Mackail-Smith to Leeds rumour picking up...

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Ah... the lack of service myth. The reason for the lack of service was because our moves kept breaking down - when the ball reached CMS. To be fair, it's not his game. I can understand why Colin wants him as he'll suit that style of play much better

It is not unreasonable to adapt a system to accomodate a players strengths. We did not make the most of CMS last season - whatever the quality of his first touch.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

It is not unreasonable to adapt a system to accomodate a players strengths. We did not make the most of CMS last season - whatever the quality of his first touch.

I think it is to be honest... certainly at club level. I agree we didn't play in a way that suits his strengths, but there's no way we should change for him

 

[Mellotron]

It is not unreasonable to adapt a system to accomodate a players strengths. We did not make the most of CMS last season - whatever the quality of his first touch.

We aren't going to change our patient build up play. Simple as that.

 

[Brian Fantana]

I think it is to be honest... certainly at club level. I agree we didn't play in a way that suits his strengths, but there's no way we should change for him

It always struck me as odd that when he signed, Gus made noises about 'building a team around him'. Whether this was just of the normal usual post-transfer soundbites uttered by managers to mark the occasion I don't know, but we certainly never played to his strengths much.

 

[Bozza]

It always struck me as odd that when he signed, Gus made noises about 'building a team around him'. Whether this was just of the normal usual post-transfer soundbites uttered by managers to mark the occasion I don't know, but we certainly never played to his strengths much.

We played to his strengths when we were down to 9 men against Burnley as we had little choice. Unfortunately CMS didn't have his shooting boots on that day. Again.

 

[Albumen]

We played to his strengths when we were down to 9 men against Burnley as we had little choice. Unfortunately CMS didn't have his shooting boots on that day. Again.

Do you have a % for the CMS -> Leeds rumour? I like percentages.

 

[Betfair Bozo]

We aren't going to change our patient build up play. Simple as that.

Yet Gus said we need a target man to combat teams playing like Cardiff did last season. Seems we could adapt if forced...

 

[pork pie]

Really.... I think what you are really saying is that you won't tolerate criticism of Barnes, but it OK to slag CMS off,..... which is especially galling considering their respective goals from open play stats.

The observations I have made are totally justified. Goals from open play? What with one played as a striker, and the other in midfield? Do you really think CMS even has a performance in him to compare to that of Ashley Barnes on Saturday? I am not comparing them - others are. Comparison is unfair with the different roles being required.

 

[Bozza]

Do you have a % for the CMS -> Leeds rumour? I like percentages.

Not really, no. It would be a complete guess. What I'll say is...

1. I don't think Gus would hesitate for a second to ship CMS out now, but only if he had someone better (or better suited) to replace him with.

2. If I were CMS and wanted to stay in Brighton, I'd probably be 'injured' now too.

 

[Acker79]

This pudding has been wildly overegged. Look at the goals video for CMS at Posh, there is no problem at all with his first touch there. Indeed, in some of the cases it is his first touch that creates the opportunity. I suspect it's more an issue with confidence and being left out of the team will not have helped in that regard having been an autopick at Peterborough. I also see no reason at all why we are talking about a fundamental shift in how the Albion play just to accomodate CMS. He runs channels, drags defenders away etc etc, surely that is precisely what you want when you have Vicente and Buckley joining in with the front man? The fundamental shift would be if we sign a target man and go route one more often. Personally speaking I would be in favour of giving him another season (or at least until January) as I think that he'd complement an off the leash Vicente (like on Sat) very effectively. We shall see though.

He started our first 29 league games. It was 26 games before he was taken off significantly before the end of the game. The only game he didn't start prior to February this year was v Gillingham, because he was called up for the scotland squad. Of 46 league games he started 40, and the six he didn't start 5 were in the last month and a half of the season, one was a month earlier than that (v leeds where he came off the bench to do what he had failed to do in his previous 10 games - score). There was only one league game in which he didn't play - Nottingham Forest away, because he had a virus.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

So has anyone figured out Bozza's riddle yet?

 

[pork pie]

Yet Gus said we need a target man to combat teams playing like Cardiff did last season. Seems we could adapt if forced...

Forced being the operative word. Not out of desire. The other problem with CMS and Gus' style of play, it the amount of times that balls going to/towards him, are simply giving away possession.

To me, I just feel that the way he played against us for Posh, in his last match against us at their place, sums up how he always plays. He worked really hard, with no end products, because we had a good defense.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

We aren't going to change our patient build up play. Simple as that.

Thanks Gus.

I was not suggesting a complete change of approach.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Yet Gus said we need a target man to combat teams playing like Cardiff did last season. Seems we could adapt if forced...

Quite. Gus is far too intelligent a manager to not be able to adapt our style of play to what is needed to win. He is not Arsene Wenger.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

So has anyone figured out Bozza's riddle yet?

Was it Colonel Mustard in the Drawing Room with the Candlestick ?

(i.e. no idea).

 

[Mellotron]

Thanks Gus.

I was not suggesting a complete change of approach.

It's been Gus's mantra since day one, I'm just reminding people of what he said.

To suit CMS perfectly, we would have to completely overhaul our playing style.

 

[Bozza]

An expensive Gary Hart?

Nonsense. We didn't have to give up a set of kit to get CMS in.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I think it is to be honest... certainly at club level. I agree we didn't play in a way that suits his strengths, but there's no way we should change for him

I totally agree we do not change for him, but the passing game should pull defenders out of position - which should create space for the ball into the space. For CMS to run onto. It is that I mean by adapting. We should be creating the spaces - but we are not then using CMS as we could.

 

[Albumen]

Not really, no. It would be a complete guess. What I'll say is...

1. I don't think Gus would hesitate for a second to ship CMS out now, but only if he had someone better (or better suited) to replace him with.

2. If I were CMS and wanted to stay in Brighton, I'd probably be 'injured' now too.

OK. For the record I agree totally with 1. Not sure about 2 though!

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

It's been Gus's mantra since day one, I'm just reminding people of what he said.

To suit CMS perfectly, we would have to completely overhaul our playing style.

Gus says a lot of things. I did not say anything about suiting CSM perfectly (unlike Gus - another thing he said).

I was talking about adapting our play to make the most of a player. Like any good manager does. Including Gus.