covscum - prematch tit bits & team.

[James.]

Alnwick

Chambers - Kisnorbo - N'Gotty - Sheehan

Bori - Clemence - Wesolowski - Lackzso

Hume - Howard

With that nice, positive sense of anticipation you enjoy before you see players for the first time I'm actually quite excited (and aroused) by that team there.

Highly rated goalkeeper on loan. Check. Chambers at right back. Check. Sheehan at left back and all round dead ball behemoth. Check. Two big centre backs. Check. Battling midlfield. Check. Two wingers. Check. Big man, little man strikeforce. Check.

F**k it I'm coming to this one. We better win.

[Daggers]

Hayles ahead of Hume. Nutcase.

I have no desire to pay to see anyone that was in last seasons squad when there is someone new to pull to pieces.

Hume has no future at the club beyond being a back-up player.

[Master Fox]

I have no desire to pay to see anyone that was in last seasons squad when there is someone new to pull to pieces.

Hume has no future at the club beyond being a back-up player.

Exactly what my sentiment is.

[Messi]

Alnwick

McAuley N'Gotty Kisnorbo

Bori--------------------Sheehan

Laczko Clemence Wesolowski

Howard

Fryatt/Hume

Subs: Henderson, Mattock, Hume/Fryatt, Hayles and Stearman

That would be the team for me doubt it will be the starting 11 though

[Ollie_warne66]

Newcomer here, going on Saturday, Would love to see this team!

Alnwick

Chambers

N'Gotty

Kisnorbo

Mattock

Bori

Weso

Clemence

Sheehan

Hume

Howard

Subs

Henderson

Fryatt

Laczko - Come on second half

McAuley

Hayles

[Thracian]

Alnwick

McAuley N'Gotty Kisnorbo

Bori--------------------Sheehan

Laczko Clemence Wesolowski

Howard

Fryatt/Hume

Subs: Henderson, Mattock, Hume/Fryatt, Hayles and Stearman

That would be the team for me doubt it will be the starting 11 though

Three slow centre-backs!

[Bert]

If any of the Hungarians are going to start it's Lazcko.

Been here slightly longer ()

Speaks English

Can't see Hayles or Hume being dropped = Hume right wing.

[hackneyfox]

Start all of the new signings, as Ollie says the current squad have hardly torn up trees.

A team of players that have only worked with each other for a few days should still do better than the old squad, after all you expect International teams (with the exception of England) to win matches when many of them have only spent days together.

[Bert]

Start all of the new signings, as Ollie says the current squad have hardly torn up trees.

A team of players that have only worked with each other for a few days should still do better than the old squad, after all you expect International teams (with the exception of England) to win matches when many of them have only spent days together.

That's a good point, but they're generally used to playing with each other in the national team, as pretty much, the same team gets played a lot of the time.

[hackneyfox]

Not in friendlies under Sven

;-)

I would seriously play all the new players and if we can get two fullbacks, a centre half and an attacking midfielder I'd chuck them in as well.

Stuff it, start of a new era/error.

[Thracian]

It is blindingly obvious that there's going to be stacks of changes and, that being the case, I'd be tempted to go the whole hog in trying to field a side which reflects our future intent - high defending, attacking in numbers, plenty of pace and mobility, people who can score goals.

I would start by putting Chambers in his proper position at right back (pace, commitment and energy).

I would move Stearman to centre-back (pace, mobility, support in defensive midfield when in possession and faster cover for our full-backs) with Kisnorbo or N'Gotty.

It's doubtful Mattock will be considered after going through extra-time in the Youth Cup which is a pity because in that form and with that freedom he looked excellent in left midfield.

Beyond that I haven't got a clue. I don't know if the Hungarians are any good. I accept Howard is our first choice striker but haven't seen Hayles yet and haven't been much impressed with reports so far.

I don't know if Gradel's an option and cannot see King getting to nod over Clemence or Wesolowski in the centre which is a pity cos I think he's our most useful and versatile midfielder, a view widely expressed at the Walkers on Wednesday.

So altogether the whole situation remains a mess and, whatever happens, I'll be amazed if there's any great understanding within the team.

I shall content myself with just looking out for hopeful signs and hope that one or two of the new signings really do represent something special or, at least, something better than what we've had.

[SamL]

It is blindingly obvious that there's going to be stacks of changes and, that being the case, I'd be tempted to go the whole hog in trying to field a side which reflects our future intent - high defending, attacking in numbers, plenty of pace and mobility, people who can score goals.

I would start by putting Chambers in his proper position at right back (pace, commitment and energy).

I would move Stearman to centre-back (pace, mobility, support in defensive midfield when in possession and faster cover for our full-backs) with Kisnorbo or N'Gotty.

It's doubtful Mattock will be considered after going through extra-time in the Youth Cup which is a pity because in that form and with that freedom he looked excellent in left midfield.

Beyond that I haven't got a clue. I don't know if the Hungarians are any good. I accept Howard is our first choice striker but haven't seen Hayles yet and haven't been much impressed with reports so far.

I don't know if Gradel's an option and I cannot see King getting to nod over Clemence or Wesolowski which is a pity cos I think he's our most useful and versatile midfielder.

So altogether the whole situation remains a mess and, whatever happens, I'll be amazed if there's any great understanding within the team.

I shall content myself with just looking out for hopeful signs and hope that one or two of the new signings really do represent something special or, at least, something better than what we've had.

I agree with the statement about Chambers as he shows pace and energy and is always willing to get forward which Stearman sometimes seems reluctant to do.

Definitly wouldn't play Stearman at centre back though, i'd go with Kisnorbo and N'Gotty with Sheehan at left back due to Mattock may be being a little tired from mid-week.

[Thracian]

I agree with the statement about Chambers as he shows pace and energy and is always willing to get forward which Stearman sometimes seems reluctant to do.

Definitly wouldn't play Stearman at centre back though, i'd go with Kisnorbo and N'Gotty with Sheehan at left back due to Mattock may be being a little tired from mid-week.

If I were a manager I would love to have a player like Stearman. I don't think we get anything like the best out of him. But you've got to put pacey people who can pass around him. There's no way he (or Chambers) can go charging forward without the defence moving up and without swift cover coming in behind them.

As for our central defenders this will be a worsening situation. Any team playing wide men will leave our slow centre-backs exposed and if the ball is played on the ground through the centre (as when McAuley was caught out at Hull for example) then we're going to be hopelessly exposed. That fact will become more widely recognised if we don't do something about it.

[Ric Flair]

If I were a manager I would love to have a player like Stearman. I don't think we get anything like the best out of him. But you've got to put pacey people who can pass around him. There's no way he (or Chambers) can go charging forward without the defence moving up and without swift cover coming in behind them.

As for our central defenders this will be a worsening situation. Any team playing wide men will leave our slow centre-backs exposed and if the ball is played on the ground through the centre (as when McAuley was caught out at Hull for example) then we're going to be hopelessly exposed. That fact will become more widely recognised if we don't do something about it.

I'd also like to see Stearman at centre half, but I do worry whether he's strong enough in the air. I know he scored his fair share from set pieces himself, but his goals have always come from popping up unmarked or making space for himself. I've not seen him out muscle or out jump many defenders/attackers to win telling headers that often. But perhaps that's because he's not had to that much, he's always been classed as a centre half and he's a tall lad but he's about ten stone piss wet through and that might explain why we've gone through about 8 managers in the time he's been in our first team and only one of them has ever earmarked him as a future centre back.

[Thracian]

I'd also like to see Stearman at centre half, but I do worry whether he's strong enough in the air. I know he scored his fair share from set pieces himself, but his goals have always come from popping up unmarked or making space for himself. I've not seen him out muscle or out jump many defenders/attackers to win telling headers that often. But perhaps that's because he's not had to that much, he's always been classed as a centre half and he's a tall lad but he's about ten stone piss wet through and that might explain why we've gone through about 8 managers in the time he's been in our first team and only one of them has ever earmarked him as a future centre back.

Stearman's not bad in the air and being able to head the ball from crosses is not nearly so important when the defence pushes high up the field.

So long as the defensive line stays high headers are of limited value which is one of the reasons from the trend towards small strikers rather than the giants of the past.

Remember Duncan Ferguson? Hardly anyone, big or small, could beat Ferguson in the air. But he was seriously limited when teams played a high defensive line and basically waited to pick off his flick ons.

It's a tactic widely used and one of the reasons, I'm sure, why Peter Crouch is so rarely a first team choice at Liverpool.

The advantage of the small strikers is that they are not so easy to mark, they expose slow defenders and they are much faster and more durable when it comes to closing defenders down when possession is lost.

That being the case, the faster and more mobile your centre-backs the better.

[marcus bent]

Pretty sure that by the sounds of it Olly will go with this.

Alnwick

Chambers Kisnorbo N gotty Sheehan

Bori Weso Clem Lackzo

Howard Hume

subs

Henderson Fryatt Hayles Stearman Mcauley

[Rich Fox]

I am expecting the game to be spoiled by a bad ref who wants to be noticed and Leicester will be reduced down to at least nine men, but i think we will scrape a draw. Only one hungarian will play and howard will score and also he will be one of our players sent off for elbowing.

[Hugo Sanchez]

I am expecting the game to be spoiled by a bad ref who wants to be noticed and Leicester will be reduced down to at least nine men, but i think we will scrape a draw. Only one hungarian will play and howard will score and also he will be one of our players sent off for elbowing.

I can see a sending off happening but for a Cov player. To be honest i think we will win 3-1 with Howard netting a brace and us getting a penatly. I have seen Cov a few times on sky this year and there defence is poor. The 2 lads playing left and right back get rip to shreds normaly.

[WetFlannel]

I can see a sending off happening but for a Cov player. To be honest i think we will win 3-1 with Howard netting a brace and us getting a penatly. I have seen Cov a few times on sky this year and there defence is poor. The 2 lads playing left and right back get rip to shreds normaly.

Got our wingers for the right game then

[Hugo Sanchez]

Got our wingers for the right game then

Yea lets just hope they are top class. If they are, then we could hurt them alot from the left and right wing. Just gotta keep that Mifsud quiet and all will be happy come 5 0 clock saturday.

[WetFlannel]

Yea lets just hope they are top class. If they are, then we could hurt them alot from the left and right wing. Just gotta keep that Mifsud quiet and all will be happy come 5 0 clock saturday.

According to alot of Cov fans, hes overrated... I dont think he will cause too many problems.

[Thracian]

According to alot of Cov fans, hes overrated... I dont think he will cause too many problems.

He wants a whacking just the same. I get sick of fancy dans dictating terms and thinking that sooner or later the manager's going to do something about that guy and he never does.

Managers don't seem to like individual man marking these days.

But I remember a bloke called Alan Woollett. every time the opposition had someone a bit special, Woollett would stick to them like a limpet and they'd hardly get a kick.

[dave_the_fox]

He wants a whacking just the same. I get sick of fancy dans dictating terms and thinking that sooner or later the manager's going to do something about that guy and he never does.

Managers don't seem to like individual man marking these days.

But I remember a bloke called Alan Woollett. every time the opposition had someone a bit special, Woollett would stick to them like a limpet and they'd hardly get a kick.

Well I remember a bloke called Pontus Kaamark

[FleckneyFox]

Alnwick

Stearman McAuley Kisnorbo Mattock

Hume Wesolowski Clemence Lackzo

Howard Fryatt

Henderson, Chambers, Sheehan, Bori, Hayles

[Thracian]

Well I remember a bloke called Pontus Kaamark

How we could do with an outfield player of his class. He's EXACTLY the sort of senior signing who would earn respect. Quality, week in week out.