Jiri Skalak

[NooBHA]

There is a lot of competition for places in the wide areas and players who don't get to play every will often find it a struggle to find consistency.

CH rates Jiri as a valuable member of our squad and as said above, if good enough for Chris, good enough for me. If any player is struggling for form, then this is when he needs our support most.

For me I am not his biggest fan but he adds to the diversity of the squad. Some teams we come up against might have more difficulties with Murphy running at them. Other teams will struggle more against set piece deliveries.

What happens is that the Management team will have had the opposition watched or they will have watched them themselves. At that point they no doubt make a decision as to what the appropriate starting line up would be.

Jiri is someone I am not going to agree with some people on but I do have to accept that some people know better than me and they are the ones who make the decisions. And anyhow the fact that Skalak and Murphy are so different that allows us to have a plan B or a second option when the first option is not working.

 

[mickybha]

Out of his depth

 

[HantsSeagull]

This post led me to this...

Gave me a bit of a giggle....but then again i'm a bit pissed

was that beauty against huddersfield bobby's last ever goal?

 

[Albumen]

Not wanting to put a downer on our sensational season and this may be just be but did we overpay for Skalak?

Other than decent setpiece and crossing ability I can't really see what else he has in his locker. Easily knocked off the ball, no pace.

As I say it may just be me and I'm not picking holes as genuinely delighted with the way the season is going.

A player has a spell of form that isn't his best. As a supporter, do you think "maybe we shouldn't have bought him", or "lets get behind him to support him"?

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Out of his depth

Not in the slightest.

Great player.

 

[sir albion]

He is a weak link but will offer good things every 6/7 games and he does restrict us from attacking as he doesn't have an pace to get forward from a defensive position.Im sure that once solly is fully fit he will drop to the bench but as a winger he offers very little indeed.

 

[dazzer6666]

He is a weak link but will offer good things every 6/7 games and he does restrict us from attacking as he doesn't have an pace to get forward from a defensive position.Im sure that once solly is fully fit he will drop to the bench but as a winger he offers very little indeed.

.....apart from having the highest number of assists in our entire squad this season.........and being 5th in the whole division. Our superstar magician winger had his first assist on Saturday - and hasn't been playing well for the last few games either. Different wingers, different skills, both contribute.

 

[Stat Brother]

He is a weak link but will offer good things every 6/7 games and he does restrict us from attacking as he doesn't have an pace to get forward from a defensive position.Im sure that once solly is fully fit he will drop to the bench but as a winger he offers very little indeed.

So how many assists does Jiri need to provide before he offers something?

As I wrote elsewhere I'm beginning to think he along with Sidwell are in the 'don't lose' 11.
Whereas Murphy and Norwood are the changes for the 'must win' team.

The wingers can't run at QPR, Cardiff and Fulham in the space of a week.
Not if you want your best players ready to face Wed, Newcastle and Huddersfield a couple of weeks later.


If Jiri were the footballer some on NSC demand, he wouldn't be playing second division football.
What he can do, he does well, we are so lucky to be watching a team with options.
If their full back can be got at, someone else can play, the the game requires some precision mixed with graft, we could do a lot worse than Jiri.

 

[Simster]

He's part of a great mix of wingers we have at the club. I think we'd miss him badly if he left because of the competition he provides, never mind the fact that he is perfectly competent and capable of absolute brilliance occasionally.

Ultimately, he's a Hughton player and a team player and he'd walk into our team 99% of the time in the last 30 years. If we get promoted, I reckon he'd actually prove even more important than he is now, because he does cross very effectively (a couple of recent performances not withstanding).

 

[MattBackHome]

Draws more fouls than any other midfielder.
More assists than anyone else.
Tackles back more efficiently (i.e. conceding fewer fouls) than any other winger.

If you don't rate Jiri, you are of course welcome to your opinion, but just be ready for lots of sane people to point out that you haven't got a clue what you're on about.

 

[papajaff]

I have a vested interest in Skalak as I spend a lot of time in Czech and my work colleagues there always ask about him. So I do tend to watch his game a lot more than the others. And having played the game at a reasonable level, I think I can spot the main things.

My expert opinion is............. he is ****ing toilet.

But if you think that being paid thousands of pounds per week just for being able to deliver a good dead ball (occasionally) is justified, then all fine and good. I don't.

But I SOOO want him to prove me wrong.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Draws more fouls than any other midfielder.
More assists than anyone else.
Tackles back more efficiently (i.e. conceding fewer fouls) than any other winger.

If you don't rate Jiri, you are of course welcome to your opinion, but just be ready for lots of sane people to point out that you haven't got a clue what you're on about.

Nicely put.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I have a vested interest in Skalak as I spend a lot of time in Czech and my work colleagues there always ask about him. So I do tend to watch his game a lot more than the others. And having played the game at a reasonable level, I think I can spot the main things.

My expert opinion is............. he is ****ing toilet.

But if you think that being paid thousands of pounds per week just for being able to deliver a good dead ball (occasionally) is justified, then all fine and good. I don't.

But I SOOO want him to prove me wrong.

You 'want him to prove you wrong'? yet you'd 'rather have Ankergren on the wing'? (edit too slow I'm afraid). Great support.

You don't seem to understand Jiri's place in the squad. The role he is used for is left midfield in the 'difficult / tight' games, to add solidity, because he works his nuts off, is decent defensively, and has the delivery to unlock a defence that sits deep. March is no threat to Jiri's place - March will play the matches that Murphy would otherwise have played.

Jiri plays the role on the left that Hughton likes to use a fit Rosenior for on the right, in tough matches.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

I think Saturday was Knockaerts first assist of the season. Sure he scores goals but we want assists.

Jiri just does assists but we want goals.

How much longer are we going to be expected to CARRY these wingers?

 

[Dr. No]

Not wanting to put a downer on our sensational season and this may be just be but did we overpay for Skalak?

No.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Draws more fouls than any other midfielder.
More assists than anyone else.
Tackles back more efficiently (i.e. conceding fewer fouls) than any other winger.

If you don't rate Jiri, you are of course welcome to your opinion, but just be ready for lots of sane people to point out that you haven't got a clue what you're on about.

This season we are scoring goals from corners, which is something that has been lacking in previous years.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

This season we are scoring goals from corners, which is something that has been lacking in previous years.

Skalak, Knockaert, and now the addition of Norwood are the three best corner takers we've had at the club in decades. Given the aerial threat of Dunk, Duffy and Murray we are not scoring nearly as many from corners as we should be, IMO.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Skalak, Knockaert, and now the addition of Norwood are the three best corner takers we've had at the club in decades. Given the aerial threat of Dunk, Duffy and Murray we are not scoring nearly as many from corners as we should be, IMO.

Dunk and Duffy were getting in each others way earlier, but now seem to have worked out where to avoid it. I think we'll see more as the season progresses.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

I like him. Has bought into the team game plan and always tries to get back and help defend. Part of why we're doing so well this season defensively.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Dunk and Duffy were getting in each others way earlier, but now seem to have worked out where to avoid it. I think we'll see more as the season progresses.

Let's hope so.