Crawling back into woodwork

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

For instance several posters talk about injury problems and their effect, which is true. The point so many miss though is that at least one of those was predictable (Pittman) and the squad strength in strikers has been very low all season. Both elements are down to the manager aren't they?

Obviously Pittman was an injury risk (as all players are) but I really can't see who predicted he would be injured and can't for the life of me see how it's Hurst's fault he was.
You might call it "lack of planning" but getting 2 strikers (i.e. LJL) injured in the same game is a bit of a black swan to say the least, hardly predictable.
In any case, as far as I was aware Hurst WAS looking wasn't he ?
It's easy to bring in any old player but you can do that AFTER the injuries strike.
As it happened he brought in Oates who made an instant impact.

Signing a player with a poor injury record may be questionable but on the evidence so far, think Hurst was right to take a punt regardless of what happens in the future.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

So instead of performances improving as the injured players return, they could actually go downhill because there will continue to be more injuries.

So are you saying you'd leave out Pittman when he's available ?
I agree we may not get the best out of players straight after they return.
But that's the point, they need games...
Mackreth is now showing a little better form for example.
Either you decide to play them and try to navigate your way through or you just leave them to rot on the sidelines.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

The same applies to player performances across the team. Clay and Brown are doing pretty well. What happens if one or both go off the boil or get injured? Disley doesn't seem to be flavour of the month with some fans does he? Paddy doesn't seem to have the manager's confidence. The goalkeeper could be hurt, or he could have a drop in form. What is the contingency if this happened the night before we play an away game in February?

We might ask if it is at all sensible for a promotion seeking side to have no back up to its goalkeeper.

Not sure what you're getting at here - are you suggesting we need another central midfielder and goalkeeper ?

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Final thought. No-one is right or wrong (apart from 80s who's right about everything including the spelling of hypocrite) on this. Forums are a platform for differing opinion. My opinion is my thoughts on the situation in hand, it doesn't matter to me if you agree or don't, it doesn't offend me if it's the latter. What it doesn't do is give anyone the reason or excuse to be offensive or disrespectful as some posters have been.

I have never claimed I'm right about anything.
Yes people are entitled to their views, but for whatever reason, you and others don't seem to like it when I do.
Personally I call you saying I claim I'm right about everything inaccurate and disrespectful but that's just me.
For the record, I've never abused anyone on here (least I don't think so), yet have received a lot of abusive remarks.
Luckily I've got a thick skin.

Quoted from 120797

Obviously Pittman was an injury risk (as all players are) but I really can't see who predicted he would be injured and can't for the life of me see how it's Hurst's fault he was.
You might call it "lack of planning" but getting 2 strikers (i.e. LJL) injured in the same game is a bit of a black swan to say the least, hardly predictable.
In any case, as far as I was aware Hurst WAS looking wasn't he ?
It's easy to bring in any old player but you can do that AFTER the injuries strike.
As it happened he brought in Oates who made an instant impact.

Signing a player with a poor injury record may be questionable but on the evidence so far, think Hurst was right to take a punt regardless of what happens in the future.


So are you saying you'd leave out Pittman when he's available ?
I agree we may not get the best out of players straight after they return.
But that's the point, they need games...
Mackreth is now showing a little better form for example.
Either you decide to play them and try to navigate your way through or you just leave them to rot on the sidelines.


Not sure what you're getting at here - are you suggesting we need another central midfielder and goalkeeper ?

Having 2 strikers injured at the same time was fairly predictable as was a suspension given the refereeing standards. Pittman is a class player who will never be fit enough to play a long term role for this or any club. Sad but true. Arnold might but I wouldn't hold my breath. We only have one goalkeeper, an obvious fact. We have 2 central midfielders playing well. Do we have good back up? Maybe, maybe not. This is what managing is all about.

I think you are being obtuse and arguing for arguments sake.

You know exactly the point I am making. A manager has to deal with such situations. Does he have a strong enough squad in key positions? No he doesn't. What will he do? Dive in a loan market which is a lottery? Oates is good, the next one might be useless. PH has not yet proved to me (and others) that he can deal with injuries, suspensions and slides of form and keep the points rolling in during the tough months when promotions are won and lost. Simple as that.

For god sake...

The point I'm making is no-one said "I can see 2 strikers getting injured today".
I accept there was always a chance (and maybe a better one) PIttman might get injured.
But equally you can't account for him stretching for a ball near the touchline.
And it can happen to anyone.

Who knows if Hurst has managed the striker situation well or not from day 1.
It may be he hasn't done well or has simply had difficulty finding the right players.
Personally I'm not gonna judge on the basis on guesswork.

Yes I know Hurst has to look ahead and deal with the situation - I disagree with your general assessment.
I've no idea on the budget and how much is left in the kitty.
But get the impression he doesn't have license to make a raft of quality signings in every position.
Obviously I hope I'm wrong and we do.
However signing a top class goalkeeper to be no2 to Macca feels like uneccesarily pissing money down the drain.
When I assume it would be easy enough to get a replacement if he got injured (assuming Bastock isn't up to it).

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Having 2 strikers injured at the same time was fairly predictable as was a suspension given the refereeing standards. Pittman is a class player who will never be fit enough to play a long term role for this or any club. Sad but true. Arnold might but I wouldn't hold my breath. We only have one goalkeeper, an obvious fact. We have 2 central midfielders playing well. Do we have good back up? Maybe, maybe not. This is what managing is all about.

I think you are being obtuse and arguing for arguments sake.

You know exactly the point I am making. A manager has to deal with such situations. Does he have a strong enough squad in key positions? No he doesn't. What will he do? Dive in a loan market which is a lottery? Oates is good, the next one might be useless. PH has not yet proved to me (and others) that he can deal with injuries, suspensions and slides of form and keep the points rolling in during the tough months when promotions are won and lost. Simple as that.

At the risk of being thought of as obtuse you appear to be advocating not only extra players to cover for the unlikely event of two strikers being injured at the same time but also someone to warm the bench in case of a suspension to a defender? Your view on what constitutes "management" misses one vital part IMO particularly relevant in the fifth tier of English football that being "risk management". I actually find the arguments for another striker compelling but goals can come from all over the pitch. We have midfielders who have already opened their accounts this term and we know the capabilities of Disley and Neilson in that area. Whilst I'm sure we do have a competitive budget it is wishful thinking to assume that there is money there for such luxuries as players to cover for injuries/suspensions other than the players we have already signed. Certainly across the back four we have personnel who can play in a variety of positions to good effect to the extent that we have coped fairly well with Aswad's injury. We appear to have players across midfield with cover for the different challenges to be faced. I suspect most managers at our level see the loan market lottery as the place to go if squads are stretched unless you happen to be FGR which we are clearly not.
My final point on the striker issue...Can I ask what would happen if we had the much talked of 20 goal striker and he got injured? Oh wait a minute.......

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Decided to leave this thread alone till now as the OP was clearly excrement-stirring.

I think there are three camps here - those with the rose-tinted specs who believe that Hurst is the man to take us up, those that hope he's the man to take us up and those that don't think he's got a cat in hell's chance.

From what I saw last season I'm in the latter but as I have only seen the televised game this season, I'm clearly not in a position to justify my opinion- clearly I'll have a better idea when I've been tomorrow!

Final thought. No-one is right or wrong (apart from 80s who's right about everything including the spelling of hypocrite) on this. Forums are a platform for differing opinion. My opinion is my thoughts on the situation in hand, it doesn't matter to me if you agree or don't, it doesn't offend me if it's the latter. What it doesn't do is give anyone the reason or excuse to be offensive or disrespectful as some posters have been.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the game and that Town continue in the vein of the last three games. You do however realise that should they lose it will be your fault..

Quoted from barralad

Can I ask what would happen if we had the much talked of 20 goal striker and he got injured? Oh wait a minute.......

................. that's what a manager is for.

Barra - you are not being obtuse, that epithet was for another. You will note that I was posing questions. That's because I am unsure about PH's ability to deal with such possible reverses in fortune, that's all. So as I keep saying, judgment is reserved.

Quoted from barralad

I sincerely hope you enjoy the game and that Town continue in the vein of the last three games. You do however realise that should they lose it will be your fault..

Are you my wife?

Quoted from 120797

I have never claimed I'm right about anything.
Yes people are entitled to their views, but for whatever reason, you and others don't seem to like it when I do.
Personally I call you saying I claim I'm right about everything inaccurate and disrespectful but that's just me.
For the record, I've never abused anyone on here (least I don't think so), yet have received a lot of abusive remarks.
Luckily I've got a thick skin.

I didn't accuse you of anything and the comment about being Mr Always Right was merely light-hearted banter of which I'm sure you are aware  

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Are you my wife?

Bring her along......The more the merrier!