Are we really any nearer?

[Manwell Pablo]

No, they are even better than them. Well atleast as good as them.

Dont be dissin Clinton man. He iz proper sound striker From Izland u get me.

Why, of all the strikers in England, did you have to say Clinton Morrion foxhateram

[Jonbluefox9]

Today, for probably the first time since Levein left us, I went to see the lads train. Training is totally different now. If I'm honest, I didn't see what Levein had the players doing last pre-season apart from what I saw over the internet but I saw what he made them do during the season and it was all very easy going. Maybe it will go back to that when the season starts but today was all about high tempo football.

Small games, short games but non-stop stuff. 10 minutes worth of high tempo football before stretching for a minute or two to prevent injury and moving on to do a movement drill or taking part in another high tempo 10 minute match.

I wouldn't like to pick players out for criticism as it was only training but on the positive side, Andy Johnson's range of passing looks very impressive. He could split a defence open with some of his passes, MDV was involved in a lot of good pieces of play including a move which ended in a goal after only a couple of passes and a rocket of a shot after chesting the ball down to himself which resulted in a goal and Levi Porter looked dangerous out wide too.

One thing that seemed clear to me during one drill is that Rob values pairings greatly. People may not rate Maybury as a right midfielder for example but Rob seems more bothered that the partnership between the right back and right midfielder is strong rather than two decent individuals that can't work together at all. It's difficult to explain the drill but it basically involed the left and right hand side pairings, a central midfield pairing of Weso and Johnson and then two strikers whether it be Elvis, Hume or Fryatt together. Johnson started off with the ball and from then on the other players had to move depending on where the ball went. A quick example would be Johnson square to Weso (one of the two strikers would drop deep at this stage), Weso to Stearman (depending on the call, both strikers would move towards the area or one would make a run towards the touchline), if Stearman played the ball towards Elvis out wide Maybury would make a run into the box to increase the number of players in the box for Hammond's ball in. Johansson and Tiatto were the left pairing although Porter took Tiatto's place at times and Gradel took Maybury's for a while. Hope that makes some sense. Anyway, would not have seen anything like that under Levein at training.

Douglas didn't train, Sylla was sent home with some form of bug/illness, Henderson trained and looks fine and the will to win from some players in the squad, McCarthy and Kisnorbo to name two, was scary at times. Needed to be reminded that it was only training.

[Thracian]

A really interesting insight. It has been noticeable that Kelly uses pairings - Stearman/Maybury; Fryatt/Hume; Elvis/O'Grady. I didn't know about the others and cannot imagine Nils foraging regularly into attacking areas but it sounds encouraging.

Good to hear Gradel is involved too and that Porter is being given drills in various places. Someone on another thread mentioned that Porter doesn't go by people and I think that was why he was moved inside, generally, in most recent reserve matches.

Although he is extremely skillful, Porter doesn't seem to have the raw pace (a la Hammond) to outrun defenders. His strength is being able to control the ball instantly, turn extremely quickly and deliver all sorts of passes, short and long, hard and soft with perfect weight.

His experience as a winger is just an additional bonus. He is quite comfortable in wide positions and understands what sort of passes wide players and, inded, other attackers, need.

Great too to hear about McCarthy and Kisnorbo. Everyone needs that attitude. When training games don't matter they have no purpose cos they are no longer mirroring aspects of reality. And McCarthy is skipper. Players need to know what winning means to him and I'm 100% sure he'll let them know from now until the end of the season.

[lookwhaticando]

Darren Kenton is just a myth

I see Kenton as primarily a squad filler - the claim that he can play across the back line smacks of 'squad player'. He may be called upon to cover important areas - RB and CB most likely - during the course of the season, but I don't think he will have a starting place too often.

At least that'smy present theory. I could be way off the mark, but only time will tell.

I know he's around and I'm sure he'll play a part

[dandannieldanok]

Darren Kenton is just a myth

I see Kenton as primarily a squad filler - the claim that he can play across the back line smacks of 'squad player'. He may be called upon to cover important areas - RB and CB most likely - during the course of the season, but I don't think he will have a starting place too often.

At least that'smy present theory. I could be way off the mark, but only time will tell.

I know he's around and I'm sure he'll play a part

I see your point, Momo Sylla was given a similar label when he arrived, the label being 'utility man'. Players like this are normally just crap in not only one position but most positions. However I think Kenton is different because when he was on loan here i thought he was good enough to do a steady job. However like you, i think he will struggle to get a starting place when everyone is fit and ready to go.

[dandannieldanok]

thank god!!!

Agreed. Can you imagine him and Scowie up front for palace playing under PT.

[lookwhaticando]

I see your point, Momo Sylla was given a similar label when he arrived, the label being 'utility man'. Players like this are normally just crap in not only one position but most positions. However I think Kenton is different because when he was on loan here i thought he was good enough to do a steady job. However like you, i think he will struggle to get a starting place when everyone is fit and ready to go.

There's no doubt he can prove useful - he was a reasonably steady defender when we had him on loan. I certainly wouldn't be bothered if he was used more than just a handful of times - he's capable enough to play.

Our CB pair will most likely be Kisnorbo/McCarthy again for the most part, and my current guess is that McAuley will be the next in line for a place. Kenton perhaps just behind McAuley there.

Where I think Kenton will be higher up the pecking order would be for the RB position - he may in fact be right behind Stearman in that position - giving Kelly the option of keeping Maybury in midfield (assuming he's chosen to play there). Afterall, we all know how much of a minimal-change man Kelly can be.

Obviously that second theory is blown out of the water should Maybury be kept out of the midfield, as he may then be the second RB choice.

It's allllll a bit too speculative at the minute, clearly

I've nothing against Kenton. I think he will be useful, I just don't think he's currently penned in for the starting 11 just yet.

[Jonbluefox9]

A really interesting insight. It has been noticeable that Kelly uses pairings - Stearman/Maybury; Fryatt/Hume; Elvis/O'Grady. I didn't know about the others and cannot imagine Nils foraging regularly into attacking areas but it sounds encouraging.

Good to hear Gradel is involved too and that Porter is being given drills in various places. Someone on another thread mentioned that Porter doesn't go by people and I think that was why he was moved inside, generally, in most recent reserve matches.

Although he is extremely skillful, Porter doesn't seem to have the raw pace (a la Hammond) to outrun defenders. His strength is being able to control the ball instantly, turn extremely quickly and deliver all sorts of passes, short and long, hard and soft with perfect weight.

His experience as a winger is just an additional bonus. He is quite comfortable in wide positions and understands what sort of passes wide players and, inded, other attackers, need.

Great too to hear about McCarthy and Kisnorbo. Everyone needs that attitude. When training games don't matter they have no purpose cos they are no longer mirroring aspects of reality. And McCarthy is skipper. Players need to know what winning means to him and I'm 100% sure he'll let them know from now until the end of the season.

I know what you mean about Porter. He's nippy but not lightning fast but if defenders give him too much space he can deliver a mean ball from the flank. He was being used on the left today and seemed as involved in the drill that I was talking about as Tiatto was which is positive for those who aren't so keen on Tiatto. Gradel didn't have as much of a part to play in that drill which suggests that Porter is ahead of him in the pecking order of wide-men but that's not really surprising. Rk was quick to put things right though. The lack of a call on one occasion caused confusion amongst players on the left wing and players in the box which Kelly picked up on and he also had a word with Johansson about something he'd done wrong in the drill so it's there to learn from not just praise people. As a former coach you may know what Kelly means by "reacting to the pictures". that's what the whole drill seemed to be based around. You see the situation and then do something to help rectify it.

Interesting thing RK said to not only Elvis but Hume and Fryatt too about timing their runs on to balls played to the flanks. Never get on the inside of the ball. I think what he was trying to say was if Johnson for example plays the ball wide to Stearman and then Stearman's in trouble and his only option is square to Johnson again, there is no point moving inside the line of the ball because you're narrowing the angle Johnson has to aim at. The sooner Hammond makes his run to the flank the smaller the angle becomes and the pass suddenly becomes much more difficult to execute. RK went on to say to the three of them that you don't need to start your runs too early because "you'll outpace any defender in this division". Good to hear positive things being said to the players like that.

We still are a quiet team overall which is worrying and that's why I think a Kisnorbo and McCarthy centre back partnership and a Johnson Wesolowski midfield pairing will be favoured as the season progresses because Hughes really doesn't communicate enough and that doesn't help his team mates and you rarely hear a thing from Williams either. Johnson will help Wesolowski a lot because he is one of the few talkers.

[Ric Flair]

Interesting stuff Jon.

Porter is a very good crosser of the ball and he is quick when he needs to be. It will be interesting to see if he can break in to the first team this year, he seems to have strength for a small player which obviously helps.

[Jonbluefox9]

Interesting stuff Jon.

Porter is a very good crosser of the ball and he is quick when he needs to be. It will be interesting to see if he can break in to the first team this year, he seems to have strength for a small player which obviously helps.

I didn't think he would break through this season but having seen him playing a big part in training, being treated just like any of the other pros, I think he could play a decent part. Even if it's just off the bench coming on to make us a bit more dangerous going forwards. It must help him and other young players pushing for the first team being able to speak to Stearman, O'Grady and Wesolowski. None of them are very loud yet but hopefully they will all bring each other out of their shells.