Blue Tumbleweed
Player Valuation: £225k
Apologies if these points have been made before, but...
In defence of Sean;
At the start of the season, he had Seamus with a knock taken in preseason, Nate-Dogg in rehab post hamstring op, JB in rehab post hernia (and maybe the conspiracy theory that he wasn't being risked in case of a need to sell had an element of truth?), Myko had only played three preseason games since the home Derby, and not fully fit; Tarks had picked up a strain in preseason that Sean hoped they could manage, and he had JO'B a player he hadn't worked with much, so obviously had his doubts. (No EPL experience after all, and it's not like Ligue 1 ..!)
This left him with Young, and Keane as 1st XI players and Dixon and Butler from the U21's... So, he played a nowhere near fully fit Myko, and Tarks and Sean must have thought that Captain Indestructible could manage, along with experience over youth with Young, and the same with Keane. All of which are 'known quantities' to Sean, and have earnt his trust over the last twenty months or so.
With Seamus coming back and playing the 90 vs Bournemouth and getting clobbered vs England, means he can't help. With Myko going off, it looks like he'll be absent for at least a week, but hopefully back for the Foxes games; and Tarks just doesn't look at the races this season, hence why he keeps turning his back and back pedalling rather than engaging attackers, which leaves Keane exposed far too often, especially for someone who needs confidence and help to be any form of success QED the Burnley game away last season.
I see most are pinning their homes on the return of JB, but 'what if', he comes back into a less than ideal situation? I mean he can't cover RB and LB as well as covering for Tarks current form (can he..?) I personally hope myself that JB's return means an upswing in form for us, but the defence is pretty spartan right now, with lots of older players carrying niggles, knocks and injuries. Maybe even JB might not be fully fit initially..?
I think something that Kevin should be doing, is scouring the free market, for a competent RB and LB on a short term contract, but with extension clauses.
Otherwise we're going to struggle.
You can't blame Sean for the lack of bodies available for playing in defence really. Maybe just the way he sets it up?
Points against Sean;
It's his job, along with his coaches, to see when a player is struggling or is 'blown'.
It is his job to nurse players back to health rather than throwing them in piecemeal when 'near fit'.
It's his job to communicate with the DoF to tell him where he feels the squad is short, I.e. both FB slots; and if he doesn't intend to play Nate-Dogg, then have the balls to tell the DoF and ask to get rid off him, as it's not fair on the player or the team.
It is also his job to see 'reality', or how things really are, rather than trying to bend pieces that don't fit into the shape you want. He is not pragmatic, he is a fantasist to me. You can't ask 35+ yo to play 90 minutes in the PL. Fine play Seamus for 60, but then bring on fresh legs...
It's his job to get the Defence and MF into an organised unit, to hold their lines and not look like headless chickens. This season especially as he has been given new and better tools in Tim, Mangala and NDiaye. Lindstrøm needs to work on his upper-body strength like Gordon did in his first year with Carlo, plus Lindstrøm is a #10, or at a push an 8...
The other thing is why have we not brought in a proper right-sided RW/F when we have been crying out for one since Theo W left (Iwobi was never a RWF either!)
Lastly regards JP, he is having a poor start to the season despite several good saves, I think Dyche dropped him for a game last season and it got JP's head straight again. Personally, I think the Soton game would be an ideal game for Joao to start, and give JP a kick in the pants.. Again this last point is on Dyche, and if JP is missing Alan Kelly, then get JP a GK coach he can and wants to work with!! It's not rocket science.
If TL;DR please feel free, keep drinking or eating or what not...
In defence of Sean;
At the start of the season, he had Seamus with a knock taken in preseason, Nate-Dogg in rehab post hamstring op, JB in rehab post hernia (and maybe the conspiracy theory that he wasn't being risked in case of a need to sell had an element of truth?), Myko had only played three preseason games since the home Derby, and not fully fit; Tarks had picked up a strain in preseason that Sean hoped they could manage, and he had JO'B a player he hadn't worked with much, so obviously had his doubts. (No EPL experience after all, and it's not like Ligue 1 ..!)
This left him with Young, and Keane as 1st XI players and Dixon and Butler from the U21's... So, he played a nowhere near fully fit Myko, and Tarks and Sean must have thought that Captain Indestructible could manage, along with experience over youth with Young, and the same with Keane. All of which are 'known quantities' to Sean, and have earnt his trust over the last twenty months or so.
With Seamus coming back and playing the 90 vs Bournemouth and getting clobbered vs England, means he can't help. With Myko going off, it looks like he'll be absent for at least a week, but hopefully back for the Foxes games; and Tarks just doesn't look at the races this season, hence why he keeps turning his back and back pedalling rather than engaging attackers, which leaves Keane exposed far too often, especially for someone who needs confidence and help to be any form of success QED the Burnley game away last season.
I see most are pinning their homes on the return of JB, but 'what if', he comes back into a less than ideal situation? I mean he can't cover RB and LB as well as covering for Tarks current form (can he..?) I personally hope myself that JB's return means an upswing in form for us, but the defence is pretty spartan right now, with lots of older players carrying niggles, knocks and injuries. Maybe even JB might not be fully fit initially..?
I think something that Kevin should be doing, is scouring the free market, for a competent RB and LB on a short term contract, but with extension clauses.
Otherwise we're going to struggle.
You can't blame Sean for the lack of bodies available for playing in defence really. Maybe just the way he sets it up?
Points against Sean;
It's his job, along with his coaches, to see when a player is struggling or is 'blown'.
It is his job to nurse players back to health rather than throwing them in piecemeal when 'near fit'.
It's his job to communicate with the DoF to tell him where he feels the squad is short, I.e. both FB slots; and if he doesn't intend to play Nate-Dogg, then have the balls to tell the DoF and ask to get rid off him, as it's not fair on the player or the team.
It is also his job to see 'reality', or how things really are, rather than trying to bend pieces that don't fit into the shape you want. He is not pragmatic, he is a fantasist to me. You can't ask 35+ yo to play 90 minutes in the PL. Fine play Seamus for 60, but then bring on fresh legs...
It's his job to get the Defence and MF into an organised unit, to hold their lines and not look like headless chickens. This season especially as he has been given new and better tools in Tim, Mangala and NDiaye. Lindstrøm needs to work on his upper-body strength like Gordon did in his first year with Carlo, plus Lindstrøm is a #10, or at a push an 8...
The other thing is why have we not brought in a proper right-sided RW/F when we have been crying out for one since Theo W left (Iwobi was never a RWF either!)
Lastly regards JP, he is having a poor start to the season despite several good saves, I think Dyche dropped him for a game last season and it got JP's head straight again. Personally, I think the Soton game would be an ideal game for Joao to start, and give JP a kick in the pants.. Again this last point is on Dyche, and if JP is missing Alan Kelly, then get JP a GK coach he can and wants to work with!! It's not rocket science.
If TL;DR please feel free, keep drinking or eating or what not...