by Alan Partridge »
16 Oct 2006 14:02
Royal Rother Alan Partridge Royal Rother Stranded I like Long but he has not proved at all that he could handle 90mins at the top level right now. He offers an excellent alternative off the bench with 20 to go as his pace can worry tiring defenders.
I like Lita but he has not proved at all that he could handle 90mins at the top level right now. He offers an excellent alternative off the bench with 20 to go as his pace can worry tiring defenders.
Had we had another better option you could be right, we don't so there we go.
I just have found Lita so utterly ineffectual, in identically the same way each game, that I am wondering whether it is worth playing him when it seems pretty obvious that he (or the game he is playing at the moment) is so easy for top defenders to handle.
As you suggest though, he would probably be better getting on the end of chances in the box, but we're not really creating any / many so haven't seen him in that situation.
I just think we might as well see if something else could work for a longer period of a game. Okay Long was ineffective against Darlington but he was not playing with the 1st team squad. Small factor, but relevant nonetheless.
Incidentally I was just chatting to a Man Utd supporter who thought Doyle had a good match, far batter than Lita, and that Long also did very well when he came on. So there you go!
That means nothing, someone has probably asked royalee how we played on Saturday and he told them Hunt was crap so don't take whatver oppo fans say as fact, it's just an opinion.
Lita isn't playing the same role as he likes, he's our Cureton esque predator around the box but circumstances (Kitson's injury) has made it so he's the one having to do some of the dirty stuff and winning the flick ons instead of being on the end of them. He just needs a goal from somewhere, anywhere.
Oh and Lita played in that game and scored twice despite playing in a '2nd' team
Second goal was class first was a poacher's goal.
He'lll get goals, let's also not forget he's still a very young player learning his trade. He's definitely improved in certain areas of his game, to say he's been ineffective against top defenders is probably right so far... but there is a reason they are top defenders. Has Doyle been effective? I like Doyle as much as anyone but penalty aside against Man U, did he do a lot else? Saturday? (Royalee don't go off on one, just a bit of debate)
Their have been times when both of them have looked a real threat Sheff Utd where both could have had a couple each, Villa before Leroy had to go off, Wigan Leroy could and probably should have nicked us an undeserved point. So despite the flaws there's optimism with both of them.
