Anyone notice Mackail-Smith's reaction at the end of the game

[Dick Knights Mumm]

He seems a very honest kind of guy who cares about the result (not just there for the experience) and after getting tonked like that and knowing that his own performance would have done nothing to help, probably meant that he didn't have the heart to stay on the pitch very long. I really really hope things turn round for him.

Word. Also do you think he has been working on his weights - he looks a bit bulkier.

 

[Storer 68]

Would it be too much to ask to see Vokes and CMS play together, as was the aforementioned plan?

Yes. Was Vokes playing yesterday? The first time he got mentioned on the telly box was when he got subbed.

 

[catfish]

If we don't start playing to his strengths & giving him proper service I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave in the summer.

 

[trueblue]

Yes. Was Vokes playing yesterday? The first time he got mentioned on the telly box was when he got subbed.

We barely touched the ball up front once he'd gone off so, yes, he was definitely playing.

 

[sir danny cullip]

If we don't start playing to his strengths & giving him proper service I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave in the summer.

Absolutely, let's just hope if he does end up leaving we recoup the money we paid. Such a strange decision to sign a player that thrives on the passes in behind to run on to and then refuse to let him player any other way than with his back to goal as a lone striker.

 

[Shooting Star]

I'm a CMS fan and desperately want to see him score again soon. Yet I can also understand why Gus hasn't selected him in the past couple of games. But we cried out for him for 65 minutes or so yesterday. He would have allowed us to play a cagey, tight game at the back and in midfield, and given us an option on the break. Liverpool's the kind of game where you have to put men behind the ball and take chances on the counter i.e. CMS' ideal game, especially against Carragher. Everyone looked clueless when we broke in the first half; Kaz never had anyone nearby to lay the ball off too, and players like Navarro are just not creative enough on the ball.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

If Gus wont change his style of play and that style does not suit cms... why did he even buy him?

We were always playing that style before we bought him?

I haven't got a clue .

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

And didn't Gus tell CMS we were going to build a team around him. I would be a bit gutted.

 

[Surrey Phil]

It's simples!! The Liverpool game was a one off (in more ways than one!) and we needed a big man to hold the ball up and bring others into play and that's why Vokes got the nod ahead of CMS. Back to the league on Wednesday against Hull and expect to see CMS back in the team.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The worrying thing for CMS - apart from his lack of goals - is that Gus has just brought in 2 new midfielders, and Vokes, and Barnes seems undroppable.

 

[Rugrat]

The worrying thing for CMS - apart from his lack of goals - is that Gus has just brought in 2 new midfielders, and Vokes, and Barnes seems undroppable.

He must give Barnes a rest now I'm convinced.

I can only hope that the signing of Razak and (just maybe) return to some fitness for Vicente might lead to a turn around in fortunes for CMS. All season we've been overly reliant on the wide men whereas when he was with McCann and Boyd they played much more through the middle I think. We've so lacked power/speed/finesse in the middle of the pitch that he hasn't been getting a sniff .... hopefully that's about to change

Feel sorry for him and can't believe he's not sitting down with Gus asking wtf is going on ... hope Gus isn't telling him just to FO and get used to it

 

[peterward]

He must give Barnes a rest now I'm convinced.

I can only hope that the signing of Razak and (just maybe) return to some fitness for Vicente might lead to a turn around in fortunes for CMS. All season we've been overly reliant on the wide men whereas when he was with McCann and Boyd they played much more through the middle I think. We've so lacked power/speed/finesse in the middle of the pitch that he hasn't been getting a sniff .... hopefully that's about to change

Feel sorry for him and can't believe he's not sitting down with Gus asking wtf is going on ... hope Gus isn't telling him just to FO and get used to it

I agree. Barnes is not good enough at this level as an out and out striker, but he has morphed into a usefull attacking midlfielder that can defend, and his defensive abilities offer the team a lot, and a lot more than say Harley.

But I also think he is at the ceiling of the level he can play at and what we need is someone who plays a similar role to Barnes, but who is ultimately better quality all round than Barnes.

 

[Rugrat]

but he has morphed into a usefull attacking midlfielder that can defend,

My mate called him a defending attacker

 

[Brian Fantana]

I would be pissed off too if I had been signed by a manager who said he was going to build a team around me, but then proceeded to not set the team up to play to my strengths. I would be further pissed off if the manager then said he was going to sign someone else to get the best out of me and then dropped me in favour of the new signing.

If Gus doesn't start playing CMS and Vokes together, CMS is going to get monumentally f***ed off. Please, please, please drop Barnes for CMS. Please.

 

[durrington gull]

This is not a post based on yesterday's activities. For me CMS is a poor mans Torres, not that there is anything wrong with that because on his day Torres is/was unstoppable. Both forwards thrive off of through balls to exploit their pace, and balls played over the top to chase. CMS is simply being abandoned, he is clearly a likeable and enthusiastic player but again, much like señor Torres, the system he is used in is wrong. We know Gus won't change his style so I can only see one outcome really
For me personally I have only seen CMS get the right kind of service from our team in 1 game, and that was very brief. For the last 15 minutes against Burnley we used him properly and my goodness he was devastating. If he hadn't of been so knackered he would surely of equalised?! As much as it pains me I just can't see him staying

Apparently we were offered £3m by Reading plus a player just before the closing of the January window - i wonder if we should have cut our losses and cashed in??

 

[BensGrandad]

Apparently we were offered £3m by Reading plus a player just before the closing of the January window - i wonder if we should have cut our losses and cashed in??

I would think that if that was the case and not just NSC rumours Gus would have considered it and either accepted or come out and reiterated that he is not for sale and that we are still going to build the team and style around him and his play.

 

[clippedgull]

CMS has had a good run in the side this season and Gus has kept a lot of patience with him scoring something like 1 goal in 22 games! Before recently starting to sub him or even leaving him on the bench.

Sometimes it does players good to change clubs and maybe CMS is beginning to think this may be an option for himself in the Summer. I don't think Gus/Tony will stand in his way if he asks to be listed.

Nice guy, but it's not working out for him here.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Apparently we were offered £3m by Reading plus a player just before the closing of the January window - i wonder if we should have cut our losses and cashed in??

I read somewhere the player was Simon Church. Wouldn't of been bad business. The thing that frustrates me is that CMS is going to sign for another Championship club that play to his style and he'll score shed loads!

 

[Mackerboy]

Cms is a proper team player but like most people say is not being used properly. Vincente,lua,lua and this rasak will hopefully get him back on track. He plays for the team and the fans and is clearly desperate to do well for us. Vokes needs to put more in fit me

 

[Mutts Nuts]

He appeared very subdued, half hearteldy clapped the fans and trooped off shrugging off a arm around the shoulder from what looked like Greer.

We are used to him spending ages walking around the pitch- even when we lose ( ie reading away) clapping the fans, but yesterday he looked seriously pissed off.

I wonder if playing Barnes ( ) and Vokes is meaning that Vokes is now the forward that Gus sees as someone to hold the line as opposed to the hussle and bustle that Mc brings.

about time he started scoring some f***ing goals