw away at a team managed by Paolo Sousa, and not playing to the strengths of our recent signings the Costa Rican international and Ajax Holland-U21 player?

Not wanting to rest on our laurels by any means but I'm not going to start getting upset just yet.

[RedM]

The O/S stated it was Brian Wilson suffering dizziness since Coventry. Haven't seen any reason given for Cole not starting.

If that's the case I am happy to stand corrected, I heard it on the radio I think that it was Skuse.

EDIT: I just looked on OS, they state it was Williams NOT Skuse who was dizzy. In that case I would have wanted Skuse to start.

[Riaz]

Adam Baker mentioned that cole skuse had to drop to the bench for illness or recovering from illness.

[GrahamC]

I think all in all it was a two good points from two away games.

The question I would ask is given this injuries/illness, is is wise to let Artus out on loan, a player that is quite clearly match fit as he is starting for Cheltenham Town and can play in a variety of positions? Could we not have exercised a recall clause or something?

Artus couldn't be recalled inside his first month at Cheltenham, no.

With regard to his loan in the first place, the judgement GJ presumably made was the likelihood of him getting far more first team football there against the possibility that we would be without the number of first teamers that we've suddenly found ourselves missing.