Poke..

[Brighton Breezy]

I don't see why we played Poke. Surely more important to get the new number one developing an understanding with the back four after missing pre-season with them.

 

[Braders]

I don't see why we played Poke. Surely more important to get the new number one developing an understanding with the back four after missing pre-season with them.

true , but not worth the fixture backlog that this competitions progress will give us

so we needed to go out in comedy fashion HENCE Poke was played

I'm one of the " Think he is toilet AND I've seen him play a few times" party

 

[portlock seagull]

Ah, well perhaps you should be given a role at the club, perhaps advising GP? I'm sure he'd appreciate your obvious knowledge.

Churlish response and missing my point (which you will if you focus on individual sentences). As Easy agreed, on balance, I make a decent point. Some players just aren't good enough and we don't need to see 20 poor performances just to prove it. Some fans, usually overly rose-tinted, just try and see the best of things way after the evidence has been damning. Blimey some we unable to accept old Barndoor Davies was useless when he was transferred and were hiding behind all manner of excuses that he'd not been given a fair crack etc. YES HE HAD! He just didn't cut it at league 1 level. Many players don't, more than do, and I reckon Poke will be another. That's all, no shame in calling it how it is rather than being safe all the time and "hoping" for the best. We can all do that. In fact, we all want that. But then it's time to wake up and smell those coffee beans as they say.

 

[portlock seagull]

No.. Gus has admitted that he is YOUNG (24) and still needs experience, isn't ready for the pressure of the first team yet.

For christ sake, some of you are real morons. He kept 13 clean sheets last season for struggling torquay, making 142 saves- and Gus picked him up for free. He won't be on high wages and could still develop into a good player for us. We don't need him for the season, we have two quality goalkeepers ahead of him. There is no damage and no issue, so what is your problem?

I hate seeing our goalkeepers shot down in flames, it has happened far too many times over the last few seasons.

If anyone's being a moron it's you for not accepting the opinions of fans who obviously know a bit of dross when they see one? Christ, some people probably thought Graeme Souness was being a bit harsh taking George Weah's cousin off so soon after sending him on. But doesn't mean they were right does it?!! By the way, Torquay are a divison below us so standard's bit different, moreover if they were struggling, then he should make more saves by virtue of more shots likely to come his way. Unless of course he lets one trickle through his legs......like last night.....

 

[Tricky001]

Although I wasn't at the game, I have seen Poke play a few frendlies, and I must say, he has not impressed what so ever. I think bringing in Casper was a good move, but this would have been a big shock to Poke, and would not have done his confidence any good. Someone mentioned earlier that in the warm up, he looked jittery and was fumbling a lot of balls, Should not have been put out there in the first place. His head was not right. Should have played Casper or even Walker.

I suspect Poke will be devastated with what's happened and think he will be moving on soon.

 

[severnside gull]

The comparison with Smith may be harsh but it's unsurprising.

I suspect Poke played because Ankergren was sorting out re-locating. Fact is he looked edgy in the warm up and the coaching staff should have realised he wasn't mentally right.

I have seen him play for Torquay and he looked a good shot stopper if a little shy on coming off his line but it was pretty obvious throughout that he wasn't in tune with his defenders. His mistake for the first goal was truly awful and he tried to blame the defender in front of him. Not good as he was entirely at fault himself. He had a clear sight line but the ball dipped and he didn't move his hands. The shot itself was at best half hit.

I don't recall him moving off his line much until he came out late in the second half and spread himself at the forward's feet for a good save but I'm afraid it was too little too late. For corners and crosses he waved his arms about but was mostly rooted to his line. It was like watching Kuipers at his worst when his defenders didn't know who was responsible for dealing with the ball.

In fairness his distribution was better than their keeper's but that isn't saying too much as Jannson hardly kept a ball in play.

What really angered me was a terrible kick to Whing out wide on the right - a real suicide pass and redolent of Brezovan last season which resulted in Virgo being sent off. Seconds later Whing returned the compliment by lobbing a pass to Poke's near post which - very luckily - didn't result in another goal but easily could have done. It showed the relationship between keeper and defender and worryingly no-one (including captain Elphick) said a word to Whing. It was unprofessional all round.

It all indicated very clearly why Gus got Ankergren in and I'm grateful he did. From the start the defenders didn't have any faith in Poke which as Smith can testify is pretty much the death knell for a club career.

 

[severnside gull]

Why do people constantly have to give our players the benefit of the doubt and trot this tired 1-liner out about having to see him in the flesh before you're allowed to pass judgment?! I mean, after each phone in, people at the same match have clearly seen different games going by much of the debate (!) so being there doesn't qualify you to be a better judge necessarily cause everyone who goes disagrees about who played well etc?

Statistically the majority will actually go on to become footnotes rather than legends so what's the problem with calling a spade when shit is so obviously being shovelled? Especially when said player has been transferred for peanuts from another league 1 club where he couldn't get a game?! I said Smith was terrible after a couple of games. I said the same about Holroyd after two games. Yet some people (not necessarily you UB) kept harping on about giving them more time. Football isn't that long, trialists don't get the same luxury so what is effectively a reserve team tonight needs people to step up or they're not likely to be troubling the 1st team soon are they? Craig Barndoor Davies was another, yes he whose most telling contribution last Sat fr his new club was to get sent off (rumour has it he missed the dressing room on his way up the tunnel). Yet time and time again people leapt to his defence - right up to the point where we said "here's a banjo, go find a herd son and practice".

So in my mind maybe, maybe, some of us, having watched the Albion for many years are just better at spotting dross earlier than quite a few on here? Consequently as far as I'm concerned good people of NSC, criticise away those found wanting in the famous stripes because you're more often right than not. And I hazard to guess than in Poke we've bought a turkey; not least because Poyet's admitted as much. Given the manner of his first goal conceded, hopefully we won't see him repeat his mistake......namely because he won't get near the subs bench let alone first 11.

made some good points and made me laugh