Post by Neko Bazu on Oct 16, 2006 11:53:28 GMT -1
A standard gripe for Town fans over the course of last season, but it's actually kind of worrying when you get it all down on paper:
Unless I'm mistaken, Coyne's undergone surgery again, hasn't he? Firstly, this probably means Robinson's gonna be made permanent captain now (no complaints here, mind), but more importantly, it means we've lost probably our #1 centre-back for yet another month or more. Looking at the alternatives:
Barnett - great prospect, but still making mistakes. He's capable at this level, but far from a finished product (that sounds a lot more negative than I'd like, because I do rate him, but it's true)
Perrett - It pains me every time I say it, because he's been a loyal player and has stuck with us through thick and thin, but he's not up to the Championship's standard. A back-up player at this level, in honesty.
Heikkenen - He's good at centre-back, but by all accounts it's not his best position. I remember Aberdeen fans being baffled at him not being played in midfield, and to be honest, I'd like him to get a chance to show us why!
Bell - Newell said he was a utility player, but as I recall his best performances in a Luton shirt have been in midfield. Again, quite young, not at his peak yet, and Newell certainly doesn't seem to rate him as among the first choice players.
(Feel free to add others; I can't think of any more off the top of my head though)
Truthfully, it looks like our #2 and #3 choices are Barnett and Heikkenen, in either order. Being brutally honest, that means the core of our defence currently consists of one player who's out of position, and another who's still learning his trade - and furthermore, it has done for most of this season and a lot of last(when those two haven't been injured, of course :
That's not a good thing at any level, and certainly not in a division as tight as it is this year - after last season's performance, the play-offs aren't an unrealistic goal (though top 10 will still suit me for now, given how far we've come in recent years), and a solid defence could make or break the difference (I believe Curtis Davies would probably have made the difference last season). As we all know, the play-offs are a total lottery, and from then?
Well, maybe one season with the big boys, in truth, but try telling our treasurer that's a bad thing! (Let's not forget the parachute payments too, if all else fails!)
Optimism aside, coming back to reality, what's the point of this rant?
We need an experienced and working centre-back! C'mon Mr Newell, surely there's some Premiership boys desperate for first-team loan action?
Unless I'm mistaken, Coyne's undergone surgery again, hasn't he? Firstly, this probably means Robinson's gonna be made permanent captain now (no complaints here, mind), but more importantly, it means we've lost probably our #1 centre-back for yet another month or more. Looking at the alternatives:
Barnett - great prospect, but still making mistakes. He's capable at this level, but far from a finished product (that sounds a lot more negative than I'd like, because I do rate him, but it's true)
Perrett - It pains me every time I say it, because he's been a loyal player and has stuck with us through thick and thin, but he's not up to the Championship's standard. A back-up player at this level, in honesty.
Heikkenen - He's good at centre-back, but by all accounts it's not his best position. I remember Aberdeen fans being baffled at him not being played in midfield, and to be honest, I'd like him to get a chance to show us why!
Bell - Newell said he was a utility player, but as I recall his best performances in a Luton shirt have been in midfield. Again, quite young, not at his peak yet, and Newell certainly doesn't seem to rate him as among the first choice players.
(Feel free to add others; I can't think of any more off the top of my head though)
Truthfully, it looks like our #2 and #3 choices are Barnett and Heikkenen, in either order. Being brutally honest, that means the core of our defence currently consists of one player who's out of position, and another who's still learning his trade - and furthermore, it has done for most of this season and a lot of last(when those two haven't been injured, of course :
That's not a good thing at any level, and certainly not in a division as tight as it is this year - after last season's performance, the play-offs aren't an unrealistic goal (though top 10 will still suit me for now, given how far we've come in recent years), and a solid defence could make or break the difference (I believe Curtis Davies would probably have made the difference last season). As we all know, the play-offs are a total lottery, and from then?
Well, maybe one season with the big boys, in truth, but try telling our treasurer that's a bad thing! (Let's not forget the parachute payments too, if all else fails!)
Optimism aside, coming back to reality, what's the point of this rant?
We need an experienced and working centre-back! C'mon Mr Newell, surely there's some Premiership boys desperate for first-team loan action?