This is absolute fantasy, I'm just as frustrated with our lack of an acceptable centre forward as anyone, as many of my posts have proved, but our attack currently includes an Argentina international, an England international, a Senegal international who was genuinely one of the hottest prospects in France last season and Gerard Deulofeu.
Dawson is completely error prone and I'm somehow left wondering, after game 3, how he's starting ahead of Mariappa/Kabasele. The last number 4 we had was Kaboul and if nothing else, he was intimidating in a back 2. Dawson is basically a far less imposing Kabasele without any of the athleticism. Second most stupid signing we've made after Lucas Neill.
Could we move the defenders from Watford Ladies over? I bet there’s nothing specifically in the rules to say you can’t. Would be a classic exploitation of a loop hole by Pozzo.
Just to be clear I stated the forward line was shooting and missing like a chamionship team, and currenty defending like a leauge one team. I did not mean to say we have championship strikers and leauge one defenders. Far from it. I apologise if it came across that way. I did not mean to offend.
Glad she didn't then considering TC put in 100% effort and looked like he was going to die of heat stroke when he went off. First full game since March as well. TC may not be the best player in that midfield but if we're in a relegation scrap having to pick up points away on a cold Tuesday evening in February then he's going to be one of the first players on the teamsheet.
Not been impressed with him so far but I have hope that he will get better. I do feel that the way we are set up to play does not help the centre half’s one bit because our fullbacks push up too far and then the opposition team slide it down the side and the centre half’s are dragged all over the place. I do think Dawson would be far better if we addressed this.
Has anyone checked the consumer rights act to see if we are still within the time limit to return him? Really, it's clear that Dawson & Cathcart are too similar and shouldn't play as a pair. One or the other plus a bit of pace would be a solution.
Be careful what we wish for. They’ve got 39 year old Gareth McAuley sat in the car park ready to be used as a Courtesy CB...
That's the problem; they both call "Craig's ball" & so neither moves, leaving it to the other. The next instalment is after the rollicking from Javi, so they both go at every ball with classic Keystone Cops action guaranteed. Worth the cost of my ST.
Just goes to show how little we know about footy. We thought he was **** but it turns out he's great. I'm also hearing were actually 5th in the league not bottom. Phew ! Relieved.
We should probably extend his contract for 5 more years before other non-existent clubs come calling...
I wouldn't have Kabasele in there every week there is always that feeling of inevitably in our box that he is going to do something stupid like what that Arsenal bloke did against Tottenham. Too stressful. At least with an occasional misplaced pass from Mariappa there is a chance the following passage of play from the opposition can still be stopped. With a penalty it's more difficult. I'm wondering why Mapps has gone from 2nd choice to 4th in the pecking order. He's either got worse over the summer with age, or Gracia has lost the plot with his selections.
2nd choice captain too ! Probably felt we'd signed a young version of Mariappa? Instead we've just got a slower version of him !
Mariappa makes more mistakes than ‘just the occasional misplaced pass’. His anticipation skills have been getting steadily worse over time. I lost count of the amount of times he got turned by strikers last season. I’d take the nervousness of Kabasele every time.
Mariappa + "one of our own" = two inch thick rose tinted glasses He's useless. No business playing games in the Premier League.
I still don't believe Mariappa is as bad as some make out. He was a mainstay in a team that last season finished 11th and got to a cup final. He's not had a sniff this season and we look horrendous defensively. He's not a world beater but he's not bad. I'd have him in over Dawson or Kabasele.
I tend to agree. Not a huge Mariappa fan personally but is much steadier than Dawson, who already looks like his confidence has been shot to bits. Actually think Kabasele isn’t as bad as people make out either. Still young enough to turn out to be a good defender - shows glimpses but too error prone currently.