Unlucky Thirteen.

If we don't play SKD, or Jussi from the start, and have a 5-4-1 formation then we may have a slight chance - otherwise Championship here we come, unless Wolves or QPR completely capitualte and Wigan and Blackburn have a worse run than us..

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Yes, he gives us goals but unfortunately his work rate is abysmal. It's better to have Ngog who at least chases the lost causes punted over his head 4000 times a game.

You're right, Ngog chasing down lost causes is more likely to keep us up than scoring goals.

doffcocker wrote:After Davies and Robinson, the name I least like to see on the teamsheet is Klasnic. Off the ball he is shocking. On the ball, he isn't much better unless he's in front of goal in which case he just instinctively whacks it and there's a decent chance it will go in.
People underestimate the damage his being in the side can do to the defensive side of our game, and ultimately results. Not that he can't have an excellent effect if he's used in the right way.

You talk some shite. Did you go to Blackburn? Klasnic was the best player on the pitch.

He's lazy and won't run unless there's a sniff of a chance, but with the ball at his feet there is no one better in the squad.

We must be the only team in the country that keeps its leading scorer on the bench every week. Hence why we're going down.

Mark my words, Klasnic will fuck off somewhere like Villa, Fulham or WBA in the Summer and score 15+ goals next season. We'll be at Barnsley.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Yes, he gives us goals but unfortunately his work rate is abysmal. It's better to have Ngog who at least chases the lost causes punted over his head 4000 times a game.

You're right, Ngog chasing down lost causes is more likely to keep us up than scoring goals.

Stop being a bell and trying to be clever.

The amount of times Ngog has won the ball and been able to hold the ball up after a long aimless punt is outstanding. Considering that's not even his natural game.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:

Stop being a bell and trying to be clever.

The amount of times Ngog has won the ball and been able to hold the ball up after a long aimless punt is outstanding. Considering that's not even his natural game.

But the point you are making is stupid.

I'd rather have Klasnic play like a tosser and score a goal than Ngog run himself into the ground and not score.

Klasnic should be upfront with that Japanese bloke supporting him.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Did you go to Blackburn? Klasnic was the best player on the pitch.

I went to Blackburn, where two players gave top performances. Klasnic was not one of them.

He possesses just one quality - the ability to hit the ball hard and towards goal should it reach him in or just outside the box. If that's necessarily a player who's 'good with the ball at his feet' then he's good with the ball at his feet. His ability to control a ball, run with and/or hold it up it are non existent, resulting in opposing teams seeing too much of the ball, ultimately making life difficult for the too often exposed back line.

Anybody with a straight down the line 'goals are goals - goals win matches, so Klasnic should be the first name on the sheet' is tactically inept in my view and can't be taken seriously.

doffcocker wrote:

I went to Blackburn, where two players gave top performances. Klasnic was not one of them.

He possesses just one quality - the ability to hit the ball hard and towards goal should it reach him in or just outside the box. If that's necessarily a player who's 'good with the ball at his feet' then he's good with the ball at his feet. His ability to control a ball, run with and/or hold it up it are non existent, resulting in opposing teams seeing too much of the ball, ultimately making life difficult for the too often exposed back line.

Anybody with a straight down the line 'goals are goals - goals win matches, so Klasnic should be the first name on the sheet' is tactically inept in my view and can't be taken seriously.

Ha ha, I love it when people take this stance.

Goals don't win games but I'm the tactical dummy?

Just to confirm, in case you were in any doubt, you cannot win a game without scoring a goal.

It's all ifs buts and maybes.

What if it's the kind of game where we need to relieve pressure (i.e every game) by having the ball stick up top.

Klasnic nicks us a goal but his style of play also aids the other teams chances of scoring 5 because nothing sticks up top.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:It's all ifs buts and maybes.

What if it's the kind of game where we need to relieve pressure (i.e every game) by having the ball stick up top.

Klasnic nicks us a goal but his style of play also aids the other teams chances of scoring 5 because nothing sticks up top.

You're watching a different game to me. The only game where it's stuck up top in recent weeks was at home to Liverpool.

Ngog's control is shocking.

However, if all we want is someone to hold the ball up then I suggest we make a bid for Mr Diouf in the Summer. He's a genius at holding the ball up and doing nowt with it.

Klasnic would be a great player at United where they create loads of chances but he only gets scraps when he plays for us. Ngog has a better work-rate than Klasnic so I think Ngog will continue to be first choice.

Mind you, I do think Klasnic is a decent striker. He is nearly always on target when he gets a shot off.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Hipster_Nebula wrote:It's all ifs buts and maybes.

What if it's the kind of game where we need to relieve pressure (i.e every game) by having the ball stick up top.

Klasnic nicks us a goal but his style of play also aids the other teams chances of scoring 5 because nothing sticks up top.

You're watching a different game to me. The only game where it's stuck up top in recent weeks was at home to Liverpool.

Ngog's control is shocking.

However, if all we want is someone to hold the ball up then I suggest we make a bid for Mr Diouf in the Summer. He's a genius at holding the ball up and doing nowt with it.

The view must be blocked from the directors boxes you sit every game.

Ngog has been excellent and no he doesn't "do nothing with it" he brings others into the play, if they fuck it up thats not his fault.

all klasnic would do would be shoot wide, ok maybe he'll score one, but by then we'll totally overawed and 8-0 down.

Brilliant. Arguing with a bunch of dummies that goals aren't important.

No one has said that you bell.

Read the posts back and stop trying to be a cleverdick with anne widecomme. (starting on Sky Atlantic soon)

Defence is just as important as goals, and in a team like ours when the ball isn't sticking up top generally we lose.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:No one has said that you bell.

Read the posts back and stop trying to be a cleverdick with anne widecomme. (starting on Sky Atlantic soon)

Defence is just as important as goals, and in a team like ours when the ball isn't sticking up top generally we lose.

Oh right, it's the strikers fault we can't defend?

It just gets better.

Where did i say that? More made up nonsense.

Our defenders are shit, so do you want them to be defending backs to the wall for 80% of the game or 60% of the game?

Time to get out of the directors box and watch the game, put down the prawn sarni.

Natasha Whittam wrote:
Goals don't win games but I'm the tactical dummy?

Goals don't win games. Scoring more than the opposition does - a difficult feat with immobile, dysfunctional forwards, even when they have the finishing abilities of Ivan Klasnic.

To a simpleton, the idea of not opting for a striker with immaculate finishing abilities simply for having a poor work rate and ball controlling/holding/dribbling abilities would seem like a negative approach, but it actually makes sense from an attacking point of view too in that strikers with these qualities - although not good at putting them away themselves, ultimately bring about more chances for other players from the possession such qualities win/maintain for the team.

i must be simple. from where i'm sitting the problem isn't klasnic, it's the complete lack of creativity from midfield and the wings that is the problem.

klasnic feeds on half-chances but we don't create them. it seems foolish to me to have our most likely scorer sitting on the bench though - he is one of only a couple of players who can score a goal from nothing. ngog isn't one of them.

going off the view that if he scores more that the others then play him then that would mean Eagles is a must for every game as well, being our second top scorer....

All players, even strikers must be team players, hence the reason why, even with his awesome first touch and shooting ability Berbatov was never Utds first choice, and I think it applies even more to a team like us.

Klasnic scores, but only in two games (I think) this season in which he has scored have we won, Stoke and QPR, and lets be honest they weren't exactly close games, got to say I think N'gog could of had goals in these (except Klasnics clever quick free kick was good thinking to be fair to him), all the others have been consolation goals except for the 2-2 Macclesfield game.

N'gogs 3 goals have been more important, i.e. the 1-2 'must win' game over Everton, these are the type of games where Klasnic does not shine, especially for 90 mins.

Both players have very different attributes, but personally I think N'gog suites the 4-5-1 we need to play better than Ivan does, I do like Ivan, but hes an impact sub, not a starter

I think Klasnic is the laziest player I've sen this season. Having the team carry him for 95% of the game is absolute bollocks. Doffer is right in that Ngog may not take his chances well, but he plays in such a way that others can capitalise on his play. Lets be honest, Klasnic is on the downward side of his career, and if he can't raise himself to at least put a bit of effort in, then you have to wonder what he's still doing here. Ngog, although a lightweight in a tackle (if he makes one) puts in more effort, is getting better as his confidence improves, and joins up any attacking force they decide to play). Although Ngog isn't the finished article by some way, Ipersonally think he is of more value on the pitch than Klasnic.

Lofty_Love wrote:going off the view that if he scores more that the others then play him then that would mean Eagles is a must for every game as well, being our second top scorer....

All players, even strikers must be team players, hence the reason why, even with his awesome first touch and shooting ability Berbatov was never Utds first choice, and I think it applies even more to a team like us.

Klasnic scores, but only in two games (I think) this season in which he has scored have we won, Stoke and QPR, and lets be honest they weren't exactly close games, got to say I think N'gog could of had goals in these (except Klasnics clever quick free kick was good thinking to be fair to him), all the others have been consolation goals except for the 2-2 Macclesfield game.

N'gogs 3 goals have been more important, i.e. the 1-2 'must win' game over Everton, these are the type of games where Klasnic does not shine, especially for 90 mins.

Both players have very different attributes, but personally I think N'gog suites the 4-5-1 we need to play better than Ivan does, I do like Ivan, but hes an impact sub, not a starter

Well said, post more.