Sparky

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Labour??? Fuck off...Independant Yorkshire Party will topple the big political liars and the revolution will begin! Independance for Yorkshire!!

What about The Ashes, England would never win them again.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Personally i think we have three players capable of popping 20 each in next season Mcnulty, Adams and Done along with Murphy, Diego, Higdon etc i dont think we've got a bad attacking line up

Agree with that, hope Sharp can play C/H if he comes in.

 

[Houso]

Think he's going to be okay backup, but a) Done is a better version of him, and b) Sharp is a better version of him. In my opinion, we need a big lad alongside either, but if Higdon is up to it, or we play a particularly fluid style of play, I'm happy with what we have and I don't see a place for McNulty. Hope he proves me wrong.

 

[Revolution]

I remain baffled by so many people's readiness to put McNulty so low down in the pecking order when:

- his goals per game ratio was excellent last season
- we seem to be pinning our hopes on signing Billy Sharp, whose previous spell at the Lane was disappointing to say the least
- not scoring enough goals was the main reason we didn't go up last year, and this lad has demonstrated that he can score goals if you actually play him.

Oh well.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I remain baffled by so many people's readiness to put McNulty so low down in the pecking order when:

- his goals per game ratio was excellent last season
- we seem to be pinning our hopes on signing Billy Sharp, whose previous spell at the Lane was disappointing to say the least
- not scoring enough goals was the main reason we didn't go up last year, and this lad has demonstrated that he can score goals if you actually play him.

Oh well.

Baffles me too - the lad has a certain quality that is hard to find at any level............an out and out goal scorer. His different types of finish last season shows what quality he has. He never was and never will be a lone striker up front - he needs a someone else in a 2 up front and then we will see the best of Mcnulty.

UTB

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

- his goals per game ratio was excellent last season

Don't really know the answer to this but I think in the modern game there's much less of a place for the type of player who does nothing all game...and then scores. Maybe in this brave new world Keith Edwards wouldn't get a look in. Managers and teams seem to want more out of a player.

McNulty scores fairly regularly and some are fantastic goals but the rest of the time he spends/spent losing possession and generally not contributing much at all.

 

[Silent Blade]

Don't really know the answer to this but I think in the modern game there's much less of a place for the type of player who does nothing all game...and then scores. Maybe in this brave new world Keith Edwards wouldn't get a look in. Managers and teams seem to want more out of a player.

McNulty scores fairly regularly and some are fantastic goals but the rest of the time he spends/spent losing possession and generally not contributing much at all.

Fully agree. He does nothing but scores goals now and then. Not the answer to our striker problem

 

[Leonardo Green]

Don't really know the answer to this but I think in the modern game there's much less of a place for the type of player who does nothing all game...and then scores. Maybe in this brave new world Keith Edwards wouldn't get a look in. Managers and teams seem to want more out of a player.

McNulty scores fairly regularly and some are fantastic goals but the rest of the time he spends/spent losing possession and generally not contributing much at all.

We might as well get rid of Done then, he is the ultimate does nothing but score.

 

[Revolution]

Fully agree. He does nothing but scores goals now and then. Not the answer to our striker problem

It's thinking like this that gets the likes of Scougall, Flynn, Reid and Davies places in the side when they contribute nothing, or next to nothing, in terms of goals and assists despite playing in forward or midfield positions.

It's thinking like that at managerial level which has kept us in this division. Every year I ask myself - "who out of the squad this year will get us goals?" I sometimes wonder if the manager has asked the same question whensquad building (Weir certainly didn't, and Blackwell didn't before 2010-11)

Somebody has to score the goals. We need 70 to 80 of them next year, and yet people are saying that we can do without a natural goalscorer. Who's going to pick up the slack?

And you know who else does nothing other than score goals? Billy Sharp.

How many goals did Bristol City and MK Dons score? Is a player who does nothing but score "not the answer"? Jesus wept.

 

[boo radley]

Baffles me too - the lad has a certain quality that is hard to find at any level............an out and out goal scorer. His different types of finish last season shows what quality he has. He never was and never will be a lone striker up front - he needs a someone else in a 2 up front and then we will see the best of Mcnulty.

UTB

So he can play in a small team of two but not the rest of the team? he has to address his failings (I hope he does) before he becomes a main contender. This constant statement about him being the most natural striker at the club gets to me especially having seen Done in the last months of the season. Scored virtually all types of goals that MM could only dream of. As someone stated earlier there is not much room for the hang about striker, they have to work. He also looks very similar to Billy and if he comes back then he will show him how to run the channels. Lord knows he almost did too much of that in his last spell if only he had had another Billy in the middle loads more would've been scored.
Team player he is not. If he becomes this then he will have a chance.

 

[Houso]

The whole do nothing but occasionally score is my problem with the lad too. It's one of the reasons I hated Andy Gray at the lane and was delighted when he was sold.

And Matty Done does soooooo much more than score. I'm amazed anyone would put in that category of player. He's busy, makes intelligent runs and can take players on.

 

[Silent Blade]

It's thinking like this that gets the likes of Scougall, Flynn, Reid and Davies places in the side when they contribute nothing, or next to nothing, in terms of goals and assists despite playing in forward or midfield positions.

It's thinking like that at managerial level which has kept us in this division. Every year I ask myself - "who out of the squad this year will get us goals?" I sometimes wonder if the manager has asked the same question whensquad building (Weir certainly didn't, and Blackwell didn't before 2010-11)

Somebody has to score the goals. We need 70 to 80 of them next year, and yet people are saying that we can do without a natural goalscorer. Who's going to pick up the slack?

And you know who else does nothing other than score goals? Billy Sharp.

How many goals did Bristol City and MK Dons score? Is a player who does nothing but score "not the answer"? Jesus wept.

I agree that we need to score 70 to 80 goals to get us up but as our lower placed opponents will "park the bus" at the Lane we need a striker who is good at holding the ball up to allow others into play to break the deadlock early in the game before our fans start to show their frustration. McNulty isnt that type of striker who would breakdown stubborn defences

I am not a fan of Billy Sharp because he hasnt really done well for us in his two spells for us but from what I have read , he seems to do well under Adkins so if we sign him then I am prepared to "keep my mind open" on him

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

people are saying that we can do without a natural goalscorer .

Who's saying that?

We need a player who is a natural goalscorer *and contributes in other ways*.

Istm it's not that different from wanting your back players to be able to control, carry, and pass the ball instead of (or at least as well as) hoofing it into the stands.

If your natural goalscorer is, say, getting on for a goal a game then it probably becomes a good idea to accommodate him regardless of what else he adds but McNulty isn't there.

As it stands even in pure goalscoring terms Done is probably a better option.

At Swindon McNulty played a small.part in the build up to one of the goals. If he could add that to his game and keep scoring then he would be a better player at this level. I think this is what Clough was trying and failing to develop in him.

I reckon Jesus should see how the season develops before he starts to despair.

 

[Revolution]

Who's saying that?

We need a player who is a natural goalscorer *and contributes in other ways*.

Istm it's not that different from wanting your back players to be able to control, carry, and pass the ball instead of (or at least as well as) hoofing it into the stands.

If your natural goalscorer is, say, getting on for a goal a game then it probably becomes a good idea to accommodate him regardless of what else he adds but McNulty isn't there.

As it stands even in pure goalscoring terms Done is probably a better option.

At Swindon McNulty played a small.part in the build up to one of the goals. If he could add that to his game and keep scoring then he would be a better player at this level. I think this is what Clough was trying and failing to develop in him.

I reckon Jesus should see how the season develops before he starts to despair.

An all round player is better, sure, but Billy Sharp is not that player, and neither is Higdon. Done might be.

My point is that people are too quick to dismiss people who "only score goals", when that is the single most important attribute of any forward and the one we have been lacking since Evans got sent down.

 

[Houso]

An all round player is better, sure, but Billy Sharp is not that player, and neither is Higdon. Done might be.

My point is that people are too quick to dismiss people who "only score goals", when that is the single most important attribute of any forward and the one we have been lacking since Evans got sent down.

I accept that, but Billy Sharp has played at a much higher level than McNulty for pretty much all of his career. He's not scored all that fluently in the past couple of seasons, but prior to that he had one of the best goals to game ratio in the football league. You (and others) are being very quick to dismiss Billy too. Granted, there's lots of evidence that he won't be the player we need. But there's also lots of evidence that he has the ability in him to flourish in this league, so I can't wait to see him get a chance.

As for Higdon, he's a very different player to all the others and I hope we see a better player this season, both in terms of all round contribution and in terms of goal scoring.

 

[BushBlade]

I agree that we need to score 70 to 80 goals to get us up but as our lower placed opponents will "park the bus" at the Lane we need a striker who is good at holding the ball up to allow others into play to break the deadlock early in the game before our fans start to show their frustration. McNulty isnt that type of striker who would breakdown stubborn defences

I am not a fan of Billy Sharp because he hasnt really done well for us in his two spells for us but from what I have read , he seems to do well under Adkins so if we sign him then I am prepared to "keep my mind open" on him

Silent, in his first spell with us we were pushing for promotion to the PL so the standard we needed was top of the Championship, minimum, with the potential to play in the PL. If a player didn't have that there was little point 'developing' him for the future as the future probably wasn't going to be with us. Warnock knew this so sent him out on loan, to various clubs in the division we're now in, where he scored bucketloads.
He could have had a new contract with us and gone back on loan to Scunny but he wanted a permanent because he knew he had little chance of breaking into the first team.
The second time we signed him, it was done without thought or consideration. Afaicr the main reason was to stop the pork from signing him. He didn't fit in because although they were different players, both BT and Sharp are penalty box players, they played the same role. No-one would pick Sharp over BT so he was sacrificed and played in a role not suited to his strengths. And again, at a level that was probably above him. Top end of the Championship.
He's a mid table championship player at best.
But surely that's good enough for a L1 club? I don't want to see the Sharp that ran around trying to set BT up, I want to see the Sharp that was Donny's focal point up front, that was a goal machine at Scunny. If we get that one, we'll be fine.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

So he can play in a small team of two but not the rest of the team? he has to address his failings (I hope he does) before he becomes a main contender. This constant statement about him being the most natural striker at the club gets to me especially having seen Done in the last months of the season. Scored virtually all types of goals that MM could only dream of. As someone stated earlier there is not much room for the hang about striker, they have to work. He also looks very similar to Billy and if he comes back then he will show him how to run the channels. Lord knows he almost did too much of that in his last spell if only he had had another Billy in the middle loads more would've been scored.
Team player he is not. If he becomes this then he will have a chance.

Funny how fans see things differently.

Mcnuts was asked or told by Clough to play lone striker - if you and others noticed some issues it may be that he is not a lone striker. That was Cloughs way, but not suited to how Mcnuts appears to have been brought up or coached in the past.
He may in a 2 up top flourish - without having to adjust what some of us see as his natural game. All I ask of fans is to judge Mcnuts in a role that suits him as against last seasons "big man" stand in - btw, he still finished top scorer with 20+ appearances as a substitute - hardly construed as any sort of consistent run in the team.

NA appears to favour 2 up top from recent friendlies. As for Done - if he was a natural finisher he would not have been played in the positions he has by other recent managers. Agreed, Done appears sharp, quick and intelligent - shame he has picked up the tag that Wallace had last season.

UTB

 

[Silent Blade]

Silent, in his first spell with us we were pushing for promotion to the PL so the standard we needed was top of the Championship, minimum, with the potential to play in the PL. If a player didn't have that there was little point 'developing' him for the future as the future probably wasn't going to be with us. Warnock knew this so sent him out on loan, to various clubs in the division we're now in, where he scored bucketloads.
He could have had a new contract with us and gone back on loan to Scunny but he wanted a permanent because he knew he had little chance of breaking into the first team.
The second time we signed him, it was done without thought or consideration. Afaicr the main reason was to stop the pork from signing him. He didn't fit in because although they were different players, both BT and Sharp are penalty box players, they played the same role. No-one would pick Sharp over BT so he was sacrificed and played in a role not suited to his strengths. And again, at a level that was probably above him. Top end of the Championship.
He's a mid table championship player at best.
But surely that's good enough for a L1 club? I don't want to see the Sharp that ran around trying to set BT up, I want to see the Sharp that was Donny's focal point up front, that was a goal machine at Scunny. If we get that one, we'll be fine.

Agree with a lot you have said. Sharp wouldnt have fitted in Warnock's and didnt really fit in Blackwell's style of play. The first few home games in 2015/16 will give me an indication of Adkin's style of play, he will know better than me and probably everyone in here on how Sharp will fit in his plans. To me Sharp is more experienced and runs into the right places better than McNulty does

 

[BushBlade]

Funny how fans see things differently.

Mcnuts was asked or told by Clough to play lone striker - if you and others noticed some issues it may be that he is not a lone striker. That was Cloughs way, but not suited to how Mcnuts appears to have been brought up or coached in the past.
He may in a 2 up top flourish - without having to adjust what some of us see as his natural game. All I ask of fans is to judge Mcnuts in a role that suits him as against last seasons "big man" stand in - btw, he still finished top scorer with 20+ appearances as a substitute - hardly construed as any sort of consistent run in the team.

NA appears to favour 2 up top from recent friendlies. As for Done - if he was a natural finisher he would not have been played in the positions he has by other recent managers. Agreed, Done appears sharp, quick and intelligent - shame he has picked up the tag that Wallace had last season.

UTB

I can see why Clough wanted him to learn the lone striker role though. Most clubs in the divisions above play with one up front. McNulty might not be tall but he's pretty solid and stocky and has the physical attributes to do the job. (Similar to Sharp at Donny).

He can either play as an out an out finisher and probably stay in the lower leagues or add more aspects to his game and stand a better chance of playing at the top level.
I know you get the odd one like Rhodes but even he doesn't interest PL clubs.

Whichever way he goes, he's still inconsistent and still has a lot to learn. And he's probably at the best place to do so.

 

[BushBlade]

Agree with a lot you have said. Sharp wouldnt have fitted in Warnock's and didnt really fit in Blackwell's style of play. The first few home games in 2015/16 will give me an indication of Adkin's style of play, he will know better than me and probably everyone in here on how Sharp will fit in his plans. To me Sharp is more experienced and runs into the right places better than McNulty does

And what a great example for McNulty to learn off as well. He could be a good understudy to Sharp, if he comes.

 

[Barney]

McNulty isn't a player to play up top alone, the position NC seemed to play him in. Add him alongside Done or Sharp in a 4-4-2 and he'll become prolific in my view.

 

[ashsufc1889]

What about The Ashes, England would never win them again.

We'll just make sure that when we gain independence we already hold the Ashes. That way England don't need to win them again.

 

[COME BACK CHED]

Labour??? Fuck off...Independant Yorkshire Party will topple the big political liars and the revolution will begin! Independance for Yorkshire!![/QUOTE Thats all well and good , but what about us in that fine economy contributing county that is Derbyshire], can we come with you , after all we do have to watch Calender and that big bird Christa you know ..

 

[Cutbush City Limits]

We suddenly seem to have an abundance of strikers, so much so that no matter what you might think of McNulty, its hard to see where he would fit in. My son and i had a go at rating our current strike force as we see it today, Sparky, would struggle to make the Bench. Would anyone put him in above Done, Sharp or Adams????:

1. Done
2. Sharp
3. Adams
4. Mcnulty
5. Salmon
6. De Girolamo
7. Higdon

 

[I should coco]

McNulty might not be tall but he's pretty solid and stocky and has the physical attributes to do the job.

He also likes his chips

and his deep fried Mars Bars by the look of things.

Maybe Higdo and Sparky are training buddies and go through their routines together at McDonalds?

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Reckon that, when Adkins spoke unfavourably about the fitness levels he found here, Sparky was one of the main characters he had in mind (but without wanting to single him out, like Mester Clough might have done). Sparky looks positively enormous. Not quite Evanseque, but getting there.

Extra fitness sessions needed, if you ask me.

 

[Dnblade]

Always thought he'd score goals given the right service.He's not the finished article yet,and I see him down the pecking order with the signings we've made,and the amount of strikers and potential strikers we have...Thought he played well v Newcastle..did well for his goal in the build up where he anticipated Jose's pass..then links up well with Che and a good finish...his finishing and link up play are his strengths for me...more to come if he gets enough time on the pitch.

 

[ziggy4001]

The lad is only 22. I actually think he would benefit from some time out on loan, perhaps to a league 2 club or maybe even a lower league 1 team.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

We suddenly seem to have an abundance of strikers, so much so that no matter what you might think of McNulty, its hard to see where he would fit in. My son and i had a go at rating our current strike force as we see it today, Sparky, would struggle to make the Bench. Would anyone put him in above Done, Sharp or Adams????:

1. Done
2. Sharp
3. Adams
4. Mcnulty
5. Salmon
6. De Girolamo
7. Higdon

If Higo does a 2014 on us and with DeG unproven, Done's injury leaves us with four, is that enough?

 

[Smirth]

He needs to study Sharp and learn from him. They are very similar in that they are both poachers and don't contribute much else to the team. It's fine for a team to play that way so long as the rest of the team will create plenty of chances for them.

He's still very young. He's had a decent first season and his goals to starts ratio is up there with the likes of Beattie & Evans, our last strikers who scored consistently. If he continues to develop and spends a lot of time focussing on what Sharp does he will be ready to take the mantle from Sharp in a couple of years time.