Dodds Watch

[Geo V]

Ah, there's a vital point we disagree on.

I don't think think the team should have a solid defensive unit and a separate attacking unit.

I think the team should attack as a team and defend as a team.

King is not at all like Clemence or Wesolowski. And no-one within the City camp would dream of saying he is.

King simply played cautiously because Megson wanted him to do so in the circumstances. He should be complimented for showing the discipline and competence to do that instead of criticised for not doing his own thing and disobeying instructions.

Gradel will feel his mum's loss desperately but her loss may well spur him to do her memory justice by realising his full potential.

The game, and the comeraderie within the game, is also likely to serve as the best comfort and alternate focus for the mind as he can possibly have.

Apart from Gradel there is Ashley Chambers - another outstanding talent and far more dangerous at his best than anything I've seen from Ferreira or Kaebi.

If they prove the reality to be otherwise, fair enough. It's no problem to me.

But right now I'd place the order of merit as: Gradel, Chambers, Ferreira, Kaebi.

Lets look at Arsenal as an example as they are top of the Premier League. They have some no nonsense defenders and usually play a defensive midfielder in Gilberto or Diaby. Toure now and again gets the ball and runs out of defence and there right-back gets forward but mostly there attacking 5 are the ones who do the business.

Man Utd are another Rio used to bring the ball out of defence but now doesnt. Evra attacks a bit down the left but again most of the attacking is done by the midfielders and attackers. I`ll sling Liverpool into the equation as well. You wont see Carragher and Hyppia running out of defence but Riise is very good and Finnan not so much when it comes to getting forward.

The point is the onus is mainly on the attacking players. Our midfielders are tidy plodders and our strikers are average players who need the service. We have little creativity and thats why many of us are crying out for some flair players because the likes of Levi, Sheehan and King are tidy enough at times but havent got that something extra to create chances in open play.

[Manwell Pablo]

Our bet apart, the Clemence figures came as a surprise and I wouldn't have guessed that Sheehan has had the fourth highest shots total this season either.

It's a good website for a stato such as yourself, I don't use it much personally, I only checked to see if Sheehans three assits had all been credited to him.

[Thracian]

It's a good website for a stato such as yourself, I don't use it much personally, I only checked to see if Sheehans three assits had all been credited to him.

I do think stats are helpful. They can aid or dilute an argument. I'm a big believer in players who make things happen but it is easy to overlook people who do that but don't necessarily stand out.

Clemence is an example.

Similarly you can have people who look wonderful - clever flicks here, impressive dribbles there. But when you look at the stats, the end result is far worse than you'd imagine. Gareth Williams might be such a player, though I haven't checked, because he hardly ever scored for us and, more suprisingly, didn't seem to be involved in many assists either.

Statistics can lie, particuarly over short periods or in special circumstances.

I'd perhaps cite Fryatt for the special circumstances last season.

But over time they give a clear enough picture.

Anyway, thanks for the pointer.

[JoeyB]

Saw him against forest tonight, few good tackles, few goods runs, didnt deserved to be subbed at half time!

but not as prolific in front of goal as some people claim

[Thracian]

Lets look at Arsenal as an example as they are top of the Premier League. They have some no nonsense defenders and usually play a defensive midfielder in Gilberto or Diaby. Toure now and again gets the ball and runs out of defence and there right-back gets forward but mostly there attacking 5 are the ones who do the business.

Man Utd are another Rio used to bring the ball out of defence but now doesnt. Evra attacks a bit down the left but again most of the attacking is done by the midfielders and attackers. I`ll sling Liverpool into the equation as well. You wont see Carragher and Hyppia running out of defence but Riise is very good and Finnan not so much when it comes to getting forward.

The point is the onus is mainly on the attacking players. Our midfielders are tidy plodders and our strikers are average players who need the service. We have little creativity and thats why many of us are crying out for some flair players because the likes of Levi, Sheehan and King are tidy enough at times but havent got that something extra to create chances in open play.

Sheehan and King are well able to create goals in open play or otherwise. Porter's out for the season so it's hardly worth discussing him.

[Manwell Pablo]

Sheehan and King are well able to create goals in open play or otherwise. Porter's out for the season so it's hardly worth discussing him.

That post is over a month old!

And I'd like to see at least one example of that in the first team before you make such a claim.

[Thracian]

That post is over a month old!

And I'd like to see at least one example of that in the first team before you make such a claim.

In Sheehan's case, had we had quality strikers to take advantage of the huge number of chances he's created his assists total would have been outstanding as you well know.

And King has never been asked to play that role. He's been used as a basically holding midfielder and has simply done the job asked of him.

[Manwell Pablo]

In Sheehan's case, had we had quality strikers to take advantage of the huge number of chances he's created his assists total would have been outstanding as you well know.

And King has never been asked to play that role. He's been used as a basically holding midfielder and has simply done the job asked of him.

Well you only deal in hard stats so....

Blah blah neither have created a goal from open play shhhh.