Long - Time to go.

[Snowball]

Maybe you should hire your Private Detective to tell you that Shane Long isn't very good at scoring goals

Why, when I can watch him myself?

[Big Foot]

STAT me up

[Whore Jackie]

Guys, I don't expect him to be able to cover every blade of grass and magically get back into position at every opportunity, but you watch him next time and see how many times he just huffs and puffs and ambles back instead of keeping up with the defender he's just chased down who's stepping up with the rest of his team mates. It's not just where he's done the extra 10 yards to make the keeper pick it up. He just doesn't put enough in to make it back for me.

+1. Apart from his often poor first touch, this is the most frustrating side to his game. Particularly given the nature and speed of Federici's distribution.

Otherwise, he's a decent Championship forward. He's by far the best of our options for the solo striker role, though probably had his best 45 minutes of the season on Wednesday, playing in a pair.

[Snowball]

That first 45 minutes he was just about perfect.

For a change it was Church's first-touch that let things down

Notes from vid of first half


(PS Harte did get exposed a coupla times)

Long wins ball on touch-line, passes to RFC Player

Long, pass to Church’s feet, edge of box. Church heavy touch loses possession

Excellent Church break, Karacan pulls defence, cross over Long, Hunt scores

Great tackle by Kish in pen-area when beaten for speed

Harte good header clear

Kish good header clear

Mills poor long ball

Good flick-header by Long

Harte beaten by trickery, cross comes in, header over

Heavy challenge on Howard

Harte completely misses ball on half-way line

Clever lob over Cardiff player by Hunt

Great run by Church, Long going wide to make space, pass to Long, back-heel by Long is excellent (NO CHANCE TO SHOOT)

Great pass by Howard, Long wins ball, passes, then McAnuff, weak shot

Free-Kick, Long heads well to McAnuff, wide

Church slices shot, misses Long’s outstretched leg by inches

Great harrying in midfield, fabulous pass to Long who beats man, great cross, Church decent, not great, shot well saved.

(At the match I thought this was a shot low down in the corner, but it's not that good, nice height and too close to the keeper)


OTT ball, Chopra lobs over

Good header on by Long

Ball chipped over Harte, cover by Kish

Header out by Harte

Excellent knock-down by Long. Hunt shoots wildly over

Great thru ball Harte to Church, cross is wasted

Matt Mills lets ball run out, mistake, corner against

Good tackle edge of box by Mills

Great pressing by our midfield

AFC punched away by Feds. Corner

Great header out by Mills under extreme pressure

Karacan pass, Long, instant one-touch lay-off to McAnuff. Mc shoots over.

Mills splattered by Bothroyd

Hunt gets in the way of Church’s attempted shot

Poor ball forward by Harte

Brilliant move, 5-6- passes, cross, Church fails with header

Long-McAnuff-Karacan good move, Church wins corner

Karacan does well, feeds Hunt. Cross. Church offside

Good break by Church (like first goal), stalls, pass to Karacan, cross wasted

Good flick on by McAnuff wins throw

Harte easily beaten by cut-inside, through ball. Griffin great tackle to stop goal

Decent back-header on by Long. McAnuff can’t get there.

[Ian Royal]

I think both sides are right when it comes to his work rate. It is often excellent and he puts in a hell of a lot of good basic level unglamourous work.

But he also quite often seems to trot along without really putting his back into. And (he's a lot better than he used to be for this) he has a tendency to let his head drop and get sulky and petulent when things don't go his way. That causes his work rate to drop off considerably.

He gets up and wins headers very well. The problem is they often aren't especially well directed, though he's often not helped by poor support or running. For a player who certainly used to be quick, he seems to get to balls on the deck second far too often. I think he's never got back the pace that he lost when he piled on the pounds.

[Snowball]

Petulant, huh?

So this season, give an example.

Works his nuts off, gets kicked all over the place, black eye last weekend

And 299 yellow cards, 7 reds?



No, he has ZERO cards this season

[Ian Royal]

Last time I looked, being petulant wasn't a bookable offence.

[Snowball]

Last time I looked, being petulant wasn't a bookable offence.

And examples of "petulance" this season?

[Big Foot]

Coming out in the press every week playing the victim card because things aren't going his way

[Snowball]

Coming out in the press every week playing the victim card because things aren't going his way

Last season's proof-of-petulance was his yellow and red cards

Now he's not getting booked, it's stories in the press

And if there are no stories in the press, what then, the way he looks funny?

[Ian Royal]

Last season's proof of his petulance was his petulance. Which included getting stupid yellow and red cards. They were not the only examples given. And as I said, he's improved his attitude this season.

[Big Foot]

Coming out in the press every week playing the victim card because things aren't going his way

Last season's proof-of-petulance was his yellow and red cards

Now he's not getting booked, it's stories in the press

And if there are no stories in the press, what then, the way he looks funny?

Pretty much

His annoying run will come into play after Xmas

[Maguire]

Have put ten sheets on Long to score today. If he doesn't then i'm folding this thread.

[Snowball]

Last season's proof of his petulance was his petulance. Which included getting stupid yellow and red cards. They were not the only examples given. And as I said, he's improved his attitude this season.

and your proof of petulance this season


as he's NOT getting booked


IS?

[Ian Royal]

I'm not rewatching the games so I can give you specific examples. I'm afraid I don't have a flawless memory.

[Snowball]

I'm not rewatching the games so I can give you specific examples. I'm afraid I don't have a flawless memory.

TRANSLATION: Long hasn't shown any petulance this season and I am not man enough to admit it.

[Snowball]

I'm not rewatching the games so I can give you specific examples. I'm afraid I don't have a flawless memory.

How many times ON RADIO has Long been referred to (this season) as petulant?

[Ian Royal]

I'm not rewatching the games so I can give you specific examples. I'm afraid I don't have a flawless memory.

How many times ON RADIO has Long been referred to (this season) as petulant?

I refer you to my above answer, only exchange "rewatching" for "relistening to".

I don't keep a handy notebook where I note down things to produce as evidence for you.

[cmonurz]

I'm not rewatching the games so I can give you specific examples. I'm afraid I don't have a flawless memory.

TRANSLATION: Long hasn't shown any petulance this season and I am not man enough to admit it.

YOU are berating someone for not admitting they may be wrong?

[Snowball]

Long Joint 27th Top Scorer, comfortably in the top 10%
but struggling to catch IAN HARTE out there on SIX Goals


227 Scorers listed, plus a few hundred with zero goals after that