MATCH: Wealdstone (A) 17/08/24

[Guy Branston Pickle]

3 minutes ago, JoeP said:

 

By that logic, it's fair to call every player we have limited - there's not one striker we have that brings the benefits Fondop does.

 

For me, he plays whenever he's available.

And that's a fair opinion to have going off this season so far. Personally I think if you're aiming to win the league, you need someone who can get you 15-20 plus goals up there and I just don't see Mike being that player. Would be great if he proved me wrong 

[Dave_Og]

53 minutes ago, JoeP said:

 

By that logic, it's fair to call every player we have limited - there's not one striker we have that brings the benefits Fondop does.

 

For me, he plays whenever he's available.

 

Joe, you need to come on the OASIS Gold weekend, and share a room with Big Mike

Edited August 19 by Dave_Og

[nzlatic]

3 hours ago, JoeP said:

 

Keep reading that he's "limited", but in what way?

 

Defends, Attacks, scores with his head, scores with his feet, scores close up, scores from range, runs at the opposition, bullies them and - if you see his involvement in the goal on Saturday - is actually a really decent footballer.

 

How is that more limited than someone who - off the top of my head - is just a good finisher and takes a good penalty?

 

Yes he has those attributes but has he done that against top 7 teams in the past? 
 

Saying that, I think he’s taken a step up so far this season and looks a better player so maybe he’ll add that to his game too. 

[yarddog73]

If you look in to Fondop' stats from last season they make interesting reading;

 

Failed to score in the first 12 games, predominantly under Unsworth.

 

After he broke his duck in game 13 against second placed Barnet he went on to score 10 for the season under Mellon, it's worth noting that he only started 12 with a further 9 appearances coming from the bench now 10 from 21 is decent at this level particularly if nearly half the games you don't start, is it coincidence since Mellon came in that he looks more focused and driven?, you could argue that Mellon is getting more out of Fondop than any of his previous managers and he is responding with an healthy return, he has also started this season where he left off so that's 11 in his last 23 which is a decent haul and better than I thought before I looked.

 

Just to add to that he looks in good a shape as I've seen him, not necessarily his power I'm talking about aerobic fitness and his engine, he takes a battering at times for the team but still keeps ploughing on.

[Guy Branston Pickle]

Don't think it's a coincidence that his disciplinary record has been a lot better since Mellon came in too. That was always my main worry with him, that he'd get himself sent off for something stupid and lose us a game. Maybe helps having stronger characters on the pitch to rein him in

[Bobledgersheart]

35 minutes ago, Guy Branston Pickle said:

Don't think it's a coincidence that his disciplinary record has been a lot better since Mellon came in too. That was always my main worry with him, that he'd get himself sent off for something stupid and lose us a game. Maybe helps having stronger characters on the pitch to rein him in

He did lose it a bit pre-season v Shrewsbury but overall perhaps he's ;earning to reign it in.

[yarddog73]

2 minutes ago, Bobledgersheart said:

He did lose it a bit pre-season v Shrewsbury but overall perhaps he's ;earning to reign it in.

Could/Should of gone at Warrington as well to be fair. 

[Guy Branston Pickle]

Maybe I've spoken too soon then...

[JoeP]

1 hour ago, yarddog73 said:

If you look in to Fondop' stats from last season they make interesting reading;

 

Failed to score in the first 12 games, predominantly under Unsworth.

 

After he broke his duck in game 13 against second placed Barnet he went on to score 10 for the season under Mellon, it's worth noting that he only started 12 with a further 9 appearances coming from the bench now 10 from 21 is decent at this level particularly if nearly half the games you don't start, is it coincidence since Mellon came in that he looks more focused and driven?, you could argue that Mellon is getting more out of Fondop than any of his previous managers and he is responding with an healthy return, he has also started this season where he left off so that's 11 in his last 23 which is a decent haul and better than I thought before I looked.

 

Just to add to that he looks in good a shape as I've seen him, not necessarily his power I'm talking about aerobic fitness and his engine, he takes a battering at times for the team but still keeps ploughing on.

 

Can't be arsed looking into the stats too deeply but he even did alright the season before in spite of Unsworth being in charge, if I remember rightly?  Top scorer for the season, hat-trick against Dorking, good goal against Wrexham at BP...

[rudemedic]

FWIW I looked at Fondops record against teams in the London commuter belt a few months and it's pretty decent.

 

Having seen him bully Newport in League 2 I think he can play higher but selectively. He's our 3rd choice striker and he makes the first team for a lot of clubs in this division.

[deyres42]

It may be that he is better suited to this system than the other options.

[Dave_Og]

1 hour ago, rudemedic said:

FWIW I looked at Fondops record against teams in the London commuter belt a few months and it's pretty decent.

 

Having seen him bully Newport in League 2 I think he can play higher but selectively. He's our 3rd choice striker and he makes the first team for a lot of clubs in this division.

Is he really behind Garner?

[oafcmetty]

1 hour ago, Dave_Og said:

Is he really behind Garner?

Yes

[Hemel latic]

15 hours ago, Dave_Og said:

Is he really behind Garner?

If it's one up top I'd take Fondop over Garner (at this stage in his career) every day of the week for his pace and power.  

[League one forever]

1 hour ago, Hemel latic said:

If it's one up top I'd take Fondop over Garner (at this stage in his career) every day of the week for his pace and power.  

Agreed. 
 

What’s our best current front two though? 
 

Nors & Garner.

Nors & Mikey. 
 

There’s argument for both partnerships. 

[LightDN123]

44 minutes ago, League one forever said:

Agreed. 
 

What’s our best current front two though? 
 

Nors & Garner.

Nors & Mikey. 
 

There’s argument for both partnerships. 

I don’t think we can justify sacrificing a midfield player to play Norwood and Garner. We would lose a lots of energy. 
 

Norwood is faster than most realise. 

[yarddog73]

1 hour ago, League one forever said:

Agreed. 
 

What’s our best current front two though? 
 

Nors & Garner.

Nors & Mikey. 
 

There’s argument for both partnerships. 

We don't play with a front two, I wouldn't be sacrificing a midfielder to get another striker in to the team as it would damage what we've been able to do, look at the Radcliffe game as evidence of that, when Norwood and Garner are fit they'd have to come in for any of the front three who have normally been selected from Fondop, Kay, Charsley and Hammond. We can't change the system to shoehorn players in it just doesn't work. 

 

You could have two front three's in Norwood, Garner and Kay or also Fondop, Charsley and Hammond or any combination. It will be interesting to see Norwood in a better team offering up more chances.

[Dave_Og]

12 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

We don't play with a front two, I wouldn't be sacrificing a midfielder to get another striker in to the team as it would damage what we've been able to do, look at the Radcliffe game as evidence of that, when Norwood and Garner are fit they'd have to come in for any of the front three who have normally been selected from Fondop, Kay, Charsley and Hammond. We can't change the system to shoehorn players in it just doesn't work. 

 

You could have two front three's in Norwood, Garner and Kay or also Fondop, Charsley and Hammond or any combination. It will be interesting to see Norwood in a better team offering up more chances.

But if we play a genuine one up front can that be Norwood?  Surely he can't replace Kay/Charsley/Hammond?  Or are we reinventing him to play some sort of No.10 role?  I think it was clear that his best period last season was with a pacy striker (Stones) alongside him

[oafc1955]

15 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

We don't play with a front two, I wouldn't be sacrificing a midfielder to get another striker in to the team as it would damage what we've been able to do, look at the Radcliffe game as evidence of that, when Norwood and Garner are fit they'd have to come in for any of the front three who have normally been selected from Fondop, Kay, Charsley and Hammond. We can't change the system to shoehorn players in it just doesn't work. 

 

You could have two front three's in Norwood, Garner and Kay or also Fondop, Charsley and Hammond or any combination. It will be interesting to see Norwood in a better team offering up more chances.

This team can play 3 5 2 no problem but I’d prefer bringing in a quality striker like Matt Smith to partner Norwood.

 

MM certainly didn’t bid for Smith with the intention of playing only one striker!

Edited August 20 by oafc1955

[yarddog73]

Just now, Dave_Og said:

But if we play a genuine one up front can that be Norwood?  Surely he can't replace Kay/Charsley/Hammond?  Or are we reinventing him to play some sort of No.10 role?  I think it was clear that his best period last season was with a pacy striker (Stones) alongside him

Personally I'd play Norwood with any team from Charsley, Kay, Garner or Hammond in behind - probably in that order.

 

As harsh as it seems I'd be using Fondop after an hour for Norwood and that's for a couple of reasons, one I think he's a perfect impact sub and secondly defensively he'd probably offer more than James.

 

It'll certainly be interesting to see where they all fit in and competition for places will be strong.

[deyres42]

3 minutes ago, oafc1955 said:

This team can play 3 5 2 no problem but I’d prefer bringing in a quality striker like Matt Smith to partner Norwood.

They certainly didn’t bid for Smith with the intention of playing only one striker!

Sometimes you land on a system that works even if it wasn't the intention.

 

Norwood is joining Birmingham anyway.

[yarddog73]

4 minutes ago, oafc1955 said:

This team can play 3 5 2 no problem but I’d prefer bringing in a quality striker like Matt Smith to partner Norwood.

 

MM certainly didn’t bid for Smith with the intention of playing only one striker!

How do you know that, if we revert to a two now and it disrupts the whole balance of the team that would be stupid.

 

In the NL the battle is in midfield, we shouldn't be sacrificing any of that to appease the 4-4-2 brigade. We play a 3-4-2-1 now out of possession and a 3-4-3 in possession and it's worked, so far.

[yarddog73]

3 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Sometimes you land on a system that works even if it wasn't the intention.

 

Norwood is joining Birmingham anyway.

There are a few teams in League 1 and 2 playing without recognised strikers, some still have no No 9 in their squad lists so it's not unreasonable to think there will be interest in Norwood, what may put them off is his recent injury.

 

I thought Birmingham spent some money on bringing Alfie May in to be their No 9?.

 

List of clubs who could potentially be looking for a quality striker with no No 9 are Leyton Orient, Exeter City, Lincoln City, Cambridge United, Crawley Town, Grimsby Town, Doncaster Rovers, Fleetwood Town and Salford Shitty, some geographically are probably out of the question but if he goes there's plenty who'd have him.

[daniel]

3 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

There are a few teams in League 1 and 2 playing without recognised strikers, some still have no No 9 in their squad lists so it's not unreasonable to think there will be interest in Norwood, what may put them off is his recent injury.

 

I thought Birmingham spent some money on bringing Alfie May in to be their No 9?.

 

List of clubs who could potentially be looking for a quality striker with no No 9 are Leyton Orient, Exeter City, Lincoln City, Cambridge United, Crawley Town, Grimsby Town, Doncaster Rovers, Fleetwood Town and Salford Shitty, some geographically are probably out of the question but if he goes there's plenty who'd have him.

No way any of those pay his full wages and so we wouldn’t contemplate any such offer of a loan, surely? 

[oafc1955]

40 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

How do you know that, if we revert to a two now and it disrupts the whole balance of the team that would be stupid.

 

In the NL the battle is in midfield, we shouldn't be sacrificing any of that to appease the 4-4-2 brigade. We play a 3-4-2-1 now out of possession and a 3-4-3 in possession and it's worked, so far.

We’ll see soon enough…