How did Gammon and Eggs play?

[London Irish]

I know Virgo is good in defence but so is Hinshelwood & Butters and they can cope. No one can deny that when Virgo plays up-front he is better than McCammon.

I agree with you that Virgo is probably a better targetman than Big Mac, but that's because Virgs is an exceptional player who does not quite get the recognition he deserves for being potentially our finest player. When Virgs went up front yesterday, he was not only better than Big Mac but also Leon, who lost many of his physical battles with the Leeds defenders. So that doesn't mean we now drop both Big Mac and Leon, does it?

Can the defence cope without Virgs. Maybe. But I would suggest Derby is not a good team to try out that theory. Derby have one of the most lethal forward lines in this division and they took us to the cleaners not so long ago when we didn't have Virgs at the back.

We will need him there to cope with the threat of their array of small but very quick and skilful strikers/wingers plus the bigger Rasiak.

Alas we can't clone Virgs and have him in the team twice so McGhee has to make hard tactical choices. We will need to structure the team with neutralising Derby's potent threat in mind. Big Mac will therefore be needed again up front to disrupt the relatively young and inexperienced Derby defenders, although I admit McGhee will think hard about whether he starts or is used as impact from the bench - whatever, he will certainly be playing a role in trying to extend our unbeaten run.

The question of whether we can find a better targetman at the end of the season than Big Mac is a moot one. McGhee wouldn't be signing him if he thought we could get better than him. McGhee knows what's out there and what we can afford. He's in a better position to judge this than our ill-informed guesswork on here.

 

[Biscuit]

3 wins and 3 draws with McCammon in our side..

Not bad eh? He does a good job, keeps defenders busy! He's a right handfull!

If he was actually any good with a football at his feet then we wouldn't be able to afford him.

 

[London Irish]

Fot nothing - Blackwell, Rodger, Roger, Currie, Morgan, Kuipers, Roberts, Butters, Steele there are more but you get the picture

I don't think we got Eric Steele on a free. Sorry, I'm assuming you're not talking about legendary League Two journeyman LEE STEELE, are you?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Who scored a winner in Bristol match that we won 2-1

 

[London Irish]

Who scored a winner in Bristol match that we won 2-1

....and he was then devoured by all the Division One scouts?

 

[Thimble Keegan]

I agree with you that Virgo is probably a better targetman than Big Mac, but that's because Virgs is an exceptional player who does not quite get the recognition he deserves for being potentially our finest player. When Virgs went up front yesterday, he was not only better than Big Mac but also Leon, who lost many of his physical battles with the Leeds defenders. So that doesn't mean we now drop both Big Mac and Leon, does it?

Can the defence cope without Virgs. Maybe. But I would suggest Derby is not a good team to try out that theory. Derby have one of the most lethal forward lines in this division and they took us to the cleaners not so long ago when we didn't have Virgs at the back.

We will need him there to cope with the threat of their array of small but very quick and skilful strikers/wingers plus the bigger Rasiak.

Alas we can't clone Virgs and have him in the team twice so McGhee has to make hard tactical choices. We will need to structure the team with neutralising Derby's potent threat in mind. Big Mac will therefore be needed again up front to disrupt the relatively young and inexperienced Derby defenders, although I admit McGhee will think hard about whether he starts or is used as impact from the bench - whatever, he will certainly be playing a role in trying to extend our unbeaten run.

The question of whether we can find a better targetman at the end of the season than Big Mac is a moot one. McGhee wouldn't be signing him if he thought we could get better than him. McGhee knows what's out there and what we can afford. He's in a better position to judge this than our ill-informed guesswork on here.

Some good points from a football point of view, which is not seen often. Having Virgs up-front does not mean we drop Leon and Mac, it means we only drop Mac.

I agree that the last thing we need is to be light at the back against Derby as at Pride Park they were the best team I have seen this season so Adam in defence is probably the best option. But I would not put McCammon up-front but go with Gary Hart especially with Derby's "young and inexperienced" defenders. They will be able to manage Mark with no problem and this "he is a handfull" stuff is a myth. It is funny that when a player is on your side he is a handfull but when in the opposition team he is a lumbering oaf. To take advantage of their inexperience they need to be put under pressure. With Knight & Hart working their socks off then they will not give the Derby defenders a moments peace and will be more likely to make mistakes.

Also with Derby's attacking prowess we are going to need to have the ball held up well in our attacking third of the pitch. This is something we can ill afford to fail on as it will result on them being able to launch more attacks on our goal. McCammon cannot hold the ball up at all and is prone to giving it away or wasting it. Hart is actually quite difficult to win the ball off and if he is dispossessed then he will always chase back.

I would still like to wait until the summer to see if any other "big men" become available.

Albion & England forever.

Thimble Keegan
Worthing BHA

 

[b.w.2.]

FFS... give the man a fcuking chance... McGhee WILL get him playing well for us...

I hope we sign him permanently on Mon... we need a target man and Virgs is needed as a central defender IMHO...

 

[balloonboy]

I agree with you that Virgo is probably a better targetman than Big Mac, but that's because Virgs is an exceptional player who does not quite get the recognition he deserves for being potentially our finest player.

LI is yet again spot on. Some time soon a few Premiershite managers are going to wake up to the fact that Virgo is the best defender in the Championship. Hopefully when the day comes we can get a couple of mill for him. I jest not (although I realise I risk the ridicule of a fair number). And if/when Virgs leaves I will be VERY UPSET - he absolutely typifies what Brighton is all about.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I was not at the game yesterday so cannot comment on his performance there.

I do find the argument about trusting McGhee somewhat weak though.

McGhee is a brilliant manager and has done superbly for us but that does not automatically mean that every decision he makes is the right one.

Take Alex Ferguson as an example. He has done amazingly well at Old Trafford and signed some superb players. That does not, however, mean that Man Utd fans cannot question signings like Kleberson, Djemba Djemba, that really crap french centre back that played one game for them because he was so shit, the numerous crap goalies he has signed.

The argument that McGhee will get the best out of him is also a weak one. Why did McGhee not get the best out of him when he was manager of Millwall? It was not because he was not match fit then was it?

I will support McCammon at games and get behind him as I would any other players but I think we are a far more threatening side with Gary Hart in the team and playing football on the floor rather then resorting to long balls that even when McCammon does win them, leave Leon likely to be muscled out of the ball.

Better to play it on the ground into Leon's feet and get him running at defenders.

I dare say that a few of the Brighton Bears Basketball team are good in the air and would run about a lot but nobody is suggested signing them.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

LI is yet again spot on. Some time soon a few Premiershite managers are going to wake up to the fact that Virgo is the best defender in the Championship. Hopefully when the day comes we can get a couple of mill for him. I jest not (although I realise I risk the ridicule of a fair number). And if/when Virgs leaves I will be VERY UPSET - he absolutely typifies what Brighton is all about.

Best defender in league?
Hinish is better for a start
Heath
Kelly
Murty
Shorey
Richards
Wilnis
Ingimarsson
Lescott


for a start he is good - but not the best in the league

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Currie was criticised well after the first game. I remember so many people slating him!

McCammon shown some good signs which indicate potential - such as when he runs with the ball and scares the shit out of defenders.

Granted he hasn't be especially good but neither has he been especially bad.

Is that before or after he slips over?

 

[London Irish]

Is that before or after he slips over?

Can't believe Leon's biggest fan has posted that But Leon does fall over more elegantly, I'll give you that.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

LI , I am waiting for an intellectual response to my criticism above...

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

LI , I am waiting for an intellectual response to my criticism above...

He wont

 

[trueblue]

For nothing - Blackwell, Rodger, Roger, Currie, Morgan, Kuipers, Roberts, Butters, Steele there are more but you get the picture

Well...it seems to me there's only one out and out forward on that list, and he isn't Championship standard.

Clubs always pay a premium for strikers - unless you get very lucky with a youngster, you're not likely to find one for free that's capable of setting this division on fire. And, let's face it, any youngster that good is only likely to come on loan from a Premiership club anyway.

So my view hasn't changed at all. Get real. What do yo want for nothing?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

You didnt say striker. Mccammon is championship standard either

Kitson is another - AND before you mention injurys he is a good player

 

[trueblue]

You didnt say striker. Mccammon is championship standard either

Kitson is another - AND before you mention injurys he is a good player

Isaid 'what do you want for nothing', And as we're talking about a centre-forward, then I'd have thought it's pretty obvious I meant a striker.

Actually, I think McCammon is just about Championship standard at a stretch... which is like the team as a whole really. A division lower he'd be pretty effective, as he's certainly better than Iwelumo.

Kitson.... hmmm. Yes. He was a great signing wasn't he? Almost certainly on huge wages comparatively too, which we can't afford now. It's true he was a good player ONCE, but the fact he was injury prone and had a crap attitude to getting and staying fit (not only at Brighton) just might have had something to do with him being free, don't you think?

 

[El Presidente]

I would still like to wait until the summer to see if any other "big men" become available.

I hear Ron Jeremy is free in the summer

I don't think that McCammon will start every match, McGhee will switch as he sees fit. We play well with three centre backs, as it allows Kerry and Reidy to get forward, and gives Kerry some cover when he is skinned by wingers as he was yesterday quite often by Lennon.

McCammon is being bought by McGhee because we need more cover. If there is an injury to Butters/Hinsh then Virgo must play at the back, Kerry is not up to the central role at this level. View McCammon as a squad player and he is reasonable, he makes us cringe at times, but puts in effort and needs to be fitter. It took Butters 10 months to win us over after all

 

[London Irish]

He wont

Oooohhh, do you DARE me

Richie, if you wanted a personal reply from little old me, say so in your post ya big eeejjiiiitt.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

How many goals has mccammon got in his days at millwall and Brentford?
Brentford fans thought he was dire in lg1