bulivye

i think you misunderstand me. i was wondering aloud, if it just wasn't a case of too many cooks. if pearson was/is in charge of the defense, then his ideas would suffer when the top man (b/c he's got experience & "knows what he's talking about) starts to chime in, or worse overrule the defensive coach. if this was the case, and i'm not saying it was, then perhaps someone like kk would be willing to leave well enough alone? i'm still not sure i'm making myself clear here, so, apologies for the opacity of my posts.

speaking as a yank who can appreciate both kinds of football, i'll say that one reason why sports commentators, columnists, pundits et al. are so negative about soccer is (and i don't think they'd admit it) that since they know practically nothing about the beautiful game, they'd be out of a job if it ever became truly popular here in the states. there's an obscene amount of money associated with the NFL, NBA & MLB and these guys make very comfortable livings off the ability to sound clever discussing them. if they had to do the same with soccer, they, well, couldn't. they've never played the game at any real level of competition, and can't be bothered to try & learn. there's certainly a provincial mindset here as well. there are many close-minded bigots who simply can't/won't be bothered to appreciate something different--it's TOO scary!!

i'm curious how you all feel about the keeping of nigel pearson. it's occurred to me that perhaps now with a much more offensively minded mgr, mr. pearson may well be able to sort the defense out because he'll be the only one focussed on it. perhaps the fact that all our recent mgr's have been defenders in their careers, or defensively minded anyway, has caused mixed messages to be sent to our (already easily-confused-due-to- linguistic-challenges) defenders, and they have had to deal with the opinions, tactics, strategies of two men who think they know their stuff. anyway, i hope you see what i'm driving at. what do you think?

reads like the old king james

for me, the post mortem on big sam is that he tried to implement his system in stages, with the first stage being to use all the science & gadgets & analysis. in the mean time, he signed players he felt would keep us from relegation by hustle & graft and would prosper, or at least survive under his fitness regimen. this forced him to take the flair out of his tactics & team sheet. unfortunately, it appears this was to be the plan for an entire season which, was never going to be tolerated by the toon army, myself very much included in that. anyway, if he had survived, i think the next stage would've been to bring in players with technique & guile and have them adjust to the culture of the fitness programme and work ethic he hoped to have established. then on to win the league, etc! of course this doesn't explain the playing of players out of position...

i thought you had typed hiding...

perhaps he'll be brought in to do it again--a brilliant counter-move to sunderland's appointment! keane-> :bang: <-shearer

How about Harry Shearer? He played Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap. This team goes up to 11. If he's willing to do all his interviews in the voice of Mr. Burns, get him in. i thought this too! he does several voices on simpsons, i think.

i think something like this. but, i have a sneaking suspicion there may well be some outrageous event going to happen--fluke own goal by mu in the 3rd minute; freak injury to ronaldo, a bizarre red card early--something, that dramatically increases the tempo of the match. and we win! well, that's the only way i can see it happening anyway...

we were very lucky not to lose this match. we were plain and simple out-hustled. stoke played aggressive close-down-your opponent football with plenty of smashmouth physical play...lucky for us they seem to have offended the football gods who would not allow them to score. rozehenal just does not know how to use his body and play in close with opponents in the English style. he can't block, tackle or win in the melee of aerial balls into the area. zoggy does far too much dribbling into dead ends. however he seems to get a pass from many of us b/c he has the ability & willingness to beat his man. he needs to put more end product into his mazy dribbling- either pass or shoot! this was why lualua looked good, to me, all the good dribbling but w/ the addition of purpose. viduka was a waste. i thought carroll on from the beginning might have made more sense after seeing how he did.

meh, the turd is too skinny.

true, but, doesn't he hold the ball up rather well AND have a workrate? sort of an above average combo of viduka & smith. -- could work.

to me it looked like oba was trying to force himself onto the score sheet. he seems too easily to get into a 1 option/tunnel vision about what to do when he gets the ball. this works well for him to create something from nothing, as we've seen him do (albeit in the now distant past), but it causes him problems when it's obvious that he has alternative plays there to be made than just firing willy-nilly at goal. i think he struggles with his decision-making. that's where good coaching would come into improving his game.

it appears sa has more faith in carroll than shola, I feel if he had a bit more go about him he would have moved on as he is never going to be anything but a bench warmer here. let's give him a look then shall we? didn't owen work well on occasion w/ ameobi, or do i misremember? anyway, i thought viduka looked very sluggish if not downright lazy vs man city. ameobi would've been crucified for that...

an absolute AMEN to this! if he's going to make infuriating, mysterious decisions about tactics, line-ups & players (out of)positions then throw the fans a bone and tell them what you're on about. enormous samuel (although he does seem to be getting thinner) keeps claiming that he has the confidence in himself to perservere in the face of adversity etc. then he ought to tell us why enrique can't get a minute at LB, & zog can't seem to get one in his natural position. if his reasoning is so sound about these simple things, then put it out there for us to admire!

ooh! i didn't see this option. may i change my vote?

thing is he offers absolutely NO explanation for these baffling decisions he makes. i'm only willing to give him time if he steps up to the mike and tells us all exactly why he's doing what he's doing. if he makes sense, fine. but, if he doesn't (and he probably won't)then, sam out! i think he knows he can't defend himself regarding these choices so, he hides and stalls... >

but, won't he be too sexy for the shirt? :parky:

re: previous regards regardless of previous regarders' regards, i wish to send my warmest regards. regards, bulivye

Looks a bit like James Milner, Pie is going to hate him. if he's just 17 then he may well become quite a physical presence as he ages & puts on some muscle mass. just look at how zoggy has filled out I really was talking about the side shot of his face mate. sorry, TT i should've quoted the good Dr.'s post. i was more commenting on the "crouch-like" statement. all apologies etc. :spock:

Looks a bit like James Milner, Pie is going to hate him. if he's just 17 then he may well become quite a physical presence as he ages & puts on some muscle mass. just look at how zoggy has filled out

Both sensible. agree. me likey both.

merry Christmas to you & yours, mate! :spock:

fyp et tu Brute? See what I mean, they've been getting away with this type of stuff for years!!