City Lad Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 Link We arrived in Scotland in the early part of yesterday afternoon. We had a quick, brief team meeting where we made the players and staff aware of the way we should be conducting ourselves while we are away.After this it was straight into lunch and then on to the bus and down for training. Upon arrival it was clear that the facilities that had been put in place were fantastic and credit must go to Donald Barron (video analyst) for making regular visits up on his patch. We had a good afternoon session of coaching some defensive strategies into the players. Their attention to detail and focus was spot on. Article continues Advertisement Click here! After this we returned to the hotel where ice baths awaited the players yet again. Then it was down for dinner before going into our presentation room/games room for a presentation from Alistair Smith. This part of the evening was designed to install some small team practices and to develop an understanding of what people thought and what could be achieved. Thereafter that, being such a long day and being up in the early hours of the morning, it was a quick debrief to the staff in preparation for tonight's game. To my amusement, in the early hours of this morning, I received a text message from the Gaffer asking if I was awake. I am not sure whether it was fortunate for him or unfortunate for me - but at 5:30 this morning the Gaffer and myself were walking and talking about what has been put in place so far. The next shock was for the players who were woken at 6:45 this morning for a 7 o'clock boarding of the bus ahead of a 20 minute journey down to the training pitch to work on set plays. Yet again, for such an early start, the lads' willingness to listen and take things in was there for all us to see as staff. Now, just after breakfast, we are going to be going back down to the training pitch to work on some attacking play which will be installed in our starting 11 for tonight. The team for our game against Partick Thistle is as follows: Paul Henderson, James Chambers, Bruno N'Gotty, Gareth McAuely, Joe Mattock, Alan Sheehan, Stephen Clemence, Radostin Kishishev, Richard Stearman, Matty Fryatt, Mark de Vries. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Flair Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 What an odd team selection for tonight. 8 defenders, going for the 0-0 draw? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manwell Pablo Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 What an odd team selection for tonight. 8 defenders, going for the 0-0 draw? Henderson (AKA EL WANKBAG) Chambers Ngotty McAuley Sheehan Stearman? Kisishev Clemance Mattock Fryatt Deep Fridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The People's Hero Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 Stearman and one of Sheehan/Mattock will be playing further up the pitch then, I would imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THEBIGJOHNSTEADER; Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 7am start, poor bastards!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 That is a REALLY strange team selection... Not sure what to read into that really- possibly swap Chambers and Stearman? Am sure that MA just wants to try a few things out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manwell Pablo Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 Stearman and one of Sheehan/Mattock will be playing further up the pitch then, I would imagine. Also callign Alan Sheehan a defender is like calling Bin Laden a nice man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo V Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 Henderson (AKA EL WANKBAG)Chambers Ngotty McAuley Sheehan Stearman? Kisishev Clemance Mattock Fryatt Deep Fridge Yeah I`d agree that is how we will set-up. Maybe DJ is behind on the rest of the squad in fitness terms but I'm still surprised he didn't go for a forward line that would include either Hume or DJ. Maybe they`ll both come on after the break to give the opposition the runaround. BTW - I like the discipline being installed by MA. Top marks Mr Allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The People's Hero Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 7am start, poor bastards!! I'd swap places with any one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fez of Mahrez Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 Fairly inevitable that Allen would look at more different options on the flanks given that Hayes and Newton started on Saturday, Ka'abi hasn't arrived yet and Porter wasn't taken. Big game for Sheehan tonight. Chambers has probably played more at right midfield than Stearman has so it might be him there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr The Singh Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 Stearman and one of Sheehan/Mattock will be playing further up the pitch then, I would imagine. It's good to see MA is still experimenting!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The People's Hero Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 I was about to say 'Where is McCarthy?' then I remembered we absolutely raped Charlton for loads of money for him! Top work, us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Flair Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 It's a bizarre selection, really bizarre. We're getting down to the stage where everyone should be up to scratch fitness wise, other than the odd new signing and we should be picking our best players if we're not going to experiment with many of the youngsters. But to go and pick 6 defenders (7 including Kishishev) is weird. It's not in Allen's nature to ever require a team that would play astonishingly defensive, like Kelly or Levein sometimes did. So why bother? I can't imagine Hume's knackered, why not try him on the right wing? Plus it's a shame Wesolowski hasn't started any of the recent pre-season friendlies, he's arguably been the best performer this summer but he's not getting rewarded with the identification that he's classed as first choice. Before anyone says i'm reading in to this too much, i'm just finding the whole swuad selection and picking process for this tour and other friendlies really strange. I can't see why Gradel hasn't been taken for the trip either, but muchos goalie's and defenders have been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manwell Pablo Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 Fairly inevitable that Allen would look at more different options on the flanks given that Hayes and Newton started on Saturday, Ka'abi hasn't arrived yet and Porter wasn't taken. Big game for Sheehan tonight.Chambers has probably played more at right midfield than Stearman has so it might be him there. I was hoping he'd play against Kilmarnock so MA can see what his like with a decent winger running at him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Flair Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 I was hoping he'd play against Kilmarnock so MA can see what his like with a decent winger running at him. He probably will do as well. de Vries has started every friendly as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fez of Mahrez Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 I think there's a bit of a difference between the one-paced defenders that Kelly played on the wings and the likes of Sheehan, Mattock and Chambers who are all fairly rapid and won't act as supplementary full-backs. They'll be bombing forward just like wingers would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The People's Hero Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 It's a bizarre selection, really bizarre. We're getting down to the stage where everyone should be up to scratch fitness wise, other than the odd new signing and we should be picking our best players if we're not going to experiment with many of the youngsters.But to go and pick 6 defenders (7 including Kishishev) is weird. It's not in Allen's nature to ever require a team that would play astonishingly defensive, like Kelly or Levein sometimes did. So why bother? I can't imagine Hume's knackered, why not try him on the right wing? Plus it's a shame Wesolowski hasn't started any of the recent pre-season friendlies, he's arguably been the best performer this summer but he's not getting rewarded with the identification that he's classed as first choice. Before anyone says i'm reading in to this too much, i'm just finding the whole swuad selection and picking process for this tour and other friendlies really strange. I can't see why Gradel hasn't been taken for the trip either, but muchos goalie's and defenders have been. I think he has perhaps realised we don't have a massive squad as such (in terms of those who are in his plans) and so he's trying the likes of Hayes, Stearman, Sheehan etc in a variety of positions. It's something RK never did, apart from insisting on playing Maybury at left back and McAuley at right back. I can see what he's doing here. I suppose this is a fairly defensive line up as you look across that four in midfield and to an extent all 4 can be described as 'defensively' minded and ball winners. Maybe this is our back up line up where players are unavailable and we do go looking for a point? 4 ball winners in midfielder and a target man/pace combo up front. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manwell Pablo Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 Chambers I can understand he is only a medium on the suicide bombing forward meter. Sheehan is a full 10, and even when he gets back he's useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Fox Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 On the subject of defenders, when are Kisnorbo and Hoessein meant to be joining the squad for pre season? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The People's Hero Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 He probably will do as well.de Vries has started every friendly as well! He's still our only genuine target man - perhaps he's being kept as an option. Either way - if we're going to keep him or if we want someone to come in for him - we need him fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thracian Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 Henderson (AKA EL WANKBAG)Chambers Ngotty McAuley Sheehan Stearman? Kisishev Clemance Mattock Fryatt Deep Fridge Mattock and Sheehan will change places but judging by the way the names have been listed it would seem Mattock will start at left back and Sheehan on the wing as against Quorn away. It looks as if he's trying to effect the sameon the right with Chambers/Stearman enabling him to stay strong in the centre while having attacking full-backs interchanging down the wings and therefore staying fresh enough to support attacks. That could well be a thought for his normal away day strategy. I'd still like to have seen N'Gotty/Stearman at the heart of defence against better opposition but that looks a fairly fast supporting yet combative side...andone in true MA mould. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo V Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 Have Kisnorbo and Kaebi given an extended holiday or will they be back for Saturday? I suppose we wont see them until Cheltenham a week today but im looking forward to seeing Kaebi in particular in the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manwell Pablo Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 Now you see I can live with Alan Sheehan on the left wing, why no one has thought of that before I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The People's Hero Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 Chambers I can understand he is only a medium on the suicide bombing forward meter.Sheehan is a full 10, and even when he gets back he's useless.I bow to your greater knowledge here if necessary mate but is Sheehan really that bad.I know he's not as good as Thracian originally made him out to be (no one is) but has he suffered as a result, just as Porter has... not through being terrible as such - but through being completely over-hyped and over-rated, raising expectation to unrealistic and unsustainable levels?I always thought Sheehan was regarded as a fairly limited defender, with a good set piece on him and a fairly capable left foot in attacking situations.What's his shortfall?Positioning? Concentration? Ill-discipline?I think he has perhaps realised we don't have a massive squad as such (in terms of those who are in his plans) and so he's trying the likes of Hayes, Stearman, Sheehan etc in a variety of positions. It's something RK never did, apart from insisting on playing Maybury at left back and McAuley at right back.I can see what he's doing here. I suppose this is a fairly defensive line up as you look across that four in midfield and to an extent all 4 can be described as 'defensively' minded and ball winners. Maybe this is our back up line up where players are unavailable and we do go looking for a point? 4 ball winners in midfielder and a target man/pace combo up front. Any thoughts?The more I think about it - the more I realise I've nailed it.Spot on TPH - well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fez of Mahrez Posted 24 July 2007 Share Posted 24 July 2007 Now you see I can live with Alan Sheehan on the left wing, why no one has thought of that before I don't know. Agree. If he's supposedly so dangerous going forward then he should make a decent left winger. Hopefully he'll impress Allen tonight and put our collective mind at rest about the left hand side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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