Long - Time to go.

[cmonurz]

I bet a Mars bar and a my half drunk bottle of Stella that Long won't score 20 goals this season.

In what country are either of these "real money"?

Well if that's too steep, let's call it 50p.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

I bet a Mars bar and a my half drunk bottle of Stella that Long won't score 20 goals this season.

In what country are either of these "real money"?

Mars bars have a high value to Marianne Faithful, and a high calorific value afterwards to Mick Jagger, alledgedly

[floyd__streete]

17 league starts this season is it? 1 goal from open play. Whoop.

[cmonurz]

The average for strikers in this league is about 1 goal in 4 chances...

Long has 1 goal from 30 attempts this season.

Contrast that with Hunt, who has 3 from 12, and Church 3 from 22, and Kebe 4 from 26, Karacan 2 from 18.

[floyd__streete]

Long has 1 goal from 30 attempts this season.

Clinical.

[Bandini]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/long-way-to-go-2428623.html

It's what Starfish would have wanted.

[Snowball]

The average for strikers in this league is about 1 goal in 4 chances...

Long has 1 goal from 30 attempts this season.

Long has 6 goals from 37 attempts this season.

Contrast that with Hunt, who has 3 from 12, and Church 3 from 22, and Kebe 4 from 26, Karacan 2 from 18.

Let me know when Church or Hunt have actually scored more goals than Long.

At the moment he has as many as they have combined.

And Hunt got his goal today because of a brilliant ball from HARTE, a superb run
from LONG and an excellent pin-point cross, again from LONG

[Victor Meldrew]

I see the much maligned (by Snowball and nobody else) Kevin Doyle scored a goal in open play today.
So he and Snowball's love child are level for the season and Doyle has played less games.
Class is permanent.

[Snowball]

I see the much maligned (by Snowball and nobody else) Kevin Doyle scored a goal in open play today.
So he and Snowball's love child are level for the season and Doyle has played less games.
Class is permanent.

Jesus, scrape the barrel time. Scurry around to discover Doyle has scored. Whole ONE goal in 12 games and use that to bash Long who has scored four?

[Tony Le Mesmer]

So, Long won us another "Penalty" today? Im losing count. 1 poor decision away from a match winning performance.

[cmonurz]

The average for strikers in this league is about 1 goal in 4 chances...

Long has 1 goal from 30 attempts this season.

Long has 6 goals from 37 attempts this season.

Contrast that with Hunt, who has 3 from 12, and Church 3 from 22, and Kebe 4 from 26, Karacan 2 from 18.

Let me know when Church or Hunt have actually scored more goals than Long.

At the moment he has as many as they have combined.

And Hunt got his goal today because of a brilliant ball from HARTE, a superb run
from LONG and an excellent pin-point cross, again from LONG

What's up? Don't like me using the stats you use?

My stats were from the RFC official site. I think it's at this point (one of the many things I've learnt from you) that I state <clears throat> 'I don't care about international goals', which you have appear to have quite desperately included in your stats as well as his penalties (and let's face it, even Shane Long couldn't miss the target from the spot).

I'm assuming they don't count penalties as shots on target, but I might be wrong, so I'll credit Long with 1 goal from 27 attempts.

Just to post the complete list again; this is important as (one of the many things I've learnt from you) the absolute number of goals means nothing out of context.

Long 1 goal from 27 (or 30) attempts

Hunt 3 from 12
Church 3 from 22
Kebe 4 from 26
Karacan 2 from 18
Mills 2 from 9

And Hunt and Church have 6 goals between them this season. Long has 4. 6 is more than 4.

[leon]

Long, for all his plus points - industry, endeavour, reasonably pacy, hard shot, is not a good finisher - in fact he's a poor finisher. I think he's young enough to get better - not sure how much though.

Hunt's by far the best finisher we have and as importantly, he gets in the right place to score goals. I think him and Hunt might actually make a reasonable partnership.

[Snowball]

What's up? Don't like me using the stats you use?

No I just don't like YOU.

The last few days the conversation on this thread was civil and I even got PMs about it. You're like a sad old poisoned dwarf. I bet you were PRAYING Long wouldn't score, so you could slither back in here and try to cause more discord.

[Snowball]

Hunt's by far the best finisher we have and as importantly, he gets in the right place to score goals. I think him and Hunt might actually make a reasonable partnership.

Always was a good finisher and his goals-per-minute have always been better than Doyle

Remember, because of his knee problems he usually played 60 minutes when starting.

He's as BRAVE but not as strong or fast as Longy and they make a totally obvious pair for 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1or Hunt in the hole in 4-5-1

A season (or the rest of this one) with them as a REGULAR pairing would produce a lot of goals for both players.

Remember that for 90% of this season two centrebacks have been able to mark Long


But with all the above, where do we get the creativity without Harte and Howard?

[Negative_Jeff]

Overall Long had a good game yesterday. However twice he charged the ball down Forster style, accelerated away Forster style but then failed to finish Forster style. There are many things a coach can do to improve a striker but you can`t teach composure and Long hasn`t got it.

[Snowball]

Overall Long had a good game yesterday. However twice he charged the ball down Forster style, accelerated away Forster style but then failed to finish Forster style. There are many things a coach can do to improve a striker but you can`t teach composure and Long hasn`t got it.

Arsene Wenger reckons you can

[Negative_Jeff]

Wenger almost always signs players with composure. Occasionally he gets it wrong and doesn`t persevere such as with Francis Jeffers.

[Terminal Boardom]

You can not make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. The best that we can hope for is that BMcD continues to have the team play to Shane's strengths. At least he does not get caught offside as much as Forster.

[Snowball]

Wenger - Walcott has become more clinical


By Chris Harris

Theo Walcott has added a ruthless streak to his forward play this season, according to Arsène Wenger.
The 21-year-old enjoyed a flying start to the campaign with four goals in his first two starts before an injury suffered on international duty stopped him in his prime.
Walcott returned from his lay-off with a bang, scoring twice at Newcastle in his first start for six weeks. Both Carling Cup goals were taken with aplomb and Wenger likes what he has seen.
"I am highly encouraged by Theo's performance since the start of the season," said the manager.
"He has done extremely well, he has come back and played 90 minutes [against Newcastle] and finished the game quite strong.
"We will have to get him slowly back to his best and he will be a tremendous asset for us in the whole season.
"There is a big difference in him because he has become more clinical. His passing is better, his finishing is better, his runs and resistance to body challenges is much better so he is there."

[Snowball]

Of course, it could also be to due with chronological age
which quite closely corresponds to "playing maturity" and
when players are at their best.

Looking at Actim, and presuming that over the whole 100 these ARE the 100 players
producing at their best over the highest number of matches in a season, ie "roughly"
the best 100 players, then what is their average age/birthday?

I've averaged thirty so far, random names and the D:O:B averages out at January 21, 1984

That is, the average age of the top-playing players is two months short of 27, and by the end of the season will be 27 and 4 months

Noe Hunt is just four weeks younger that that average, another player just hitting his best years

Long has three years of maturing to go, Church has five