Duffy

[Deleted member 1486]

First few games I thought 'he' didn't think he should be here... and was so unimpressed by him I thought he'd be gone in January... then as soon as we found our formation and basically gave him more or less a free roll he's started to look like he believes a little more every game that he is good enough and belongs in the shirt.

First ever post so give me a break...

Welcome to the forum mate.

 

[RealMcCoy]

Much as I hesitate to align myself with Pinchy, I don't think Duffy "under performed" in the first half. He really is class. All the time. Every time. Watch it all again. He doesn't stop working, and can play football. Creative, skillfull and attacking. Doesn't always work out, but always exciting and always positive attacking football. Just wish he was 25 and not 31!!
He's the default MoTM at the moment. Keep it real Mark!

 

[YES Blade]

My only worry with Duffy is that we are too heavily reliant on his creativity and if he fails to perform the team generally doesn't perform.

With Chapman injured, we could definitely do with signing a midfielder or two in January to give us more options and cover for injuries.

 

[Karaoke Blade]

whilst I think you have hit the nail on the head, it is also slightly contradictory. We cannot afford for players to go missing and Coutts frequently does. Duffy is playing the most forward role of the mid trio yet he does miles more running than Coutts on and off the ball and like you said if he loses the ball he tries to make it good straight away or at least runs the player with the ball towards a defender or out of an immediate danger situation. The number of times Coutts loses the ball and does not track back to help out is unbelievable. One startling one yesterday was after he had delivered another crap corner towards the end of the game. They broke fast and O Connell was stretched and Mr "jog at my own pace" shirked his responsibility again. Although Duffy was as poor as anyone first half it was still better than any Coutts performance I have seen.

Very harsh on Coutts. I saw him sprinting back throughout the game and he made quite a few crucial tackles. Near the end the Oldham players were bouncing off him as he showed he has tremendous strength on the ball. I think some might be confusing this player with the useless doppelganger we had last season.

 

[pheasant FC]

He was in the league1 team of the year last season and he will be in the league 1 team of the year this season . Until he becomes more consistent he will always be in the league 1 team of the year .

 

[PeteBlade]

I guess Barney can't remember the bet about Duffy.

Come on Barn, man up.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Imagine my dismay when I realised this wasn't a thread announcing the return of the Welsh songstress.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

I've said for a few years now, success is in this league is about having a squad of grafters and then a few that are the best in their position in the league. When have we really been able to say that we've had that since Ched, Maguire and McDonald??

Now, finally we've got...
Moore
EEL and O'Connell
Duffy
Sharp

 

[Barney]

I guess Barney can't remember the bet about Duffy.

Come on Barn, man up.

I've no idea what it was Pete or whether there even was one, but if someone can dig it up I'll honour it. Only after the season has finished though and he's kept performances up, still early days to be getting too confident just yet.

 

[PeteBlade]

I've no idea what it was Pete or whether there even was one, but if someone can dig it up I'll honour it. Only after the season has finished though and he's kept performances up, still early days to be getting too confident just yet.

Good man.

There certainly was one, although no idea what it was so could end up being wrong and looking like a plank anyway!

 

[I should coco]

You were doing so well until......

First ever post so give me a break...

For that pathetic pleading you deserve to be thrown to a hungry pack of Pinchys and Barneys.

That'll learn ya!

BTW, welcome aboard.

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

We have found an ideal floating position for him which suits his game - lovely quick feet - can turn on a sixpence - creates space out of nothing.

Much credit to Wilder for this--another example of an open-minded, self-reflective and humble but decisive management style that is happy to acknowledge misjudgements or mistakes and correct them accordingly, or to try other things. (Other examples include rapid changes of heart on Hussey, Long, Coutts, Freeman, etc).

Duffy started off in the side as, and presumably was scouted and bought in as, a winger, but brought very little to the team in that position, early doors. Acknowledging this and shifting him inside, then allowing him to drift in a no.10(ish) role, has been one of the keys to our great run. Left out wide and consistently playing below par, by now he'd either be a regular on the bench or spending every other Saturday sitting in the block behind the dug-out in a shiny suit.

As much noted, he's so hard to defend against partly because he constantly sees, then moves into, space. This is not an easy thing to do in a 5-man midfield, where space can be limited, particularly when our 5 is matched by the oppo as has happened several times already this season, home and away. His ability to do this also gives us a fantastic, and always potentially destructive, asset against park-the-bus visitors.

It looked to me, though I was a bit bleary eyed, like Oldham set up to man-mark him, and did so quite effectively in the first half. One reason, I think (alongside a below par rest of the midfield) why we looked a bit ropey on Boxing Day ? Most encouragingly, tho, even man-marking him wasn't enough, in the end, to stop him decisively influencing the game.

Smart !

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Much credit to Wilder for this--another example of an open-minded, self-reflective and humble but decisive management style that is happy to acknowledge misjudgements or mistakes and correct them accordingly, or to try other things. (Other examples include rapid changes of heart on Hussey, Long, Coutts, Freeman, etc).

Duffy started off in the side as, and presumably was scouted and bought in as, a winger, but brought very little to the team in that position, early doors. Acknowledging this and shifting him inside, then allowing him to drift in a no.10(ish) role, has been one of the keys to our great run. Left out wide and consistently playing below par, by now he'd either be a regular on the bench or spending every other Saturday sitting in the block behind the dug-out in a shiny suit.

As much noted, he's so hard to defend against partly because he constantly sees, then moves into, space. This is not an easy thing to do in a 5-man midfield, where space can be limited, particularly when our 5 is matched by the oppo as has happened several times already this season, home and away. His ability to do this also gives us a fantastic, and always potentially destructive, asset against park-the-bus visitors.

It looked to me, though I was a bit bleary eyed, like Oldham set up to man-mark him, and did so quite effectively in the first half. One reason, I think (alongside a below par rest of the midfield) why we looked a bit ropey on Boxing Day ? Most encouragingly, tho, even man-marking him wasn't enough, in the end, to stop him decisively influencing the game.

Smart !

I went bonkers with the team after 5 games which had Duffy playing as a RW in a 4-4-2 formation, as well as Done on the other side - but credit to CW & AK for changing it and fitting Duffy into this free role. For me he is a contender for player of the year. He makes us tick up front where he now plays. Just needs to add some consistency.

UTB

 

[Vintage Shirt]

he's soooo bloody good!

 

[Sean Thornton]

NcCabes selling him in January. I read it on here.

 

[Hodgyman]

He was crap first half, better in the second.

All that needs to be said about him today really, and indeed the rest of the team.

Neither Coutts, Fleck or Duffy played well in the first half probably due to the long ball direct to the strikers (more than usual) from Moore and the defenders bypassing them. They came into the game more in the second half. I'm not knocking that if it was the game plan of the Managerial Masters. It might have been purposely to catch Odham out or confuse them by playing in a different method to our usual style. It wasn't pretty but it worked out OK over 90 minutes

 

[GrayBlade]

I always rated him but I found myself defending him earlier on in the season.

Some were telling me that he wasn't a patch on Fleck and Coutts and we should even drop him, but I tried to explain that although they did the simple things well, Duffy was always trying to make something happen and try something different. He wasn't taking the easy pass, but of course playing like he does means more mistakes, it's a fact of football.

Duffy and Billy are the heart of our team. We'd look sick without either of them because we currently haven't got anybody anywhere near as good to fill their boots.

 

[GrayBlade]

NcCabes selling him in January. I read it on here.

Apparently. If Billy doesn't go to Huddersfield.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Apparently. If Billy doesn't go to Huddersfield.

I tend not to go in the Rumours section. I like to read bs on the main board Gray!

 

[Douglas Jardine]

NcCabes selling him in January. I read it on here.

Heard that also,it is down to the 2nd instalment that is due on the Desso pitch,1st Jamie Murphy sold to pay for the white elephant,now Mark Duffy.

We are limping to the play offs,holed beneath the water.

Douglas Iron Duke Jardine

 

[snootyfenooty]

Duffy sometimes stresses me out when he passes wide when a shot on goal would seem to be the better option.

Sometimes, this may not be a bad ploy but the crossers are often Freeman and Lafferty, the former who is okayish but the latter who can't cross to save his life (reminds me of JCR - does everything right up until the final delivery then forgets to lift his head up).

Am I OK to make a criticism?

 

[Stretch]

I always rated him but I found myself defending him earlier on in the season.

Some were telling me that he wasn't a patch on Fleck and Coutts and we should even drop him, but I tried to explain that although they did the simple things well, Duffy was always trying to make something happen and try something different. He wasn't taking the easy pass, but of course playing like he does means more mistakes, it's a fact of football.

Duffy and Billy are the heart of our team. We'd look sick without either of them because we currently haven't got anybody anywhere near as good to fill their boots.

Here here Gray, I think a few of us were in the same boat early in the season. For me he is the best footballer at the club at the minute, as much as I rate some of the other lads. 5 goals and rapidly catching Fleck with 7 assists, I think he will double each of those tallies at least and end up as player of the season, or at least a close second behind our 30 goal striker

 

[GrayBlade]

Heard that also,it is down to the 2nd instalment that is due on the Desso pitch,1st Jamie Murphy sold to pay for the white elephant,now Mark Duffy.

We are limping to the play offs,holed beneath the water.

Douglas Iron Duke Jardine

Ahh but that's because he's used up the money that he'd put aside for the 2nd Desso instalment to pay Chesterfield's players and staff as a down payment on Ched Evans.

 

[GrayBlade]

Here here Gray, I think a few of us were in the same boat early in the season. For me he is the best footballer at the club at the minute, as much as I rate some of the other lads. 5 goals and rapidly catching Fleck with 7 assists, I think he will double each of those tallies at least and end up as player of the season, or at least a close second behind our 30 goal striker

Agreed mate there's every chance.

The only thing that's shocked me is his age, I thought he was mid-20's. He looks every bit a Championship quality player, maybe Wilder can give him the confidence to finally perform at a higher level with us if we go up as a last hurrah.

 

[Stretch]

Am I OK to make a criticism?

Absolutely, no one has ever claimed he is perfect, hence why he ploughs his trade in League 1, for now at least.
I think his decision making has got gradually better though which makes sense as he adjusts to his new team mates and they all align to each other's wavelengths.
For me he is an absolutely key player now and without him we won't be half as successful.

 

[Ricky]

I've not seen anyone play the number 10 role for us as well as Duffy.

 

[Stretch]

Agreed mate there's every chance.

The only thing that's shocked me is his age, I thought he was mid-20's. He looks every bit a Championship quality player, maybe Wilder can give him the confidence to finally perform at a higher level with us if we go up as a last hurrah.

He definitely looks younger and it's a shame we haven't got him in his mid 20s but some players mature and peak later on, I reckon he has a good few years left yet. Agree he could probably make the step up and has had a bit of experience on the Champ with Brum.

 

[sheffielder]

I love the way he picks pockets of space rather than sticking to a position. He can be found right left or centre. He is also quicker than he looks

 

[JohnDenver]

Duffy sometimes stresses me out when he passes wide when a shot on goal would seem to be the better option.

Sometimes, this may not be a bad ploy but the crossers are often Freeman and Lafferty, the former who is okayish but the latter who can't cross to save his life (reminds me of JCR - does everything right up until the final delivery then forgets to lift his head up).

Am I OK to make a criticism?

That's my one criticism too. He can try to work a clear opening when the option is there to cross blind and trust the forwards to anticipate his move. Sometimes it can pay off to act quickly and take a gamble.

 

[Ricky]

We should have signed him from Scunny in January 2013 when we sold Blackman but inexplicably didn't, despite the tiny amount he would've apparently cost.

If we had we would've probably been promoted already, but if not he'd still be here now and would've been a key player for us for 3/4 seasons - top of L1 has been his level and he wouldn't have gone anywhere had we not been promoted. Duffy and United are a good fit for each other.