Kieran Agard

[Alex_BCFC]

JET's first touch is miles better. It is quite often a lovely flick to set an attack up. 

[Red-Robbo]

probably only 4 or 5 'bigger' clubs than Leeds in the entire country

In the 1970s maybe, but not now.

[Taylor10]

I personally think Agard will start Sunday. I would personally start JET over Agard for every game to be honest, but even though he scored I don't think JET impressed SC enough.

[BRISTOL86]

I personally think Agard will start Sunday. I would personally start JET over Agard for every game to be honest, but even though he scored I don't think JET impressed SC enough.

To be fair he was pretty damn poor for 80 mins but then comes up with that. JET all over.

Cotts seemed pleased enough when interviewed though.

Said something like 'didn't think it was his best game tonight but then he comes up with that - that's what he can do isn't it"

[Lack of Action Man]

Thought JET did pretty well to be honest! It wasn't a classic JET performance, but he was very unselfish with the ball and held it up well for us against a physically big team. If anything, he Should've been more selfish and ran at their defence more.

Still a vital 3 points and I think that's our strongest team based on form and injuries currently.

[Taylor10]

To be fair he was pretty damn poor for 80 mins but then comes up with that. JET all over.

Cotts seemed pleased enough when interviewed though.

Said something like 'didn't think it was his best game tonight but then he comes up with that - that's what he can do isn't it"

I thought first half he was good but second we didn't see much of him until the end. Even though almost all of our good play came from a clever bit of JET skill or pass.

SC did compliment JET but also mentioned how Agard stretches defenses. I fully expect Agard to start Sunday.

[Leveller]

JET's first touch is miles better. It is quite often a lovely flick to set an attack up.

Sometimes it is, but just as often he falls over the ball, falls over himself, or simply gives the ball away.

He can be spectacularly good and spectacularly bad in the same match, which he proved again last night.

If truth be told, he only contributed against Crewe well after we had the game won, when he should be the one breaking the deadlock in the first half.

For me the jury is out over whether JET or Agard contributes more on average.

[Leveller]

I thought first half he was good but second we didn't see much of him until the end. Even though almost all of our good play came from a clever bit of JET skill or pass.

SC did compliment JET but also mentioned how Agard stretches defenses. I fully expect Agard to start Sunday.

Disagree strongly that " almost all of our good play came from a clever bit of JET skill or pass". I really don't see how anyone can say that. Freeman, Ayling, Bryant all did as much if not more.

[Alex_BCFC]

Sometimes it is, but just as often he falls over the ball, falls over himself

Last night yes but in general no.

 

Had a friend come to both games and said JET should have started Saturday - he was miles more effective than Agard.

 

I'm not an Agard hater - he has his uses especially away from home in a tight game but its JET all day long for me in most games.

[Taylor10]

Disagree strongly that " almost all of our good play came from a clever bit of JET skill or pass". I really don't see how anyone can say that. Freeman, Ayling, Bryant all did as much if not more.

He didn't always start or finish the moves but JET was pivotal in a lot of chances creates, granted the likes of Ayling and Bryan were adding the final touch.

[reddoc]

Last night yes but in general no.

 

Had a friend come to both games and said JET should have started Saturday - he was miles more effective than Agard.

 

I'm not an Agard hater - he has his uses especially away from home in a tight game but its JET all day long for me in most games.

What is it about these friends who come to games that make them so much wiser than the rest of us? Mildly confused as to the relevance of his observations.

[BobBobSuperBob]

What Agard does that neither Jet, AW or Matt Smith do / did is gets teams to defend deeper as they are concerned about his pace - happened last night and as a result Smith & co have much more room to create in - different options for different scenarios - I really like KA's ethics and work rate and appreciate what he does bring , but , being ruthless, a Championship Striker ? Not for me at the moment , (but I hope he proves me wrong as I like the lad)

[Talk Of The Town]

Agard our weakest link maybe ?

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Maybe it's just me (and it probably is) but I sort of find this thread somewhat sad.

 

We are having the most unbelievable seasons that I can recall and zeroing in on our first (hopefully) title in 60 years and everybody in the squad has played their part when called upon and there appears to be no animosity in the said squad.

 

The guy that makes the decisions and picks the team has hardly put a foot wrong with his decision making since he has been here and this is a guy that not many actually wanted to manage the club. Just support him and the squad 8 league games + a cup final to come, one thing is 'for sure' (my SC'ism) he has no favourites (unlike virtually every manager has had since I have been supporting the club) he makes the decisions based on what he believes is the best for the club and that is such a refreshing change.

 

I understand the debate angle but I also suspect that the person most tortured over any decision to select or not select JET is SC himself, Agard and JET have both played their part with double figures in goals and a lot assists between them.

[Alex_BCFC]

What is it about these friends who come to games that make them so much wiser than the rest of us? Mildly confused as to the relevance of his observations.

Neutral perspective? I didn't say it was wiser though!

[TNBT]

I hope Agard can get few more goals before the end the season get his confidence back.

[Londoner]

Maybe it's just me (and it probably is) but I sort of find this thread somewhat sad.

We are having the most unbelievable seasons that I can recall and zeroing in on our first (hopefully) title in 60 years and everybody in the squad has played their part when called upon and there appears to be no animosity in the said squad.

The guy that makes the decisions and picks the team has hardly put a foot wrong with his decision making since he has been here and this is a guy that not many actually wanted to manage the club. Just support him and the squad 8 league games + a cup final to come, one thing is 'for sure' (my SC'ism) he has no favourites (unlike virtually every manager has had since I have been supporting the club) he makes the decisions based on what he believes is the best for the club and that is such a refreshing change.

I understand the debate angle but I also suspect that the person most tortured over any decision to select or not select JET is SC himself, Agard and JET have both played their part with double figures in goals and a lot assists between them.

Eloquently put. Shame you don't understand the concept of a forum.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

Maybe it's just me (and it probably is) but I sort of find this thread somewhat sad.

 

We are having the most unbelievable seasons that I can recall and zeroing in on our first (hopefully) title in 60 years and everybody in the squad has played their part when called upon and there appears to be no animosity in the said squad.

 

The guy that makes the decisions and picks the team has hardly put a foot wrong with his decision making since he has been here and this is a guy that not many actually wanted to manage the club. Just support him and the squad 8 league games + a cup final to come, one thing is 'for sure' (my SC'ism) he has no favourites (unlike virtually every manager has had since I have been supporting the club) he makes the decisions based on what he believes is the best for the club and that is such a refreshing change.

 

I understand the debate angle but I also suspect that the person most tortured over any decision to select or not select JET is SC himself, Agard and JET have both played their part with double figures in goals and a lot assists between them.

 

 

Fair points, Es. 

 

My twopennies worth is that Agard has been selected over Jet virtually all season APART from in JPT matches. Why should Sunday be any different?- Jet deserves a starting place imo for this alone . However, I also feel that Jet played himself back into the starting 11 yet was dropped in favour of getting Agard match fit again but Agard doesn't look as sharp as he did before he was injured.

 

Cotts out. 

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Eloquently put. Shame you don't understand the concept of a forum.

 

I actually addressed that point in the last sentence.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Fair points, Es. 

 

My twopennies worth is that Agard has been selected over Jet virtually all season APART from in JPT matches. Why should Sunday be any different?- Jet deserves a starting place imo for this alone . However, I also feel that Jet played himself back into the starting 11 yet was dropped in favour of getting Agard match fit again but Agard doesn't look as sharp as he did before he was injured.

 

Cotts out. 

 

Actually JET started in the Sheff Utd home defeat, Agard had 30 minutes but JET was not replaced in that game. Agard started the Peterborough home game (probably a reasonable decision in getting Agard back to full fitness). JET then started the next match at Colchester and was replaced by Agard at halftime (mind you we were 3-0 down, so again probably a wise decision) and since that game 6 wins and a draw and after the draw with Gillingham JET replaced Agard for the Crewe game, so SC has certainly been even handed in selection of strikers.

 

As for Sunday, I feel for SC over his selections it is going to be probably the hardest decision he has ever made as a manager, but as ever I believe that he will make that decision based on what he feels is right for the team, he always does, as I said he doesn't have favourites, the only small saving grace is I read somewhere that with 7 subs the whole squad will be there, rather him than me.

[Buckeyed]

Agard has a great impact on games without a lot of people realising it. Opposition players are dragged out of position in order to mark him as they know he does have pace (although he doesn't use it regularly). This allows other players to get into better positions and get the goals. This is similar to the impact that Suarez had for  Barcelona last night (please note I am not comparing Agard to Suarez).

[extonsred]

Agard has a great impact on games without a lot of people realising it. Opposition players are dragged out of position in order to mark him as they know he does have pace (although he doesn't use it regularly). This allows other players to get into better positions and get the goals. This is similar to the impact that Suarez had for  Barcelona last night (please note I am not comparing Agard to Suarez).

People go on and on about agards pace -- not sure what I am missing but very rarely do i see him beat the opposition for pace. What am I missing.

Not anti Agard or anti anything this season and like other posters appreciate all the players who have represented us this year -- for the first time ever my heart does not drop when one of our subs is called upon -- now that is really something. Best squad in a lifetime and if they support each other as we believe then we should have no doubts!!

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

Actually JET started in the Sheff Utd home defeat, Agard had 30 minutes but JET was not replaced in that game. Agard started the Peterborough home game (probably a reasonable decision in getting Agard back to full fitness). JET then started the next match at Colchester and was replaced by Agard at halftime (mind you we were 3-0 down, so again probably a wise decision) and since that game 6 wins and a draw and after the draw with Gillingham JET replaced Agard for the Crewe game, so SC has certainly been even handed in selection of strikers.

 

As for Sunday, I feel for SC over his selections it is going to be probably the hardest decision he has ever made as a manager, but as ever I believe that he will make that decision based on what he feels is right for the team, he always does, as I said he doesn't have favourites, the only small saving grace is I read somewhere that with 7 subs the whole squad will be there, rather him than me.

 

 

If we winning comfortably then SC may play the three strikers as on Tuesday. If we're not winning then a substitution will be made so we're likely to see both Jet and Agard at some point.

 

I'd love to see Jet start because I love Jet but I'll support whichever.

 

Cotts In

[Buckeyed]

People go on and on about agards pace -- not sure what I am missing but very rarely do i see him beat the opposition for pace. What am I missing.

 

Have you not played as him on Fifa?? 

 

I think his off the ball pace is good, but he struggles when he gets the ball. 

[RedM]

For me Jet seems to do what he does easily, naturally. He sees the right pass almost without looking up, some say lazily. Agard is totally different in that he seems to have to work 3 times as hard and almost always doesn't make the right choices or scuffs the shot. Football doesn't come as easy to him as it does Jet, but he compensates by working hard and freeing up space for others.

Basically when Jet is in the groove you are pretty sure and confident of him scoring or him laying on an assist. With Agard anything can happen but weighted towards disappointment. Agard is more consistent than Jet though in that respect, you know what you are going o get where Jet could be pulling all the things or slouching around.

Personally on recent performances I'd pick Jet over Agard. He had his most consistent spell of the season with Matt Smith and we needed to build on that not put him on the subs bench. I'm not sure that time isn't running out for Agard, can he make a huge improvement over the summer, it's. big ask, especially if we do go up.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

For me Jet seems to do what he does easily, naturally. He sees the right pass almost without looking up, some say lazily. Agard is totally different in that he seems to have to work 3 times as hard and almost always doesn't make the right choices or scuffs the shot. Football doesn't come as easy to him as it does Jet, but he compensates by working hard and freeing up space for others.

Basically when Jet is in the groove you are pretty sure and confident of him scoring or him laying on an assist. With Agard anything can happen but weighted towards disappointment. Agard is more consistent than Jet though in that respect, you know what you are going o get where Jet could be pulling all the things or slouching around.

Personally on recent performances I'd pick Jet over Agard. He had his most consistent spell of the season with Matt Smith and we needed to build on that not put him on the subs bench. I'm not sure that time isn't running out for Agard, can he make a huge improvement over the summer, it's. big ask, especially if we do go up.

 

5 wins + 1 draw suggests we were doing OK, against P 3 Lost 2 won 1, that is where JET's recent omissions seem to have stemmed from and Agard was dropped in favour of JET after a home draw, as I say SC has been even handed and correct with his recent striker selections.

[Alex_BCFC]

When I saw Agard for the first time at Notts County I thought he might be threatening with pace and running with the ball - but just doesn't seem to have happened.

[Nogbad the Bad]

I hope Agard can get few more goals before the end the season get his confidence back.

 

If Agard still needs to get his confidence back, the question has to be asked why did he lose it in the first place? Confidence is vital for a successful striker and for a goalscorer to lose it can be catrastrophic as we saw all too clearly with Baldock's disastrous spell last season. You really don't want a striker to be a sensitive soul,  it's vital that confidence is a key part of his make-up.

 

If confidence was lacking shouldn't the goal at Yeovil have restored it? 'All he needs is a goal, even if it's off his backside etc.....'

 

You can talk about his workrate, but we paid big money for the hardest but most acclaimed job in professional football, sticking the ball in the back of the net, and that, not willingness to run about, is what big money striker signings will be judged on.

 

Play the man in form and looking confident, especially at this stage of an arduous season when that player has recently benefitted from a 6 match rest.

 

A single goal by Agard in those 6 games doesn't seem to me to be enough to justify continuing to play him instead of Jet, especially when you consider Jet - enjoying his first chance this season to find his form with a run of starts - had just scored 4 goals in the previous 5 games before originally being replaced by Agard for the Fleetwood game.

 

The Fleetwood game where Jet came on as a sub for the returning Agard.... and scored again!

[Esmond Million's Bung]

If Agard still needs to get his confidence back, the question has to be asked why did he lose it in the first place? Confidence is vital for a successful striker and for a goalscorer to lose it can be catrastrophic as we saw all too clearly with Baldock's disastrous spell last season. You really don't want a striker to be a sensitive soul,  it's vital that confidence is a key part of his make-up.

 

If confidence was lacking shouldn't the goal at Yeovil have restored it? 'All he needs is a goal, even if it's off his backside etc.....'

 

You can talk about his workrate, but we paid big money for the hardest but most acclaimed job in professional football, sticking the ball in the back of the net, and that, not willingness to run about, is what big money striker signings will be judged on.

 

Play the man in form and looking confident, especially at this stage of an arduous season when that player has recently benefitted from a 6 match rest.

 

A single goal by Agard in those 6 games doesn't seem to me to be enough to justify continuing to play him instead of Jet, especially when you consider Jet - enjoying his first chance this season to find his form with a run of starts - had just scored 4 goals in the previous 5 games before originally being replaced by Agard for the Fleetwood game.

 

The Fleetwood game where Jet came on as a sub for the returning Agard.... and scored again!

 

We can all come up with stuff like that, JET started in both are last 2 defeats, so what?

[Red-Robbo]

In terms of the present moment you'd have to say JET is in form, and Agard out of it.

Of course it might be that our manager decides that Agard's more sustained running will terrorise the mighty Walsall more than JET's flashes of genius.

That said, Jay had a couple of decent sprints on Tuesday - and even won 3 headers! He was obviously playing for a starting place.