Why Claridge?

[London Irish]

Virgo doesn't have a striker's instinct? 5 goals with the amount of possession we've had in those games gives the lie to that.

It's a real shame people can't see the gem we have here but frankly, who cares, McGhee does and Virgo is the first name he puts on the team-sheet these days, I challenge anyone on here to deny that.

It's too early to say after having watched him twice, but Claridge looks like the fulfilling the role that Knight plays in the team rather than Virgo's targetman role - he doesn't seem to have the physical presence of Virgo.

This weekend we will probably play the formation that did so well in Sunderland, which was only undone when Jarrett, a player who can't defend, was brought on and promptly two goals were conceded down his wing. That, I'm sure, is a lesson McGhee will have learnt.

 

[Lokki 7]

Virgo doesn't have a striker's instinct? 5 goals with the amount of possession we've had in those games gives the lie to that.

It's a real shame people can't see the gem we have here but frankly, who cares, McGhee does and Virgo is the first name he puts on the team-sheet these days, I challenge anyone on here to deny that.

It's too early to say after having watched him twice, but Claridge looks like the fulfilling the role that Knight plays in the team rather than Virgo's targetman role - he doesn't seem to have the physical presence of Virgo.

Agree with you regards Virgo, but having seen the partnership with Claridge at West Ham I see that pairing as too slow and 2-dimensional. I would rather see either Virgo/Claridge start with Knight and then make a change later in the game if we need to. Our defensive style of play needs two things in order to counter-attack effectively, one player to hold the ball up and one to make runs off the ball. In other words Knight should be on the pitch. If MM has fallen out with Leon I believe Jarret may also be able to fill this roll, but then again I am an eternal optimist.

 

[Jim D]

I am an eternal optimist.

There used to be someone called 'The Eternal Optimist' - was that you?

 

[bellsize seagull]

3-5-2 for Ipswich game i reckon, they are not all that in defence, need our full backs to push on especially Reid as he can do some damage as he is one of our best passers of the football

 

[Lokki 7]

There used to be someone called 'The Eternal Optimist' - was that you?

I have had a couple of different user names in the past but never that one. Like it though.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

i still think 5 3 2 is our best formation with the players we have

 

[Lokki 7]

Where would you play Currie in a 3-5-2?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

nicholas
chippy
currie
in the middle

 

[Lokki 7]

Prefer to see Currie in a wider position putting in crosses, and not convinced by his tackling ability in the centre. I think we play best as a 4-4-2.

 

[London Irish]

If we play 3-5-2, one of Currie or Knight will have to be dropped. The wingbacks take away Currie's natural position on the pitch, so it will probably be him.

3-5-2 has done well at Sunderland and West Ham, so my punt is that is what we will do.

 

[Lammy]

The team had no influence on the game after 20 mins so what was the difference.

6000 people in the stadium thought that Carpenter should have been taken off because he was having a nightmare of a game.

Put Hart in Knight place on the right of Midfield and push Knight up where he can do some harm......in their penalty box.

But NO MM made a gloroius cock up and then tried to justify it by saying that the reason we lost was because we missed Virgo up front with his aerial power and Cullip for the same at the back.

Absolute crap he should have at least admitted he made a mistake.

I am one of MM biggest fans but not last Saturday on that performance.

What he said. But I would play Currie on the right ahead of Hart. I'd bring Hart on for Currie when a bit of pace is required to beat their left back.

Who else in this division plays one up front at home to Burnely? Especially when that one is 38 years old!

 

[3gulls]

Mcghee, understandably, goes on and on about our lack of a target man and how we need to bring in a new striker to help out Leon.
So what was the point in bringing in Claridge if he's not going to play them together?
I think he's a good signing, is able to hold onto the ball and could be the guy we've been looking for to play the ball on the ground to Leon but why sign him if he won't play him alongside our main man? Isn't this what Mcghee was looking for in the first place?

'Cos he's cheap and all we can afford?

 

[binary]

We'll need a few beers ...it will be a long afternoon..

...but you never know what your gonna get with the Albion..and thats why we love them so

The only way to watch the Albion is after a few beers otherwise it can be torture.

As we will play 4-5-1, or probably 10-0-0 I think there's an outside chance of 0-0 if we barracade the goal!

 

[BensGrandad]

Virgo doesn't have a striker's instinct? 5 goals with the amount of possession we've had in those games gives the lie to that.

It's a real shame people can't see the gem we have here but frankly, who cares, McGhee does and Virgo is the first name he puts on the team-sheet these days, I challenge anyone on here to deny that.

It's too early to say after having watched him twice, but Claridge looks like the fulfilling the role that Knight plays in the team rather than Virgo's targetman role - he doesn't seem to have the physical presence of Virgo.

This weekend we will probably play the formation that did so well in Sunderland, which was only undone when Jarrett, a player who can't defend, was brought on and promptly two goals were conceded down his wing. That, I'm sure, is a lesson McGhee will have learnt.

If you are right that Virgo's name is the first put down by MM it is a sad admission of the state of our team.

One thingthat has enabled him to 'plunder' his 5 goals is sheer aggression no finesse or craft just blood and thunder guts. Teams have now got used to him and play him out of the game as opposed to when he was first put up front he was then an unknown quantity.

Even MM has admitted that he is not a striker but primarily a central defender. Because of his youth and exubberence he wins headers that either go towards the goal or nowhere at all the same with his shooting he either hits the target or a bus passing by. Does that make him good? It makes him exciting to watch and everybody loves a trier. But it doesn't make him a striker or give him the strikers instincts for goal.

 

[Ned Zelic]

Virgo doesn't have a striker's instinct? 5 goals with the amount of possession we've had in those games gives the lie to that.

I'm a big fan of Virgo as he gives 100% and in time will be a very good centre-back and is future captain material. But the 5 goals stat is a tad misleading - the free-kick v.Cov was when he was playing RB, he would have scored the goal at Forest if he was still playing in defence as it was from a corner(a typical centre-backs goal), ditto the 'goal' against Leeds.

He certainly had a very useful suprise factor in early games and does an invaluable job at set-pieces at both ends, but his general play is not that of a striker(which is only to be expected) and Leon Knight possibly suffers from not playing with a natural striker. Burnley was the ideal chance to judge how good Leon is at this level(alongside an experienced striker) but unfortunately it was a missed opportunity.

 

[BensGrandad]

I would agree 100% Ned. Staistics can be manipulated to say what you want them to.

 

[London Irish]

If you are right that Virgo's name is the first put down by MM it is a sad admission of the state of our team.

One thingthat has enabled him to 'plunder' his 5 goals is sheer aggression no finesse or craft just blood and thunder guts. Teams have now got used to him and play him out of the game as opposed to when he was first put up front he was then an unknown quantity.

Even MM has admitted that he is not a striker but primarily a central defender. Because of his youth and exubberence he wins headers that either go towards the goal or nowhere at all the same with his shooting he either hits the target or a bus passing by. Does that make him good? It makes him exciting to watch and everybody loves a trier. But it doesn't make him a striker or give him the strikers instincts for goal.

Your're making things up again, BG, as is your way. MM has said NO SUCH THING. Source that quote of yours, please. MM has repeatedly said he regards Virgo as one of the best targetmen in the division.

You keep putting forward this nonsense about Virgo being sussed by defenders, even though he got the goal against Leeds and won the free kick that got the goal against the Hammers.

The people who say stats can be manipulated to say anything are generally people who have given up any hope of looking at reality and putting forward a logical argument.

That reality reads:

Virgo played up front:

Played 13, won 6, drawn 3, lost 4.

That's PLAY-OFF form by the way.

Virgo not up front:

Played 8, won ZERO, lost 7.

STONE-COLD LOWER-THAN-ROTHERHAM RELEGATION FORM.

Until you have a satisfactory explanation for that, open you eyes and stop running down one of our best players.

The 5 goals, no skills and craft? The control and shot against Leicester? The volley on the run against Watford?

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Virgo is the first name he puts on the team-sheet these days, I challenge anyone on here to deny that.

I challenge that! But since neither of us can prove it, we'll have to call it our opinions. I reckon Cullip is first name on the sheet - he's 1st choice CB and captain - he an organiser and leader too. Virgo is 100% effort but is edged out by Cullip.

 

[London Irish]

Burnley was the ideal chance to judge how good Leon is at this level(alongside an experienced striker) but unfortunately it was a missed opportunity.

Well, I think plenty of people were able to judge Leon, he had an excellent game and was probably our best creative spark.

For me, Burnley was the opportunity to judge how good Steve Claridge was at this level, and the manner in which he was physically outmuscled by the Burnley defenders proved to me he is no replacement for what Virgs can do for the team, sadly.

 

[London Irish]

I challenge that! But since neither of us can prove it, we'll have to call it our opinions. I reckon Cullip is first name on the sheet - he's 1st choice CB and captain - he an organiser and leader too. Virgo is 100% effort but is edged out by Cullip.

OK.