Clean Sheets

[LoughboroBlade]

McEveley started last season ok, but after the handball at White Hart he lost it and made mistakes on a regular basis.

Wasn't this more down to his shoulder injury? If we'd have had an additional centre-half, we'd have been under less pressure to play him and could have given him a longer recovery time.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

McEveley started last season ok, but after the handball at White Hart he lost it and made mistakes on a regular basis.

On the face of it this is the sign of a confidence player.

If Adkins is spelling his name correctly on the teamsheets (marginal gains ), and backing him publicly and in training then we may see a new improved Jay McEveley. Hope so.

The reverse of this is that if he does make a mistake and elements of the crowd pounce on him then that could well leave us a key player short. (Same with Howard.)

 

[10-0 win]

Probably Clough had Collins/Butler in mind as our Cb's last season, Alcock McGahey and McEveley(add loan McCarthy)were thrown in as emergencies, and we never got it right after the fall outs.

 

[Bladesway]

I haven't had one since I was about twelve...but that's a whole other story...

Eat more steak Esa. Puts wood in your pencil!

 

[Bladesway]

Collins man of the match today ,isn't he a centre half !
We do need one more but I'm sure Nigel knows this .

This. Adkins will have known before he got here what the team looked like and where we had strengths and weaknesses. I don't blame the board or the manager at this stage for anything. There is plenty of time but getting the right people into the team has to come above just getting people in because we need someone there.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Well there must be a reason:

• Adkins hasn't noticed
• Adkins has noticed but with our limited resources is prioritising elsewhere: we're going to score our way to promotion - not defend our way to promotion
• Adkins has noticed but there is no-one available at the right price, yet
• Adkins is giving McEveley (who seems to be captain) and Collins in particular a chance
• other

Like everyone I think we need a CH (or two) for cover if nothing else. Collins and McEveley are doing a much better job than last season, from what I've seen, but if one of them gets injured then we're possibly back to Basham covering, midfield is weakened and it all begins to look horribly familiar...apart from we might well be scoring a few at the other end.

CHs seem to be in demand across the Divisions, maybe it'll just remain a problem area for us, but no more than for any other team.

We do have limited resources and we can't just acquire all the players we want. Getting the most from what you've got is almost the definition of good management.

That said, it looks like some players may not fit in with Adkins' 4-4-2, and we may end up selling in order to buy, and maybe that's when a CH or two will arrive.

He has noticed. Phew!

http://m.thestar.co.uk/sport/sheff-...-hunts-for-another-central-defender-1-7389366

I think he is probably waiting for specific targets whose clubs won't let them go until they have signed a replacement.

Could be end of August before he gets his man but he will get someone.

When he does sign someone I expect he will move McCeveley to left back rather

 

[Slim Man]

He has noticed. Phew!

http://m.thestar.co.uk/sport/sheff-...-hunts-for-another-central-defender-1-7389366

I think he is probably waiting for specific targets whose clubs won't let them go until they have signed a replacement.

Could be end of August before he gets his man but he will get someone.

When he does sign someone I expect he will move McCeveley to left back rather

Thank god

For the record I do actually think McEveley wouldn't be bad cover for either position, but he shouldn't be in with a shout of starting. Theres a lapse of concentration in every game, and it means we will always need to score 2 to win.

Collins has impressing me with what I've seen in PS, but he needs a capable partner if he's to really shine. He is very capable of starting every game but he needs the right partner and he needs to remember to keep things simple.

McFadzean and Collins would be great.

 

[Trigger Blade]

Being brutally honest here and I'm sure I'll get alot of stick for this as per but i'm incredibly shocked and dissapointed we haven't got two centre backs in with 6 full days to go till the start of the season. We all knew since January we needed centre backs and still it seems the board haven't pushed the importance of it enough with Adkins, he doesn't know to the extent that we do how much our defence cost us last season so I don't blame Adkins, mainly the board for seemingly letting it be left till 6 days before the season to sort out, pretty frustrating really. Never thought I'd say this but I'm starting to think we'd have had an all round better squad at this time if Clough didn't get sacked. As much as his personality traits let him down, he looked like he really was going in for them defenders ASAP, top of his priorities. However through no fault of Adkins, we find ourselves in this position, 6 days to go, 0 centre backs. Typical United one could say.

I can't quite work out whether this is supposed to be tongue in cheek, including the "incredibly disappointed", it's a bit early for hyperbole.

Clough went practically a full season without playing specialist centre backs, having apparently fallen out with two, one he brought in, Butler, and one who was already here, Collins. He then complained that we were lacking height at corners. He's no longer around, but you're convinced he finally knew what the problem was and would have solved it "ASAP, top of his priorities". Is there any evidence for that view?

Instead, we've got a manager who you think may have recognised the problem, but the board have prevented him bringing in what we need. Presumably, they must have insisted he brings in Billy and Sammon, or do they only interfere in the defensive side of things?

I've had time to think about it, you're definitely on the wind up.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

He has noticed. Phew!

http://m.thestar.co.uk/sport/sheff-...-hunts-for-another-central-defender-1-7389366

I think he is probably waiting for specific targets whose clubs won't let them go until they have signed a replacement.

Could be end of August before he gets his man but he will get someone.

When he does sign someone I expect he will move McCeveley to left back rather

Two more potential targets move out of range...
Jordan Turnbull back to Swindon on loan (following soon after Jack Stephens' loan move to Middlesbro).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33758332

P.S. Swindon haven't been decimated quite as much as expected (yet). Still got Nathan Byrne there & still got Yaser Kasim.
It's poor wee Chessie that have been obliterated (especially if Morsy & Darikwa go too, as seems very likely).

 

[Slug]

Two more potential targets move out of range...
Jordan Turnbull back to Swindon on loan (following soon after Jack Stephens' loan move to Middlesbro).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33758332

P.S. Swindon haven't been decimated quite as much as expected (yet). Still got Nathan Byrne there & still got Yaser Kasim.
It's poor wee Chessie that have been obliterated (especially if Morsy & Darikwa go too, as seems very likely).

Darikwa went to Burnley last week pal

 

[itsinyerblood]

I'm quite partial to clean sheets, 800 thread, best Egyptian cotton.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Darikwa went to Burnley last week pal

So he did. I'd missed that one completely tbh.

Bit of a strange one that, what with them already having brought Matty Lowton in?

 

[Slim Man]

Wonder if we could have a pop at signing Canavan from Scunny. Good player and only going to get better.