Why I Hate Shane Long

[RoyalBlue]

Here we go again Stats only give an indication, they actually prove nothing.

And the perfect example is Dean Horrix (RIP). He was a striker who hardly ever scored goals, but his workrate, his knock-downs and his runs into space created so many chances for Trevor Senior that he scored bucketfuls.

But measure Deano purely on the one parameter - goals scored - without looking at the bigger picture, and he clearly wasn't worth a place in the team.

He did score an absolute peach of a goal in one game - can't remember who it was against. It was at the Town End, he picked up the ball on the right and then cut in along the byeline, wriggling past a couple of defenders before curling an absolute gem past the keeper and in at the far post from an incredibly tight angle.

[Avon Royal]

as a 21 year old sport fan (with 0 athletic ability to speak of), this irritates me as well...oh well i guess there still time to get my coaching badges and make my fame down that road

Even though you have no experience in coaching I'd still hire you over Brendan Rodgers..

Move on man.

[Royalee]

I hate Shane Long because he's shit tbqfh.

[Wimb]

Bit harsh, didn't have a bad game today really.

[SLAMMED]

Bit harsh, didn't have a bad game today really.

[Wimb]

Bit harsh, didn't have a bad game today really.

Not saying he had a good game either..... but he wasn't exactly the reason we lost was he? did he get given a single chance?

[SLAMMED]

No, because he was never in the middle of the box where he should be. Too many times today he was out on the wing when he should have been in the box.

[SLAMMED]

Yes, but what about the previous 70?

[SLAMMED]

Then we shouldn't be playing one up front if our only striker can't get in the box.

[Upper West?!?]

To borrow a phrase, "He doesn't have a football brain". Long doesn't run into space, or at least not the right space. Church creates far more chances for himself in the same amount of time. Church also has a better 1st touch. (my car has a better 1st touch) After a pre-season in which Long didn't score and Church did, I was pretty sure Church would start today. Let's hope he does against Pompey.

[floyd__streete]

Church is the answer. But only if the question is: who missed two gilt-edged chances today?

[winchester_royal]

But at least Church puts himself in a position to miss chances. And let's be honest, Long is hardly the most clinical in front of goal when he is very occasionally there.

Obviously it would be better if we would spend some money on a decent striker, but as we're quite clearly not gonna do that, Church should start every time IMO.

[joe999]

I'd go for Long over church every time, but it is a bit like picking the most handsome man in the burns unit.

[Sir Rodger Doyle]

I think we can excuse the last 20 minutes though, yes?

To be honest , I thought he played better with the broken ankle.

[Royalee]

Church is the answer. But only if the question is: who missed two gilt-edged chances today?

Church, he had 2 more chances in 25 minutes than that useless bag of shit had in the previous 65.

[Mr Angry]

Here we go again Stats only give an indication, they actually prove nothing.

And the perfect example is Dean Horrix (RIP). He was a striker who hardly ever scored goals, but his workrate, his knock-downs and his runs into space created so many chances for Trevor Senior that he scored bucketfuls.

But measure Deano purely on the one parameter - goals scored - without looking at the bigger picture, and he clearly wasn't worth a place in the team.

He did score an absolute peach of a goal in one game - can't remember who it was against. It was at the Town End, he picked up the ball on the right and then cut in along the byeline, wriggling past a couple of defenders before curling an absolute gem past the keeper and in at the far post from an incredibly tight angle.

It was against Gillingham.

[Cripple Creek]

I'm 43 and would estimate that I have the "envious of other people's achievements given their age" syndrome around 14 times a day. It's actually getting worse as I get older as I start having to move the goldposts. The other day I found out Ray Reardon was older than me when he was first Snooker World Champion and I absolutely hate snooker and don't give a toss about Ray Reardon. That's how bad it is.

[Hootus McFurby]

I'm 43 and would estimate that I have the "envious of other people's achievements given their age" syndrome around 14 times a day. It's actually getting worse as I get older as I start having to move the goldposts. The other day I found out Ray Reardon was older than me when he was first Snooker World Champion and I absolutely hate snooker and don't give a toss about Ray Reardon. That's how bad it is.

I know that feeling, I was born on the same day as a certain M Schumacher.

[Ian Royal]

Church offers more to the team as a whole, but neither are really out and out goalscorers. We simply don't have one.

Long and Hunt seem to me to be best attacking decent arial crosses into the box, often from breakaways. Obviously there is more to their game than that. It simply doesn't work with one up front because you don't have enough players up there to occupy the defenders giving them the opportunity to drift into space to get a better jump and clearer header.

Church offers something different, but has a tendency to overthink his shots right now. I think all three of them would work reasonably well in partnership with Rasiak. But then we have to leave out one of Kebe, McAnuff & Sigurdsson. Who are probably all better than any of our strikers. We've got 4 pretty good second strikers, but not an out and out goalscorer. Church might get there if he can be a bit more instinctive though.

[Terminal Boardom]

Problem is, play 2 up front where does that leave Sigurdsson? Sig looked lost in CM and need to play in that free role to get the best out of him.