Anton To Face Fans Backlash?

[Extended-Phenotype]

Karacan got injured after the window closed and we've replaced him effectively.

We're not missing anyone right now. I wouldn't lose sleep over worrying what would happen if someone got injured, Legs is coming back soon - Baird can always slip into defence as well.

It's not keeping me awake at night.

Just pointing out that it's complete revisionism to dismiss Kebe and Mapps as surplus and understate their past importance. They weren’t two nobodies of questionable value, they were key players last season and could well have been this season too.

[genome]

Agreed, but we're winning and our squad is looking good this year so I just find the discussion a bit fruitless.

[RoyalBlue]

Karacan got injured after the window closed and we've replaced him effectively.

We're not missing anyone right now. I wouldn't lose sleep over worrying what would happen if someone got injured, Legs is coming back soon - Baird can always slip into defence as well.

It's not keeping me awake at night.

Just pointing out that it's complete revisionism to dismiss Kebe and Mapps as surplus and understate their past importance. They weren’t two nobodies of questionable value, they were key players last season and could well have been this season too.

One of those key players was absent due to injury for most of the key parts of last season. As Adkins subsequently said, if Jimmy Kebe had been available in the latter part of the season he could have helped keep us up.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Agreed, but we're winning and our squad is looking good this year so I just find the discussion a bit fruitless.

Why join in a fruitless discussion?

Matey was saying we don't miss Kebe or Mapps. I said that's easy to say when everyone is fit.

Fair enough response imo.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Karacan got injured after the window closed and we've replaced him effectively.

We're not missing anyone right now. I wouldn't lose sleep over worrying what would happen if someone got injured, Legs is coming back soon - Baird can always slip into defence as well.

It's not keeping me awake at night.

Just pointing out that it's complete revisionism to dismiss Kebe and Mapps as surplus and understate their past importance. They weren’t two nobodies of questionable value, they were key players last season and could well have been this season too.

One of those key players was absent due to injury for most of the key parts of last season. As Adkins subsequently said, if Jimmy Kebe had been available in the latter part of the season he could have helped keep us up.

We really missed one of our key players, agreed.

[genome]

Fruitless was the wrong term... odd, maybe. I was wondering why you would make the point when we are good form and when their transfers out don't seem to be affecting us at all, there's just a possibility that it might if some players got injured. You could say that about any club at any time.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Fruitless was the wrong term... odd, maybe. I was wondering why you would make the point when we are good form and when their transfers out don't seem to be affecting us at all, there's just a possibility that it might if some players got injured. You could say that about any club at any time.

I just said that I think this transfer window is open to criticism and was disagreeing with people playing down the importance of certain players as a counter argument, and suggesting that because everyone is fit we aren’t going to miss them.

Nothing odd about that observation.

[genome]

I understand the point you're making. But we're not missing them. We could have sold Lionel Messi but if we are still winning games it doesn't matter. 3 points are 3 points. For me, the transfer window was "disappointing" due to the club's awful PR, but if it turns out our squad is good enough and we continue winning then I couldn't care less.

[Extended-Phenotype]

I understand the point you're making. But we're not missing them... we are still winning games it doesn't matter.

Then you don't understand the point I'm making, even though it is rather simple and nutshelled in my above post.

[genome]

I don't dispute they weren't important last season. I just don't think if a couple of players got injured then they instantly would have been the answer. I think we have enough cover and the squad is good enough, as demonstrated by recent results.

[Ian Royal]

Lol @ a player who was arguably our best CB last season and a player of whom we regarded first on the team sheet for the last three not being key.

This is all that's worth reading. Don't play = not key.

We're really missing Maps and Kebe.

Not easy to miss cover/depth until you need it.

If they're cover / depth, they aren't key you mingterd.

Make your mind up.

[Extended-Phenotype]

If you are confident in your opinion, why do you need to reply to a passive post with an insult?

Mapps and Kebe were key players. They likely could have been again. Sounds to me that you don't like being wrong, tbh.

[Ian Royal]

If you are confident in your opinion, why do you need to reply to a passive post with an insult?

Mapps and Kebe were key players. They likely could have been again. Sounds to me that you don't like being wrong, tbh.

I don't. But happily, on this occasion I'm not. Unless you want to say that most of our squad are key, in which case it's an utterly meaningless phrase.

TBH I'm just trying to provoke an insult from you in return because I like your insulting style.

[RoyalBlue]

One of those key players was absent due to injury for most of the key parts of last season. As Adkins subsequently said, if Jimmy Kebe had been available in the latter part of the season he could have helped keep us up.

We really missed one of our key players, agreed.

Cleverly done. I should, of course, have put inverted commas around the 'key'. I think you really knew that my point was that Kebe could no longer be regarded as/relied on as being 'key' because he was more often than not 'injured' and took so damn long to recover. Given that, his departure was no real loss. Wouldn't surprise me if he was out 'injured' for nearly as many games as he plays now he is at Palace.

[Extended-Phenotype]

If you are confident in your opinion, why do you need to reply to a passive post with an insult?

Mapps and Kebe were key players. They likely could have been again. Sounds to me that you don't like being wrong, tbh.

I don't. But happily, on this occasion I'm not. Unless you want to say that most of our squad are key, in which case it's an utterly meaningless phrase.

TBH I'm just trying to provoke an insult from you in return because I like your insulting style.

Personally, I would argue that any player who is interchangeable with anyone else for a first team spot is key.

Mapps and Kebe in my view would be equally likely to start and perform well as their colleagues. Neither would be a big step down and would be part of rotation and form, able to win back their place and hold on to it even if their equals returned from injury.

Mapps was sitting out probably because it was on the cards he would be leaving. Even if that was not the case, if Pearce or Morro got injured I doubt he would have been a temporary replacement and had the ability to keep either out on form.

Kebe's issue with fitness is much exaggerated imo. He too could have kept out others on form and would certainly be ahead of HRK, possibly McCleary - hence could be argued an important player.

I just don't agree that both are easily dismissed like nobodies. Good players, as likely to be first teamers as their rivals, and would be key to anyones plans over the course of a season should they have stayed.

Seems football agrees with me, seeing as both have moved on to a 'better' team.

[LoyalRoyal22]

If you are confident in your opinion, why do you need to reply to a passive post with an insult?

Mapps and Kebe were key players. They likely could have been again. Sounds to me that you don't like being wrong, tbh.

I don't. But happily, on this occasion I'm not. Unless you want to say that most of our squad are key, in which case it's an utterly meaningless phrase.

TBH I'm just trying to provoke an insult from you in return because I like your insulting style.

Get a oxf*rd life

[RoyalinBracknell]

One of those key players was absent due to injury for most of the key parts of last season. As Adkins subsequently said, if Jimmy Kebe had been available in the latter part of the season he could have helped keep us up.

We really missed one of our key players, agreed.

Cleverly done. I should, of course, have put inverted commas around the 'key'. I think you really knew that my point was that Kebe could no longer be regarded as/relied on as being 'key' because he was more often than not 'injured' and took so damn long to recover. Given that, his departure was no real loss. Wouldn't surprise me if he was out 'injured' for nearly as many games as he plays now he is at Palace.

You quoted Nigel Adkins saying if Kebe had been fit he might have given us a better chance of staying up - it sounds like he was reasonably 'key' to me!

[melonhead]

Should have been, would have been, could have been, wasnt

[RoyalBlue]

Should have been, would have been, could have been, wasnt

Exactly. And having let us down at that point (only he truly knows how injured he was at various points during his career with us) he could no longer be relied on to be a key player for us. Therefore IMO his departure this season was no great loss. Rather have a slightly less talented but far more robust/reliable player in his place.

[Hoop Blah]

Neither player were key this season because both, it would seem, wanted to be elsewhere.

Marriappa leaving leaves us short of cover at centre half yes, but if Pearce or Morrison suffer a significant dip in form or an injury that will keep them out for a decent amount of time then I'd expect the club to make another loan signing. If there's a short term issue then Gorkss would have to step in.

Neither are ideal, but we're not in a bad position.