United 2 Notts County 1 - report

[Bladesway]

Striker in "getting judged on his shooting abilities" shocker!

Whatever next? Goalies getting judged on their abitily to stop shots?

Bit more to it than that though isn't there? So long as its a winning team I'm struggling to understand why we always need to kick someone in the pants.

 

[ThatJa]

As you do.....

 

[Large Mendonca]

I don't think anyone is saying Porter had a bad game, I think the consensus is that he's not clinical enough for a striker. He can work his balls off for another 45 games but if he's not sticking them in the net (when given the opportunity) then that's an awful lot of pressure on the midfield to score the 80+ goals we'll need to get promoted.

I'm happy to give it time in the new system but I think his detractors have made their minds up over the last 2 years about him.

 

[sitwell]

Striker in "getting judged on his shooting abilities" shocker!

Whatever next? Goalies getting judged on their abitily to stop shots?

Keepers are also judged on presence ,taking crosses ,bottle , kicking ,agility ,organisation ,communication. Why is it so difficult to understand another side to a players game and what he gives to the team ?

 

[sitwell]

I don't think anyone is saying Porter had a bad game, I think the consensus is that he's not clinical enough for a striker. He can work his balls off for another 45 games but if he's not sticking them in the net (when given the opportunity) then that's an awful lot of pressure on the midfield to score the 80+ goals we'll need to get promoted.

I'm happy to give it time in the new system but I think his detractors have made their minds up over the last 2 years about him.

He missed 2 chances and weve only played one game. He also had a hand in the goals we did score. Strikers miss chances ,watch any game ,cant understand this need to find a negative after a performance like that. First words my mate said to me in the pub after ,'tell you which 2 players weren't good enough'...Don't know if this is just a United thing or what.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

I noticed in the first attack we saw I think it was that Brandy ran into space inside the box and it was just screaming out for McD to thread a pass to his feet. He would have been unmarked and bearing down on goal but McD decided to shoot.

 

[Large Mendonca]

He missed 2 chances and weve only played one game. He also had a hand in the goals we did score. Strikers miss chances ,watch any game ,cant understand this need to find a negative after a performance like that. First words my mate said to me in the pub after ,'tell you which 2 players weren't good enough'...Don't know if this is just a United thing or what.

I actually thought he was a little unlucky on the first chance as the ball skipped up off the defenders leg at pace.
I just think that eventually, as we improve, we're going to have to upgrade that position with someone more clinical. Easier said than done I know, but usually the teams that get the auto spots have a couple of strikers that score 15+.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I actually thought he was a little unlucky on the first chance as the ball skipped up off the defenders leg at pace.
I just think that eventually, as we improve, we're going to have to upgrade that position with someone more clinical. Easier said than done I know, but usually the teams that get the auto spots have a couple of strikers that score 15+.

Not always the case though. Take Forest - finished 7th in their first season after dropping down to League 1, then lost in the playoffs in the second, and finished 2nd the following year. Their top scorers were Agogo with 13, Tyson with 9 and Commons (a midfielder) with 9. Having someone score a shed load obviously helps, but can make you extremely reliant - to the point that if something then happens to that player, you can't cope when they aren't there. I think we had a striker a couple of years ago where this was arguably the case....

 

[alcoblade]

I know we have to have a scapegoat every season but it just amazes me that people don't want to/can't see the intelligent parts of the game..

It amazes me that when people don't rate a player, it must be because they need a scapegoat.

I do see another side to Porter's game, but will maintain that with such an abysmal strike rate, you need exceptional alternative attributes, and they just aren't there. It is possible to hold that belief without being driven by the need for a scapegoat.

UTB

 

[LoughboroBlade]

It amazes me that when people don't rate a player, it must be because they need a scapegoat.

I do see another side to Porter's game, but will maintain that with such an abysmal strike rate, you need exceptional alternative attributes, and they just aren't there. It is possible to hold that belief without being driven by the need for a scapegoat.

UTB

Maybe. But I imagine had Taylor started and produced the same performance, people would be suggesting he'd had a positive start and all focus would have been on the need for Coady to start ahead of the next in the go-to scapegoat hierarchy, Doyle.

 

[alcoblade]

Maybe. But I imagine had Taylor started and produced the same performance, people would be suggesting he'd had a positive start and all focus would have been on the need for Coady to start ahead of the next in the go-to scapegoat hierarchy, Doyle.

You're right, they would. However, if Taylor scores 8 goals over the next 2 season's, he'll get the same treatment. And we'll still be in the third division.

UTB

 

[Pinchy]

It amazes me that when people don't rate a player, it must be because they need a scapegoat.

I do see another side to Porter's game, but will maintain that with such an abysmal strike rate, you need exceptional alternative attributes, and they just aren't there. It is possible to hold that belief without being driven by the need for a scapegoat.

UTB

Like when I used to enlighten you all about Montgomery?

 

[JohnDenver]

Like when I used to enlighten you all about Montgomery?

But we got promoted with Montgomery. I'll take one with Porter too.

 

[Come from away]

Porter is neither a great striker nor useless, he is effective and probably rates in the top half dozen for this league. Like as been said before, many teams progress without a 20 goal striker. One game done, 45 to go.

 

[raul]

Like when I used to enlighten you all about Montgomery?

I mentioned the man himself to an Aussie in a CCM shirt at the Test yesterday. You would have approved of his response.

 

[Pinchy]

Porter is neither a great striker nor useless, he is effective and probably rates in the top half dozen for this league. Like as been said before, many teams progress without a 20 goal striker. One game done, 45 to go.

I think Porter is better than most would have it, but that's one of the more spectacular exaggerations I've read of late.

 

[Come from away]

Go ahead, name the 6 or ten strikers more effective than Porter in this league; but if you are just going to go back to the number of goals then don't bother, you're not listening.

 

[Houso]

Just rewatching the match and Murphy had an outstanding first half. They really struggled with his movement and ability to run at them.

 

[IOM Blade]

Just rewatching the match and Murphy had an outstanding first half. They really struggled with his movement and ability to run at them.

I was actually a little disappointed with him. He still looks a bit too nervous for me and his set pieces were poor. Wasn't surprised when he was replaced.

 

[Houso]

I was actually a little disappointed with him. He still looks a bit too nervous for me and his set pieces were poor. Wasn't surprised when he was replaced.

His set pieces were poor admittedly, but the number of times he took the ball on a good run and then laid it off to someone in space. He was excellent IMO (although he did go off the boil in the second half).

Doyle was very good too for what it's worth.

 

[DazBlade88]

I'm with Houso on this one. I thought Murphy had a good first half and looked most likely to make something happen for us. He just lacked a bit of confidence/made a bad decision around the box when it came to shooting.

He could do with a goal to settle him down. He was similar against Atromitos where he troubled their defence regularly, and should have scored but he seemed scared to miss and ended up trying to square it. He'll be an important player for us this year if he gets his confidence back.

 

[IOM Blade]

Doyle was very good too for what it's worth.

I agree, but i also think we went up another gear when Coady came on. That lad looked a class above (admittedly against a tiring 10 men) .

 

[Grecian2000]

I'm with Houso on this one.

This is becoming a worrying trend. Your truth Houso is.

I too thought Murphy was OK and, indeed, unlucky to be the first one to make way. Would he have taken the "winning" free-kick if he'd stayed on though?
I think his movement is better than it looks (if that makes sense) due to his "Mark Beard Legs", which make him look far less mobile.

I have to agree with IOM above though. The young scouser looked different gravy.