Rotherham vs Brighton official thread

[London Irish]

While Chippy did hit a few wayward passes today (and so did Stokes and Reid it should be recalled), the positive case you can make for him was just how much he was organising the team, eg. he was talking and pointing out moves for Stokes all the time. If you also notice how compact organisationally we were when Rotherham were running the ball at us, they could not break our tight shape down - and I thought Chippy was at the heart of that organisation. Apols for the cliche, but it's still for me slow legs maybe but the mind is quick.

It's not impossible, but I would be very surprised if McGhee stood him down short of a return by Oatway.

 

[sir danny cullip]

Excuse me for answering your last point first, but you are correct: there is NO WAY McGhee will drop him or take away the captaincy. We are short of experienced players, and I think McGhee will stick by those we have got as a result.

However, I don't think Carpenter merits a place based on organisational abilities and experience alone. Watching that game today, it just struck me how much he is the weak link in our team. For a change, especially in the first half, we played a passing, free-flowing game that was a treat to watch (am I really saying this?!). This was undoubtedly because of the youthful abundance in the team. It was just let down by the ponderous approach from Carpenter when he was in play. Yes, he may organise others, but when you look at his own performance it is nothing short of pointless. He seems to have lost his passing talents (which I always used to be a fan of), and he just isn't quick enough on the ball. When I say pace, I don't mean how quickly he can run the 100m, it's the time he spends on the ball that always means he is under pressure when it comes to releasing it.

The problem is, as you say, that we will certainly need someone to rally the team when things aren't going well, and to organise the youth players. While I don't think Carpenter is perfect at this, he is probably about the best we have, which is a shame. If I were McGhee, I would kick Chippy out, and get Reid in the middle. Ok, he may not be a leader, but he is a cracking passer of the ball, and alongside Stokes we may at long last have a midfield capable of moving forward with the ball and creating an opening.

Another plus I would like to add is Dean Hammond. Last year, I thought he looked off the pace. He is definitely a talent, but didn't really impose himself in the Championship. Today, defensively he was immense. I would give him Carpenter's role now - just ask him to hold the midfield. It's a big ask of a 23 year old, but why not give Dean the responsibility of being the team's organiser? With him sitting, we could afford to unleash my preferred choices of Frutos, Cox, Reid, and Stokes into advanced positions.

What it may lack in experience, I honestly believe it can make up for in talent, skill, pace, and youthful hunger. Just my opinion anyway!

So glad you wrote that, exactly what im thinking but cannot be assed to get involved in the reid in midfield debate and the carpenter past it debate any longer

 

[London Irish]

Excuse me for answering your last point first, but you are correct: there is NO WAY McGhee will drop him or take away the captaincy. We are short of experienced players, and I think McGhee will stick by those we have got as a result.

However, I don't think Carpenter merits a place based on organisational abilities and experience alone. Watching that game today, it just struck me how much he is the weak link in our team. For a change, especially in the first half, we played a passing, free-flowing game that was a treat to watch (am I really saying this?!). This was undoubtedly because of the youthful abundance in the team. It was just let down by the ponderous approach from Carpenter when he was in play. Yes, he may organise others, but when you look at his own performance it is nothing short of pointless. He seems to have lost his passing talents (which I always used to be a fan of), and he just isn't quick enough on the ball. When I say pace, I don't mean how quickly he can run the 100m, it's the time he spends on the ball that always means he is under pressure when it comes to releasing it.

The problem is, as you say, that we will certainly need someone to rally the team when things aren't going well, and to organise the youth players. While I don't think Carpenter is perfect at this, he is probably about the best we have, which is a shame. If I were McGhee, I would kick Chippy out, and get Reid in the middle. Ok, he may not be a leader, but he is a cracking passer of the ball, and alongside Stokes we may at long last have a midfield capable of moving forward with the ball and creating an opening.

Another plus I would like to add is Dean Hammond. Last year, I thought he looked off the pace. He is definitely a talent, but didn't really impose himself in the Championship. Today, defensively he was immense. I would give him Carpenter's role now - just ask him to hold the midfield. It's a big ask of a 23 year old, but why not give Dean the responsibility of being the team's organiser? With him sitting, we could afford to unleash my preferred choices of Frutos, Cox, Reid, and Stokes into advanced positions.

What it may lack in experience, I honestly believe it can make up for in talent, skill, pace, and youthful hunger. Just my opinion anyway!

It's certainly a game of opinions

My bias at the moment is just to give Hammond a rest from central midfield. He looks happier in his box to box role when out in the flanks and with less direct responsibility to protect the central defenders. I reckon anyway. Those goals will come too! Galling miss today but what a great run he made, completely lost all the defenders.

Reid and Stokes together is an interesting idea, the concern would be if they blended defensively well enough re. shape and ball-winning. The kind of thing maybe worth experimenting with in games like Boston.

 

[Les Biehn]

4 - I've forgotten this one but it probably involves calling Les Biehn a **** or something

Oh dear, someone can't handle their beer. Well done hard man.

 

[London Irish]

Why thank you creepster

 

[Les Biehn]

Why thank you creepster

Your quite the tough guy from behind your computer. You still arse licking everyone who hasn't challenged any of your opinions?

 

[London Irish]

Your quite the tough guy from behind your computer. You still arse licking everyone who hasn't challenged any of your opinions?

Wind him up and watch him go

 

[Les Biehn]

Wind him up and watch him go

I didn't have to do anything and you were already wound up enough to call me a ****. Nice Smilie's by the way, I see your camp side gets even worse when you've had a couple of shandies.

 

[Munkfish]

LI =

 

[Silent Bob]

Paddy Kenny, Phil Jagiekla, Paul Ifill, Neil Shipperley, Michael Tonge, Rob Hulse, Danny Webber.......among the players for Premiership Sheffield Utd who could not beat Rotherham at Millmoor 7 days ago.

We all know that Rotherham are a bottom half team but how bad they are this season, that remains to be seen. Fact is we defended superbly for most of the game, and made them look ordinary.

Haven't you been calling them "League Two club in waiting" for the last month or so in order to run down Alexis Nicolas?

Double standards? Never.

 

[Les Biehn]

While I would really like to see both Reid and Stokes in midfield, I do wonder, like you, whether they may be a bit fragile defensively. I think they could both do a job, but against better teams they might become a little exposed. That is why I would also throw Dean into the mix. If Hammond could master Carpenter's supposed role, but pull it off with a bit more energy and accuracy than Carpenter currently does, then I feel we could afford to team Reid and Stokes up in front of him - maybe even with a creative wide player like Frutos or Cox.

I think it would be interesting to see Reid given a chance to play that defensive role. His passing and tackling are both good, its whether he can impose himself. Perhaps he just needs time. This would then give Hammond the chance to push forward.

 

[London Irish]

Haven't you been calling them "League Two club in waiting" for the last month or so in order to run down Alexis Nicolas?

Double standards? Never.

Yes, because of their points deduction, it's not at all clear how bad a team they are, is it though? A 10-point deduction can relegate a lower mid-table team, that's the logic

EDIT: In fact, looking at the league table last season, that lower mid-table estimate is conservative. Hartlepool went down on 50pts, but Scunthorpe were 12th on 60pts

 

[Les Biehn]

To the contrary Leslie, I think Reid has a bit more pace and a more incisive pass in him, and this can be used to better effect in an attacking position. Hammond, on the other hand, is more physical and good in the tackle. Today, he showed enough to me to suggest he could make a very good holding midfielder at this level. There's no doubt about it, Stokes, Reid, Frutos, and Cox are all better going forward than Hammond, so why waste one of them? Give Deano the defensive job, and watch him put Carpenter to shame

Its your call Frag I wasn't there today, I was going on last season when defensively Hammond looked bad.

 

[Les Biehn]

I can't wait til Hinsh is back. If Mayo carries on the form that it sounds like he showed today a back five of Hendo, El-Abd, Hinshelwood, Lynch, Mayo should be solid. Then move Reid forward.

Its funny with Lynch because when I saw him for the youth he never really impressed me that much. Still it goes to show how a player can develop.

 

[London Irish]

There's no doubt about it, Stokes, Reid, Frutos, and Cox are all better going forward than Hammond

But a better source of goals? When Hammond was played on the left between the end of season 2004-5 and the beginning of last season, he put away something like 7 in 12 games. Some of those gave us another season in the Championship! Perhaps they dried up since then because of the central midfield responsibilities, which gives less license to raid into the box? Just a thought.

 

[Les Biehn]

But a better source of goals? When Hammond was played on the left between the end of season 2004-5 and the beginning of last season, he put away something like 7 in 12 games. Some of those gave us another season in the Championship! Perhaps they dried up since then because of the central midfield responsibilities, which gives less license to raid into the box? Just a thought.

That was my thought behind giving Hammond the more attacking role. Also With his range of passing Reid is more likely to spread play and play incisive through balls from that deeper position.

 

[dougdeep]

According to the stats we only had 38% of possession. We'll need to improve on that.