Cresswell

[Bergen Blade]

Ten league appearances without a goal now. Is it time to try something different?

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Still think he has something to offer. Puts himself about more than our other strikers.

That is a long run without a goal though and I thought the game passed him by on Sunday.

Put a quality centre forward next to Ched and I think you have a genuine threat up top.

I've been impressed with his application since coming back, he is starting to improve.

 

[Muttley]

We all know we need a different strikeforce.....and a goalie, but what we know for certain is tight arse McCabe won't be buying any!

 

[judge]

what are the options considering our back up strikers are worse than shit and we dont have any money ?

 

[Ollessendro]

That goalscoring record is extremely poor, especially at this level. However I'd stick with him for a few games. I think he is better than Porter and I'd like to see him and Ched be given a few games together.

On Sunday I thought Cressy struggled. But I thought a lot of that came down to tactics. He is not very good in the air and struggles when the ball is lumped to him. In the first half he looked ok, linking up with Willo/K Mac/Lowton/Evans and he played well when the ball came to his feet. He probably would have scored if the Wednesday player had not deflected Ched's effort onto the post and he had a header saved by Bywater (easy save - but either side of Bywater and it was a goal). Plus he works hard as the first line of defence. I think he'll find his goalscoring touch again if he is left in the side. He is still getting in the positions, he has just been a bit unlucky/not clinical enough. I suppose there is a shout for Clarke to come in, but I'd start Evans and Cresswell again tomorrow night.

 

[TarquinDelouche]

what are the options considering our back up strikers are worse than shit and we dont have any money ?

Quit it with those negative waves.

 

[Bergen Blade]

what are the options considering our back up strikers are worse than shit and we dont have any money ?

I think it's time to stop the excuses for players who aren't delivering. Cresswell seemed hungry and fitter than in a long time at the start of the season. Maybe he'll get back to that if he's forced to work his way into the team again?

Evans and Clarke, if we continue with 4-4-2?

In a 4-2-3-1: A forward line of
Phillips - - - - Quinn - - - - - Tønne
- - - - - - - - - Evans - - - - - - - -

 

[raul]

what are the options considering our back up strikers are worse than shit and we dont have any money ?

You do realise any player reading that will now just spend the whole 90 mins in Preston curled up in a foetal ball and crying?

 

[judge]

I think it's time to stop the excuses for players who aren't delivering. Cresswell seemed hungry and fitter than in a long time at the start of the season. Maybe he'll get back to that if he's forced to work his way into the team again?

Evans and Clarke, if we continue with 4-4-2?

In a 4-2-3-1: A forward line of
Phillips - - - - Quinn - - - - - Tønne
- - - - - - - - - Evans - - - - - - - -

its all well and good just chucking the name of a loanee forward but lets be right if he was any good he wouldnt be at the lane

---------- Post added at 12:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:36 PM ----------

You do realise any player reading that will now just spend the whole 90 mins in Preston curled up in a foetal ball and crying?

you have this amazing ability to make a bad situation seem worse

 

[raul]

its all well and good just chucking the name of a loanee forward but lets be right if he was any good he wouldnt be at the lane

Top stuff Mic

 

[secretchief]

I think it's time to stop the excuses for players who aren't delivering. Cresswell seemed hungry and fitter than in a long time at the start of the season. Maybe he'll get back to that if he's forced to work his way into the team again?

Evans and Clarke, if we continue with 4-4-2?

In a 4-2-3-1: A forward line of
Phillips - - - - Quinn - - - - - Tønne
- - - - - - - - - Evans - - - - - - - -

Let it go, Bergen. We all know Tonne isn't going to get a game.

The problem with dropping Cresswell, as has been pointed out, is that Porter is much worse.

 

[judge]

Top stuff Mic

ooh now that hurt

 

[cooperblade]

If Montgomery, McDonald, Quinn and Evans are certain starters (and I think they should be) then we have two positions up for grabs. Given that the only pace in the side would be at left back, I think we have to go with our 2 quickest options in the remaining spots so, even though we've seen little or nothing of them, I'd go with Phillips and Clarke tomorrow night.

Don't see Tonne getting into a 4-4-2 at the moment but wouldn't be against him playing on the left of a 3 or a 5 with Quinn pushed closer to Evans. That would probably mean we only had one quick player in midfield and attack though.

I don't think we can continue with Cresswell either way. He just doesn't offer anything like enough when he's not scoring. I'd have Porter ahead of him at the moment just because his recent scoring record is better.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

No point in signing Phillips and Clarke if we aren't going to use them.
I thought Williamson had his best game for us on Sunday and it would be very harsh to drop him. Stick him in the centre.
It won't happen but Simonsen simply has to be taken out of the firing line to try and regain his confidence.
I'd sign an experienced goalie to replace him but as we don't have one it has to be Long.

My team:-
Long
Lowton, Maguire, Collins, Williams
Phillips, Williamson, Montgomery, Quinn
Evans, Clarke
Subs:- Simonsen, Jean-Francois, McDonald, Tonne, Creswell

 

[stannyblade]

Thing is we havent been putting the balls in for him like we were at the start of the season. That said I would agree with Sothalls team although I would bring a keeper in if allowed as I really dont think Long is ready with that back four in front of him. If Morgs was back then maybe

 

[super_pig]

cresswell has simply run out of gas.. after the summer he'd had a rest but now the two games per week is taking it's toll on the poor man who is now getting on a bit by football standards.. i think cressy is a great asset and always gives 100 percent but i think he should be given more of a backup role to a younger equivalent.. but not porter. he's crap.

as for williamson.. the big factor in sundays game was that williamson turned up .. for a wing role too.. unless he was injured i think removing him just so that the fancy new signing could get a run around in a derby game was poor management IMO

 

[Trafford]

Whilst I like free flowing football, our forwards' inability to win a single header from any of Simmo's clearances on Sunday is disturbing - the ball can't always be rolled out to defenders / routed via midfield and hence comes straight back at us when Simmo has to kick it long (or goes straight through to their keeper). I also wonder how we're expected to get full value out of our constant search from wingers who can beat a man and deliver a killer ball into the area. Yes, Ched scored a great headded goal on Sunday but that was the exception to the rule and as we've seen so many time, balls tend to go straight through the area with none of our players getting on the end of them.

 

[Toronto Blade]

as for williamson.. the big factor in sundays game was that williamson turned up .. for a wing role too.. unless he was injured i think removing him just so that the fancy new signing could get a run around in a derby game was poor management IMO

Here is DW's reason on Willo's withdrawa,l from the stir

Teenage defender Harry Maguire will undergo a fitness test after injuring his knee against Wednesday but midfielder Lee Williamson is fit after Wilson revealed he made way for Phillips during the second-half to avoid being sent off after being cautioned earlier in the match.

 

[Kenilworth]

Yep - that's the way I read it with Willo. You could see he was falking and had just got into some hand bags to get himself a yellow card.
DW must have seen the way Willo got sent off several times last year and made the correct decision. Although I do blame Phillips for not cutting out Marshall's cross for the pigs first goal - he just let him breeze by.

Cresswell's goals have dried up because we are no longer getting around the back of defences. Quinn has supplied most of his goals and teams appear to have wised up - closing the space down so that Quinn cannot deliver. Recently Cresswell has been used as the target man and most of his chances (half chances) have come from balls through the middle. Willo put some excellent crosses in on Sunday - several of which were left without a red and white shirt attacking it.

Ched had his best game in a Blades shirt Sunday too - but he looked like he had run himself out of energy after 70-75 mins.
Still, very good perfomance from the feller - lets hope he bags a couple tonight.

 

[travellingblade]

What about the former player's syndrome against Preston tonight?