Coutts

[Woodwardfan]

You're right but he was as you say "right flank" rather than a winger. At PNE, where he was captain and very well regarded by their fans, and at Peterborough, he played with distinction in central midfield. That's where I, for one, want him to operate for us. It will not be possible, of course, to accommodate everyone who wants to play in that position, especially when our new captain arrives, but I'm happy to leave that to Nigel.

By the way, Reed did well when he came on yesterday. Some would say that was against depleted opposition but nonetheless I give him credit.

In 4-4-2 the right hand midfield needn't be an out and out winger, more an occasional winger. In an ideal world the full back overlaps him time and again and that's when Coutts will bring in Brayford in due course - or Alcock, or Freeman, or Flynn if he plays full back again. Then he covers -at his own pace!! If there's a more conventional winger on the other side all well and good. If he plays deeper then Baxter and Basham will have more licence to push upfield. More than a few ways to skin a cat. They don't all have to stand in a line, far from it.

 

[Fiery Blade]

Regrettably; the players we have currently in the squad are NOT good enough to get us automatic promotion from this agricultural division and that is evidenced by the results from this and last season. We are still far from the finished item in terms of "automatic promotion" as our inconsistency shows.

The Board would love to continue as we are ( as we did last season to our detriment ) but hopefully, NA has the strength of character and experience to force the issue and get in at least a CH, CM and winger and possibly a couple more if necessary.

UTB & FTP

Why on earth would the board 'love to continue as we are' - your comments astound me !

 

[HillmortonBlade]

Why on earth would the board 'love to continue as we are' - your comments astound me !

Ditto

 

[Darthblade]

Why on earth would the board 'love to continue as we are' - your comments astound me !

Because continuing as we are means not bringing in the quality players in the areas we are desperate to have quality in ( and have been for some time ) and that means not having to spend money at the moment.

I know it doesn't make sense ....... but we've done it for the last 4 years ......
UTB & FTP

 

[Darthblade]

Darth , Every team in this league is inconsistent this season , which includes us ( at the moment ).

The standard of play in this division has risen over the years , but i don't think , it can be classed as agricultural any more , as every team does appear to try and play football , (although tactically we do get out manouvred on a number of occasions.) .

We have some impact players on the road to revovery , and the board want succes , as much as us fans . With this in mind , they have paid contractural compensation to the previous manager Clough and his staff , with the financial backing to Adkins , with the incoming loan player (s) , and the major signing of Billy Sharp.

Adkins would not have come to the lane , if he thought he was going to get hoodwinked.

Not all is doom and despondency at BDTBL , but agree , we are not yet the finnished article , in terms of automatic promotion , but we are getting there , and will get there.

UTB

I agree that the Board must want success, same as us, however, I am yet to be convinced of the "game changing investment" we were promised by our leader.

Yes; there has been some investment last season, but far too late to enable us to challenge realistically for automatic places.

There has been investment in the pitch this season and a modest investment to address some of the many serious issues in the playing squad which are evident every week to those of us who attend the games.

I agree that we have players to come back from injury, however, we don't know when they will be effectively back in the playing squad, the players coming back don't meet all the needs of the squad, and in the meantime we have been throwing vital points away as if we were Santa Claus himself.

I just find it all very frustrating, avoidable, and to be honest ...... deja vu.
UTB & FTP

 

[Silent Blade]

I make your point that we haven't won anything since 1926 by pointing out we've won Division 4 since 1925.

That's some magic I've worked there.

Let me know when you need any more help.

;-)

We finished in 69th place in the league that season so I dont see that a real achievement. I cringe when a few Blades fans say 1981-82 was the best season they have had in supporting the Blades

 

[Woodwardfan]

I agree that the Board must want success, same as us, however, I am yet to be convinced of the "game changing investment" we were promised by our leader.

Yes; there has been some investment last season, but far too late to enable us to challenge realistically for automatic places.

There has been investment in the pitch this season and a modest investment to address some of the many serious issues in the playing squad which are evident every week to those of us who attend the games.

I agree that we have players to come back from injury, however, we don't know when they will be effectively back in the playing squad, the players coming back don't meet all the needs of the squad, and in the meantime we have been throwing vital points away as if we were Santa Claus himself.

I just find it all very frustrating, avoidable, and to be honest ...... deja vu.
UTB & FTP

Hey Darth, how about investment which is not all spent in the first two years of the new ownership?

Any businessman who blows his entire capital in the first two years of a 5 year plan is taking huge risks and likely will have nothing left when needed when we reach the higher level.

Promotion to the Championship with a poor squad and no further cash would be a waste of time. Don't you get the impression the quality and experience and togetherness of the squad is growing plus Done, Brayford, Harris and Kennedy yet to be added, surely you do?

Let it all work through. I reckon we have loads to look forward to, certainly more than for a very long time.

It's not beyond belief we can be challenging for Championship promotion next season and if the Board have "a bit left under their cuff" then it might just be game changing with this manager and some of our younger players gaining experience to add to the older experience.

 

[BushBlade]

In 4-4-2 the right hand midfield needn't be an out and out winger, more an occasional winger. In an ideal world the full back overlaps him time and again and that's when Coutts will bring in Brayford in due course - or Alcock, or Freeman, or Flynn if he plays full back again. Then he covers -at his own pace!! If there's a more conventional winger on the other side all well and good. If he plays deeper then Baxter and Basham will have more licence to push upfield. More than a few ways to skin a cat. They don't all have to stand in a line, far from it.

That's more or less what Wilson did in his first season with Quinn on the left and and Willo on the right, allowing Lowton to overlap.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

My opinion, for what it's worth, is that he will never be our answer while ever we play with a four man midfield. He's not a significant attacking threat down the wing and he'll be easily over-run in the middle of the park as part of a two.

I don't know much about his ability pre-blades/pre-injury, but from what I've seen he isn't mobile enough and his work rate isn't good enough. Of course I'm happy to be proved wrong, I've seen glimpses on a handful of occasions that suggests he has a chance of making it, but as per James Wallace and Terry Kennedy, I just feel (sadly) that it's unlikely. Fingers crossed for the lads.

On another note, it's a shame Steffan Scougall looks to have lost his appetite for the game, he could have been a really good little player for us. Destined for a move back to Scotland in the Summer I'd say now, he's a player that relies on his work rate, doggedness and desire, without that you just have a limited footballer with no end product.

Matt Done, John Brayford and Bob Harris (to a lesser extent) all arriving back from injury should have a huge impact on our season. If Hammond joins too things will really start to look up. However, if Hammond doesn't join I wouldn't mind seeing us give Freeman a run at holding midfield, probably in a cup match initially. He's got a good engine and he's a neat footballer, my fear would be whether he would lack the positional discipline.

Anyway, interesting times on the horizon, we just need to stay in touching distance, avoid injuries and wait for the returning cavalry. UTB

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Whilst I'm ranting about Coutts, a large part of his problem will be the return of Matty Done.

Done is just too good of a player to leave out of our side, he's one of the few that I think could step up a league. What I think this means is that we'll end up playing variations of a 4-3-3. This means the 3 out and out midfielders will have to have big engines and get through a lot of work. This style will suit the likes of Flynn (who grows on me more and more with each game) and JCR (who, despite inconsistency, is still underrated by many I feel).

 

[Tezza1889]

Shock horror, player with a decent pedigree plays well when negative defensive egomaniac leaves and is allowed to, express himself..

 

[Slim Man]

I said the other day it was a great ball from Coutts to McDonagh for the U21's 4th vs Cardiff.

Well, that pales in comparison to that cross to Sammon. He couldn't miss. What a cross.

Getting Coutts fit and to his former glory could be our most important business this season. Creative spark in a team lacking - when he fancies it. It's all about self confidence.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Every game is a test , as every team at this moment in time , can beat each other .

Take Burton lightlly and we will get hammerd . Take them as a test , set up correctly , be tactically astute , and we will come away with 3 points. Seeing the opposition as a test , is totally differant to paying them too much respect .

The stance and benchmark is that we can beat anyone , but good preperation is the key .

UTB

So we've got a new CH then?

 

[Bladeinleeds]

There's probably a reason a lot of our squad rate Coutts as the best footballer at the club. I like him as a player and we have the luxury of easing him back in and not risking him breaking down again.

Players like Coutts and Baxter can do what 95% of the players in this division can't and can make a match winning difference and for that reason it's worth having them in he squad and putting up with the occasional 4/10 game.

Few could have put sammon in like Coutts on sat and even if the championship played sharp in like Baxter against Bradford .

 

[Slim Man]

There's probably a reason a lot of our squad rate Coutts as the best footballer at the club. I like him as a player and we have the luxury of easing him back in and not risking him breaking down again.

Players like Coutts and Baxter can do what 95% of the players in this division can't and can make a match winning difference and for that reason it's worth having them in he squad and putting up with the occasional 4/10 game.

Few could have put sammon in like Coutts on sat and even if the championship played sharp in like Baxter against Bradford .

If Pirlo or Xavi had played that ball that Baxter did, they'd have been showing it on Sky Sports every hour for 3 weeks.

 

[Darthblade]

Hey Darth, how about investment which is not all spent in the first two years of the new ownership?

Any businessman who blows his entire capital in the first two years of a 5 year plan is taking huge risks and likely will have nothing left when needed when we reach the higher level.

Promotion to the Championship with a poor squad and no further cash would be a waste of time. Don't you get the impression the quality and experience and togetherness of the squad is growing plus Done, Brayford, Harris and Kennedy yet to be added, surely you do?

Let it all work through. I reckon we have loads to look forward to, certainly more than for a very long time.

It's not beyond belief we can be challenging for Championship promotion next season and if the Board have "a bit left under their cuff" then it might just be game changing with this manager and some of our younger players gaining experience to add to the older experience.

Fair point, however, I'm not suggesting that we spend a fortune ( we cannot anyway because the transfer window is closed and it isn't necessary to spend enormous sums in this division ) but we do need to address the glaring deficiencies in the current squad before we start to drift behind the teams at the top.

I'm worried for the "very positive" supporters who think that this current squad can compete for the top two places ...... current evidence suggests that is certainly not the case and before we plan for the Championship campaign, we need to escape from this horrible, agricultural Division.

This has proven MUCH harder than the Board, players, Managers, and indeed positive supporters have believed. Much of the problem has been self-inflicted with poor miniature / slow squads, poor tactics, and yes ..... under-resourced at the start of the season(s).
UTB & FTP

 

[Dnblade]

I've always rated Coutts...for me even last season he looked a good player at times,but not fully fit after a long injury lay off....some people seemed to make up their mind after one or two bad passes,and didn't really give him a chance.Even Doyle who he replaced said Coutts was head and shoulders in training,and Adkins hasn't wasted much time in bringing him straight back in...I think he'll be like a new signing...Baxter will have another player capable on the ball to link up with and work the ball forward,plus if Jose's injured or off form he's capable of playing his role.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

This "our players" and "Doyle" said about Coutts were rumours which have never been verified weren't they?

In fact I've only ever seen the Doyle *story* and wonder if the tale has grown in the telling and become "our players".

 

[BushBlade]

If Pirlo or Xavi had played that ball that Baxter did, they'd have been showing it on Sky Sports every hour for 3 weeks.

With Thiery Henry in the background.

 

[Pinchy]

This "our players" and "Doyle" said about Coutts were rumours which have never been verified weren't they?

In fact I've only ever seen the Doyle *story* and wonder if the tale has grown in the telling and become "our players".

Frank Lampard told me Paul Coutts is the bestestest player he's ever seen. Anywhere in the world....

 

[robbiez666]

He's the one positive at the moment. Seems to be rediscovering some old form.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Totally agree.

today when ever anyone showed a bit of class, great touch or played a great pass (the type Jose Baxter showed last season) I looked for the shirt number and it tended to always be number 8, Paul Coutts.

Couts rise in form is one of the few positives whilst NA has been here.
Just shows you can't write a player off based on early performances
And it also proves that Nigel Clough knew there was an excellent player inside Coutts hence why he signed him.

 

[PokerBlade]

Slated him a lot but his performances of late have shown some promise. In that first half everything came through Coutts.

 

[sitwell]

Coutts is a proper football comfortable on the ball,gets his head up,can move with ball and pass. Quality player.

Oh look woodwardfan .

 

[Fanny magnet]

Oh look woodwardfan .

He's a proper football ?

 

[sitwell]

He's a proper football ?

Er....

 

[itsinyerblood]

Er....

Never fear sitters, it's the existential osmosis that being a quality footballer brings with it....your human existence evolves into the very meaning of football life. No ball, no meaning!