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Post by Andrewlang on Mar 27, 2024 11:07:07 GMT
Nope, Njoku has been back for a couple of months. He was on the bench against Wobblers and Lincolon.
Andrew
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Post by El Goodo on Mar 27, 2024 11:13:46 GMT
It might sound uncharitable but I really can't see Njoku making it as a pro. Suspect he'll leave us at the end of next season having made a handful of appearances & scoring once at the absolute max. Hope I'm wrong, of course.
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Post by Andrewlang on Mar 27, 2024 11:49:26 GMT
I dunno. From what I've seen I do think he's quite raw in a lot of areas of his game but he does seem to have a knack of making stuff happen and being in the right place to score/miss chances. Mainly an observation of him at youth level though.
Reminds a bit of Adeboyejo when he was here actually. Had a similar knack seeming to be in the right place whilst not being technically the greatest player you've seen.
I can see Njoku scoring regularly at conference south level at least so if he doesn't make it here that's always likely to make him the type of player someone'd take a second look at.
Andrew
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danielcufc
First team star
Posts: 8,334
Favourite CUFC player: Dion Dublin
Favourite CUFC match: Peterborough 1, Cambridge 5 London Road 3.1.1989
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Post by danielcufc on Mar 27, 2024 12:17:23 GMT
The performance levels of Rennett recently have been way below national league level. We’re also just coming off the back of 2 thrashings, in which both Centre backs were at fault for various goals. If we play the same two CBs yet again…. I can almost hear the cheer from from the Barnsley changing room already. Agree or we can keep putting our head in the sand and starting Stevens, Rennett, Cousins et al as they are doing such a great job at the moment.
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Post by andycufc on Mar 27, 2024 13:37:35 GMT
I've got a horrible feeling that the line-up will come out on Friday and... it'll be a 4-2-3-1 with a 'spine' of Ryan Bennett, Jordan Cousins and Lyle Taylor as lone striker.
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Post by funkymonk on Mar 27, 2024 13:43:58 GMT
Considering our options to the contrary are a youth player, a youth player and a player returning from a lengthy layoff...
You may well be right.
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Post by Mike Osbourn on Mar 27, 2024 13:46:29 GMT
I love how people are over-simplifying our issues and assume that the coaching staff are incompetent. Yes, performances on the pitch haven't been good enough. But look at the options available to them for a start:
Defence - Rossi and Okedina have both been out injured. Whilst they might (mor might not) be back now, they haven't played much/at all in ages. We therefore haven't had an abundance of options to change central defence, regardless of whether the coaches wanted to or not. Jobe coming back provides more options, but as mentioned elsewhere, he's never played a game at this level, so it's right to be circumspect that he can automatically make the step up.
Midfield - similar problem, particularly in the centre. Thomas, Simper, Yearn, and Hoddle have all been injured, nevermind most are junior pros in the main. May has clearly not found the same level as before his big injury. Which pretty much left us with an automatic pick in the middle again, regardless of merit. The wide players haven't exactly pulled up trees to provide alternative options either, and Janneh is injured as well.
Attack - Pretty much the same narrative, but with the added 'bonus' of Taylor's three game ban.
None of which is 'burying heads in sand', it's just the circumstances the team are dealing with.
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Post by andycufc on Mar 27, 2024 13:48:03 GMT
Considering our options to the contrary are a youth player, a youth player and a player returning from a lengthy layoff... You may well be right. Have Okedina, Rossi and May all been ruled out?
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Post by funkymonk on Mar 27, 2024 13:56:14 GMT
Okedina and Rossi are both injured, no?
I'll grant you May on the basis that I completely forgot about him, unsurprisingly some of the harsher critics may say...
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danboyb
Youth team substitute
Posts: 507
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Post by danboyb on Mar 27, 2024 14:11:41 GMT
I love how people are over-simplifying our issues and assume that the coaching staff are incompetent. Yes, performances on the pitch haven't been good enough. But look at the options available to them for a start: Defence - Rossi and Okedina have both been out injured. Whilst they might (mor might not) be back now, they haven't played much/at all in ages. We therefore haven't had an abundance of options to change central defence, regardless of whether the coaches wanted to or not. Jobe coming back provides more options, but as mentioned elsewhere, he's never played a game at this level, so it's right to be circumspect that he can automatically make the step up. Midfield - similar problem, particularly in the centre. Thomas, Simper, Yearn, and Hoddle have all been injured, nevermind most are junior pros in the main. May has clearly not found the same level as before his big injury. Which pretty much left us with an automatic pick in the middle again, regardless of merit. The wide players haven't exactly pulled up trees to provide alternative options either, and Janneh is injured as well. Attack - Pretty much the same narrative, but with the added 'bonus' of Taylor's three game ban. None of which is 'burying heads in sand', it's just the circumstances the team are dealing with. I agree with the point in general, but I don’t think there’s been a game recently where both Okedina and Rossi were both injured. Yet we’ve stuck with a CB pairing that has looked completely unsuited to the systems(s) we’ve tried. The fact neither have played for ages is partly due to injury, also partly due to not being selected even when available. Recent results/performances would suggest it isn’t really working. Jobe is fit and surely deserves a chance to replace an out of form, out of contract, uninterested 30+ year old. Midfield is more about getting the right players in the right system. Playing Digby and Cousins as a 2 was bound to fail, it was shown up after the first 10 mins, yet persisted with. Not a huge amount of options but enough to make an earlier in game change. Wide and up front has seen changes made. Wouldn’t say it’s been a success in any recent game, but part of that could be due to the fact we’ve set up wrong from the start. We’ve had injuries, but we’ve also had enough fit players to produce far better performances and results than what we’ve seen recently. Some players have had more than enough chances. Jobe might be untested at this level, but the risk of playing him is less than the risk of going with Rennett yet again. If we are to stay up then we need a strong spine to the team, a freshness. Hopefully, Mannion, Jobe and, in the games to come, Ahadme can provide that. The options are there for Monk now, he can’t keep rewarding failure by picking players who keep repeating the same mistakes game after game.
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Post by andycufc on Mar 27, 2024 15:19:33 GMT
I love how people are over-simplifying our issues and assume that the coaching staff are incompetent. Yes, performances on the pitch haven't been good enough. But look at the options available to them for a start: Defence - Rossi and Okedina have both been out injured. Whilst they might (mor might not) be back now, they haven't played much/at all in ages. We therefore haven't had an abundance of options to change central defence, regardless of whether the coaches wanted to or not. Jobe coming back provides more options, but as mentioned elsewhere, he's never played a game at this level, so it's right to be circumspect that he can automatically make the step up. Midfield - similar problem, particularly in the centre. Thomas, Simper, Yearn, and Hoddle have all been injured, nevermind most are junior pros in the main. May has clearly not found the same level as before his big injury. Which pretty much left us with an automatic pick in the middle again, regardless of merit. The wide players haven't exactly pulled up trees to provide alternative options either, and Janneh is injured as well. Attack - Pretty much the same narrative, but with the added 'bonus' of Taylor's three game ban. None of which is 'burying heads in sand', it's just the circumstances the team are dealing with. I'm not sure whether this post was directed at me, but my 'I've got a horrible feeling...' comment above was about the fact that after two weeks of people on here convincing themselves that we'll see a new-look side/system after a bit of time on the training ground, an unchanged line-up will feel like a huge anticlimax - not the fact that I think the coaching staff are incompetent. That said, I think it's fairly natural for people to want to see some kind of tangible change in approach, system or personnel after the last two performances.
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Post by duxfordbob on Mar 27, 2024 15:31:05 GMT
Simper played 60 minutes in his return behind closed doors friendly and scored. Will at least Give us another option.
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danielcufc
First team star
Posts: 8,334
Favourite CUFC player: Dion Dublin
Favourite CUFC match: Peterborough 1, Cambridge 5 London Road 3.1.1989
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Post by danielcufc on Mar 27, 2024 15:39:05 GMT
None of which is ' burying heads in sand', it's just the circumstances the team are dealing with. There were circumstances earlier in the season such as injuries up front and Taylor's recent ban. However if we continue to pick an out of confidence and out of form goalkeeper, a 30+ CB who looks disinterested and on the beach and 2 slow defensive midfielders in a system not suited to them and then it will be eat, sleep, repeat of Lincoln & Reading. With players returning to fitness, others fresh from a break and returning in form youngsters then Monk has more options than any of his predecessors since late summer. He has the ability to do something different that we couldn't do a month ago. What message does it say to the squad and the recalled young players (let alone fans) if it's the same line up again.
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lesj
Reserve team substitute
Posts: 2,590
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Post by lesj on Mar 27, 2024 16:20:26 GMT
Well, there is a saying :- If you keep doing the same thing over & over again & expect different results , then it's the first sign of madness
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Sandypants
Reserve team star
Posts: 4,060
Favourite CUFC player: Harrison Dunk
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Post by Sandypants on Mar 27, 2024 16:21:41 GMT
Well, there is a saying :- If you keep doing the same thing over & over and again & expect different results , then it's the first sign of madness And what if three people do it? Is that enough to count as mass hysteria?
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