Only goals will oust Macca (From The Argus)
Get involved: Send your news, views, pictures and video by texting SUPIC to 80360 or email us.
Only goals will oust Macca
9:00am Saturday 8th December 2012 in Sport By Andy Naylor
Craig Mackail-Smith
Albion's second choice strikers have been told they need goals to oust leading marksman Craig Mackail-Smith.
Boss Gus Poyet is expected to stick with Mackail-Smith at Charlton today after he missed a good chance to equalise for Albion’s ten men at Crystal Palace last week.
Will Hoskins and August signing Stephen Dobbie were picked in place of nine-goal Mackail-Smith and Ashley Barnes for the previous game against Bristol City at The Amex but they both drew a blank and were substituted.
Dobbie has scored twice in 12 appearances since his move from Swansea, Hoskins one goal in 13 outings interrupted by a series of injuries since signing from Bristol Rovers two summers ago.
Poyet said: “He (Hoskins) has come back stronger. That is why he has been back in the squad even earlier than we expected.
“I decided not to change anything else against Palace once the game was lost.
“It would have been very easy to play Dobbs and Hoskins in the last 20 minutes but my instincts told me not to do it.
“They need to start producing, because they play in very specific positions and the strikers need to score.
“Why am I, for example, not going to play Macca when he is our top scorer?
“To not be so clear about playing Macca someone needs to score or win the game.”
Mackail-Smith scored against Charlton on his last visit to The Valley with Peterborough two seasons ago.
Comments(13)
SMF20
says...
10:02am Sat 8 Dec 12
Uta
SMF20
says...
10:03am Sat 8 Dec 12
Jonathan Mouette
says...
10:10am Sat 8 Dec 12
Bucket feet Duffy
says...
10:50am Sat 8 Dec 12
tug509
says...
11:06am Sat 8 Dec 12
I agree,i think the line up you mention would be devastating. I also agree with one of the biggest cliches in the book,"The best form of defense is attack" imo,but then i also believe strikers should be given a certain amount of free reign,so as to be unpredictable.
Anyway tough game,especially considering the importance of the occasion to Charlton. UTA
fratsomrover
says...
11:09am Sat 8 Dec 12
SMF20 wrote:I quite agree, Hoskins for Barnes and Dobbie for Orlandi would be my choice too. It's alright for Gus to say they have to deliver to oust people, but then they have to be picked and play to be given that opportunity. It's very hard to come on for 20 mins and give a fair reflection of your ability. They need to be picked for 3 or 4 games so they can settle in and be given a fair crack of the whip. It would also instill confidence in them. We have to score more goals if we are to make an impression on the top 6. Cardiff, CP, Leicester have scored twice the number of goals we have. We need some big wins, like Cardiff last night, so play Hoskins alongside CMS to boost our firepower.
Farside, I personally would like to see Dobbie given Orlandi's role as the creative midfielder. I'd also like to see Hoskins in for Barnes. I think that those 2 in alongside Buckley and Cms could be devastating... Birders and Hammond to dold things together and the back 5 as per the the first few games with both El abd and Bridge to return. That'll do for me :)
Uta
johntenerife
says...
11:25am Sat 8 Dec 12
then we play cms and barnes against crystal palace, of which i watched on tv live, and we were completely outplayed. why change a winning team? Palace played with 2 wingers and were a different class. Although i will get a lot of abuse i have to say that if Gus Poyet continues to play with only 2 forwards and expects to get promoted then he has a long wait as do all of the supporters. All the most succesful teams play with 2 wingers and attack their defence. Remember we got promotion from div 1 when we had Bennet playing wide and lualua/noone on the other side. We also had 2 players who both scored over 20 goals. You can have the best striker in world but if he never receives the ball he will not score. This is the reason cms is always chasing to get the ball. When we only have 2 forwards it allows the opposition to move forward and attack us for most of the game. Unfortunately i cannot see Poyet changing his tactics. It has not worked in the past so why does he continue to play the same way every week?
Old Scrote of the Amex
says...
11:46am Sat 8 Dec 12
"we played both dobbie and hoskins against bristol ... it was the first time our midfielders scored. its not a coincidence."
And I say it IS a coincidence. Orlandi's goal was a freakish one from a free-kick - how did Dobbie's or Hoskins's selection help that? How was Hammond's goal helped by their inclusion?
mark5
says...
12:15pm Sat 8 Dec 12
VegasSeagull
says...
1:06pm Sat 8 Dec 12
We have a decent size squad, we have cover for most places but I don't think we have much competition for most places. If all of the squad was fit, (excluding Vicente, he is done in my mind) the back five, CMS, Bridcutt, Orlandi and Buckley are all shoeins to start every match. We have just two places to be fought over, one midfield and one striker. To my way of thinking that just isn't enough competition to bring out the best in players. I guess Orlandi might have to fight but on recent form he owns his spot on the park.
Injuries give the cover players the chance to step up their game and challenge those that they are covering for but I fear that they are not stepping up their game enough to demand a starting place. If Hoskins wants to keep Barnes out the he must deliver. If Hammond wants to keep Crofts out, or visa versa, then they have to step up their game too.
Lots of cover but not enough competition.
pandaking
says...
2:03pm Sat 8 Dec 12
Hoskins and Dobbie being given a chance alongside CMS.
Kuszczak;
Bruno, Greer, El-Abd, Bridge;
Hammond, Bridcutt, Buckley;
Dobbie, Hoskins, Mackail-Smith
This could be a great game :)
pablobrowno
says...
2:08pm Sat 8 Dec 12
SMF20 wrote:You have your wish! !!!
Farside, I personally would like to see Dobbie given Orlandi's role as the creative midfielder. I'd also like to see Hoskins in for Barnes. I think that those 2 in alongside Buckley and Cms could be devastating... Birders and Hammond to dold things together and the back 5 as per the the first few games with both El abd and Bridge to return. That'll do for me :)
Uta
farside says...
9:49am Sat 8 Dec 12