What is puzzling you with our current squad situation?

This is NOT a thread for every Fifa approved xbox manager to come on and slate Malky and his decisions.

I just wanted to guage everyone's feelings so far with 40% of the season gone. Still a long way to go, but what has annoyed you, or puzzled you as a fan so far regarding our playing squad?

For me, it is two major things. One being the lack of first team action for Craig Conway. When Tommy Smith went away injured I though that Craig would get his chance in the starting 11,clearly Malky has opted to use Kim Bo more though, and personally I still don't think he's 100% up to speed for this division, and I prefer Conway out wide. On his day he is as good as Noone. Secondly, I'm not getting my head around the Velikonja situation either.
There have been games this season where we could have used him rather than gestede or Mason, who in honesty are having very quiet seasons so far.

Why have we spent potentially £2m on a player that has done what Malky said wouldn't do and that was bench warm? If we are pushing for premier league football when will he ever be good enough to be selected for first team action?

If i was either of these two players I wouldn't be best pleased to be honest.

I agree with just about everything here,it's puzzling and worrying that MM is leaving players out in the cold but giving average players like Kim Bo and Gestede a run,many would argue that we are getting results so my argument holds no water.

Honestly I keep wondering when we'll see Velikonja but it feels like he's right on the edge of breaking in to the team, at least on the bench. Maybe we'll see him Saturday - if there's any team that would be good for a run out it's Wednesday. As for KimBo I honestly haven't seen him enough to give any sort of substantiated opinion but from what I hear he's more consistent than Conway, although I think Craig does deserve some more game time.

The injuries have just been plain bad luck but as Carl has been saying since day 1, these things happen and maybe Malky should have done something about it earlier... HOWEVER - we will have Kev, Tayls and Turner(?) back for Sunday, with Smith and Cowie also on their way. We have been through a mini injury crisis but taken 10 points from possible 12, which is testament to the ability of those even on the fringes. If we can be more resilient away from home, like we were in the last 15 v Barnsley and pretty much the whole of the Derby match, then we will start to pull away from the rest in the division.

I will say this: with Noone out on Sunday, I'd like to see Bellers start out wide, Mason up front and Velikonja on the bench OR Bellers up front, Conway out wide and Mason and Velikonja both getting on the bench.

IN MALKY I TRUST

Velikonja & MMs insistence to use that carthorse Gestede instead of him.

Velikonja & MMs insistence to use that carthorse Gestede instead of him.

I agree ..... what's Velikonja done wrong not to get a place on the bench at least ??

conway is nowhere near as good as noone and velikonja cost 1m

conway is nowhere near as good as noone and velikonja cost 1m

Velikonja cost £1m up front. But the deal is potentially £2m depending on bonuses, promotion etc etc. That is what I was led to believe.

Conway ripped apart Newcastle pre season. And we haven't seen him since! I'm not saying he's better than Noone, but there have been times when he's been on his game and has played as good as.....

Let's not go off topic though, has there been any frustrating issues for you so far this season?

He also changed the game at Ipswich away and got us 3 points!

whats been frustrating for me is people moaning when we are top of the league.


I dont mean you so much, and yeah id like to see other players get game time (seen velikonja in a few u21 games and he does look good!)

but only 11 can play, we waited for ages for kim, everyone said he would be class, and he just looks average to me. Conway is where he should be imo.

I disagree Conway is where he should be....

Conway is far too good to be warming benches,if we aren't going to use him I'd rather we'd cash in on him save some money and at least respect his wishes to leave and go and let him play football somewhere where he'll be appreciated?

I have some friends on twitter from Scotland and they are go smacked that we aren't using him or at least allowing him to go? He was a hot prospect up there a few seasons ago.

Is anyone frustrated with mason at all this season? I know he's still young and learning, but he seems a shadow of his former self lately too. Mind I know he he does a lot off the ball to help helguson get into space, I'm just mentioning this to see if players like velikonja deserve a go in his place?

Don't take my thread the wrong way I'm ecstatic that we are at the summit of the table I'm just asking the question.

If Velikonja is a off the shoulder striker why he hasn't played instead of mason must mean MM must think he is not up to the grade- but scoring for fun in the Development team doesn't add up.

Mason hasn't set the world alight this year, did Kenny Millar's movement help Joe get his space ?

To me HH and Mason isn't working - its so bad we are top of the league

I'm pretty happy with nearly everything to be honest.

Don't care about Conway being left out, just don't think he is as good as the other first team players.

Slightly confused that we paid so much money for Velikonja but he doesn't get a game, even with Maynard out.

It's also annoying we sit back SO MUCH after taking the lead, even to see the midfield pressing a bit more when we are sitting back would be better.

I'm one of the few who like Gestede though, I like his strength and pace and holding the ball up, even if he can't score!

Nothing has really puzzled me to be honest and it's hard to say much when we are top of the league.

I would have said Kimbo not starting any games but MM was just waiting for the right time, which is fine by me. Could be the same with Etien. We are top scorers in the league so it's not really something we are struggling with.

for me its:
1) not using Velkikonja
2) lack of defensive cover
3) not replacing Maynard
4) sitting back away

but saying all that, top of the league, unbeaten at home! but it just makes you think how far ahead we would be if Maynard was fit, we played like the way we do at home and if Velikonja was given a chance in tight games! coukd well be atleast 6 points clear!

overall so far has been good, and considering we haven't played our best and are still top then things might get better!

I can see how we could have done a lot better this season. Believe me that's not something that is upsetting me, I think as things stand that can only be a good thing.

Imagine we had the rub of the green to be top of the table and you felt we were lucky to be there,that would be something to worry about!

I feel if the same tenacity and determination that's been shown in games recently, is applied to sort out where we are going wrong, this league is there for the taking!