Jose Baxter

[Woodwardfan]

Lack of goals and opportunities is the main reason we have been boring and not gained enough points. Our main supplier has yet to put a meaningful appearance in yet. I really don't understand why he is given such an easy ride when other players get hammered.

See I think that is a myth ,just watch him closely ,he doesn't look forward ,9 out of 10 passes are sideways and that's not just to lack of options. When I say hes lazy I mean mentally not physically ,I don't think he would get near the team if he was physically unfit or overweight ,that is just a convenient excuse (but not a very favourable one). We have players to do the other jobs better than him ,winger and tackler , and he just hasn't stepped up to be a creative playmaker ,which is what we lack most of all and he gives the ball away far to frequently.. He doesn't even supply the wingers as much as the other midfielders and I agree with Ken ,he does hide. Nothing against him personally ,I actually like that type of laid back character ,I dislike him purely as a footballer and think he is the main reason we have been poor.

Main reason?

 

[sitwell]

Main reason?

Hes shit. End of. Goodnight x

 

[finlaytheblade]

Baxter does my head in, get rid.
Half hearted, cant tackle, wont tackle, nesh, poor in the air, can't run. Unfit, busy doing nothing, poses, does a hop skip and a jump type of closing down movement, never tracks back, never picks a player up, he's also a billy-big-bollox. Some call him a luxury player, liability more like. The whole dynamics of the team change when he's in the side. I admit he's got some natural ability but its what you do with it, hence Everton to league 1 in three seasons

he refused a contract offered by everton and will probably regret that for the rest of his career.he is a very talented player with premiership quality vision for a pass but his real problem is his lack of mobility.most players coming into the game today are athletes but unfortunately he is not and that weighs against him in the modern game. Tony currie wasnt the most mobile of players but his ability to shield the ball and hold players off with great body strength gave him the time and space to work his magic,baxter is not of the same quality as currie but has talent which i think due to his lack of athletism will keep him at best championship or even division 1.he must reach the stats required(fitness levels) but he struggles when he has to run at pace and the game today is all about pace you have to be really special to play at the top level with out it in the positions he plays.But having said all that he is a usefull player at this level ,i would love him to prove me wrong and be part of our squad all the way to the premiership.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Hes shit. End of. Goodnight x

End of....you say so.....that's it then...wow...how about.... he may not be shite.....he's a young talented lad trying to make a living.....one of a 30 plus squad,that's all....how about..... you are a vindictive twat.....looking at things through a very narrow perspective.... blaming one young lad for all the problems of the manager... and the club....and hanging it all on one young lad.....you are obsessional . Because Baxter is so good you are so obsessed. Really good players often dissect opinion.

 

[Woodwardfan]

You Baxter bashers, Sitwell, Fulwood, tell us all which player will make it happen when Jose is on the bench?

It's ok bashing, what about solutions rather than just problems.

Ideas?

 

[coaxingstar71]

I think what's going on here is that there are a lot of fans who want the kind of players that will run through brick walls and unfortunately, not all players are like that, Baxter being one of them. I don't mind, because for me, he's one of the only players in our team, probably along with Flynny who plays with his head up, looking for that opportunity to thread one through or put someone in. Of course this doesn't always come off and coupled with the fact they are not strong at the uglier aspects of the game, they get grief. A prime example of this would be John Gannon - absolutely slated when he played for us but was actually a good player.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Maybe I was a bit OTT yesterday. Sorry.

It's so unfair for one lad to get most of the flak when other players in our poor midfield get away with it. A strange phenomenum indeed.

 

[Balham]

Maybe the flak that Baxter attracts is because both his fans and detractors can see that he's playing within himself?

He was excellent last season as the front man in Clough's innovative 4-5-1-0 formation, dropping off the front to move the ball back to the midfielders and free up Murphy and Flynn on the wings. This season, Clough's decided that he wants to play with a recognised striker which has meant that Baxter's role has changed.

If you rank our current squad on technical ability and vision, Baxter would come out near the top. However, until he learns that talent alone doesn't get you anywhere he'll continue to disappoint.

FWIW someone asked further up the thread why Scougall doesn't get the same level of flak. The difference there is that Scougall runs more - Unitedites love a runner.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Baxter has started 36 league and cup games this season ( excluding F.L.Trophy) and his average S2 rating is 6.00.

As a comparison Coutts average is 5.77 in 20 starts.

Total games in the 3 competitions is 59 by my reckoning so Baxter has started in 61% of the games and relevant to points made above.

 

[alcoblade]

Maybe I was a bit OTT yesterday. Sorry.

It's so unfair for one lad to get most of the flak when other players in our poor midfield get away with it. A strange phenomenum indeed.

It isn't strange. A few posters don't rate Baxter, others don't rate Doyle, others don't rate Coutts, others don't rate any.

I wouldn't fixate on Baxter / Sitwell. We all see it differently.

The only (near) consensus is that overall as a unit they aren't good enough.

UTB

 

[alcoblade]

Baxter has started 36 league and cup games this season ( excluding F.L.Trophy) and his average S2 rating is 6.00.

As a comparison Coutts average is 5.77 in 20 starts.

Total games in the 3 competitions is 59 by my reckoning so Baxter has started in 61% of the games and relevant to points made above.

I'm not sure of the point here, but at 0.23 higher than Coutts he's still in trouble.



UTB

 

[sitwell]

Can I just add ,I would love for Jose to come on and score the winner in any or all 3 play off games ,and hope he does.

 

[wizadry]

Can I just add ,I would love for Jose to come on and score the winner in any or all 3 play off games ,and hope he does.

Are you sure

 

[sitwell]

Are you sure

If only to get woodwardfan off my back

 

[Lane Ender]

If only to get woodwardfan off my back

 

[Woodwardfan]

Dare I say we missed Baxter last night - after the first 20 minutes, though he would have been really useful then to help make the most of our ascendancy.

Midfield was garbage last night - anybody disagree?

 

[Deadbat]

Last night proved it is far more than just being about Baxter. He is poor and has been poor but still offers more than the woeful Coutts, Holt and Scougall. If fit I would play Doyle, Basham and Baxter Monday with Done up top on his own. Murphy and Flynn wide.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Last night proved it is far more than just being about Baxter. He is poor and has been poor but still offers more than the woeful Coutts, Holt and Scougall. If fit I would play Doyle, Basham and Baxter Monday with Done up top on his own. Murphy and Flynn wide.

I couldn't agree more. In normal run of the mill League 1 games I actually think the Doyle/ Basham partnership lacks creativity but we will need to try to bully their young lads a bit and perhaps that is the case for the first hour of any game.

It's the options for the creative role that should be between Baxter, Scougall and Holt. I had high hopes for Scougs last season but he has found his level which is not good enough. Holt has never impressed me but gets the odd goal, otherwise you don't realise he is there, a very remote player with no confidence and no creativity whatsoever. Baxter is Baxter, an enigma, where was he last night - injured?

I had high hopes for Coutts but holey-moley he offers nothing. Last night we played with 9 men for the first half and eight in the second; criminal really.

Last night Clough had just the two outfield players who were here when he arrived; they were two of the best 4 players in the team. Of his signings only Done is a game changer. I'm afraid Davies' career goal record only reinforces how he fared last night.