Absolute rubbish. He's a year older than the presumptive Ballon door winner, and not really any slower. He's on the bench because the manager can't figure out how to use him properly, because he doesn't have the nouse to adapt his system to get the best out of players.
Watching a team that has scored 5 goals in 7 league games and saying that our best goalscorer of the last three years doesn't deserve to start over a guy who can't hit the proverbial cow's arse is copium of the highest order. The desperation of some to not consider the idea that maybe the manager is fucking shit is becoming obvious.
Speaking of £50M down the drain, if I were a betting man (and I'm not) I'd be lumping on a red card for him. I believe this is his first time back at Ipswich, I presume the crowd will be on his back and history tells us he's too stupid not to let it wind him up.
Thank heavens for that. Stupid Russ, who it's easier to score points against than shoot fish in a barrel, is back.
I missed you Russ.
Right.
Part of a team scoring goals, is how they get someone in position to score goals.
Currently:
Woods is coming back ( may never fully come back ) from injury - something that typically takes him a run off games. 'Run' currently appearing impossible for him. And even when you stick him in he's so out of form and touch that he can't get a shot off in time.
Delap can run, and get powerful shots off.
A reasonable coach might find one an advantage over there other, rather than Russ's tiny mind trying to find a stick to beat a coach with whatever he does.
You really have to look at what a player can do now. Because time changes things. It doesn't mean that they don't know how, and might be able to give others tips. But they might not be able to physically do it themselves. Or we'd still be playing a front line of woodentop and collywobbles.
The balloon door is a trade magazine award to promote brands. Anyone who seriously thinks harry Kane is the best player in the world might as well poke their eyes out with a stick, because they are not using them.
Wood is on the bench, because he is currently no use on the pitch...and no amount of fondly looking back on the one season in his career when he was surprisingly mustard will change that.
The game has not got slower in the last two years. Wood has.
I wonder if Russ missed the bit where we were told Wood's knee is long term fucked and his game time is going to have to be managed for the rest of his (likely quite short) career. That miss against Arsenal was poor, and he should have scored against Palace too.
I'm not totally against chucking him in tonight. Fuck it you never know it might work. But Delap is very promising and with some coaching and knocking a few goals in we could have a hell of a player for the next ten years if we wanted.