Hurst takes a swipe at fans

Quoted from davmariner

On a slightly irrelevant note, welcome back 80s. I did wonder what had happened to you after the old fishy was closed down and was sorry to see that you didn't return.

Glad that you're back as I enjoyed reading your posts.

Utm

Cheers dav, have enjoyed reading yours over the last couple of seasons.
Good to see you too !

Quoted from Maringer

He hasn't got a great touch, but then I've never claimed he had. His touch is decent enough for a 5th Division targetman-style player.

The ball rarely just bounces off him (as it tended to do with some fans' favourite Cook who was utterly hopeless with his back to the goal), and you're right that his physical strength is a major part of his play. In a division where the central defenders tend to be very big and with referees willing to let all sorts of pushing and shoving occur, this is an important asset to have in a team, especially as our midfield aren't the most fluid of passers.

Those who claim he has a terrible touch probably aren't considering that half the time the ball is played to him, he is being challenged by 2 players. Or perhaps they just aren't watching what is going on?

I have no illusions about LJL's abilities as a player. He's no world-beater, he's not a great goalscorer and he isn't going to fire us to victory week-in, week-out. However, he will be an important part of our squad and team this season as perhaps only Pittman is an alternative as the vital physical presence up front that our style of play requires. The chances of Pittman staying fit all season are slim and therefore. If we sign another striker with a bit of size and strength such as Bogle, then LJL will perhaps be dropped to the bench at times. Until that point, it is sensible for him to be played.

The incredible thing for me is that all this anti-LJL hysteria whipped up by some posters over the past week just defies belief. We've quite literally not had any other strikers available to play due to injuries this season yet there is a witch hunt against one of our two fit strikers going on across this board? This is so utterly nonsensical, I just can't understand it.

On the other hand, we've had non-performances from Connell which have gone unmentioned and barely a whimper about Brown's unbelievable late miss against Dover. I can only imagine what sort of a meltdown the anti-LJL crowd would have gone into had he missed similarly.

Look, we get it. You've picked your scapegoat for the season and LJL is it. Please don't feel the urge to remind us of it in every single thread, especially when there are no other options for a game due to injuries and suspensions or when he's not played badly in any case.

Personally I don't have a scapegoat. The problem is that the defenders of LJL think that every comment about him is a personal slight on the lad and, if you think that, then a leap to his defence is understandable. My points about LJL have always been as part of the team set up - the fact that he is chosen now is obviously because there is no-one else. That doesn't suddenly make him a better or a worse player. The comment I made on his touch is simply that - a comment I believe is quite verifiable by looking at the highlights of games, again in the context of how the side plays. Because of all this and the injuries to other strikers poor old LJL becomes the focus of comment, it is inevitable.

The team falls between two stools. I think the manager was and is fully aware of the fans' opinions on the playing style and lack of goals last season. He said more than once before the season began that he wanted a faster, passing game and had signed players to do that. At times so far the side has indeed passed the ball quite well but when it does it lacks the cutting edge striker who can join in creatively and make that count. Possibly Pittman might be the one but LJL isn't, in my opinion anyway though maybe not other people's. When the passing game doesn't work the players revert to lumping it forward to him.

PH did not sign a name striker to fit into a passing style even though he had time and money. Instead, with Pittman injured, he kept LJL in the team but the lad simply does not fit unless the ball is lumped up to him with his back to goal and somebody picks up the rebound. It's not his fault, he's a square peg in a passing side. Plus he doesn't score. He did score in pre-season and maybe this lulled PH into thinking he might carry on doing that. Who knows?

In any event, PH seems to have a split personality on this passing game business because he hasn't signed a loan striker and is persevering with someone who can't play it. Maybe it's his safety first nature, I don't know, but if PH really does want LJL in his side when everyone is fit then he will just have to go back full time to a long ball game. Cue more criticism. Vicious circle isn't it?

Believe it or not, I hope I am wrong. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than seeing LJL score bucketsful of goals and Town be able to stop relying on a stonewall defence to get the points.

Quoted from ackomariner

I don't think so though , do you?

Three quarters want him gone, that's a big margin and nobody can deny that really.

Not so sure, over 200 yes votes in about 2 hours tonight makes me think there is something a miss somewhere.
that with only 20 odd users logged in you have to admit it does look a bit suspect

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Personally I don't have a scapegoat. The problem is that the defenders of LJL think that every comment about him is a personal slight on the lad and, if you think that, then a leap to his defence is understandable. My points about LJL have always been as part of the team set up - the fact that he is chosen now is obviously because there is no-one else. That doesn't suddenly make him a better or a worse player. The comment I made on his touch is simply that - a comment I believe is quite verifiable by looking at the highlights of games, again in the context of how the side plays. Because of all this and the injuries to other strikers poor old LJL becomes the focus of comment, it is inevitable.

The team falls between two stools. I think the manager was and is fully aware of the fans' opinions on the playing style and lack of goals last season. He said more than once before the season began that he wanted a faster, passing game and had signed players to do that. At times so far the side has indeed passed the ball quite well but when it does it lacks the cutting edge striker who can join in creatively and make that count. Possibly Pittman might be the one but LJL isn't, in my opinion anyway though maybe not other people's. When the passing game doesn't work the players revert to lumping it forward to him.

PH did not sign a name striker to fit into a passing style even though he had time and money. Instead, with Pittman injured, he kept LJL in the team but the lad simply does not fit unless the ball is lumped up to him with his back to goal and somebody picks up the rebound. It's not his fault, he's a square peg in a passing side. Plus he doesn't score. He did score in pre-season and maybe this lulled PH into thinking he might carry on doing that. Who knows?

In any event, PH seems to have a split personality on this passing game business because he hasn't signed a loan striker and is persevering with someone who can't play it. Maybe it's his safety first nature, I don't know, but if PH really does want LJL in his side when everyone is fit then he will just have to go back full time to a long ball game. Cue more criticism. Vicious circle isn't it?

Believe it or not, I hope I am wrong. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than seeing LJL score bucketsful of goals and Town be able to stop relying on a stonewall defence to get the points.

Great post. I agree fully.

Quoted from chaos33

Great post. I agree fully.

Whs

The problem is that it is easy to say Hurst is obviously going to continue to play LJL because he hasn't signed a loan striker. This is making a broad assumption that there are lots of strikers available who are capable of improving our team and willing to come here on loan at this very moment. It's a week into the season, most players who aren't part of a club's plans have already been transfer-listed or loaned out (such as Arnold) so just where are we going to find all these excellent strikers we can choose from to improve the team?

Hurst has noted before that he still wants to sign another attacker or two - the difficulty appears to be finding one good enough to improve the team and willing to join us. It will be interesting to see if the continue rumours about Bogle will actually come to anything or not. If not, I wonder which other irons may be in the fire?

When does the transfer window end and the loan window open? Is it the end of the month?

The other clear assumption by most is that with LJL in the team, we just won't score any goals or win enough games. I said at the start of the season, he doesn't need to be top scorer - if he can get somewhere around 10 goals again that is fine, providing the players around him score the goals to win the games. Hannah is clearly capable of scoring goals when on form, given the chances. Pittman looks like he ought to be capable. Arnold has a reasonable enough record on the wing and can apparently play through the middle. One or two other attackers probably required as well with other players chipping in with the midfielders and hopefully the defenders also scoring some.

If you say this is not enough, let me point out that last season, Cambridge (and Gateshead) scored 7 more goals than us over the course of the 46 games. Can our defence be as good as that of Cambridge this season? Perhaps. In which case we could quite easily win games narrowly (as did Cambridge last season), to push our way up towards the top of the league.

So people want a passing game ?

Being realistic can't see any "passing game" taking shape unless the most creative midfield players return to full fitness and lots of work on the training ground is done.

Again, unrealistic unfair expectations !

That said Hurst says he WANTS to play a passing style, but guess he hasn't said he WILL.
Me ? I ideally WANT us to play like Brazil, sometimes you've got to be realistic...

However FWIW I think LJL is quite a good passer of the ball !

End of the day why can't fans just support the manager whatever style or players he chooses ?

Quoted from Civvy at last

You are Paul Hurst and I claim my £10.00  (one for the oldies )

£10?! You can't be as old as you claim.

Wasn't the original one 10 bob? With inflation, Tommy Target was a fiver.

Quoted from Hagrid

stupid thread, he's defneding a player thatgets a hell of a lot of stick, why dont we all stop this now? we've had non stop threads since saturday of LJL excrement, hurst out, non league for ever etc and its starting to get boring, I said during pre season cant us fans just all start to stick together, I more than agree that performances have been dull and to an extenet poor, but it is at these times surely we should become a proper fanbase and back the team from the off? I expect numerous crosses and disagreements to this post, but is it really such a bad idea? we all want town to do well, We can make the difference by getting behind the boys instead of posting thread after thread of non stories and old opinions. UTM and i welcome your responses  

So firstly, what you're saying is you can't criticise anything, any time.

And secondly, you seem to be equating "fans sticking together" with "fans voicing no criticism/no one must disagree with me".

Nah! Not me mate. If I wanted blind obedience I'd join a flipping cult.

Quoted from barralad

I don't have the time or inclination to reply to all of your contributions.  73% of 600-ish still represents a small proportion of Town's "Fan Base"....

Keep playing football like we are under this member and it won't do.