Daniel Lafferty

[GroovyBrad]

Impressed with how he is quietly going about his business, gets forward well, unlucky not to score his second goal for us last night too.

Understandable that people will talk about EEL and Chapman more in regards to our loanees, but I wouldn't mind us trying to sign Lafferty permanently also come January / the end of the season.

Burnley only paid 150k for him back in 2012 so I doubt we would be breaching the 300k mark

 

[Antonb]

I would sign him if he new how to finish. He has missed some great chances lately .

 

[ben1987]

He wasn't unlucky with his header - right sitter. Got to be hitting the target with those.

However, him being a lefty certainly brings balance to the team and we look a lot calmer at the back compared to when hussey was there

 

[Slim Man]

Just goes to show how football is all about opinions

I might be being harsh but personally think he's been atrocious these past two games. He looks lost on the ball and often loses it with lazy balls, it was evident yesterday with him being our main creative outlet out wide with us missing Freeman. Less said about his shots the better.

Before that he was starting to impress me but I'd consider giving Hussey a run if his form carries on. I actually think he'd make a decent wing back.

 

[coaxingstar71]

As others have noted, he's a 'steady eddie' without being spectacular. Combines well with others, can play as a standard left back or wing back and I think he's a good crosser of a ball - see the assist for Chapman's winner v Bristol Rovers.

Would be a decent signing and don't think he'd be out of place in the Championship.

 

[Ricky]

I'd be happy enough to sign him but wouldn't pay anything like 300k for him.

Might as well wait until the end of the season and sign him on a free. But he wouldn't be first choice in the Championship.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

He wasn't unlucky with his header - right sitter. Got to be hitting the target with those.

However, him being a lefty certainly brings balance to the team and we look a lot calmer at the back compared to when hussey was there

The difference is though that he's not really playing at the back. This formation may well suit Hussey more, bearing in mind we started the season with a back four.

And yes, he wasn't unlucky with that header !

 

[1danewhitehouse]

He's a bit of a mixed bag. At times, he shows a good touch, good positional sense and a good cross. He also gets through some decent mileage up and down the touchline.

At other times, he shanks simple balls out of play, misses sitters and never beats his man.

Personally I find him a bit frustrating but would like to keep him for this season. Not sold on him for the championship if we go up.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

It's another tricky one this, because I agree with Danny. I'm not overly impressed by Lafferty either. Similar to the "should we drop Done debate," I'm intrigued to see what Hussey might offer from LWB, it would surely play to all of his strengths a lot better than before where he was burdened with defensive responsibilities? I feel like, with his left foot, he'd have made a lot more of the positions Lafferty finds himself in. When he arrived he was lauded as a corner / free kick specialist. With the amount of corners we've been winning recently (close to 30 in our last two matches) surely we could do with that ability on the field?

On the one hand there's the "don't fix what ain't broken" argument. On the other there's the (old Tory's selling austerity favourite) "let's fix the roof whilst the sun is shining" argument. I think we'd probably be a better team with Leon Clarke (or Harry Chapman) and Chris Hussey on the field. But what do you do when the results keep coming?

Not to be too pessimistic, I do think our run is coming to an end soon. We might be OK at Charlton (I'd take a draw), but it looks like it'll be a home tie that will catch us out. Somebody will come and park the bus and nick a lucky goal or two on the counter. A good manager will react to that and make the changes required for the following match. A great manager anticipates and mitigates. I'm starting to wonder if now's the time for a couple of changes to freshen things up.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

This formation may well suit Hussey more, bearing in mind we started the season with a back four.

I disagree. Though Hussey's defensive frailties would be exposed less in this formation, I think it requires more athleticism than a left-back in a 4-4-2 – and he lacks that.

 

[ben1987]

The difference is though that he's not really playing at the back. This formation may well suit Hussey more, bearing in mind we started the season with a back four.

And yes, he wasn't unlucky with that header !

Yeah, I didn't want to totally slag him off when we are 14 undefeated though! We're flying and the 11 all deserve some credit

IMO he's steady, but in the bottom two or three performers for me.

 

[Ricky]

Somebody will come and park the bus and nick a lucky goal or two on the counter. A good manager will react to that and make the changes required for the following match. A great manager anticipates and mitigates. I'm starting to wonder if now's the time for a couple of changes to freshen things up.

Spot on. Warning signs have to be acted on. It should never be as simple as 'we got 3 points so don't change anything'.

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

I would sign him if he new how to finish. .

That's an old problem

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

It's another tricky one this, because I agree with Danny. I'm not overly impressed by Lafferty either. Similar to the "should we drop Done debate," I'm intrigued to see what Hussey might offer from LWB, it would surely play to all of his strengths a lot better than before where he was burdened with defensive responsibilities? I feel like, with his left foot, he'd have made a lot more of the positions Lafferty finds himself in. When he arrived he was lauded as a corner / free kick specialist. With the amount of corners we've been winning recently (close to 30 in our last two matches) surely we could do with that ability on the field?

On the one hand there's the "don't fix what ain't broken" argument. On the other there's the (old Tory's selling austerity favourite) "let's fix the roof whilst the sun is shining" argument. I think we'd probably be a better team with Leon Clarke (or Harry Chapman) and Chris Hussey on the field. But what do you do when the results keep coming?

Not to be too pessimistic, I do think our run is coming to an end soon. We might be OK at Charlton (I'd take a draw), but it looks like it'll be a home tie that will catch us out. Somebody will come and park the bus and nick a lucky goal or two on the counter. A good manager will react to that and make the changes required for the following match. A great manager anticipates and mitigates. I'm starting to wonder if now's the time for a couple of changes to freshen things up.

So let's say, for arguments sake Tufty starts Chapman and Clarke on Saturday and we lose. Everyone will be on his back saying why did he change things. Yes, we'll lose at some point and everyone will have the answer why but at the moment, I don't see any need to drastically change things.

It might not seem a drastic change but playing Clarke definitely changes the way Billy plays and playing Chapman would likely mean more defensive duties for those around him so it is more than just swapping a couple of players, it can change the way the team plays.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Agree with most of the comments.

A bit of a "steady eddy" that slips under the radar.

I think he's pretty good at league 1 level. Not sure about Championship level though.

I'd be interested in keeping him if the price is right and we can't find better options.

 

[derryblade]

Personally I'll leave it to CW and his coaching staff, they have done very little wrong so far. There were several chances that could and possibly should been scored earlier in the game and that would have changed the complexion of the game. KE made the point about the timing of runs into the box, arriving to early making scoring that much harder, certainly that can be ironed out on the training pitch. Any team that are on a bad run as Bury were would set up to contain and frustrate the opposition and hope to end that losing streak and CW would have expected it. The only worry I have that missing clear opportunities to score may come back to bite us, in losing points and our goal difference could be a factor come the final finishing places. As the season progresses the pressure on players will increase to convert these chances, can they handle it that's the worry.

 

[BushBlade]

So let's say, for arguments sake Tufty starts Chapman and Clarke on Saturday and we lose. Everyone will be on his back saying why did he change things. Yes, we'll lose at some point and everyone will have the answer why but at the moment, I don't see any need to drastically change things.

It might not seem a drastic change but playing Clarke definitely changes the way Billy plays and playing Chapman would likely mean more defensive duties for those around him so it is more than just swapping a couple of players, it can change the way the team plays.

True. Team dynamics are complex and it's always been the case that your best eleven players aren't necessarily your best team.

 

[ucandomagic]

I agree with the comment somewhere above that Lafferty has been poor in the last 2 games...

...however, he played a beautiful 1-2 with Coutts to create the goal for EEL, so that alone was worth the shirt.

Generally, I thought that Lafferty, Basham, Done and Sharp were all poor last night - the rest were excellent, but it's all about opinions.

Chapman needs to start, though, and be told to go past on the outside because his pace takes him by every time and his chipped crosses are great.

UTB

 

[TCsLoveChild]

Just goes to show how football is all about opinions

I might be being harsh but personally think he's been atrocious these past two games. He looks lost on the ball and often loses it with lazy balls, it was evident yesterday with him being our main creative outlet out wide with us missing Freeman. Less said about his shots the better.

Before that he was starting to impress me but I'd consider giving Hussey a run if his form carries on. I actually think he'd make a decent wing back.

I agree. Thought he was terrible last night, but to be fair half a dozen had poor games. Both he and Bash failed to go past a single man last night and cut the ball back inside every time, which made the play really predictable and easy to defend against. Cant really comment on his defensive abilities but as a wing back we need better. UTB

 

[GrayBlade]

I agree with the comment somewhere above that Lafferty has been poor in the last 2 games...

...however, he played a beautiful 1-2 with Coutts to create the goal for EEL, so that alone was worth the shirt.

Generally, I thought that Lafferty, Basham, Done and Sharp were all poor last night - the rest were excellent, but it's all about opinions.

Chapman needs to start, though, and be told to go past on the outside because his pace takes him by every time and his chipped crosses are great.

UTB

We'll be reight when Duffy's back in the team UCDM. UTB

 

[GrayBlade]

True. Team dynamics are complex and it's always been the case that your best eleven players aren't necessarily your best team.

Agreed. It sounds as though we've been carrying a passenger from some comments, and yet we've not lost a game with Lafferty in the team. Sometimes it's more that what the individual brings to the team as a whole. I didn't think some regular players were good enough in each of our last 3 promotion seasons (coincidently left back Unsworth being one of hem in our last successful season), but in the end they were all part of our success story.

Either way, it'd be a difficult call for Wilder to drop any of the regulars if they're fully fit and we're still on a roll.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Agreed. It sounds as though we've been carrying a passenger from some comments, and yet we've not lost a game with Lafferty in the team. Sometimes it's more that what the individual brings to the team as a whole. I didn't think some regular players were good enough in each of our last 3 promotion seasons (coincidently left back Unsworth being one of hem in our last successful season), but in the end they were all part of our success story.

Either way, it'd be a difficult call for Wilder to drop any of the regulars if they're fully fit and we're still on a roll.

It's exactly this type of holistic approach that most supporters seem to disregard Gray. It it were only about the obviously better players then Jimmy Greaves would have been a shoe-in for the 1966 World Cup Final, but fortunately we had a manager who had discovered a chemistry that brought us the cup of cups! Wouldn't it be lovely to be a fly on the wall when Wilder and Knill discuss the respective merits of player A against player B or G, but managers are judged on their decisions and whether they get it right more often than not. Elsewhere I've mentioned how much I think Chapman might bring to our game, but I doubt Wilder reads my epic posts

 

[GrayBlade]

It's exactly this type of holistic approach that most supporters seem to disregard Gray. It it were only about the obviously better players then Jimmy Greaves would have been a shoe-in for the 1966 World Cup Final, but fortunately we had a manager who had discovered a chemistry that brought us the cup of cups! Wouldn't it be lovely to be a fly on the wall when Wilder and Knill discuss the respective merits of player A against player B or G, but managers are judged on their decisions and whether they get it right more often than not. Elsewhere I've mentioned how much I think Chapman might bring to our game, but I doubt Wilder reads my epic posts

Precisely IIYB, I also think it's sometimes easy to overlook the good things a player does which might not even be with the ball at his feet, but we always remember the mistakes. Duffy for instance is anothr player who divides opinion, but I think what he gives the team overall makes him pretty much irreplaceable in our current squad despite his occasional mistakes.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Precisely IIYB, I also think it's sometimes easy to overlook the good things a player does which might not even be with the ball at his feet, but we always remember the mistakes. Duffy for instance is anothr player who divides opinion, but I think what he gives the team overall makes him pretty much irreplaceable in our current squad despite his occasional mistakes.

Agree mate, and there are those who have been quick to criticise Duffy without appreciating that the positives outweigh any negatives. Our current midfield group of Coutts, Duffy, and Fleck will only get better. Maybe the addition of a talented enforcer would possibly allow the creative element more opportunity to show their capabilities, but we're blessed with three gifted players in our engine room, something that no one last season could have envisaged this term.

 

[riselikeasalmon]

atrocious?? terrible??
really?
Nobody remember Hussey's performance against Southend?

 

[Boxer Blade]

Wilder quickly brought in lafferty after bringing in Hussey because he struggled, in this division hopefully we will be ok, when we go up this season neither will be good enough for us in the championship, so if Lafferty is on a season long loan leave it at that and get the right quality next summer.

 

[Slim Man]

Looks like he's signing permanently. Not thrilled but not by any means gutted, has the odd absolute stinker but doesn't make defensive mistakes very often. Think we need a proper left wing back to break teams down at home.

Best of luck to him if he does sign, not a bad player by any means.

 

[Esablade]

...quite like Lafferty, don't understand some of the stick he gets on here?

P.S think he'd do a similar job in the Champ also...

 

[Slim Man]

...quite like Lafferty, don't understand some of the stick he gets on here?

P.S think he'd do a similar job in the Champ also...

I posted my bit of stick after a few games where his feet seemed to be on the wrong legs. Got back to his early season form of late imo, decent squad player moving forward.

 

[Kenilworth]

I like the feller.
Solid and dependable
And does get forrard