Is McCartney the right man to solve our problems? I doubt it. He is an ordinary left back and a less than ordinary centre back. But as a jack of all trades and master of none, he fits the bill doesn't he?
It's another cog in the machine but look at the machine. It was breaking when Linda was here before and it is now as fcuked as Heather Mill's left leg or is it her right leg? Who cares? All I know is that this is a player who isn't good enough for Sunderland who will now be billed as a key player for West Ham. It's a joke. Another toad to fill another hole.
How did that song go?
"And nothing ever happens, nothing happens at all, the needle returns to the start of the song and we all carry on like before, and we'll all be lonesome tonight and lonesome tomorrow."
28 comments:
I think he'll do just fine HF
So Stani, what were you saying about Cook? Why do they give him so many chances wasn't it? And what was my reply? He will score a century before the end of the series wasn't it? That's 19 test centuries now. He will break every record in the book before he retires given he has at least another 8 years at the top!
Harsh. Linda's first time here was solid. Which was partly why we were able to sell him for a small fortune to Sunderland.
For 1 reason or another it hasn't worked out with Sunderland. But I for one will welcome him back and hope he does well. I see no reason to write him off so quickly....
newsflash, we are not a premiership club. we currently have the highest paid left back in the championship in ilunga, you would think that would mean he is the best left back in the league but i could argue he is the worst. that is how badly we need a left back. linda will be a solid lb in the championship, he lacks a bit of pace but atleast he wont run out of position for 90 minutes and fall over the ball in the last minute to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory.
The trouble is 1924, we now have the TWO highest paid left backs outside the Premiership and neither are world beaters.
HF, I like Linda, he/she was an asset before we sold him! Admittedly, he has slipped a bit over the past couple of years but I think Sam will get him back to a solid LB and do well in the championship. I know it it only paper talk but I read in one of the rags that we are only paying 50% of his £35,000 wages.
He's a decent player, reads the game well. Not quite sure why you're having a moan? its not as if we've bought him for loads money anyway! Shrewd business I think.
Dani Di canio
Del Amitri are gash.
If you give someone enough chances then they will on the balance of probability, make a few. His record is better than the batsman he is and you know that. India hardly have a bowling attack HF. With his flaws, even I can bowl Cook out! He does below average against any quality pace attack
Make a few! He will break EVERY record before he retires. You are an arse sometimes Stani.
I'll be anything just for you HF! Hahaaa
Questiontime in 10 minutes boys!
Wow! What a surprise, another had-his-day, joey-so-so. Unused/unwanted by his last club..and more importantly - FREE!
Great signing!
Did it ever occur to anyone that the ONLY reason these signings were happy to drop down to the npower was because no-one in the PL actually wanted them? And why? Because they're not bloody good enough for the PL! So what are we going to do with them all IF we do get promoted?
To be fair, Linda is only on a season long loan. I suspect tces.he likes of O'Brien and Faye are on 1 year deals too, with an option to extend based on performances. Taylor and Nolan, obviously, are on longer deals. Carew? Maybe a two year deal but he would be good back up in the Prem surely?
This cricket thing how does the ranking work if South Africa B team is no1 and the A team is only 2nd or will it be 3rd now
Problem with that argument Deane is that none of Cook, Broad, Anderson, Tremlett, Bresnan or Swann are South African mate. Trott isn't playing in this one, Strauss was educated over here and has a British Mum and Prior hasn't contributed in this test in a major way yet.
Linda will be fine. He was solid, and I suspect he will be. And it is ironic that he is back since the whole demise can in some ways be dated back to the day he left.
Need a link on this Cook fella. You got me hooked on this new game, HF and Stani, so I need more info if you two intend on going off on these tangents.
Brilliant coverage here. You need Day 2!
http://www.channel5.com/shows/cricket-england-v-india/episodes/day-1-19
Can't access the link, HF. Not available in the USA. I think they afraid Cricket might overtake baseball if more people knew about it!
Deane's not just talking about this Test HF. And you can't deny England take advantage of these silly rules more than any other nation.
Dave, don't watch Cook, you'll not only get put off but die of boredom. Watch Bell, he's much classier.
You can grab the whole day's play on webcric.com with its numerous links at the top. Try checking for channel 5s highlights on YouTube now and again but I'll see if I can find you a highlights link a bit later.
He wasn't good enough for villa, he wasn't good enough for stoke, so a year on - what makes you think he'll be good enough for us?
It would be something maybe if these has-beens were the cast-offs of the likes of chelskl, utd, barca etc. But come on, we're talking about players who weren't good enough any more for bolton, stoke, sunderland and newcastle for fcuk sakes.
We finally unloaded most of the deadwood, but only to swap it for someone else's crap
Stani, "He does below average against any quality pace attack"
Cook's averages:
Australia 51
Bangladesh 67
India 43
NZ 31
Pakistan 41
SA 44
SL 60
WI 61
I thought most test match analysts consider 40 average, so on your reckoning mighty NZ have the only quality pace attack followed by your beloved Pakistan. Interestingly he averages the same or better than Tendulkar against Pakistan, SA, SL and WI, whereas the latter's average of 56 (compared to Cook's 49) is bolstered by his 137 average against Bangladesh!
LOL Stani, more bollocks as Travelling Hammer's superb stats show. What you do not explain to Dave is that it is far harder to average high as an opening batsman due to the new ball. You also fail to point out to Dave that Bell has not exactly chimed as a number three at Test level. How many innings did it take for him to get a century coming in first wicket down? Why? Because the ball is harder, newer and the bowlers are fresh when an innings starts and at number three, you are exposed SOMETIMES to a ball that Cook has to face EVERY time he bats.
I am a fan of Bell too - at 5 - but to compare him to Cook is absurd. Different types for different jobs. Mind you, look at their batting yesterday! Cook's was a classic innings, starting slowly to see off the new ball, keeping the board ticking over when runs were being thumped at the other end (and wickets lost) and then opening up brilliantly. The wagon wheel of his runs was 360 degrees showing his class and domination. His cover drive, knee planted on the floor, is as classical as Vaughan's - and he was brilliant at the shot - whilst his pull is sublime. He really is the complete opener. 4 more centuries and he will be the leading century scorer EVER for England. And he is only 26!
What has cricket got to do with George McCartney let alone Westham.I think you´re losing the plot. I for one thought he was a decent player and so did most of our real supporters thus the reason he got player of the year in his last season with us.
Welcome back George. ---- Mick in Kabul
No HF, with all due respect I think it’s Travelling Hammer talking the ‘bollocks’ and it gives us an idea of what your opinions are as you’ve called them superb stats. Let’s see how I can put this…not every country has a quality bowling attack all of the time so what exactly was the point of quoting Cook’s averages against those countries? Yep, I thought so.
An example of a quality attack would be the one Pakistan had over here the last time they toured. Cook’s average in 7 innings was just 23.9, and even that was inflated by one score of 110. Take the 110 out and that average drops to 9.5 in 6 innings!!! That is a quality pace attack. You yourself admitted he has flaws in his technique so it goes without saying a quality pace attack will expose these. There was nothing wrong with my point.
I’m not talking about Bell’s stats HF, I’m talking about class and style. I advised Dave to watch Bell over Cook and any cricket lover…lover of the game (not its stats) would do likewise.
As for the wagon wheel, it is a pointless graphic because it does not take account of where fielders were standing. You should know this.
Dave, what HF does not explain to you when he says it’s difficult to average high against a new ball is that a new ball can also be taken after 80 overs so it is not an opening batsman that faces a new ball. Nevertheless, batsmen coming in lower down have their own problems such as facing the spinners who only bowl with the older ball as the newer ball is difficult to spin. They also have to play in accordance with the innings and the quality of batsman on the other end. An opener does not need to worry about this and can simply concentrate on himself. It’s a more selfish innings, shall we say.
LOL Pakistan had a quality attack when they weren't accepting bribes to bowl new balls! You fail to understand two key points. Firstly that Cook was miserably out of form last season and seecondly that, despite this, he still had the mental strength to score a century when many were calling for him to be dropped and when his place on the Ashes tour was at risk. Unlike Ravi, he had the mental strength and personality to accept advice. Gooch worked with him, showed him how he was falling over his front leg and sorted out his action. Somebody needs to work on Morgan - despite his century in this match - because he has technical flaws too.
So, how do you explain Bopara's performance today? The contrast with Cook couldn't be more marked could it? Sadly, everybody knew Bopara would fail as he walked to the wicket; whereas all GOOD cricket judges knew Cook would come good!
As for your point to Dave, what you don't explain about the second new ball is that the bowlers are knackered by the time it is taken, the early moisture from the pitch has gone and, if you get to a second new ball, the pressure is generally less as 250 plus is already on the board. In fact, as in this game, the taking of a second new ball generally triggers a flow of runs. Yes it gets middle order and lower order batsmen out because they are inferior in their technique, but if an opening batsman is at the crease when it is taken, his eyes light up!
I forgot to say, Cook's was the sixth highest score EVER made by an Englishman in test match cricket. Not bad for a player you don't rate! Add Bopara's score to Cooks and the two Essex man scored just over 300 between them! Well done Ravi!
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