Just a few things....
1) Slade. So the table isn't looking good right now, but look at the facts. He DESERVES the chance to have a crack at making a go of things after keeping us in the league last season.
Did sacking McGhee solve things? No.
Did sacking Wilkins solve things? No
Dick Sacking Adams solve things? Just....
Are we really so desperate we need a new manager? Has it really got so bad that nobody can see where the next win is coming from? I'd bet that a vast majority of supporters going to Withdean next Saturday are EXPECTING, rather than hoping, that we beat Wycombe, especially after the promising display last week.
!
He's had Kuipers sent off at Huddersfield, he's had Elphick and Calamity Hawk off against Stockport, and has just picked up a VERY creditable point at the Den. A point away from home is never a bad result anyway - so it's just Walsall game where you could argue it's all Slade's fault. - but then with so many new signings the 'time to gel' cliché is quite valid. Hell, I didn't even recognise the majority of the team.
2) Gary Dicker, while probably deserving to be in the team, is not Steven Gerrard, and Alan Navarro certainly isn't the worst midfielder in the world, even if he's made a fairly poor start to his career. Clearly, Navarro was seemingly shit hot against Scunthorpe pre-season, whereas Dicker (according to Russell) was just shit. The team obviously performed brilliantly in a 4-5-1 too. Slade's seen the 4-5-1- isn't going to work in every game, and changed things. If Navarro continues to flop, he'll see that too.
3) All the er..moaners harping on about us not signing an attacking central midfielder. Just because Thornhill didn't score 6 goals on his debut, doesn't mean he isn't the type of player we're after.
4) Is it just me who finds it ironic that the same dullards who plagued the board with the phrase "never go back" last season (almost as overused as Keep the faith) are the same people demanding Coppell is reinstated?
5) While we're on the subject of annoying cliché's, I keep reading the phrase "we've still not replaced Hammond". When, exactly, will we replace Hammond? Do we have to sign the man himself to do that? As I saw it, Hammond was a player who was decent in a tackle, fairly composed on the ball, could carry the ball from defence to attack, could play a decent pass and chipped in with the odd goal. Sounds a bit like Dicker to me?
Yes, Hammond chipped in with a few headers in his time here....but to be honest I can't think of any central midfielders in the Premiership who are known for scoring goals with their head, so the chances of getting one in League 1 aren't all that.
6) Dickinson - quality. So he might not have Murray's brain and goes down easily, but he puts himself around, isn't that slow for a big lad, and scores goals. Him and Forster were beginning to look like a partnership on Friday night.
Bennett - loads of pace and potential.
Tunicliffe - Young, decent enough at the Den, a new option with his throw in.
7) I went to see the stadium at Falmer last wekk. If you haven't been, DO IT. It's actually INCREDIBLE, the webcam doesn't do it justice at all.
I think that's all for now.
All fair comments.
