Dicker v Navarro and Crofts.

[jordanseagull]

Yes, i know this has been done to death, BUT:

The website says that Navarro is fit for selection, and is also in the line up that they give. With Crofts.

Which means that Dicker is of course, not starting.

To me, this really does prove that it is not his ability that is preventing him from getting a starting place, but something that is going on off the field, as many have said before me.

However there could be a deeper worry, than Dicker not starting. At Millwall, after around 30 minutes, people started to sing 'there's only one Gary Dicker.' I am not saying this is a bad thing, in fact i joined in too, as he is clearly the better player than Navarro, if not one of the best in our squad. But what can this be doing for Navarro's confidence and loyalty to the club, and to the fans? Personally, if i had been trying my best and, lets be fair, put in a decent, honest effort, i would be slightly knocked if 'my fans' were singing for me to get off the pitch. But, as a professional, he should of course be able to take this as a positive, and work harder to become better.

However, on Saturday, if Dicker is not chosen which seems likely, the fans really will get annoyed, me included. This cannot be good for anyone involved; Navarro, for the reasons explained; Dicker, what must he feel for Navarro, how can their friendship and effectively 'gelling' improve? And of course Slade. He knows by now that 99% of the fans following this club want Dicker in, he is the better player and he is simply not getting a look in because he had a 'poor' pre season, 6 odd weeks ago. Strange, from Slade, not to pick someone on their current form, which is what matters most. I do think that he is listening to his head; to persevere, and not change things, when he should listen to his heart; he KNOWS that Dicker is better, the man is not stupid.

Slade needs to consider this in my opinion, or there very well could be that Chainsaw/other weapon massacre that has been talked about already on here. Watch ya head, Russel!

 

[jordanseagull]

Certainly, we need a win tomorrow, and Dicker is key. Even if we don't win but Dicker plays, people will be happier..

 

[Kneon Light]

The team on the website is nearly always wrong. I wouldn't read too much into it.
I cannot believe that Dicker will not start tomorrow.

 

[Mellotron]

It is starting to get a bit suspicious.

From what we've seen of him Dicker is probably the most in form player at the entire club at the moment.

 

[mkdon]

Let the NavMan Loose

 

[mkdon]

He,s a good player, was sorry to see him released, by the dickhead thats now in the championship.

 

[Mendoza]

We look like a proper football team when GaDi plays, so why not start him, there is a link (on the deck) between defence and midfield, and midfield and attack. When he doesnt play, that disappears with a gaggle of flid like long balls to our midget wingers and strikers that dont win headers.

Get him IN, even if he did do Mrs Slade up da poo pipe in Slades hotel room whilst feeding her chocolate hobnobs and drinking Lilt

 

[mkdon]

Im suprised he,s not playing well, he was solid for us, got a few goals, gave 100%.
Always bossing midfield.
May need a bit more time to settle? we got one, Goburn from wolves ,im not sure, but told he,s very good.

 

[Shinbreath]

Its a very dangerous game to play. I mean, fan pressure. But who can blame us. We pay our money and therefore have a right to our say but think in reality the club, its staff and the players should all be professional enough to play their own game regardless of external pressures and do it to a 100% professional standard.

I think that some fans sometimes need to step back and just think for a second that:

a) We dont know what Slade sees on the training pitch every day. We only really get a 90min snapshot every week or every other week.

b)We dont fully know how he wants the team to play, and also how near (or far) he is to achieving this with his preferred players.

c) Changing players week in week out will do nothing to help the gelling that this new team so badly needs so he has got to stick with a team and give them a chance to produce.

Just give the team some time (as has been said millions of times before) and I'm sure it will come good.

 

[jordanseagull]

Its a very dangerous game to play. I mean, fan pressure. But who can blame us. We pay our money and therefore have a right to our say but think in reality the club, its staff and the players should all be professional enough to play their own game regardless of external pressures and do it to a 100% professional standard.

I think that some fans sometimes need to step back and just think for a second that:

a) We dont know what Slade sees on the training pitch every day. We only really get a 90min snapshot every week or every other week.

b)We dont fully know how he wants the team to play, and also how near (or far) he is to achieving this with his preferred players.

c) Changing players week in week out will do nothing to help the gelling that this new team so badly needs so he has got to stick with a team and give them a chance to produce.

Just give the team some time (as has been said millions of times before) and I'm sure it will come good.

That's the point, though! We want DICKER in permanently, let HIM gel with people. We don't want Crofts and NavMan To gel permanently, that would be a real, real shame.

 

[jordanseagull]

Im suprised he,s not playing well, he was solid for us, got a few goals, gave 100%.
Always bossing midfield.
May need a bit more time to settle? we got one, Goburn from wolves ,im not sure, but told he,s very good.

Just out of curiosity, why do you put comma's for apostrophies?

 

[BensGrandad]

Im suprised he,s not playing well, he was solid for us, got a few goals, gave 100%.
Always bossing midfield.

That may be the key to our answerr as he never gets forward enough for us to be able to score he is played as the holding midfielder, perhaps we should try him in their half of the pitch. With Dicker as the holding midfielder if Croft cant manage that role.

 

[Shinbreath]

That's the point, though! We want DICKER in permanently, let HIM gel with people. We don't want Crofts and NavMan To gel permanently, that would be a real, real shame.

I do agree with you absolutely. I think that when we have Dicker playing, we have a completely transformed team. He does seem to be the missing link.

But I'm just giving Russell the benefit of the doubt. What if, in a few weeks time, NavMan and Crofts click (like they may do on the training ground) and become the anchor that commands the midfield and rips the opposition apart. I guess we would all feel a little differently. But that is just speculative words that may or may not happen.

But another thing. What if the ONLY time we play good football is when Dicker is on the park as seems to be the case.. We would then read like an open book. It would be pretty obvious that all the opposition need to do is put 2 of their players around GD which then cuts out our lifeline deeming us useless !!! (Which is pretty much what we are anyway)

Maybe RS is happy with the Dicker - Crofts partnership but needs to get the Navarro - Crofts combo working properly to give us a devastatingly versatile team. If your gonna try things out, you wanna do it at the beginning of the season so by the end of the season you have developed a great squad to take forward. After all, RS and TB have always talked about building the team for the future and that it wont happen overnight. And before y'all say it, I'm sure we will get enough points on the board to avoid relegation this season so I'm not worried about that.

I don't really know what the answer is but just trying to look at things from a glass half full perspective.