Duffy - superstar or good player

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I’ve always thought if you put players like Duffy and Coutts in poor teams in the lower divisions they’d NOT look that good.
Where as I think Samir Carruthers (and also Ricky Holmes) in a poor team in the lower divisions would be much more impressive.

That’s one of the biggest skills for a manager to recognise talent in the lower leagues and getting the best out of them by making a blend and finding their bests positions.

I still say that individually Duffy, Coutts and Fleck are nothing special.
But play the 3 together and they form easily one of the best midfields I’ve ever seen at the Lane since the 70’s.
The secret is having team mates with a great first touch, so they can receive a pass even when semi marked up (massively important in today’s pressing game) and having the intelligence to stay calm, keep it simple with the occasional killer pass.
 

Ricky said:
Love it! (So you're watching that as well then....)

I agree though. We have a number of players who'd do well on that. It says a lot.

Maybe Wilder judges all new signings by SAS criteria.... maybe that's our secret.
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Strangely addictive tv. I can almost see Wilder and Knill sat behind that interrogation desk, with Prestridge bringing in the players hooded and handcuffed, one by one to discuss contract extensions.
 
I think Duffy has been THE biggest loser in not having Coutts still in the team. Everything (up until the new guys arriving, now who knows . . .) is half a yard slower in getting delivered, be it directly from Coutts or from the player he's just supplied, and Duffy has found it harder to get space.
I would say, and as stated previously in this thread, when he plays well then the team "works", when he has an off(ish) day, we struggle a bit.
I suspect CW thought Carruthers might replace him this season, Duffs has made damn sure that wouldn't happen.
 
1: Tony Currie rates him very highly. Enough for me.
2: Teams have identified him as a key player. They have set up to nullify him. His runs, his passes and his movement. He is struggling to find space and time under these constraints. CW and AK will mix things up, sometimes Duffy starts, sometimes he doesn't. That will throw teams' preparations up in the air.
3: He has vision. He sees players and passes others don't see.
For me, Duffy is an important player for us. Not a superstar, CW doesn't do them, just a hard working, talented, important member of a strong team.
 
LYDON said:
We're alarmingly short on superstars, not just here but as a footballing city.

But in the footballing world, that's no surprise as we're currently languishing in the Charity Shops, not on the major high streets.
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...but the High Street's are littered with Charity shops...:confused:o_O
 
Duffy has earned his hero status amongst fans by being an intelligent, hard working footballer who has consistently delivered the goods. He is clearly loving his time at SUFC an absolute pleasure to watch.

Deserves all the plaudits he is getting right now and certainly isn't overrated, in my opinion.
 
CrookesBlade said:
Ian Rush,Jimmy Johnstone, Paul McGrath?? :)
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Great players.
We had them all well after their ''superstar'' status had long evaporated into the ether of the football world.

''Superstars'' that we actually had at their peak?
None I can think of...
 
dblade56 said:
Please don't get me wrong, I do like Duffy, but the way he is hero worshiped on here by some would make you think he was the first messi.

He really played well last season on League 1 and when Brooksy started to show what he can do, Duffy picked up his level to another notch. But in the last few games he's not beating people, he's not scoring goals and seems to look off the pace.

I know I will; get shouted down and I've not see Leonard or Holmes in a United shirt yet, but I'm not sure he's the first name thought of for his position at present.

I accept I will be shouted down, but I've been watching the Blades for over 55 yrs and believe I'm entitled to my view
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Superstar? No, but an important component in what we have, and still are achieving.
 
Duffy belongs to a rare group at t'Lane. He has guile, just as Coutts does. He can see angles that aren't immediately apparent to other players, and all it takes is a few seconds to make the most of the opposition being unaware and away we go. The new acquisition, Evans, seems similarly gifted (judgement is reserved until he's played half a dozen games or so), but Duffy is pleasing to the eye, most supporters recognise a quality player, and that's exactly what Duffy brings to our game. He doesn't allow the opposition a moment's rest, he's always on the go, one minute moving slowly, then upping his game, slow-slow-fast-then faster-slow-slow-fast, and so on. Duffy is a joy to watch, and he's exactly the type of player that younger lads should watch if they have a desire to become a decent footballer. A little gem is Duffy, make no mistake.
 

I think Duffy has been one of our best players this season. As others have said, always available to receive the ball, when things don't come off for him his head never goes down and never hides. If you watch him, his work-rate is phenomenal. He's a real team player, covers and marks. I'm not surprised he gets subbed or tires in the second half as he's all over the pitch. Wins a surprising amount of headers for his size and has an uncanny knack of being in the right place to anticipate, intercept and pick up second balls. Brooks would do well to learn from him. Teams are now focusing on marking him out of the game which says it all really.

Also confirmed legendary Blades status with THAT goal.

The only shame is that he's not 5 years younger.
 
CrookesBlade said:
Ian Rush,Jimmy Johnstone, Paul McGrath?? :)
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I was going to say McGrath. Even at the very end of his career he was still the best player I have seen in a United shirt - and I go back to the Currie & Woodward days.

Gordon Cowans is another, whilst not remotely in the superstar category, who was a joy to watch when he was with us.
 
LYDON said:
We're alarmingly short on superstars, not just here but as a footballing city.

But in the footballing world, that's no surprise as we're currently languishing in the Charity Shops, not on the major high streets.
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Speak for yourself. I languish in Cole Brothers, well I'll be back to doing that once the restraining order expires..............................
 
Duffy has been excellent during his time with the club. Pigs, Forest, Leeds, wolves etc. He was majestic. Had a couple of quieter games recently which makes Holmes' arrival welcome. Duffy's not getting any younger and will need to be rotated sometimes and in Holmes we now have a similar player. If it's not happening for one, we can chuck the other on to mix things up.
 
LYDON said:
There's a hierarchy among the Charity Shops...
Which one would we be?
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I was thinking of it the other round as they're are a few 'charity shops' in the Prem at the moment...Burnley, Watford Stoke etc....if I had to pick one for the Blades, well clearly it would have been 'Age Concern' a few years back...under Wilder I'll go for the 'British Heart Foundation'. :)
 
LYDON said:
Great players.
We had them all well after their ''superstar'' status had long evaporated into the ether of the football world.

''Superstars'' that we actually had at their peak?
None I can think of...
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In fairness Paul McGrath was still head and shoulders above those around him for those handful of games we had him.

Correct though re no genuine 'superstars'. Maybe Jimmy Hagan or William Foulke were close to what you would call footballing superstar status in their day.
 
LondonBlade89 said:
Completely agree. Brooks is a bit too mercurial for that role right now. He flitters in and out of games. It's incredibly important for our system that whoever is in that role is always showing for the ball and giving an option. You have quite a lot of responsibility. Can't shy away. Don't think Brooks is ready for it. That's why he's best playing off a striker right now.
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He's a brilliant second striker. I think his ideal position would be up top wide left or right. Not quite right mid or left mid, more like the position Hazard plays for example.

But he's always developing.
 

dblade56 said:
Please don't get me wrong, I do like Duffy, but the way he is hero worshiped on here by some would make you think he was the first messi.

He really played well last season on League 1 and when Brooksy started to show what he can do, Duffy picked up his level to another notch. But in the last few games he's not beating people, he's not scoring goals and seems to look off the pace.

I know I will; get shouted down and I've not see Leonard or Holmes in a United shirt yet, but I'm not sure he's the first name thought of for his position at present.

I accept I will be shouted down, but I've been watching the Blades for over 55 yrs and believe I'm entitled to my view
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duffy can be a little incionsistent.. if he wasn’t he wouldn’t be playing for us
 
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