[Westbars Spireite]

Tyrion, on 27 October 2014 - 04:06 PM, said:

I take it no reporter has asked the question about Johnson?

No one has the cojones.

[Goku]

I'd like to know about the Johnson situation and why Roberts is so frequently injured - if it's because of the same thing every time why haven't precautions been taken to stop this? Such as leaving him out for a longer period of time.

I appreciate that none of them would get a straight answer but the questions should still be asked.

[Phil V 72]

Westbars Spireite, on 27 October 2014 - 04:35 PM, said:

No one has the cojones.

Then no-one other than the management knows the reason why he wasn't playing on Saturday?

Yet we've had multiple otiose posts questioning Cook's decision-making, that the 'bottom lip is out', he's made a massive mistake.

[Stockholm Spireite]

Goku, on 27 October 2014 - 04:40 PM, said:

I'd like to know about the Johnson situation and why Roberts is so frequently injured - if it's because of the same thing every time why haven't precautions been taken to stop this? Such as leaving him out for a longer period of time.

I appreciate that none of them would get a straight answer but the questions should still be asked.

It's a tricky one to answer as the details of players injuries are for public consumption in one way, yet shouldn't be disclosed as it's personal (and confidential) medical diagnoses that take place.

My pals involved in rugby (both playing and coaching at pro level), tell me of players that are livid with every minuscule detail of their condition being made available, yet this information isn't available if you walk to your GP's surgery and ask about a friend or neighbour - they'll tell you about data protection, and all that. Just because a player becomes a 'public figure' doesn't mean that personal details should be publicised so much.

Which leads us to the vague and wooly statements we usually get about players 'taking a knock' or a 'slight pull/tear'. Also, a question about why somebody is frequently injured, will also be seen as provocative and blame seeking...imagine a response of "well, Jamie/Roger don't treat it properly / Shinner doesn't do proper rehab and rest / I want him in my team unless he's on crutches" - someone then becomes the fall guy...

We all know players play through pain and are rarely 100% after this time of year. But when injuries and suspensions kick in, as well as loanees returning, it stretches a small squad that's high on quality (to quote Uncle Dave), and it puts pressure on all players to turn out when complete rest is what they might need. Sadly, we can't all be RvP and tell the gaffer we're not playing as we don't feel 100%.

I guess it's not what is asked, but how subtle you can be when asking...

[Westbars Spireite]

Phil V 72, on 27 October 2014 - 04:42 PM, said:

Then no-one other than the management knows the reason why he wasn't playing on Saturday?

Yet we've had multiple otiose posts questioning Cook's decision-making, that the 'bottom lip is out', he's made a massive mistake.

He didn't play 'cos he didn't pick him. Simple as that.

[Phil V 72]

Westbars Spireite, on 27 October 2014 - 05:05 PM, said:

He didn't play 'cos he didn't pick him. Simple as that.

Was he available to play?

[valemadness]

Radio Sheffield Interview
http://audioboom.com...me-with-swindon

[Westbars Spireite]

Phil V 72, on 27 October 2014 - 05:07 PM, said:

Was he available to play?

Yes. He was there warming up before the game.

[Waller is my hero]

valemadness, on 27 October 2014 - 05:19 PM, said:

Radio Sheffield Interview
http://audioboom.com...me-with-swindon

PC seriously likes his strops on Radio Sheff

He seriously contradicts himself at the minute...one week we need to change our shape & defend better....the next...let's play to our strengths & attack.

YES Paul...that is our strength...stick to that theory...it brings the fans in & keeps us happy...it only needs tweaks to defend better, stick with our strengths & work on the defensive side.....it's that simple

[Westbars Spireite]

Good interview. Not sure about the 'slagging me off' bit at the end. What's the cause of this paranoia? Pretty much clears up the Johnson business too. He doesn't think him and Roberts can play in the same team.

[philtooleycfss]

Westbars Spireite, on 27 October 2014 - 04:35 PM, said:

No one has the cojones.

He answered the question - Johnson picked up a minor knock in training but he didn't want that to leak out; Roberts reported fit and was medically cleared pre Walsall and Cook said he doesn't feel Johnson & Roberts are an ideal mix so with Roberts on the bench, he would prefer to bring his own contracted man on, and he'd never bring both on, so why put Johnson on the bench if he wasn't going to get a game? He admitted selecting Roberts was his error and he'll not select him again until he's trained for a full week at least. He told Johnson pre-Walsall that he wanted Gardner & Gobern to get pitch time before he returned to Villa and that Johnson would play again before his loan ended.

Phil

[Westbars Spireite]

The Radio Sheffield guy wouldn't have asked the question. In fact Cook said 'I won't talk about specific players' before volunteering the information himself, in a round about way.

[azul]

Waller is my hero, on 27 October 2014 - 05:31 PM, said:

PC seriously likes his strops on Radio Sheff

He seriously contradicts himself at the minute...one week we need to change our shape & defend better....the next...let's play to our strengths & attack.

YES Paul...that is our strength...stick to that theory...it brings the fans in & keeps us happy...it only needs tweaks to defend better, stick with our strengths & work on the defensive side.....it's that simple

I thought the classic moment was when the commentator asked if the reason Roberts would be missing was due to injury, and PC nearly choked

Pertinent qustion (if unintentional) in the context of Johnson being omitted on Saturday

[Spireite-Karl]

philtooleycfss, on 27 October 2014 - 05:36 PM, said:

He answered the question - Johnson picked up a minor knock in training but he didn't want that to leak out; Roberts reported fit and was medically cleared pre Walsall and Cook said he doesn't feel Johnson & Roberts are an ideal mix so with Roberts on the bench, he would prefer to bring his own contracted man on, and he'd never bring both on, so why put Johnson on the bench if he wasn't going to get a game? He admitted selecting Roberts was his error and he'll not select him again until he's trained for a full week at least. He told Johnson pre-Walsall that he wanted Gardner & Gobern to get pitch time before he returned to Villa and that Johnson would play again before his loan ended.

Phil

Perfectly plausible as they are very similar, though at the same time it could be seen as an easy cop-out after coming under so much criticism for leaving Johnson out (twice)

Another point I’ve picked up on... Cook last week said more new player(s) were very likely to be soon incoming to help address the balance of the team (not word for word by any means, but along those lines)... Now, he’s saying no new players are coming in and we that don’t need anyone else (a little contradictory, unless someone can explain the two interviews differently than the way I understood his comments?)

[azul]

Westbars Spireite, on 27 October 2014 - 05:39 PM, said:

The Radio Sheffield guy wouldn't have asked the question. In fact Cook said 'I won't talk about specific players' before volunteering the information himself, in a round about way.

I think the only questions they should ask PC is........

Do have anything to say?

He would still get a cob on

[BozaSpireite]

Why on earth arnt we looking at another striker even some1 just as a back up or something for when it's not working with Doyle up there on his own

[sophocles]

philtooleycfss, on 27 October 2014 - 05:36 PM, said:

He answered the question - Johnson picked up a minor knock in training but he didn't want that to leak out; Roberts reported fit and was medically cleared pre Walsall and Cook said he doesn't feel Johnson & Roberts are an ideal mix so with Roberts on the bench, he would prefer to bring his own contracted man on, and he'd never bring both on, so why put Johnson on the bench if he wasn't going to get a game? He admitted selecting Roberts was his error and he'll not select him again until he's trained for a full week at least. He told Johnson pre-Walsall that he wanted Gardner & Gobern to get pitch time before he returned to Villa and that Johnson would play again before his loan ended.

Phil

Don't buy that - if what he said was correct the best solution would have been to play Johnson then take him off for Roberts if he wanted Roberts to come on.I personally don't see why they both can't play.

[60s 70s Spireite]

sophocles, on 27 October 2014 - 06:50 PM, said:

Don't buy that - if what he said was correct the best solution would have been to play Johnson then take him off for Roberts if he wanted Roberts to come on.I personally don't see why they both can't play.

Per Soccerbase, counting Huddersfield as a draw at 90 minutes, we have won 3 games, drawn 2 and lost 1 (and that was the FL Trophy game) with Roberts and Johnson both playing at least some time in the match, without the two of them together we have won 2, drawn 3 and lost 5.

[Spireite-Karl]

60s 70s Spireite, on 27 October 2014 - 07:04 PM, said:

Per Soccerbase, counting Huddersfield as a draw at 90 minutes, we have won 3 games, drawn 2 and lost 1 (and that was the FL Trophy game) with Roberts and Johnson both playing at least some time in the match, without the two of them together we have won 2, drawn 3 and lost 5.

And as Cook said in his latest interview, it's not the attacking players where the problem lies.

[azul]

philtooleycfss, on 27 October 2014 - 05:36 PM, said:

He answered the question - Johnson picked up a minor knock in training but he didn't want that to leak out; Roberts reported fit and was medically cleared pre Walsall and Cook said he doesn't feel Johnson & Roberts are an ideal mix so with Roberts on the bench, he would prefer to bring his own contracted man on, and he'd never bring both on, so why put Johnson on the bench if he wasn't going to get a game? He admitted selecting Roberts was his error and he'll not select him again until he's trained for a full week at least. He told Johnson pre-Walsall that he wanted Gardner & Gobern to get pitch time before he returned to Villa and that Johnson would play again before his loan ended.

Phil

Did you see any significant growth in his nose?

Spireite-Karl, on 27 October 2014 - 07:08 PM, said:

And as Cook said in his latest interview, it's not the attacking players where the problem lies.

He's been reading this message board again