Current Players Thread

[wassy04]

Yes he had to play a number of games, funnily enough as soon as it was made perm he got injured

Yeh it was after 3 games.

Still can’t believe we made this transfer: it looked  Crazy at the time

Why did it look crazy? Signing a well respected, target man type striker, a position we had a massive need for before Taiwo got injured. 

Easily the best proven striker on the market at that point. The only issue was he doesn't really suit the counter attacking element of the team. Otherwise, thought it was sensible at the time and he'll still be a useful backup to Taiwo next year. On paper he's a clear upgrade on Surridge.

The decision to sign him wasn’t crazy and I still think he has a role to play. The crazy bit was the deal we negotiated. If we had paid up his Newcastle contract then fair enough. To splurge over 10% of our entire Premier League windfall? I hope the correct person lost their job..

That's the going rate for a Premier League calibre striker though, think we just paid market rate.

[RyanR]

I think Wood hasn’t been given a fair chance yet. He was playing as a wide forward when Cooper was persisting with that. We’ve seen what Awoniyi can do when playing centrally and closer to goal. Wood can definitely get on the end of some of Niakhate’s long throws to cause some havoc, he just wasn’t suited to all the running that he was being asked to do before. I’d definitely keep him as an option

[nffc93]

I think Wood hasn’t been given a fair chance yet. He was playing as a wide forward when Cooper was persisting with that. We’ve seen what Awoniyi can do when playing centrally and closer to goal. Wood can definitely get on the end of some of Niakhate’s long throws to cause some havoc, he just wasn’t suited to all the running that he was being asked to do before. I’d definitely keep him as an option

I'm not convinced, Ryan personally. Couldn't trap a bag of cement every time I saw him. I did feel sorry for him though cause I think he knew as well

[wassy04]

I think Wood hasn’t been given a fair chance yet. He was playing as a wide forward when Cooper was persisting with that. We’ve seen what Awoniyi can do when playing centrally and closer to goal. Wood can definitely get on the end of some of Niakhate’s long throws to cause some havoc, he just wasn’t suited to all the running that he was being asked to do before. I’d definitely keep him as an option

I'm not convinced, Ryan personally. Couldn't trap a bag of cement every time I saw him. I did feel sorry for him though cause I think he knew as well

Not like touch is a strength of Taiwo either though!

[Reds73]

Might be a daft question, but did Chris Wood actually sign permanently?

Yes he had to play a number of games, funnily enough as soon as it was made perm he got injured

Yeh it was after 3 games.

Still can’t believe we made this transfer: it looked  Crazy at the time

Why did it look crazy? Signing a well respected, target man type striker, a position we had a massive need for before Taiwo got injured. 

Easily the best proven striker on the market at that point. The only issue was he doesn't really suit the counter attacking element of the team. Otherwise, thought it was sensible at the time and he'll still be a useful backup to Taiwo next year. On paper he's a clear upgrade on Surridge.

Wood was only one of a very few strikers to have scored 10+ Prem goals for 3 consecutive seasons.
As has been said the issue with Wood is he doesn’t fit into a counter attacking team, who use pace and athleticism as it’s main traits.

IMO if he stays he would be 3rd choice to bring off the bench if all else has failed and we are raining crosses into the box.

[Fumanchew]

I think he can contribute, he knows where he needs to be as a central striker as shown by him scoring the Man City team goal.

You hope with a preseason when back to full fitness he’ll build an understanding with the rest of the team.

Is there any scenario where we can play both him and Taiwo, wood central and Taiwo just behind and wider?

[oh no]

I think Wood will still work well if any of the promoted teams play super deep like we did this year. With no need to run in behind i still think he's got the ability to find a yard of space like vs City that Taiwo might not be consistently able to do. Dont get me wrong though, Taiwo should be starting every game ahead of Wood.

[Jacksbadhobbits]

Might be a daft question, but did Chris Wood actually sign permanently?

Yes he had to play a number of games, funnily enough as soon as it was made perm he got injured

Yeh it was after 3 games.

Still can’t believe we made this transfer: it looked  Crazy at the time

Why did it look crazy? Signing a well respected, target man type striker, a position we had a massive need for before Taiwo got injured. 

Easily the best proven striker on the market at that point. The only issue was he doesn't really suit the counter attacking element of the team. Otherwise, thought it was sensible at the time and he'll still be a useful backup to Taiwo next year. On paper he's a clear upgrade on Surridge.

31. Hardly scored in premier league for two seasons. Very poor at Newcastle. Cost £19 million with £100,000 a week wages for three seasons with no relegation clause. Crazy.

[Jacksbadhobbits]

Yes he had to play a number of games, funnily enough as soon as it was made perm he got injured

Yeh it was after 3 games.

Still can’t believe we made this transfer: it looked  Crazy at the time

Why did it look crazy? Signing a well respected, target man type striker, a position we had a massive need for before Taiwo got injured. 

Easily the best proven striker on the market at that point. The only issue was he doesn't really suit the counter attacking element of the team. Otherwise, thought it was sensible at the time and he'll still be a useful backup to Taiwo next year. On paper he's a clear upgrade on Surridge.

31. Hardly scored in premier league for two seasons. Very poor at Newcastle. Cost £19 million with £100,000 a week wages for three seasons with no relegation clause. Crazy.

The financial outlay for the Wood transfer alone will have an impact upon the Clubs capacity to buy players in the future who will actually strengthen the squad. We have paid way over the odds for a player who was clearly on the decline and didn’t suit our counter attacking approach. I don’t know how you can’t agree it was crazy.

[wassy04]

Not sure if this is the right thread, but an interesting article on how Cooper changed the formation/tactics through the season.

He sure did, but it never seemed that he was building towards his optimal lineup and formation.  It always seemed either like random experiments from week to week or knee jerk reactions to injuries or errors made by players in the preceeding game.  How long did it take him to figure out that Williams was better than Aurier at right back (he did, eventually, but then Williams was injured within 2 games of the switch).  Or that MGW was more effective attacking from a midfield position (and shooting from outside the box, rather than carrying into the box)?  Or that MGW was the most reliable penalty shooter on the team?  Or that Awoniyi was his best threat in the air to occupy the centre of opposing boxes?   The answer is - almost the entire season, but it isn't really clear that he's committed to those conclusions, even now.

I don't think fans can be satisfied that his lay deep, 18% possession and hoof it up the pitch to Awoniyi tactic is the successful formula for progressing up the table next year (or even for staying up by the end of that season).  Rather, I think that by employing such desperate tactics, and having Lady Luck bail him out, we are back to square one tactically for the start of next season.

To me, Cooper seems lost at this level.  It will be hard, nevertheless to move on from him, because the fans are so grateful for the promotiion run, and he seems very well liked by the fans and his players.

Sorry but can't just let this sit uncontested. So much is wrong or misinformed here. Aren't you the guy that wanted us to play Kouyate at right wing anyway?

Since when was Williams better than Aurier? Aurier is quite clearly a better right back, Williams only came back due to injury and then the change in formation. 

MGW's penalty record is not great either not sure if you watched the penalty shootout last year vs Sheff U or the one vs Wolves this year where his pen should've been saved. Brennan was fine last year at penalties and hit a good one vs Bournemouth too. Of course Awoniyi was the best player in the air, you know he was injured for half the season right?

[JoeWorrallsBrain]

Not sure if this is the right thread, but an interesting article on how Cooper changed the formation/tactics through the season.

He sure did, but it never seemed that he was building towards his optimal lineup and formation.  It always seemed either like random experiments from week to week or knee jerk reactions to injuries or errors made by players in the preceeding game.  How long did it take him to figure out that Williams was better than Aurier at right back (he did, eventually, but then Williams was injured within 2 games of the switch).  Or that MGW was more effective attacking from a midfield position (and shooting from outside the box, rather than carrying into the box)?  Or that MGW was the most reliable penalty shooter on the team?  Or that Awoniyi was his best threat in the air to occupy the centre of opposing boxes?   The answer is - almost the entire season, but it isn't really clear that he's committed to those conclusions, even now.

I don't think fans can be satisfied that his lay deep, 18% possession and hoof it up the pitch to Awoniyi tactic is the successful formula for progressing up the table next year (or even for staying up by the end of that season).  Rather, I think that by employing such desperate tactics, and having Lady Luck bail him out, we are back to square one tactically for the start of next season.

To me, Cooper seems lost at this level.  It will be hard, nevertheless to move on from him, because the fans are so grateful for the promotiion run, and he seems very well liked by the fans and his players.

Sorry but can't just let this sit uncontested. So much is wrong or misinformed here. Aren't you the guy that wanted us to play Kouyate at right wing anyway?

Since when was Williams better than Aurier? Aurier is quite clearly a better right back, Williams only came back due to injury and then the change in formation. 

MGW's penalty record is not great either not sure if you watched the penalty shootout last year vs Sheff U or the one vs Wolves this year where his pen should've been saved. Brennan was fine last year at penalties and hit a good one vs Bournemouth too. Of course Awoniyi was the best player in the air, you know he was injured for half the season right?

This season Williams was consistently better than Aurier.   Aurier's defensive coverage was poor, his ball distribution was poor and he had far too much interest in running forward into attacking positions despite his inability to track back into defense at any pace.  Aurier may have been a better player than Williams at some time in the past, but not during this season.  Williams played responsibly at RB while still contributing valuable passing from the wing (as he did in the game in which he was injured).

My comment on MGW is not that he is the best penalty taker in the league, it's that he's the best penalty taker on this  team.  Part of that is that he is the most reliable shooter on the team to keep the ball below the bar.  I think BJ is our best player, but I don't trust him at the penalty spot, because his shooting is less reliable.  BJ is a much better player from open play.

Yes, Awoniyi was not available much of the season.  But that doesn't explain why, once available, it took Cooper so long to structure his offence to play balls in the air to him, and to have him attack in the middle.  He is a better aerial threat than BJ, or anyone else on the team.

[zicorice]

Not sure if this is the right thread, but an interesting article on how Cooper changed the formation/tactics through the season.

He sure did, but it never seemed that he was building towards his optimal lineup and formation.  It always seemed either like random experiments from week to week or knee jerk reactions to injuries or errors made by players in the preceeding game.  How long did it take him to figure out that Williams was better than Aurier at right back (he did, eventually, but then Williams was injured within 2 games of the switch).  Or that MGW was more effective attacking from a midfield position (and shooting from outside the box, rather than carrying into the box)?  Or that MGW was the most reliable penalty shooter on the team?  Or that Awoniyi was his best threat in the air to occupy the centre of opposing boxes?   The answer is - almost the entire season, but it isn't really clear that he's committed to those conclusions, even now.

I don't think fans can be satisfied that his lay deep, 18% possession and hoof it up the pitch to Awoniyi tactic is the successful formula for progressing up the table next year (or even for staying up by the end of that season).  Rather, I think that by employing such desperate tactics, and having Lady Luck bail him out, we are back to square one tactically for the start of next season.

To me, Cooper seems lost at this level.  It will be hard, nevertheless to move on from him, because the fans are so grateful for the promotiion run, and he seems very well liked by the fans and his players.

Sorry but can't just let this sit uncontested. So much is wrong or misinformed here. Aren't you the guy that wanted us to play Kouyate at right wing anyway?

Since when was Williams better than Aurier? Aurier is quite clearly a better right back, Williams only came back due to injury and then the change in formation. 

MGW's penalty record is not great either not sure if you watched the penalty shootout last year vs Sheff U or the one vs Wolves this year where his pen should've been saved. Brennan was fine last year at penalties and hit a good one vs Bournemouth too. Of course Awoniyi was the best player in the air, you know he was injured for half the season right?

This season Williams was consistently better than Aurier.   Aurier's defensive coverage was poor, his ball distribution was poor and he had far too much interest in running forward into attacking positions despite his inability to track back into defense at any pace.  Aurier may have been a better player than Williams at some time in the past, but not during this season.  Williams played responsibly at RB while still contributing valuable passing from the wing (as he did in the game in which he was injured).

My comment on MGW is not that he is the best penalty taker in the league, it's that he's the best penalty taker on this  team.  Part of that is that he is the most reliable shooter on the team to keep the ball below the bar.  I think BJ is our best player, but I don't trust him at the penalty spot, because his shooting is less reliable.  BJ is a much better player from open play.

Yes, Awoniyi was not available much of the season.  But that doesn't explain why, once available, it took Cooper so long to structure his offence to play balls in the air to him, and to have him attack in the middle.  He is a better aerial threat than BJ, or anyone else on the team.

I like Williams and think he showed enough before injury that he could do a good job for us in the future-though I do worry a bit about his lack of real pace. But Aurier has been one of our best players this season. Either you are on a wind up, insane or haven't watched any games. All of which invalidates the rest of what you said.