We must have scored against Ipswich after I had left the stadium and I was there at the full time whistle
Doug will hunt you downWe must have scored against Ipswich after I had left the stadium and I was there at the full time whistle
It’s pretty clear they’ve always seen the value. You add loans to supplement your squad, not to plug gaping holes over it as we did in the SISU days.
Binks, Ayari, Rushworth and now Esse and YMK is 5 loans in 3 seasons.
For the first time since we sold Gyokeres an Hamer, loans actually sense for our current position. Any permanent signing we make needs to be capable of making the jump to the Prem… Players who will want Prem money right now. Therefore, you need players like Esse on loan who are league leading players to get us to the Prem.
I’m not sure we’ll make a permanent signing at all in this window unless there’s a standout player and likely record signing.
Has Wright played a single game at LW this season? I can't recall even a brief cameo myself. I think Lampard and the player himself have washed their hands of that position change.
yeah sorry wasn't clear in my initial post- it's the fact he's coming in with a winner's medal that's prompted the question.Esse would have been on the bench for last seasons FA cup win. He would have got a winners medal. Does that count?
I must be losing my marbles indeed. Did we really lose both 3-0?????We must have scored against Ipswich after I had left the stadium and I was there at the full time whistle
Don’t think so but my point was that it would’ve been an option if EMC was out and Lampard felt he has another central striker he could rely on.
FWIW I think not considering Wright on the left is/has been a mistake. He’s bullied plenty of right backs and it would’ve taken a bit of pressure off him being a central striker who’s not scoring. Also gives defences something else to think about as he’s more a striker than a natural winger. As you say though Lampard just doesn’t seem to fancy him out there
….irrelevant now as we’ve got cover in
It's an overrated relationship tbh.
MVE's last assists was v Charlton was without Sakamoto and you'd have to go back to Millwall away for the last game they played together and he got an assist. In fact, most of MVE's assists have been without Sakamoto this season (Derby & QPR) so this narrative that they're a great attacking duo is overstated.
All of Sakamoto's goal contributions (7) came in an 8 game spell, Sheff W (a) to WBA (h). We need more from him and MVE.
Why do you feel the need to slag off a player that has obviously been a huge part of where we sit this season. Football isn't solely about goal contributions you know, anyone with eyes and a brain can see defenders hate coming up against Tats, so much so he is constantly clattered and marked. Him occupying players is valuable in its self. Esse coming in is great but having a fresh Tats who hasn't had to play 90 mins week in week out will also be a great option.
Really don't get the mentality of slagging off our players needlessly
Well that was more my approach to the question,is this the moment where KKH earns more of his keep.
Who's getting the blame here anyway,a specific player or the manager?
Yeah agreed. Any permanent purchases now would be a bit of a gamble. You’re either banking on them being premier league quality, which assumes we go up (not guaranteed) or high standard championship in which case there is a risk they are only useful for 5 months. Even our best players I’m not sure would cut it in premier league currently. Grimes would an example of this for me.
That is true however as we have seen we should be defending from the front, and that's why we miss Asante because he has learnt the art of pressurising from the front. Wright and Simms both defend well especially set pieces and corners, and then we attack together.
I’m not slagging him off, it’s stating that we need better and that’s been obvious since last season.
All you have to do is go through his stats and you’ll see that his attacking output is an outlier in our starting 11 and not in a good way.
In my eyes, he’s a good squad player but he’s not a stand out performer in the league and never has been. Too many people talk about Sakamoto as if he is an untouchable player and overstate his chemistry with MVE. I’d argue Sakamoto relies too much on MVE but not so much vice versa in attack. There is credence to the idea they link well in defence but for me, a player like Esse is far superior and exactly what we need.
I don't think that's true, I think it's more neither are in form
On song they compliment each extremely well.
We'll see, I think he looks overused and tired like a few of our squad do. Competition and rotation options will be a godsend for this squad and I'll not throw any of them under the bus considering where we stand 6pts clear at the top of the league. They just need help and that's what has arrived.
Do you not see championship wingback shitting it when he gets the ball out wide? I do. He could produce more but he's been ill and basically had no cover since he arrived.
When was the last time either player was ‘on song together?’
They do compliment one another well, it is still true that we a better player to start at RW.
A simple question to anyone: do you think Sakamoto starts ahead Esse? My answer is no, absolutely not.
Go through all of Sakamoto’s from 23/24 and 25/26 and he’s over performed pretty average numbers.
To reiterate the point here, and to use a Football Manager analogy, he’s a 3 star player. He’s good, but not league leading.
I was going to say Dave Phillips and Dave Bennett from Man City then remembered they lost the replay
Phillips wasn’t at Man City until later. He signed after starring for Plymouth in their cup run (84?)
Great shout, 1984. Also reminded me that Kevin MacDonald won it in 86.
Hermann Hreidarsson won FA Cup with Portsmouth
Roy Dwight (Elton John's cousin) with Forest (One for the teenagers)
Roy Dwight (Elton John's cousin) with Forest (One for the teenagers)