The Five-Point Plan for the Successful Conclusion to Season 2012/13 (Guaranteed Version)

TDA wrote:1: Bellamy to be banned from taking any free kick or corner.

The dead ball situation will once again be the province of Peter Whittingham alone. Bellamy's natural goalscoring instincts will serve us better if he was in the box, on the receiving end of things, at set pieces. Whitt's confidence should also receive a boost under the new arrangement. I agree up to a point, but there are occasions better suited to a right-footed player. It's the feckin short corners that are driving me crackers!

2: Velcro and Campbell to share main striking role each game.

Lightweight or not, given the number of chances the team created against Brighton, I cannot see the natural goalscorer that Vecro is, not having taken at least one of them. Campbell is clearly classy, but still not 100% match fit, so let's give each 45 minutes to run the opposition ragged. I would have liked to see Velcro at least given a chance in the first team. The development squad games show he can convert chances, so this is one of Malky's most bizarre decisions in my view.

3: Jordon Mutch and Filip Kiss to be put on notice that they need to start earning their wages.

Aron Gunnarsson has been an absolute warrior so far this season, but he can't do the box to box role all on his own every game. The signs of the start of burn out are there, as passes are starting to go astray and he has missed a couple of chances that he would have buried earlier in the season. This happened this time last year and, when Gunnarsson ran out of steam, so did the whole side. Mutch and Kiss now need to step up and show that they can share the workload. Mutch looked good before his injury but was poor when he came back into the side. Kiss seems to have slipped way down the pecking order. I would be more inclined to give Kimbo a chance in the middle, especially if Whittingham remains in the deep-lying role.

4: Kimbo to (at least) start every game.

A class player who needs a definite role in the side. I see him taking the left of midfield with a central and occasionally more advanced Whitts. There is room in the side for another intelligent and creative player, who can also do a good defensive job. We may have to sacrifice Noone or Conway from the starting line-up, but there is perhaps also a case to be made for dropping Marshall and just going with 11 outfield players. Definitely should be used more often in the remaining games.

5: Hudson & Turner....

....to be fined £250 for every pass or hoof up field that does not find a team mate. The equivalent in tennis would be called an "unforced error". Genuine defensive clearances are still permitted. Harsh. Although there have been signs in the past 2 games of a change if mindset. I don't think Turner did one of his signature diagonal long 'hoofs' at all on Tuesday.

G-ster wrote:

TDA wrote:1: Bellamy to be banned from taking any free kick or corner.

The dead ball situation will once again be the province of Peter Whittingham alone. Bellamy's natural goalscoring instincts will serve us better if he was in the box, on the receiving end of things, at set pieces. Whitt's confidence should also receive a boost under the new arrangement. I agree up to a point, but there are occasions better suited to a right-footed player. It's the feckin short corners that are driving me crackers!

2: Velcro and Campbell to share main striking role each game.

Lightweight or not, given the number of chances the team created against Brighton, I cannot see the natural goalscorer that Vecro is, not having taken at least one of them. Campbell is clearly classy, but still not 100% match fit, so let's give each 45 minutes to run the opposition ragged. I would have liked to see Velcro at least given a chance in the first team. The development squad games show he can convert chances, so this is one of Malky's most bizarre decisions in my view.

3: Jordon Mutch and Filip Kiss to be put on notice that they need to start earning their wages.

Aron Gunnarsson has been an absolute warrior so far this season, but he can't do the box to box role all on his own every game. The signs of the start of burn out are there, as passes are starting to go astray and he has missed a couple of chances that he would have buried earlier in the season. This happened this time last year and, when Gunnarsson ran out of steam, so did the whole side. Mutch and Kiss now need to step up and show that they can share the workload. Mutch looked good before his injury but was poor when he came back into the side. Kiss seems to have slipped way down the pecking order. I would be more inclined to give Kimbo a chance in the middle, especially if Whittingham remains in the deep-lying role.

4: Kimbo to (at least) start every game.

A class player who needs a definite role in the side. I see him taking the left of midfield with a central and occasionally more advanced Whitts. There is room in the side for another intelligent and creative player, who can also do a good defensive job. We may have to sacrifice Noone or Conway from the starting line-up, but there is perhaps also a case to be made for dropping Marshall and just going with 11 outfield players. Definitely should be used more often in the remaining games.

5: Hudson & Turner....

....to be fined £250 for every pass or hoof up field that does not find a team mate. The equivalent in tennis would be called an "unforced error". Genuine defensive clearances are still permitted. Harsh. Although there have been signs in the past 2 games of a change if mindset. I don't think Turner did one of his signature diagonal long 'hoofs' at all on Tuesday.

My ramblings added above.