Freedman worried about Dikgacoi's fitness

[ZOHAR]

#cpfc midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi (thigh injury) out for final three matches of season. @RichCawleySLP

[Chris K]

Its appropriate that Dikgacoi is also known as KG (kilograms)

[36 Chambers]

Originally Posted by Chris K

Its appropriate that Dikgacoi is also known as KG (kilograms)

[The Gerry Queen]

Originally Posted by ZOHAR

#cpfc midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi (thigh injury) out for final three matches of season. @RichCawleySLP

Wasn't it a thigh injury that he was out with at the start of the season ? Maybe a recurring injury ? Hope he recovers quickly and works on his fitness in the closed season. He definately has the potential to be a good player but this fitness and over weight issue is a very poor reflection on his professionalism. I have a feeling that he will start next season well down the pecking order especially with Jedi, Johnny Williams, David Wright, Owen Garvan ahead of him and if we sign people like Pompey's Norris and get Marrow back up to full fitness and form.

[Billy Rhino]

Originally Posted by Windsor_Eagle

Yep.

I think that whilst people will state that they are prepared for that - the reality is that come the final whistle, the disppointment at losing and / or playing poorly clouds that viewpoint.

The commonly held view at the moment is that the way we currently play does not work. That view is quickly translated into a (potentially erroneus) 'well then, we do the opposite as that is going to work'. So if we are playing an experienced side lacking creativity the consensus is that we must play a youthful and creative side. The justification given for that is that even if that doesn't yield the three points - it will get the excitement back.

Whilst I don't exactly disagree with that - it has no evidence behind it. By all means I am happy for the side to be experimented with - but I don't expect it to necessarily improve things and show us exactly what we should have been doing for months. I think we'll do well to pick up anything more than a few points between now and the end of the season - and I think that when we get the experiment that many have been crying out for, then we have to accept that it might fail spectacularly.

The thing is, I don't think any allowances will be made for it as the sides that played against Blackpool and Derby showed with the backlash on here. Even after Saturday, the incredulity displayed on GPD with the 'Murray not even on the bench' thread shows that sometimes what posters say and what they mean can be quite different.

I admire your defence of Dougie's tactics but come on. All most people are saying on here is that we need to play more adventurously in order to score more goals, and that KG is one of those players who is affecting that ability.

Yes, of course if we go and play the likes of Garvan and Dorman in CM like Burley did then we are likely to be on the end of some beatings, but we need to find a more balanced side. Effectively, KG was the replacement for Danns but he is not the same type of player and it has thrown out the balance of the team (Jedi & Danns would've been an ideal balance).

This 4-2-3-1 can work but you need the front four to be exceptional, as per Man City, and we simply dont have those players other than Zaha.

[Windsor_Eagle]

Originally Posted by Billy Rhino

I admire your defence of Dougie's tactics but come on. All most people are saying on here is that we need to play more adventurously in order to score more goals, and that KG is one of those players who is affecting that ability.

Yes, of course if we go and play the likes of Garvan and Dorman in CM like Burley did then we are likely to be on the end of some beatings, but we need to find a more balanced side. Effectively, KG was the replacement for Danns but he is not the same type of player and it has thrown out the balance of the team (Jedi & Danns would've been an ideal balance).

This 4-2-3-1 can work but you need the front four to be exceptional, as per Man City, and we simply dont have those players other than Zaha.

I agree with your evaluation of things there Billy, I do. We need to be more attacking as DF's, CPFC2010's and (more importantly) our hopes of where this club will be will not be realised with very defensive tactics.

My point, however, was that often when we get what we wish for, it is not always coming with the outcome that we want - or indeed - expect. Do you think most posters will be happy if we lined up in a more adventurous way (not gung-ho by any stretch) with De Silva and Sow on the pitch as well as playing Pedroza as a strike partner for Murray in a 4-4-2 (or at least a variation on the 4-2-3-1) and we go on to lose without troubling the scorers at the other end?

Whilst I'd like to think that posters on here would contextualise the defeat - I think I've seen enough on here to suggest that DF would get slated for dropping Easter / Martin / Scannell or whoever else they felt should have been playing.

I have no bones whatsoever with people who think we should be more attacking. Fundamentally they are correct. Whether or not with our current squad it would be successful is another debate. However, when the goalposts of what we want keep moving and the management get criticised whatever they do - then I do feel the need to try and offer some defence of them.

[stevek]

Originally Posted by Billy Rhino

This 4-2-3-1 can work but you need the front four to be exceptional, as per Man City, and we simply dont have those players other than Zaha.

I just don't think we've got the right player to be the '1'. A '3' of Zaha, Williams and Ambrose looks more than good enough at this level imo.

[pardew's shorts]

KG has been a white elephant, sadly. Aside from a brief promising spell, he has been a flop, and I suspect the sizable fee we paid for him is one of the main reasons he has played so often (see also Martin; Chris).

I can't work out what his purpose is. He sits in front of the back four but is not particularly good at breaking up play, and his passing is atrocious. His fitness is a disgrace, but there are questions for the management also: why continue to play him in such shape? Why aren't our fitness levels good enough (albeit better than under Burley)?