Changes........

[morris1234]

this is not having a go is NP, hes done a great job and amongst all of the moaners, we are still doing really really well. ive not been to many games this season and just wondered if pearson has ever changed the formation around?

Again im not moaning i just feel sometimes we need to take a risk, especially in games like northampton. every chance we had was when a midfielder had released a pass or was running at the back 4 from the (in football manager terms ) AMC! i took note of this many times and pretty much all of our chances came from this area but it wasnt exploited enough. i know nigels not stupid and he cant go moving everything around especially as they could have easily nicked all 3 points but if i notice something which simply had their defence baffled then surely nigel or even the players can.

so i just want to know what peoples views on our risk taking is and if you have noticed similar things and nothing was done!?

over the last few games we have performed much better towards the end of each half and been poor i between, i think this is down to our risk taking and creativity which never seemed to kick in until it was too late. and the fact that walsall and northampton have come here and both got points because they did take risks and just went for it and managed to find themselves on top!

[Ric Flair]

The fact of the matter is, we are creating a lot of chances and not taking them. I don't see how taking more risks or trying to create chances from different angles is going to make that much difference. Fryatt, Howard, Gradel, Dyer, King and co need to start becoming more composed in front of goal when things aren't going their way.

[Bert]

He changed it to 4-3-3 against Millwall.

At the minute the squad is threadbare, even though we have a fairly big squad... but due to the lack of game changing options that we had on the bench (Only really Nicky Adams) , NP seems reluctant to change things around, as seen in the past 2 games.

[morris1234]

The fact of the matter is, we are creating a lot of chances and not taking them. I don't see how taking more risks or trying to create chances from different angles is going to make that much difference. Fryatt, Howard, Gradel, Dyer, King and co need to start becoming more composed in front of goal when things aren't going their way.

very good point but the thing im trying to get at is i just think we need to expose the weak areas a bit more to make the game a bit more open and maybe then some of our players will have more time and space to choose the right pass and overall push forward.

but yeah youre point about having more composure does tie in with risk taking, as more often than not all of our players were in front of their back line and couldnt get in behind it which i think is why gradel for example was forever slowing down his run to allow players to make a move and then when he did get past his man hed put in a cross but nobody really wanted to take that 1 risk tht could change the game.

[Nationwider]

Perhaps a loan signing up front would freshen things up for a month as Fatboy and Fryup have possibly got their feet a little too cosy underneath the table?

I suppose Dickov will be back soon, but he'll need more time to get fit. Campbell has apparently entered the Bermuda Triangle Of Unspecific Injuries that sucked in Lee Morris and Elvis Hammond and no-one from the academy is seemingly ready yet.

With games coming thick and fast, I think he could legitimately rest one of the front two for a game and at least try The Wonder of Hayles?

[morris1234]

surely though the management study a team before a game so they would know who is on form, whos not, who poses a threat and what is it, where is the weakest link in the team and how can we exploit it. to me it seems like both northampton and walsall did this well, they knocked the ball down and were very physical in the centre of the park because lets face it, oakley and king are not the biggest.

when the ball came into the strikers they were moving into the wings as our 2 full backs (powell + gilbert) are not the tallest and were getting bullied by the strength of the strikers which led to the 2 goals against walsall.

ibehre, ricketts akinfenwa etc are all big buggers lets face it and they made sure, even off the ball, that they bullied our back 2 which has so far this season been our building block for attacking moves and this disturbed our control over the games.

its not rocket science and im not telling NP how to do his job because i wouldnt have a clue and i think hes doing an amazing job, he really is and as a city fan im really happy with the whole situation. it just frustrates me when you see these things happen. but oyu have to remember we do have a very young squad and league was never going to be a walk over.

[RowlattsFox]

Perhaps a loan signing up front would freshen things up for a month as Fatboy and Fryup have possibly got their feet a little too cosy underneath the table?

I suppose Dickov will be back soon, but he'll need more time to get fit. Campbell has apparently entered the Bermuda Triangle Of Unspecific Injuries that sucked in Lee Morris and Elvis Hammond and no-one from the academy is seemingly ready yet.

With games coming thick and fast, I think he could legitimately rest one of the front two for a game and at least try The Wonder of Hayles?

Out-of-favour Burnley striker Ade Akinibyi could be allowed to leave the club. (Daily Mail)

Although, joking apart, Ade could be a decent signing.

[Lovejoy]

Perhaps a loan signing up front would freshen things up for a month as Fatboy and Fryup have possibly got their feet a little too cosy underneath the table?

I suppose Dickov will be back soon, but he'll need more time to get fit. Campbell has apparently entered the Bermuda Triangle Of Unspecific Injuries that sucked in Lee Morris and Elvis Hammond and no-one from the academy is seemingly ready yet.

With games coming thick and fast, I think he could legitimately rest one of the front two for a game and at least try The Wonder of Hayles?

He'll end up at Yeovil before long then .

[Daggers]

Perhaps a loan signing up front would freshen things up for a month as Fatboy and Fryup have possibly got their feet a little too cosy underneath the table?

Howard has been a solid contributor to the team week in week out, working hard and playing intelligently.

Fryatt has hit a dip in confidence and, as we have seen from past seasons, this could go on until May.

If we are going to get promoted Pearson needs to be able to sort out this problem rather than rely on a succession of jobsworths trotting in. This isn't to say that our squad appears to need extending with some quality simply that we need to maximise the potential of all the players we have.

[Kilworthfox]

Howard has been a solid contributor to the team week in week out, working hard and playing intelligently.

Fryatt has hit a dip in confidence and, as we have seen from past seasons, this could go on until May.

If we are going to get promoted Pearson needs to be able to sort out this problem rather than rely on a succession of jobsworths trotting in. This isn't to say that our squad appears to need extending with some quality simply that we need to maximise the potential of all the players we have.

Anyone who suggests that Howard is not contrbuting to the team obviously has not played or watched football for a long period of time and must be a poor judge of a player. This season Howard has been very impressive as an ariel outlet for the side, creating many goals and chances for other members of the side to take glory. On Saturday the goal which was ruled out was set up by Howard!

[Ric Flair]

Fryatt and Howard are very incosistent though and that's why it is a necessity we have some competition up front to bring on when things aren't working. Howard has been harshly criticised by some this season, but he still has been guilty of wasting a lot of chances and although he's had some goals wrongfully disallowed, it's time he started putting the ball in the net. Fryatt is a different beast, 9 goals to his name, yet looks out of sorts and misses some of the easiest chances known to man. As a fan it's hard to have confidence in him unless he's scoring every game because the games when he doesn't score, he'll have missed a shit load of easy chances and the fans will be up in arms.

We need another striker who can be relied upon to chip in with some goals. Right now we have 1 striker who scores and he hasn't scored for 3 games but has missed a couple of open goals instead. A little worrying, but Pearson needs to set to work on both of them and see what he can muster up. I'd be dipping in to the loan market as well.

[Nationwider]

Howard has been a solid contributor to the team week in week out, working hard and playing intelligently.

Fryatt has hit a dip in confidence and, as we have seen from past seasons, this could go on until May.

If we are going to get promoted Pearson needs to be able to sort out this problem rather than rely on a succession of jobsworths trotting in. This isn't to say that our squad appears to need extending with some quality simply that we need to maximise the potential of all the players we have.

I'll always defer to your judgement on form as you're a regular and I'm not.

I've never been a fan of jobsworths on loan - it's tried, tested and failed. Young and hungry is a different matter.

As far as maximising Fryatt's potential, and without wishing to sound cynical, I'd only really be looking at maximising his potential value with a view to a January transfer before he slips out of contract in the summer. A goal every five appearances (including this season's flurry) in three years is probably enough time to say "thanks, and good luck at a new club". I don't see him or Howard as taking us a whole lot further forward in the future. Their form this season is welcome, but 10 goals between them in 11 league games might not put them in the top six partnerships in League One this season, yet I bet they're the highest paid.

There's no need to panic of course, but no-one has cracked the Fryatt problem in three years. Pearson is scoring B+'s and above for his recruitment so far and I'd back him to go out and find suitable replacements up front in due course.

[Daggers]

I'll always defer to your judgement on form as you're a regular and I'm not.

...but those of us appreciating Howard seem to be in an ever-decreasing minority

[Nationwider]

...but those of us appreciating Howard seem to be in an ever-decreasing minority

I think this season he's fairly important for us - he's definitely the only player of that type we've got, and that type is valuable at this level. Given the combination of his wages and the length of his contract, Howard's worth is more of a moot point that Fryatt's as we're likely to be lumbered/blessed with him for some time yet.

Competition is a healthy thing and whilst we have that in defence, it wouldn't do any harm to have more of it in attack as well. If NP doesn't get a loanee in, then hopefully he'll be able to invest some of the proceeds of any defensive sales into another striking option.

[Ric Flair]

I think this season he's fairly important for us - he's definitely the only player of that type we've got, and that type is valuable at this level. Given the combination of his wages and the length of his contract, Howard's worth is more of a moot point that Fryatt's as we're likely to be lumbered/blessed with him for some time yet.

Competition is a healthy thing and whilst we have that in defence, it wouldn't do any harm to have more of it in attack as well. If NP doesn't get a loanee in, then hopefully he'll be able to invest some of the proceeds of any defensive sales into another striking option.

Any Northern strikers tickling your fish right now? James Brown seems to be even more highly rated then Adam Boyd was a few years back.

[Jimmy]

He changed it to 4-3-3 against Millwall.

At the minute the squad is threadbare, even though we have a fairly big squad... but due to the lack of game changing options that we had on the bench (Only really Nicky Adams) , NP seems reluctant to change things around, as seen in the past 2 games.

which is why I said in the Weso injury thread that a new CM is a massive priority, we need those options, we need the competition, surely Kerrea Gilbert would put in a word with some of the Arsenal kids to get them to come if we got a loan approach accepted, same with Hobbs and Martin, both Liverpool and Arsenal have some cracking young midfielders, Arsenal especially have some amazingly talented attacking midfielders so why don't we try and get some on loan, either now or in Jan

[morris1234]

but surely if there is a striker out there that does all these things youre on about then he would be snapped up by somebody else. its no use saying we could do with somebody if there isnt one out there. and no matter who you are, you cant guarantee goals, even if we signed kevin philips whose scored goals wherever he has gone would magically find a dip in form for us.

[Nationwider]

Any Northern strikers tickling your fish right now? James Brown seems to be even more highly rated then Adam Boyd was a few years back.

Brown is a good prospect. I always liked Boyd and I think it's a bit of a waste that his career's stalled at Orient.

At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious (partly based on the goalscoring charts) Danny Graham is possibly too good for this level. Boro's excellent youth policy doesn't stretch to strikers and many Boro fans I know don't understand why someone like Graham was sold when the likes of Mendieta, Parlour and The Dong-Gook were stinking up the Boro bench.

[eye666]

Brown is a good prospect. I always liked Boyd and I think it's a bit of a waste that his career's stalled at Orient.

At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious (partly based on the goalscoring charts) Danny Graham is possibly too good for this level. Boro's excellent youth policy doesn't stretch to strikers and many Boro fans I know don't understand why someone like Graham was sold when the likes of Mendieta, Parlour and The Dong-Gook were stinking up the Boro bench.

Danny Graham and Rickie Lambert would be pretty good with Liam Dickinson coming off the bench...