- Joined
- Jun 4, 2004
- Messages
- 2,532
Hasn't looked match fit for weeks and offers little to the team. He needs to sort himself out and fast. Alan Irvine must be increasingly concerned with Chaplow's performances.
chaplow
Yea have to argree, not his best by any streth of the imagination, but much improved.
Absolutely. One thing he never went missing or was afraid to stick his boot in. And you can't criticise him for lack of effort.
Spot on. A big improvement from him today but still not at his best. If he keeps working at it, he'll soon re-find his form.
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2005
- Messages
- 374
Save bitter for me, and Brownie its LAGER
Okay drop him but what's the alternative? Carter? Nicholson? I don't think so.
If he is just recovered from the same bronchitis bug I had before Christmas that swept Preston like a plague, then I am very pleased to see him trying to get match fit and back on form. Each game he has played in recently there has been a slight improvement. I wish people would get off his back. At least he is trying! How would you like it if someone just slagged you off when you were doing your best to recover?
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2008
- Messages
- 62
Mckenna was the best defender Ipswich had! He broke down every "forward wave" we had by stoping the ball, turning around and passing backwards! He is the most negative player in the football league.
How weak must Nicholson and Carter be at present for Mr Irvine to continue to prefer Chap;ow ?
Off the pace dreadfully yesterday, rarely available for a pass, scampering after opponents but rarely able to make a tackle and at least as worrying to me was his body language at the start of the second half- ten players sprinted on , including the injured Parkin, and Chaplow strolled on nonchalantly.
North End's engine room is based on small players. They need to be engaged all the time. McKenna worked his socks off but so often (theme of lots of my posts since Christmas), the defence clear the ball and our opponents get it instantly and re-oppress- thank goodness Youl is so powerful and calm and organising again. We need a midfield presence.
As a team, we are getting the rub of the green at present- let's face it on most saturdays, Ipswich would have got at least one, maybe three points. To maintain the pressure at the top, we need three points out of this week's two away fixtures. At present, without the banned McKenna, we will draw a blank at Palace, UNLESS Chaplow can step up to the mark and justify his reputation and his price tag.
Surely we won't be reduced to starting a vital Championship game with an engine room of Nicholson and Carter........................ will we ?
Off the pace dreadfully yesterday, rarely available for a pass, scampering after opponents but rarely able to make a tackle and at least as worrying to me was his body language at the start of the second half- ten players sprinted on , including the injured Parkin, and Chaplow strolled on nonchalantly.
North End's engine room is based on small players. They need to be engaged all the time. McKenna worked his socks off but so often (theme of lots of my posts since Christmas), the defence clear the ball and our opponents get it instantly and re-oppress- thank goodness Youl is so powerful and calm and organising again. We need a midfield presence.
As a team, we are getting the rub of the green at present- let's face it on most saturdays, Ipswich would have got at least one, maybe three points. To maintain the pressure at the top, we need three points out of this week's two away fixtures. At present, without the banned McKenna, we will draw a blank at Palace, UNLESS Chaplow can step up to the mark and justify his reputation and his price tag.
Surely we won't be reduced to starting a vital Championship game with an engine room of Nicholson and Carter........................ will we ?
The central midfield is crucial. The fact that Carter wasn't even in the squad yesterday shows that AI is fundamentally dissatisfied with him. After the match last week-end AI must surely now also recognise the futility of trying to play Nicholson in the 'engine room'. The McKenna-Chaplow pairing is the only central midfield partnership composed of genuine midfield players that we can put out that actually works. Even if Chaplow himself is below par, somehow McKenna seems to raise his game more effectively when he has Chaplow alongside him.
But the fact is that Chaplow is well below par. Why, I don't know - this whole situation is baffling. When I saw Chaplow right at the start of the season his enthusiasm was immense - remember that last minute goal against Palace at our place. What is wrong with the man - is he unwell, depressed, demotivated. It is patently obvious something is amiss - perhaps, we will find out one day.
This is why we do desperately need another central midfielder on loan. The only other options are either Jones or Davidson or, as a real wildcard, St Ledger with presumably Nolan filling the resulting gap in the defence. My preference would be to move Davidson forward - indeed at some point we will need to start thinking of him primarily as a midfielder.
But unless we make a loan signing AI is going to have to pull something out of the hat next Saturday - the thought of any two out of Chaplow (as he is at the moment), Nicholson and Carter forming our central midfield is the stuff of nightmares. Nevertheless we have a match before then in which we will still have McKenna - and Parkin - available. If we can take maximum advantage of that fact then we will be able to approach next Saturday with the feeling that a draw would be an OK result.
But the fact is that Chaplow is well below par. Why, I don't know - this whole situation is baffling. When I saw Chaplow right at the start of the season his enthusiasm was immense - remember that last minute goal against Palace at our place. What is wrong with the man - is he unwell, depressed, demotivated. It is patently obvious something is amiss - perhaps, we will find out one day.
This is why we do desperately need another central midfielder on loan. The only other options are either Jones or Davidson or, as a real wildcard, St Ledger with presumably Nolan filling the resulting gap in the defence. My preference would be to move Davidson forward - indeed at some point we will need to start thinking of him primarily as a midfielder.
But unless we make a loan signing AI is going to have to pull something out of the hat next Saturday - the thought of any two out of Chaplow (as he is at the moment), Nicholson and Carter forming our central midfield is the stuff of nightmares. Nevertheless we have a match before then in which we will still have McKenna - and Parkin - available. If we can take maximum advantage of that fact then we will be able to approach next Saturday with the feeling that a draw would be an OK result.
Davidson and Chaplow in central midfield at Palace, the only alternative is moving Jones in again but I don't fancy a Jones Chaplow combination.
Brilliant shout about Davidson in central midfield. Everytime Iv seen him play in the middle, he's had a good game.