Phil Brown says we need a 20 goal striker, Lol.

[Fairport]

Mark Cullen scored a hat-trick for Luton last night. He was with Phil Brown when he was at Hull City. We end up with Atkinson, another ex Hull player and yet we are crying out for a striker.

 

[Romford Shrimper]

Terry Gornell at Cheltenham has requested a transfer, scored 2 at the weekend as well, would take him on loan

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

As danburyshrimper says, we've got the strikers in the squad. They're playing a lone role up top which is very difficult. Perhaps ok at away matches where we're trying to counter-attack, but we need to be braver at home.

 

[onceknownasrab]

I'm afraid Brown is being found out. As with many successful teams the side is based on the premise that you build from the back. Last season we had many clean sheets and this term we have not been too generous to opposition strikers. The problem is we have relied on the profligacy of the opposition. We have been opened up defensively on too many occasions and though many may not wish to admit it we are likely to get a good spanking one day and the stats will not read so nicely.

That does not mean we are defensive in the main. We do have a go but at 1-0 up we tend to play deeper which invites the opposition to have more opportunities. At 1-0 down we often look uncomfortable and maybe mentally are scared of conceding a second and our game plan goes into disarray.

We clearly do not have the faith that the defense is likely to keep a clean sheet and in fairness it does not look to have the ability to consistently shut teams out. So PB has a number of options:

1) Improve the defense.

2) Set the team up to accept that they need to score more than one in most games to win.

or

3) Continue to bury his head in the penalty spot sand and allow a losing run to become another promotion failure.

Alas, from experience, we know he tends to go for option 3 and we are currently more likely to have another record winless run than we are to take the bull by the horns and address the problems.

 

[Jam_Man]

How is he burying his head in the sand?

He has made loads of changes the last couple of games.

 

[Bromley Blue]

I'm afraid Brown is being found out. As with many successful teams the side is based on the premise that you build from the back. Last season we had many clean sheets and this term we have not been too generous to opposition strikers. The problem is we have relied on the profligacy of the opposition. We have been opened up defensively on too many occasions and though many may not wish to admit it we are likely to get a good spanking one day and the stats will not read so nicely.

That does not mean we are defensive in the main. We do have a go but at 1-0 up we tend to play deeper which invites the opposition to have more opportunities. At 1-0 down we often look uncomfortable and maybe mentally are scared of conceding a second and our game plan goes into disarray.

We clearly do not have the faith that the defense is likely to keep a clean sheet and in fairness it does not look to have the ability to consistently shut teams out. So PB has a number of options:

1) Improve the defense.

2) Set the team up to accept that they need to score more than one in most games to win.

or

3) Continue to bury his head in the penalty spot sand and allow a losing run to become another promotion failure.

Alas, from experience, we know he tends to go for option 3 and we are currently more likely to have another record winless run than we are to take the bull by the horns and address the problems.

I actually think the problem is the opposite. We don't score enough goals as a team and so when we go behind we have a mountain to climb. Think back to last season and games like Pompey away where we went a goal down but battered them in the second half and got a deserved win. Those sort of performances seem a million miles away right now.

Scoring goals takes pressure off the defence because alongside obviously putting u in front or in the ascendency it also dents your opposition's confidence. We urgently need a more threatening frontman in my opinion. Whilst I agree everyone wants one, there must be someone out there that will offer more than we have right now

 

[onceknownasrab]

How is he burying his head in the sand?

He has made loads of changes the last couple of games.

The personnel selection is almost irrelevant when the pattern of play, particularly in the final third, is predictably the same. He, for me, regularly fails to set up the side with individual player strengths in mind.
When Corr is playing he is often working back too often and not consistently fed in the box by the kind of crosses he once relished.
When Barnard is on he is too often fed by balls around his ears that are not complementary to his game.
Whoever is up front they are so rarely paired with a foil and have to play isolated for much of the game.
The midfield is too slow at getting far enough forward in support.

If the players are doing other than what PB is asking then he clearly does not have control of the team. If they are following orders then PB is burying his head in the sand in the vain belief that it will all work out well in the end.

I suspect we could do with another attacker in the side but I am more certain that we have not got the best out of what we have.
Whether we have a 20 goal a season striker is academic. At present our strikers return is as bad as any in the league and personally I do not believe they are all as bad as that but are only made to look as such.

 

[onceknownasrab]

I actually think the problem is the opposite. We don't score enough goals as a team and so when we go behind we have a mountain to climb. Think back to last season and games like Pompey away where we went a goal down but battered them in the second half and got a deserved win. Those sort of performances seem a million miles away right now.

Scoring goals takes pressure off the defence because alongside obviously putting u in front or in the ascendency it also dents your opposition's confidence. We urgently need a more threatening frontman in my opinion. Whilst I agree everyone wants one, there must be someone out there that will offer more than we have right now

You are right we do not score enough goals as a team but that should be led from the front. We cannot expect the mids etc to take on the responsibility of scoring alone.

As for last seasons onslaught of Portsmouth it was just that, an onslaught last season. There are many differences in our play to last season and much of the change has been for the worse. Last season we were a little goal shy. This time round we are almost in a goal drought.

 

[amsemp]

Just watched this again, well worth a watch...

[video=youtube_share;9NEM8EJn_Wc]http://youtu.be/9NEM8EJn_Wc[/video]

I know it was a little while ago and they went down to 10 men, but seeing how we play here, versus how we play now is like night and day. Look how everyone is so on their toes, every player looks alert and lively and the passing is so quick and sharp. Also highlights just how invaluable Corr is to the team when he's fit and playing well. Scores the first, involved in the assist for the second and creates the 3rd and 4th. We look like the Championship side playing the League 2 side, not the other way around!

When you see how we play now compared to this, we look way too laboured and like we're lacking belief. We look absolutely fearless in the video above and I can't say I've seen us look like that for a while. Really hope we can get Barry fighting fit again as soon as possible, as when he's on form he influences the team in so many ways.

Back to basics for Phil. Let's wipe the slate clean and start a fresh, letting everyone show why they should be in the side. We need to rediscover our hunger, fight and belief. I think the above shows that Phil can, and has, had us playing some sublime football. We've all lost confidence and faith in him recently, but if he can shake us up and gets us back to this standard then we'll be just fine.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Just watched this again, well worth a watch...

[video=youtube_share;9NEM8EJn_Wc]http://youtu.be/9NEM8EJn_Wc[/video]

I know it was a little while ago and they went down to 10 men, but seeing how we play here, versus how we play now is like night and day. Look how everyone is so on their toes, every player looks alert and lively and the passing is so quick and sharp. Also highlights just how invaluable Corr is to the team when he's fit and playing well. Scores the first, involved in the assist for the second and creates the 3rd and 4th. We look like the Championship side playing the League 2 side, not the other way around!

When you see how we play now compared to this, we look way too laboured and like we're lacking belief. We look absolutely fearless in the video above and I can't say I've seen us look like that for a while. Really hope we can get Barry fighting fit again as soon as possible, as when he's on form he influences the team in so many ways.

Back to basics for Phil. Let's wipe the slate clean and start a fresh, letting everyone show why they should be in the side. We need to rediscover our hunger, fight and belief. I think the above shows that Phil can, and has, had us playing some sublime football. We've all lost confidence and faith in him recently, but if he can shake us up and gets us back to this standard then we'll be just fine.

This is where it will never be the same again. As another poster said, he hardly won a header against Newport, and he gave him 5 out of 10. Barry Corr is carrying long term injuries and is nowhere near the player he was.

 

[Jam_Man]

The personnel selection is almost irrelevant when the pattern of play, particularly in the final third, is predictably the same. He, for me, regularly fails to set up the side with individual player strengths in mind.
When Corr is playing he is often working back too often and not consistently fed in the box by the kind of crosses he once relished.
When Barnard is on he is too often fed by balls around his ears that are not complementary to his game.
Whoever is up front they are so rarely paired with a foil and have to play isolated for much of the game.
The midfield is too slow at getting far enough forward in support.

If the players are doing other than what PB is asking then he clearly does not have control of the team. If they are following orders then PB is burying his head in the sand in the vain belief that it will all work out well in the end.

I suspect we could do with another attacker in the side but I am more certain that we have not got the best out of what we have.
Whether we have a 20 goal a season striker is academic. At present our strikers return is as bad as any in the league and personally I do not believe they are all as bad as that but are only made to look as such.

You are ignoring all the good though.

Against Exeter first half we played very good football, Barnard wasnt getting the balls played high and played very well and getting involved in the play, and we played some great passing football.

We didnt maintain that unfortunately in the second half but I could see a lot of good in that first half performance. Even Newport we were the better team until they scored against the run of play.

We are no where near firing on all cylinders, that much is obvious, but I dont think we are that far from turning things around, just need a spark again to kick us into life, where that comes from I have no idea. Sadly if Weston's penalty had gone in it would have given everyone a massive lift and we would all be having different discussions this week.

Still dont understand how he is burying his head in the sand when he is making plenty of changes.

This is where it will never be the same again. As another poster said, he hardly won a header against Newport, and he gave him 5 out of 10. Barry Corr is carrying long term injuries and is nowhere near the player he was.

Certainly seems he hasn't recovered doesnt it as he is still being used as a sub. Im sure he would have been starting games otherwise.

 

[TTS]

After watching the Liverpool game last night, I am actually started to get annoyed with this new 1 man up top fad, because in my eyes the wrong people are getting the blame. Balotelli is a frustrated player in that he is isolated. LIke him or not, he does have ability, but he needs to share the work up front. He is power house player that needs a person playing "Off" of him, not in around the wings .... When he was at City, he played up front with Sergio A as a partnership. Yes, if you have players like Messi, Ronaldo , Suarez etc you can play a formation like a lone "forward" with players of their ability floating around them, but not all Clubs can do this. I find it becoming more and more frustrating that plain our 442 is too "unfashionable", however for me it will get the best out of the players that we have.

Barny worked well on Sat but was isolated
Corr gets frustrated by himself up the top, you can tell.
Weston is not a forward, so why have him down the middle is beyond me

Again, I do like Brown, but I dont like this continued wish to play a formation that for me only works for a small amount of clubs in the world !

 

[marlow17101032]

Corr could do it, but no longer seems able to. Barnard could do it - but hasn't been given a decent run of starts to have any chance of doing so.......

Now we have been informed that Barnard is not capable of playing two games in a row ,my argument is why the hell is he here
no doubt a Martin signing

 

[Jam_Man]

Now we have been informed that Barnard is not capable of playing two games in a row ,my argument is why the hell is he here
no doubt a Martin signing

Have we?

Where was that said?

 

[Jam_Man]

After watching the Liverpool game last night, I am actually started to get annoyed with this new 1 man up top fad, because in my eyes the wrong people are getting the blame. Balotelli is a frustrated player in that he is isolated. LIke him or not, he does have ability, but he needs to share the work up front. He is power house player that needs a person playing "Off" of him, not in around the wings .... When he was at City, he played up front with Sergio A as a partnership. Yes, if you have players like Messi, Ronaldo , Suarez etc you can play a formation like a lone "forward" with players of their ability floating around them, but not all Clubs can do this. I find it becoming more and more frustrating that plain our 442 is too "unfashionable", however for me it will get the best out of the players that we have.

Barny worked well on Sat but was isolated
Corr gets frustrated by himself up the top, you can tell.
Weston is not a forward, so why have him down the middle is beyond me

Again, I do like Brown, but I dont like this continued wish to play a formation that for me only works for a small amount of clubs in the world !

Just reading through some tweets and apparently according to Chris Phillips we played two up front on Tuesday.

No idea what formation we played, radio didnt really comment on it.

 

[chapperzUK]

Terry Gornell at Cheltenham has requested a transfer, scored 2 at the weekend as well, would take him on loan

3 in 16 so far this season, with a ratio worse than 1 in 5. No thanks.

This is where it will never be the same again. As another poster said, he hardly won a header against Newport, and he gave him 5 out of 10. Barry Corr is carrying long term injuries and is nowhere near the player he was.

Won everything when he came on against Exeter at the weekend. Didn't go to Newport so can't comment, but he looked more energetic against Exeter than earlier in the season when he was most likely playing with a knock.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

3 in 16 so far this season, with a ratio worse than 1 in 5. No thanks.



Won everything when he came on against Exeter at the weekend. Didn't go to Newport so can't comment, but he looked more energetic against Exeter than earlier in the season when he was most likely playing with a knock.

Shows how people can see things differently. I had to go back and read all the post match marks and comments for the Exeter game, but no, I was right in this case. Everyone said he didn't do a lot or make no difference apart from that defensive header, after he came on late in the game. Most subs look energetic when they come on.
He is always carrying a knock, he has long term injuries and misses most training. Phil Brown is using him wisely, but it's not doing much good. I'm afraid it's the beginning of the end for Barry Corr. He will never be as good as he was.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Have we?

Where was that said?

Chris Phillips @CJPhillips1982 · 21 oct.
Brown also said he did not think Barnard would've been able to start a second game in the space of four days.

 

[Harry Bullocks]

I'm sure the purse strings are very tight, but surely there's a striker out there, keen to impress...permanent contract etc, etc:unsure:

 

[ryansm05]

4-4-2:

• Weston, Worrall, Hurst compete for the wings.
• Clifford, Deegan, Timlin, Leonard and Atkinson compete in the middle
• Barnard, Corr, Shaq and Payne in the advanced positions.

Tough game away, go 4-5-1 and stick an extra man in the middle.