DownendRed97 Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 El Abd. I mean, we'd just started looking strong as a defensive 3 of Osborne, Flint and Williams. Then SC decides to break that partnership by signing El Abd (this May have been masterminded by Keith Burt however). I would be fine with it if he had maybe started on the bench and been given a chance if one of the 3 mentioned had bad performance, but none of them deserved to be dropped. What was ridiculous today was that SC obviously knows that Osborne is too good to be dropped, but playing him at right wing back was a terrible decision. I don't think anyone would have dreamt of playing our 6ft 2inch, big, strong centre back on the wing. Osborne looked arsed off today, he only passed backwards and did once once make a run forward. I do not blame the bloke as he has been playing well, just signed permanently, and was playing in a position completely alien to him. I felt quite sorry for him today, he was treated extremely unfairly. And all this came about as El Abd has now taken his place. The whole team today (except Elliott and Gillett and maybe Reid) didn't look up for a fight, and I don't know whether this May have come about due to SC's fiddling with an unbeaten team and back line. I hope we pick ourselves up from this, but I still don't see the point in signing El Abd and then including him straight away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bemmyredjeff Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 Considering our desperate need for one if not two midfielders plus some much needed width at this moment in time,yes it does currently appear to be a rather needless signing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welcome To The Jungle Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 I had that same feeling when he signed. Wasn't a priority position unless he was significantly better. Flint, Williams, Osborne, Carey, El Abd, Wilson, Fontaine. 7 centre halves is too many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor10 Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 I had that same feeling when he signed. Wasn't a priority position unless he was significantly better. Flint, Williams, Osborne, Carey, El Abd, Wilson, Fontaine. 7 centre halves is too many. Mitch Brundle can be included in that as well. 8 centre backs on the books. Even if a few are going in the summer it wasn't a priority for now. Especially if it means Osbourne gets shunted out to right wing back. We need to give El-Abd a chance though, still early days and I think he's the type of defender we need but he certainly wasn't a priority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownendRed97 Posted January 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 Yeah it is too quick to judge El Abd as a player I just think he may have upset the balance we had in defence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRL Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 Mitch Brundle can be included in that as well. 8 centre backs on the books. Even if a few are going in the summer it wasn't a priority for now. Especially if it means Osbourne gets shunted out to right wing back. We need to give El-Abd a chance though, still early days and I think he's the type of defender we need but he certainly wasn't a priority.Personally think it was a good signing and a priority that sod should have been looking for in the summer. It is the organiser and bit of nastiness we have needed for a long time. Shame we signed nearly a whole new team without getting what I consider this type of signing as our number one priority. Unfortunately we went down the big lumbering centre back route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor10 Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 Personally think it was a good signing and a priority that sod should have been looking for in the summer. It is the organiser and bit of nastiness we have needed for a long time. Shame we signed nearly a whole new team without getting what I consider this type of signing as our number one priority. Unfortunately we went down the big lumbering centre route. No doubt El-Abd is the type of defender we have needed for a long time. Whether he goes on to live up to that only time will tell I guess. I just think having 8 centre backs on the books is crazy. It's no wonder why the squad isn't 'balanced'. Thankfully 3 of those are OCC in the summer, otherwise we will again run the risk of having a huge squad full of players on good money and not playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Rizzle Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 Early days. Nuff said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRL Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 No doubt El-Abd is the type of defender we have needed for a long time. Whether he goes on to live up to that only time will tell I guess. I just think having 8 centre backs on the books is crazy. It's no wonder why the squad isn't 'balanced'. Thankfully 3 of those are OCC in the summer, otherwise we will again run the risk of having a huge squad full of players on good money and not playing. Aye carey fonts probably going wouldn't mind betting Brundle is released. It looks okay to me. Still have massive reservations about flint and wouldn't mind him moving on truth be told. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor10 Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 Aye carey fonts probably going wouldn't mind betting Brundle is released. It looks okay to me. Still have massive reservations about flint and wouldn't mind him moving on truth be told. Wilson will be gone also. Some weeks Flint has been excellent, others abysmal. Hopefully he can improve enough to be successful with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 I do hope the El Abd signing works out, but I think over his first 2 games for us his selection has upset what was beginning to show signs of a decent back 3 (Os-Flint-Will). Versus MK Dons, it was very disappointing to see Williams dropped. In my opinion he's been our best CB this season and balances out the 3 man back line, being left footed. For El-Abd (a right sided CB all his life) to come in and replace our most consistent CB on the left side was strange - and resulted in a mistake for the first goal against. Versus Wolves, again the selection of El Abd pushed Osborne into a highly unfamiliar role (I'm still amazed that Osborne was playing wing back - astonishing). I just think Os-Flint-Will were beginning to show some cohesion. And it appears, judging by today's showing, that Williams may have had a bit of confidence knocked out of him after being unjustifiably dropped last week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownendRed97 Posted January 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 Wilson will be gone also. Some weeks Flint has been excellent, others abysmal. Hopefully he can improve enough to be successful with us. Agree, but Flint seemed to be finding some consistency in the back three with Williams and Osborne.., last 2 games he has looked fairly dodgy again. We need consistently at this time in the season and changing the quite successful back line was IMO, not helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownendRed97 Posted January 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 I do hope the El Abd signing works out, but I think over his first 2 games for us his selection has upset what was beginning to show signs of a decent back 3 (Os-Flint-Will). Versus MK Dons, it was very disappointing to see Williams dropped. In my opinion he's been our best CB this season and balances out the 3 man back line, being left footed. For El-Abd (a right sided CB all his life) to come in and replace our most consistent CB on the left side was strange - and resulted in a mistake for the first goal against. Versus Wolves, again the selection of El Abd pushed Osborne into a highly unfamiliar role (I'm still amazed that Osborne was playing wing back - astonishing). I just think Os-Flint-Will were beginning to show some cohesion. And it appears, judging by today's showing, that Williams may have had a bit of confidence knocked out of him after being unjustifiably dropped last week. Precisely! Let's just hope Williams and Osborne can bounce back from both being treated unfairly in the last two games Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor10 Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 Agree, but Flint seemed to be finding some consistency in the back three with Williams and Osborne.., last 2 games he has looked fairly dodgy again. We need consistently at this time in the season and changing the quite successful back line was IMO, not helpful. Agree. I'm not sure El-Abd is suited to playing on the right of left of a back 3. He looks as though he very much needs to be central. As for Flint he of late has looked good. The last two games though I have to agree with you, looked dodgy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandare 1966 Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 He will be good signing but agree don't think he should have been put straight in the team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old_eastender Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 SC1 signed a near 30 year old on a silly long contract and high wages to 'sort out' our defence (Damian Stewart) and we all know how that worked out... can't help but think SC2 may have repeated history with the signing of El Abd. The only reason I could see for signing El Abd was if we were going back to playing a back FOUR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeRed Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 Versus Wolves, again the selection of El Abd pushed Osborne into a highly unfamiliar role (I'm still amazed that Osborne was playing wing back - astonishing). . SC clearly doesn't rate Maloney - to the point that he'd rather play a CH at RWB rather than put Maloney in when Wagstaff was injured. Maloney joins Pack, Wynter, Fielding, Bryan, and Marv as players he either doesn't really rate or thinks are past it (Marv). Hence his stated wish to sign 2 midfielders and a left winger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REDOXO Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 SC clearly doesn't rate Maloney - to the point that he'd rather play a CH at RWB rather than put Maloney in when Wagstaff was injured. Maloney joins Pack, Wynter, Fielding, Bryan, and Marv as players he either doesn't really rate or thinks are past it (Marv). Hence his stated wish to sign 2 midfielders and a left winger I can't help but agree here. For my tupence worth Marvin has been long gone in spirit and needs new pastures. Fielding had a poor start but I wonder if he is improving in training. Wynter we have barely seen and Pack would not be here if Kelly was fit. I always thought Maloney was decent and Joe Bryan was class. Clearly I am missing something. The decision to play Osbourne on the wing was bizarre and the signing of El Abt has unsettled the back three of Williams Flint and Osbourne. Still what the **** do I know!!! We need a goalkeeper Kelly back in the mix and another forward IMO Any news on Kelly!!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo88 Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 It 's probably part of Cotts long term plan. Eventually El Ab will play in a back four. This is fine as long as the short term plan works. - i e City stay in league 1. Personally I think a bit more effort should go into this short term plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownendRed97 Posted January 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 I can't help but agree here. For my tupence worth Marvin has been long gone in spirit and needs new pastures. Fielding had a poor start but I wonder if he is improving in training. Wynter we have barely seen and Pack would not be here if Kelly was fit. I always thought Maloney was decent and Joe Bryan was class. Clearly I am missing something. The decision to play Osbourne on the wing was bizarre and the signing of El Abt has unsettled the back three of Williams Flint and Osbourne. Still what the **** do I know!!! We need a goalkeeper Kelly back in the mix and another forward IMO Any news on Kelly!!? Marv may be getting on abit, but he was the only player yesterday throwing himself into challenges, running his heart out and showing real passion. IMO he should play every week on the back of yesterday's performance, however he has a tendency to only perform every now and again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownendRed97 Posted January 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 Going by the radio, I can't help but feel our defence seems shaky again, and the only thing that's changed is the inclusion of El Abd... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Club and Country Posted January 28, 2014 Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 I think the club thought it was too good an opportunity to turn down Price, experience, age etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibs Posted January 28, 2014 Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 I think Flint is playing himself out of the team at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cardy Posted January 28, 2014 Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 I think Flint is playing himself out of the team at the moment. Agreed. Plus Osbourne has now done his hamstring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephenkibby. Posted January 28, 2014 Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 well we sound devoid of ideals, no threat whatsoever 2nd hf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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