[Lord Snooty]

One thing (amongst others) that hasn't been sorted out from last season's debacle is the total lack of ability we have to deal with the long ball over the top, which led toNorthampton's 2nd and 3rd goals yesterday.

The second goal could've been dealt with better. Tom Lees was easily done on the halfway line, but got back and actually got in front of his man. The trouble was the midfielders jogging back to help instead of sprinting back. The supporting Northampton striker was way in front of the lot of them and so had a relatively easy finish.

The third goal though was because we had pushed so many men up as were were two goals down. The way Sorensen went down was pathetic. You're not a Premier League player, lad. This is League One. Stand up, chase him down. Do your bloody job!

How do we get around this problem? Buggered if I know!

Having slated Sorensen, I have to say he's a better defender than Kyle Walker. How bad was he today?

---

So why don't we employ similarly the long ball over the top? Well we did try it yesterday, but either the ball was hit too far and went out of play. Or the ball was played too late and so our attackers were offside. Or our player made a run, stopped and so making the pass look poor.

Big Freddie looked like he has the pace to play this kind of tactic well. Looked very quick when he came on. Marshall ran about a lot first half, but he was up against giant centre backs and was never winning anything in the air. I'd start Tuesday with Koroma and Ladapo up front.

[jjamez]

I guess one of our issues with a high back line is that helik, lees and Pearson if he plays, all run through treacle and have the turning circle of the QE2. The answer would probably be to drop a yard or two deeper and make the gap between defenders and goalkeeper smaller, thus decreasing the effectiveness and meaning it would have to be long balls into channels, which are a lot easier to defend against.

Likewise for us, most teams are quite deep against us so a long ball isn't that effective but when we did do it last season we were too deep and didn't have the pace to go after it so we just kept turning possession over and had the ball coming straight back at us.

On Sorensen, it wouldn't surprise me if at some point he is used as a winger with Spencer behind him.

Does anyone want hints for the anagrams?

[Lord Snooty]

A few clues would be nice, jjamez. I noticed that most of the ones solved so far have been goalkeepers. Any more in there?

[jjamez]

There is definitely one more keeper admist the jumble

[jjamez]

so a few hints for the anagrams, i'll try a funnier hint and then a more obscure footballing one

1) Something a bit fishy about this one. Never made a professional appearance for Huddersfield
2) Paul Rachubka
3) Paul Wilson
4) Steve Francis
5) His dad would be senior. Retired now, has an unusual coaching role for a former player
6) Mickel Miller
7) If a pony tripped... From Huddersfield but never made an appearance, left Northampton to chase money, we could come up against him this season
8) Definitely not a homer. Strange signing by us, could run really fast for a few minutes then was jiggered.
9) Lee Nicholls
10) Alan Starling
11) Not a christian rock artist. Had big boots to fill when he came here and nearly single handily saved us, probably had no choice but to leave us

[Devongone]

I had to smile when I saw Snoots's comments on Sorensen. I remember him thinking Mbete was the worst player he had ever seen. Got in Northampton's team. Has played for England at every level from U15 to U21. Things are looking bright for him, and probably Sorensen too.

It's only a week since you thrashed Bolton and they really aren't bad. You have got Lonwijk. Make the most of him. He is one classy defender but he is a centre back. You don't need a 6'5" full back in Division One. Wolves shouldn't be loaning him out. He should be getting games in the Premier, especially now Mosquera is hurt. He got 35 games with Plymouth two seasons back ....... Your manager was a centre back. What more do you need? He will prove he's the best ball-playing centre back in your league if he's given the responsibility. I wish we'd got him at Chesterfield for the season. We'd win League Two by further than we won the National League ........ I rate him. He'll get full international caps for the Netherlands.

[Lord Snooty]

Mbete played fantastic against us on Saturday. It's obviously, and I think I said this at the time, a lack of decent coaching when these players turn up at the Millers Oils High Performance Training Complex.

So with Sorensen, I stick with what I said. His performance against Northampton was the worst performance I have ever seen from a Huddersfield Town player.

Strange that's he was our best player when he arrived. Didn't take long to get that skill coached outta him.

[ritchiebaby]

Back in the mix after an interesting weekend.

Re Helik's own goal, what on earth was Nicholls thinking about. He could have dived full length and stopped the ball, then stood up and kicked it clear, as long as he didn't handle it.

And for the anagrams - Junior Mendes and Fraser Horsfall (thanks for the clues). I might try the others tomorrow.

[theo_luddite]

I'm about halfway thru my Bollackpool Illuminations thread and my eyelids are starting to weld themselves together. I'll post it early doors tomorrow, just so you know I've not forgotted you all. I have to keep deleting words/sentences around my mentions of Steve bloody Bruce so I don't get banned. Need food ......

[jjamez]

I personally think Sorensen will end up as a winger and I think he could be quite effective there. He's not really a full back/wing back he was a midfielder that got converted, much like josh Ruffles, who some seem to want back in the side at left back to replace headley.

Can't think which would be worse, at least headley has some pace to make up for the exact same shortcomings as ruffles