Baxter

[UpTheClough]

Its very rare I will post but i can't hold out any longer. Does anyone know why baxter gets in the team week in week out to me he appears lazy and disinterested and is clearly overweight. His brain thinks he is much better footballer than he is and he is always looking to play the hollywood pass which 9 out of 10 times gives away possession. He is clearly one of Clough's "favourites" but why he offers nothing defensively and is one good turn and the odd decent ball really enough to warrant a place in the starting 11?

 

[robbiez666]

He is lazy, and I think of one of our problems is that Clough builds the formation round him. He's been the player who has scored though, but now Murphy is taking that mantel, I'd rather we played two upfront or Murphy behind a striker. We'd need a left winger if the latter was to happen though.

 

[Woodwardfan]

I've backed Baxter on here time and again when under criticism on similar threads. I am running out of steam though after last night. I too thought he was lazy and indulgent with his over ambitious passes.

I must say I do not like to see the team set up with both Scougall and Baxter together, neither has enough involvement in games and playing them together against a strong side is unwise. Mind you County weren't very good so I suppose it was worth a try. Backfired though.

 

[boo radley]

I wonder how long people will be patient with Scougall?

 

[blade too long]

In theory hes good,,,, but in practise is due a place on the bench ,say Tuesday

 

[Esablade]

He is lazy, and I think of one of our problems is that Clough builds the formation round him. He's been the player who has scored though, but now Murphy is taking that mantel, I'd rather we played two upfront or Murphy behind a striker. We'd need a left winger if the latter was to happen though.

Kieran Wallace?

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I've backed Baxter on here time and again when under criticism on similar threads. I am running out of steam though after last night. I too thought he was lazy and indulgent with his over ambitious passes.

I must say I do not like to see the team set up with both Scougall and Baxter together, neither has enough involvement in games and playing them together against a strong side is unwise. Mind you County weren't very good so I suppose it was worth a try. Backfired though.

Agree on this one - good talent - lazy application - plays a pass and admires it - just watch him and see.

Rarely lasts 90 minutes and will never be a central midfield player as long as he plays - why?? because he can't run up and down and last 90 minutes - this really is a pre-requisite of a modern day centre midfield.

Personally I'd play Reed - trouble with Reed, the staff are probably concerned with him being so young and how these younger players can get shinsplints very easily. If Reed is "due" a growth spurt, it is that which causes it.

Sougall is also running out of chances too.

Wallace, where are you when we need you?

UTB

 

[robbiez666]

Kieran Wallace?

I know nothing about Wallace but I'd be surprised if he's either ready to play at this level or that Clough would throw him in.

 

[brownie4583]

Get rid of Baxter,play 4-4-2.
Sign another quality striker to play alongside O'Grady with Murph on left and Campbell Ryce/Flynn on right,
I would sign Anthony Grant from Crewe for centre midfield.
I would also hire a good scout who can identify good young players for loan such as Afobe,Bamford,Aneke etc

 

[Esablade]

I know nothing about Wallace but I'd be surprised if he's either ready to play at this level or that Clough would throw him in.

I know next to nothing about him either, plays on the left, get's up and down the pitch apparently...just find it a bit of strange signing at this stage of the season, and he was on the bench last night...

 

[dingledog]

I thought it was just me. I think our main problems at the moment stem from playing Baxter. He is either not fit, injured or simply needs dropping to refocus.

 

[Woodwardfan]

I wonder how long people will be patient with Scougall?

Personally I have never seen

Agree on this one - good talent - lazy application - plays a pass and admires it - just watch him and see.

Rarely lasts 90 minutes and will never be a central midfield player as long as he plays - why?? because he can't run up and down and last 90 minutes - this really is a pre-requisite of a modern day centre midfield.

Personally I'd play Reed - trouble with Reed, the staff are probably concerned with him being so young and how these younger players can get shinsplints very easily. If Reed is "due" a growth spurt, it is that which causes it.

Sougall is also running out of chances too.

Wallace, where are you when we need you?

UTB

Fulwood. I don't think it's an issue whether Baxter is a central midfielder, he's not. It's who plays "No.10", Scougall or Baxter.

If Clough is looking for someone to play in what I call "central midfield" say in partnership with Doyle (my preference) or Basham (your preference) then IMO there are only two choices - Reid and Wallace.

I've never been convinced by Scougall but yesterday he played deeper, with little effect, but nevertheless better than he has been.

Clough has a big stake in Scougall, Baxter, Basham and for some reason McCarthy. None of them are repaying his faith, though at least Baxter has an "excuse" that yesterday was his first game for ages in his true areas.

I must say I am despondent about Clough. I was appalled by his public bollockings of players yesterday and in particular Basham late on in the second half. I think his slow build up and 4-5-1 formation against defensive away teams is inexplicable. His substitutions are always late and he rarely goes 3-5-2 or 4-3-3.

We are in poor shape frankly. I don't like managers and asst. managers who publicly berate players. What with that and the crowd on Higdon I thought yesterday was ugly. I left the ground with a sour taste.

 

[SandyMcBlade]

Though I agree the cheering was wrong but it was also understandable, the substitution was well over due.
There is also a very obvious way for a player and the manager to make sure it doesn't happen....

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Personally I have never seen





Fulwood. I don't think it's an issue whether Baxter is a central midfielder, he's not. It's who plays "No.10", Scougall or Baxter.

.

Agree totally with that one - something that some of us have thought for a while.

Problem is, without a centre forward, we have had to accommodate Baxter up front. It has worked to a point, but not totally. I thought we started off yesterday, 4-3-3 or a sort of a diamond with higdon up top, JCR and murphpy wide and baxter at the base.

Just don't see Baxter in anything but the player in the hole. His work ethic (against very lively opposition) is not good enough when he plays midfield.

UTB

 

[sheffielder]

Get rid of Baxter,play 4-4-2.
Sign another quality striker to play alongside O'Grady with Murph on left and Campbell Ryce/Flynn on right,
I would sign Anthony Grant from Crewe for centre midfield.
I would also hire a good scout who can identify good young players for loan such as Afobe,Bamford,Aneke etc

We don't have midfielders at the club to allow us to play 2 in the middle IMO

 

[sitwell]

We don't have midfielders at the club to allow us to play 2 in the middle IMO

If Wallace could get fit ,but I agree its a big if. Doyle and Reed would be my preferred choice if we tried it ,with scougall just between them and the front man.

 

[sheffielder]

If Wallace could get fit ,but I agree its a big if. Doyle and Reed would be my preferred choice if we tried it ,with scougall just between them and the front man.

I wish we had signed Coady. He is still the missing piece for me. Scougall can get forward knowing he has a work horse behind him. Scougall was doing the work Baxter should have been doing last night. We have so many players asked to do things which takes away from their own game. Back to basics and put Reed in as you say and allow Reed to pick out his forward runs. Flynn and Murphy on the wings.

So really what we are getting back to is bringing in about 15 players and now being only Coady off playing the same midfield as we had last season. Unfortunately, we need to cut our losses and get back to basics.

 

[FTPE]

I've defended Baxter like crazy too, I'd like to say he's just out of form but 5-6 games is a costly bleeding run of to be out of form for

 

[sitwell]

I wish we had signed Coady. He is still the missing piece for me. Scougall can get forward knowing he has a work horse behind him. Scougall was doing the work Baxter should have been doing last night. We have so many players asked to do things which takes away from their own game. Back to basics and put Reed in as you say and allow Reed to pick out his forward runs. Flynn and Murphy on the wings.

So really what we are getting back to is bringing in about 15 players and now being only Coady off playing the same midfield as we had last season. Unfortunately, we need to cut our losses and get back to basics.

Yes good call ,I wasn't too bothered about Coady but I was wrong he would have been a big asset for us.
What do you think we should do with Baxter Sheff ?

 

[Roygbiv]

I agree with Sitwell in that Wallace and Doyle are good enough in a 2. I've always wondered what Scougall would be like on the flanks. He reminds me a lot of Quinn and maybe he could do a similar job to him but on the right

As it is with Wallace being constantly injured I agree with Sheffielder that it has to be Reed and Doyle with Murphy and Flynn/JCR on the flanks

 

[Mendi]

All i know it seems he wants to leave.

 

[Mendi]

Haaaaaaaa i looked daft . he did say it in tweet sorry to guy who was offended

 

[Dnblade]

It seems like Baxter is becoming a bit of a scapegoat..I agree he's not been at his best lately,but he wasn't that bad..he was at least trying to pass the ball forward and find the likes of Murphy and JCR,which he did quite often,but they wasted opportunities...JCR took to long to deliver crosses or over hit them,or checked back and played it backwards or square..Murphy got in good positions but either lost the ball or checked back...did well for the goal though....Baxter though,he can look lazy..but he's about the only player with the exception of Reed who can open teams up with a pass,and often speeds up our slow build up with a first time pass...keeps the ball moving when others take 2 or 3 touches and pass back and lose our momentum...he's had better games,but he isn't the main problem for me.

 

[Lawrence]

Basham's been our best centre back of late, so NC moves him to full back to create a place for the premier league loane - JCR is a one trick pony takes on and beats defenders time after time (all the time) instead of crossing early now and a gain, just to mix it up and try something different - For me Baxter was so slow, he passed through a few 'nearly balls' but that was it, not enough quality! And Sorry when Reed came on nothing changed, he seems to have lost is way over the last few weeks? Scoogle was poor again and the least said about Higdon the better.

For me a lot of the fundamentals are so wrong, we tried to play the ball from the back, and rightly so, but so many times the ball had to be played sideways because everyone just ran forward away from the ball, no midfielders where coming short to except a pass from the defender, not even Doyle who usually comes to picks short balls up around the half way line (to pull opposition midfield players out of position) and to create room in midfield to allow forward passes or to play balls out wide, without this it resulted in our back 4 having to pass sideways, consequently slowing play down to a near standstill and eventually the defenders just playing pointless long ball up field. This happend time after time and how NC can stand there and let it continue is beyond me. He has to sort out the midfield! We need a midfielder (Doyle) to link things together and speed everything up, short sharpe passing and more (some) movement, it sounds obvious but these elementary things just did not happen, sort this out and things will get moving in the right direction Simples

One final thought, we only have one striker at the club and that's Murph and he's supposed to be in midfield or on the wing - he can't do everything and when he is sold in January we will be well and truly ******

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

For me it's not so much about Baxter, Scougsll or any certain player. The frustration comes from the mentality/tactics we seem to begin games with.

When we attack and build momentum (usually late in the 2nd half) then all these players mentioned are affective and influence the game.

Clough needs to be brave enough or find way to have this mentality from the start and then perhaps these players can give true performances.

 

[Cyprus Blade]

Personally I like Baxter as a player technically. In many ways he makes a lot of the players around him look like what they are - plodders. But I do have doubts about his mental application, general fitness and, at times, attitude. I do think, though, he is to some on here what Doyle is to others - a convenient scapegoat. He's been played out of position for most of the season and when he is in midfield let's face it - its very hard to for anyone to make a killer pass to an immobile lump at centre forward (Higdon or Porter)..

Tactically, the idea of Doyle and Baxter as a midfield 2 is quite a scary thought. Neither cope with pace that well, though I have to say it is difficult to come up with a midfield pairing that could carry midfield and enable a genuine 442 at the moment.Wallace is too often injured to be a serious long term contender. Scougall has limitations and isn't the same player as last season for me. Reed is a good prospect but not for every game or we would burn him out quickly.Flo is only just coming back from long term injury. Basham is much better at CH. So I can't see a 442 with the players we have got - maybe a 4411- with Scougall and Baxter vying for the advanced midfielder. Baxter can't do a full match anyway. McGinn has no future at the lane.We really should have tried harder to get Coady.

One thing I don't believe in is to design a team around a single player. There is too much to go wrong and if he gets sold or injured then we are royally ****ed. Thinking back to Kevin MacDonald - if he had stayed things may have worked out differently for Weir and he may have lasted longer. It seemed to me that Weir ended up trying all sorts of players in the KM role - none of whom worked. So to even think about designing a team around Baxter, to me, would be a huge mistake. Same goes for Higdon - though there is even less justification for that based on his impact this season.

We need shut of a good few in January - Butler, Collins, McGinn, Porter - to free up some wages. I think we need cover at RB, a quality midfielder with pace and stamina and a mobile striker in January. Have we been here before?

I

 

[Lane Ender]

Personally I like Baxter as a player technically. In many ways he makes a lot of the players around him look like what they are - plodders. But I do have doubts about his mental application, general fitness and, at times, attitude. I do think, though, he is to some on here what Doyle is to others - a convenient scapegoat. He's been played out of position for most of the season and when he is in midfield let's face it - its very hard to for anyone to make a killer pass to an immobile lump at centre forward (Higdon or Porter)..

Tactically, the idea of Doyle and Baxter as a midfield 2 is quite a scary thought. Neither cope with pace that well, though I have to say it is difficult to come up with a midfield pairing that could carry midfield and enable a genuine 442 at the moment.Wallace is too often injured to be a serious long term contender. Scougall has limitations and isn't the same player as last season for me. Reed is a good prospect but not for every game or we would burn him out quickly.Flo is only just coming back from long term injury. Basham is much better at CH. So I can't see a 442 with the players we have got - maybe a 4411- with Scougall and Baxter vying for the advanced midfielder. Baxter can't do a full match anyway. McGinn has no future at the lane.We really should have tried harder to get Coady.

One thing I don't believe in is to design a team around a single player. There is too much to go wrong and if he gets sold or injured then we are royally ****ed. Thinking back to Kevin MacDonald - if he had stayed things may have worked out differently for Weir and he may have lasted longer. It seemed to me that Weir ended up trying all sorts of players in the KM role - none of whom worked. So to even think about designing a team around Baxter, to me, would be a huge mistake. Same goes for Higdon - though there is even less justification for that based on his impact this season.

We need shut of a good few in January - Butler, Collins, McGinn, Porter - to free up some wages. I think we need cover at RB, a quality midfielder with pace and stamina and a mobile striker in January. Have we been here before?

I

I thought

 

[Lane Ender]

I thought

I thought Flynn could possibly make a decent full back he did ok the other night there.
He can tackle , good marker, pacy, decent distribution and forward inclinations.

 

[sheffielder]

Yes good call ,I wasn't too bothered about Coady but I was wrong he would have been a big asset for us.
What do you think we should do with Baxter Sheff ?

Stick him on the bench and make him fight for his place. I was so excited when I saw the midfield on Friday night and we actually started off knocking it about quite nicely. Then we started going backwards as normal. I am not sure where he fits in a Clough style side, but Nigel will shoe horn some players.

It turns out most of our signings this summer are shit and I even considered leaving my card on the seat and walking out.

 

[Jonboy60]

That's the problem though Sheff, the're not that bad for this league, it's the system the're trying fit into. When we do go at teams( only after going behind) they play better. Imo