Velikonja - Malky said it himself...

"“Etien likes to play off the shoulder of a target man and score goals."

And i assume Gestede or Helguson haven't travelled and won't be starting alongside him tomorrow.

He also said about tomorrow's game...
"“Etien has to take his chance."

So if he doesn't play well tomorrow and looks isolated either on his own up top or alongside someone like Jarvis, will it have been fair to judge him on this game or should be able to adapt to any role?

Also, if we do play a team full of kids and reserves and end up getting beaten or not creating many opportunities, will we say that Malky has been proven right not to play him all season? Or should we wait until we've seen him in our first team before we judge him?

Interested to know people's opinions. Personally i think he might bag a couple of goals tomorrow, but if he doesn't then i'm not going to judge him on this basis.

I don't think tomorrow will prove anything either way.

I don't think tomorrow will prove anything either way.

Yeah i totally agree, just found it a little strange that Malky said he "has to take his chance". Like i think if he doesn't play well, it will give him his excuse for not playing him in the future if that makes sense, which i think would be unfair.

Did you see him in the friendly against Newcastle by any chance?
Looked lively, a real handful, and took his goal well! But you can't judge a player by friendlies of course, just saying.

But i actually happen to understand why he hasn't played this season because i genuinely believe we have two of the best strikers in the league in Bellamy and Mason, that he's competing with.

Not really. If you cant play well vs Macclesfield why do you deserve a spot in a promotion chasing championship team? Malky talks sense, what a bloke.

I don't think tomorrow will prove anything either way.

Yeah i totally agree, just found it a little strange that Malky said he "has to take his chance". Like i think if he doesn't play well, it will give him his excuse for not playing him in the future if that makes sense, which i think would be unfair.

Did you see him in the friendly against Newcastle by any chance?
Looked lively, a real handful, and took his goal well! But you can't judge a player by friendlies of course, just saying.

But i actually happen to understand why he hasn't played this season because i genuinely believe we have two of the best strikers in the league in Bellamy and Mason, that he's competing with.

On the same note, and similar to the other post on the FA Cup in the sticky's someone pointed out that even a reserve team of ours, should beat a team in the conference, the same basis that Newcastle would have imagined that their friendly/reserve team would have hopefully beaten Cardiff City! ummm? we made them look like a conference team!

I think the key thing that came out of Malky's interview comments on Velikonja was that he had to essentially "bulk up" and build his body strength.

The Championship is a lot more physical than the Slovenian, or most other European leagues, and I feel that Malky thought he was too lightweight when he first arrived. With that in mind the Macclesfield came will be a great test for him as that will be even more physical than the Championship.

I don't think he should be judged on just one game but it will certainly be a barometer as to where his body strength and fitness is at the moment.

I hope he does really well, bangs in a hat trick and gives Malky even more selection headaches.