This Season...

[MK_Cobbler]

Ah so that's why he starts every game. He tries hard and scored against non-league teams in friendly matches.

One goal (a penalty) in 5 matches, and a whole load of abuse on these boards. No I don't trust Sammo's judegment in this case, and like many here am disappointed that he is preferred to Purcell.

I think you're on your own on this one.

Ok, so you and everyone else on this board know a lot more about Purcell and Guinan than our manager and coach do?..... No I didn’t think so.

[NTFC Nut]

The fact that Sammo shoehorned both Guinan and Purcell into yesterday's line-up proves it's more about wanting Guinan to start for whatever reason than not wanting Purcell in the team. No idea what the benefits are and why he is so steadfast in insisting Guinan keeps his place in the team, but I think it's safe to say yesterday's game proved even Seb Harris is a much more effective target man than Guinan, and he was playing American college soccer 12 months ago and is primarily a centre-half nowadays. That speaks volumes for Guinan's performance levels. He seems a nice bloke and I wish him well with the club but I'd be much more comfortable with him on the coaching staff and as a back-up than as a first choice centre-forward every week.

[Dr Feelgood]

There is no way on earth we'll go up...we struggle against these bullish Div 4 teams..I actually think we'd be higher up the league in Div 3 right now..

[NTFC Nut]

There is no way on earth we'll go up...we struggle against these bullish Div 4 teams..I actually think we'd be higher up the league in Div 3 right now..

Agree. League One suits the 4-2-3-1 better, and that's the only formation we ever look like scoring in.

[Deepcut Cobbler]

So, if in the opinion of the 'majority' on here Guinan should not be playing/be first choice, why does Sammo keep picking him?
What does Sammo see in Guinan above every other player able to play in his position that all of you 'experts' on here can't?

If it was my job that was based on 'results', I would not be playing my second or third best player in a particular posistion just so I could get rid of him, to the detriment of those most valuable 'results'. 

[Insider]

I'm not going to comment on Guinan's performances, he is clearly trying very hard, and it just isn't working for him at the moment.  But in the pre-match interview with him before the Torquay game, Guinan said that he was being played in the hope he could "bang in a couple of goals that would get him a move to another club before the window closed".  His words.  In our dire situation, it's a bit like owning a car that's started playing up.  You cannot replace until you have the cash from a sale, so the last thing you'd do is stop advertising in the paper.  This may be a new reality for a lower division team trying to offload one of its most expensive players.

[Erith_Cobbler]

Ok, so you and everyone else on this board know a lot more about Purcell and Guinan than our manager and coach do?..... No I didn’t think so.

In this case...yes.

[Marvo]

In this case...yes.

This from the guy who thought Wedderburn would be too tired to play this week! 

[Erith_Cobbler]

This from the guy who thought Wedderburn would be too tired to play this week! 

I was right about Herbert though wasn't I 

[DrillingCobbler]

Im with those who think he's being played to sell. But the only problem with this tactic is - to further add to Insiders analogy - that when somebody sees the advert and takes the car for a test drive, they will then know how s***e it is and not bother buying it.

I think we should have kept the car in the garage with no petrol in it and a contract that says 'sold as seen' forced upon whoever decided to buy it!

[HertsCobbler]

I also wonder if Sammo is concerned we do not have many experienced heads in the side.  Hall and Holt aside, if Guinan was left out, most of the players are in their early to mid 20s.  Maybe he thinks Guinans' experience is useful.  I certainly do not!

[The Hask]

I also wonder if Sammo is concerned we do not have many experienced heads in the side.  Hall and Holt aside, if Guinan was left out, most of the players are in their early to mid 20s.  Maybe he thinks Guinans' experience is useful.  I certainly do not!

Guinan for all his experience needs to start playing to the whistle, many occasions yesterday he froze expecting a foul only for the ball to be played around him while he was flapping his arms around.

[abington_cobbler]

Guinan for all his experience needs to start playing to the whistle, many occasions yesterday he froze expecting a foul only for the ball to be played around him while he was flapping his arms around.

He does that in every game not just yesterday 

[The Hask]

He does that in every game not just yesterday 

For some reason it became more obvious to me yesterday

[bungle]

Im with those who think he's being played to sell.

Perhaps this theory will be proved or disproved one way or the other after the transfer window closes. If Guinan is still here and suddenly gets dropped it will start to look like you were right all along. Personally I don't think that Sammo is the type to put business before football, however strange his continued selection of Guinan, coupled with the bizzare signing of Alaistair Slowe, might appear. I think his continued faith in Guinan is arising of some misguided idea that A. you can't win in League Two without a target man and B. that Guinan is the best we currently have in the squad. I disagree with both these propositions, and would like to see us play without a target man altogether. However, if Sammo insists on having a big lump up top, why not extend Harris' cameo into a start against Hartlepool in the JPT? I really can't believe that he'd be less effective than Guinan.

Once again, however, Sammo's team selection didn't make much sense on Saturday. What did he think he would gain by dropping Herbert for Guinan? I'm all for 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, but to make it work you need players with pace and energy out wide. Sammo's gone on record as saying Purcell and Guinan are 'similar' types of player - surely he realises you can't play both in the same team? Herbert has a lot of faults but his pace makes him infinitely more dangerous than Guinan. Wycombe's defenders probably allowed themselves a collective sigh of relief when they saw the teamsheet.

[PineWoody]

I can't accept that Sammo is playing him purely to try and sell him and if he is, I completly disagree with his decision. Apart from anything else, all playing him in every game is doing is showing all the scouts that have flocked in from every club in the country how s*** and ineffective he is. Instead we found another approach, bribing the football league show to lavish praise on him, a better route of advertising to follow in my view.

I sincerly hope Sammo wasn't playing him just to put him in the shop window, although I also hope if he was that it has worked (looking unlikely) and also that if he wasn't, that he now realises his mistake and starts someone (anyone) else up front.

I am worried about our poor start in the league, I was hoping we could make the play-offs this season and at the moment we look a long way off, but i still beleive our midfield is one of the best in this league and if we can somehow start scoring goals, these draws will turn into wins.

[Positively Mad Mark]

I am not happy with the form of the season so far but am not going to get too concerned as yet, who would bet that Torquay will be top of the league at Christmas, et alone the end of the season?

Remember how well Barnet were doing last season when they won at Sixfields!  It is a marathon not a sprint.

[DrillingCobbler]

So far, in all competitions: After 90minutes only:

Played 7. Won 1, drawn 3, lost 3. Scored 6, conceded 11.

No spin, these are the stats. And the game we won was against Brighton reserves!

I've got to say, Im very worried - now that transfer deadline day has passed without any activity.

[RussNTFC]

After those depressing stats.....who's up for Aldershot away?!   

See you there!   

[DrillingCobbler]

I would go to that Russ but *unfortunately* I have got to be in Bedford circa 7pm at a wedding reception! And before anyone says I can get back in time I cant because I've worked it all out!