CONFIRMED Alfie Gilchrist joins on season long loan

[robbiez666]

I don't think he's big enough or strong enough to be a primary centre back. He could probably play with a Souttar like CB who wins everything in the air and he clears up but we now need a Souttar like CB.

We definitely have to go into the loan market and bring in a big dominating centre back ASAP as I think Souttar is out for a long time.

I think he's a right sided CB in a 3. But then again, I'm not sure Robinson is good enough in a 2.

I know Gilchrist has attacking and positioning flaws, but he's very good defensively. He's not been helped by the player in front of him a d too often exposed one in one.

It makes sense to have him and Seriki to interchange depending on opponents. Can't see how we could get a loan RB unless he moves into the middle. He's certainly not here to warm the bench.

 

[mattbianco1]

We should go and get van Ewijk from Coventry. Imagine their fans meltdown

I thought Zak Swanson at Pompey looked decent against us too.

My pick though would be Furlong from WBA. But no chance of them selling to a promotion rival

 

[Keen Blade]

It’s not his choice, it’s ours. We should have got a right back and not a centre back.

Considering Wilder was himself a RB , you would have expected him to get this right - can't understand it really.

 

[LudlamBlade]

Or, alternatively, replace the injured centre back like-for-like with similar quality.

In the meantime, why not also bring in an experienced right back... rather than continuing with the Gilchrist experiment?
Hardly the crazy idea your tone suggests...

Gilchrist seems a good kid and I'm not faulting his effort.
But his lack of positional awareness and sub-standard 1v1 defending are exposing us, a team going for automatic promotion.

If he plans on developing into a right back, it's probably best he does that at somewhere like Preston.
I'm not sure a club in our position can afford to be developing young players, that aren't on our books, in such a crucial part of the pitch.

As above, Burnley had got down his side twice before the third goal. They targeted him.
This has been a recurring theme in several of our recent games.

He's our only option for the next few, but - beyond that we need to look elsewhere.

He's one of the highest rated young centre backs in the country...who would you suggest we bring in instead?

Also, Gilchrist doesn't "want" to be developed as a right back...he's a centre back that wants to play at (you guessed it) centre back...but we're playing him at right back because Wilder obviously thinks there's legs in the idea.

So my question is, if we send Souttar AND Gilchrist back...who are the two players you'd suggest we get in?

Need to be affordable, available and of at least equal quality...not to mention able to fit into the group straight away

 

[CaptainMorgans]

He's one of the highest rated young centre backs in the country...who would you suggest we bring in instead?

Also, Gilchrist doesn't "want" to be developed as a right back...he's a centre back that wants to play at (you guessed it) centre back...but we're playing him at right back because Wilder obviously thinks there's legs in the idea.

So my question is, if we send Souttar AND Gilchrist back...who are the two players you'd suggest we get in?

Need to be affordable, available and of at least equal quality...not to mention able to fit into the group straight away

Souttar is going to be really difficult to replace. He's been absolutely colossal for us and is a huge reason why we're in the mix.

Gilchrist, as a right back, fairly easy to replace.
Because, as you acknowledge, he isn't one.

Gilchrist hasn't come here to play centre back.
If he wanted to play centre back, then he wouldn't have come here..
It's clear he was earmarked for right back from the second he arrived. I should imagine Chelsea haven't been blindsided by our decision to use him there either.

I'm not aware of his reputation as one of the country's greatest centre back prospects. His physical attributes will likely determine that he won't become one.

 

[Irv]

Send Souttar back! Send Rak-Sakyi back! Send Gilchrist back!
Send 3 of the first 11 back who have got us in the automatic promotion spots!
Send em’ all BAAAAACK!!

 

[moody1889]

Blatantly obvious that Gilchrist is not a right back and this issue needs addressing

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Send Souttar back! Send Rak-Sakyi back! Send Gilchrist back!
Send 3 of the first 11 back who have got us in the automatic promotion spots!
Send em’ all BAAAAACK!!

Souttar will go back due to the length of his injury. He's been outstanding for us, as acknowledged.

I haven't seen anybody suggest JRS go back.

Aside from that, good post.

 

[Frank the tank]

The problem here lays with wilder
He set us up in his first game back with a back four out of possession that switches to a back 3 in posesssion

Gilchrist will be under instruction to Tuck in but is learning the hard way when to get out to a threat from wide and when to support his central defence

It's pretty obvious teams have been trying to exploit this since probably the derby onwards ( when serikis introduction completely changed the shape of the match ) . It must be frustrating for him as if he ever is to develop into an actual right back he isn't going to learn how in this set up

 

[AWetFlannel]

Souttar should have been bollocking him for being constantly out of position , but I see little communication
(most folk round me on the kop were screaming at him to no avail)

For the first goal, Souttar was miles out of position because he'd followed his man into midfield. That meant Gilchrist had to tuck in.

 

[ancientblade]

I think he's a right sided CB in a 3. But then again, I'm not sure Robinson is good enough in a 2.

I know Gilchrist has attacking and positioning flaws, but he's very good defensively. He's not been helped by the player in front of him a d too often exposed one in one.

It makes sense to have him and Seriki to interchange depending on opponents. Can't see how we could get a loan RB unless he moves into the middle. He's certainly not here to warm the bench.

i think your spot on their robbie gilchrist is a rcb in a back 3 thats his position add to that the fact that anels best position is cental in a back 3 and we could be looking at reverting to a 343 set up which would mean bringing a rwb in to compete with seriki with burrows and mcallum vying for the lwb position

 

[Irv]

Souttar will go back due to the length of his injury. He's been outstanding for us, as acknowledged.

I haven't seen anybody suggest JRS go back.

Aside from that, good post.

you’ve not seen anyone suggest JRS go back?!?
Specsavers have a sale on I hear.
Your eyesight is about as good as your football knowledge it seems.

 

[Keen Blade]

I wonder if we hav

For the first goal, Souttar was miles out of position because he'd followed his man into midfield. That meant Gilchrist had to tuck in.

Rubbish ,
It was the third time Alfie had left their LW in space for no reason
On the goal occasion , both Souttar & Robbo were around the 6 yard box*
Alfie needs to learn that the LW is HIS MAN and he needs to track him much closer .
He plays like he's a CB , he can't help himself , total liability defending yesterday and clueless when he goes forward , as a CB would be.

* Souttar & Robbo not marking the forwards for the goal , just marking thin air , leaving Burrows to deal with 3 attackers.
Comedy defending but started by Alfie allowing the LW total freedom

 

[AWetFlannel]

I wonder if we hav

Rubbish ,
It was the third time Alfie had left their LW in space for no reason
On the goal occasion , both Souttar & Robbo were around the 6 yard box*
Alfie needs to learn that the LW is HIS MAN and he needs to track him much closer .
He plays like he's a CB , he can't help himself , total liability defending yesterday and clueless when he goes forward , as a CB would be.

* Souttar & Robbo not marking the forwards for the goal , just marking thin air , leaving Burrows to deal with 3 attackers.
Comedy defending but started by Alfie allowing the LW total freedom

Souttar isn't out of position here? Ok then...

 

[Irv]

Some people must have had a proper miserable Christmas. Having to come on here to be dicks to fellow Blades to relieve their frustrations.
It’s possible to disagree with people and not be arrogant know-it-alls isn’t it?

 

[Keen Blade]

View attachment 200394
Souttar isn't out of position here? Ok then...

In your snapshot , Alfie's eyes are firmly on the LW , which they should be coz that's his man in acres of space.

Souttar must look after his own man but it's not Alfie's job to have eyes in the back of his head or worry about anything than his own man.

We'll have to agree to disagree.

 

[AWetFlannel]

In your snapshot , Alfie's eyes are firmly on the LW , which they should be coz that's his man in acres of space.

Souttar must look after his own man but it's not Alfie's job to have eyes in the back of his head or worry about anything than his own man.

We'll have to agree to disagree.

He's got two options: to look after his man and leave a massive space between himself and Robinson for them to run clean through on goal, or defend the space, forcing their right footed winger to cross on his weak foot and hope those in the middle deal with it.

It's not comedy defending imo. They caught us on the break and scored a really good goal. Not sure why people are so eager to hammer our ridiculously good defence, but each to their own.

 

[AdamSufc1997]

Well Apperantly there’s interest in him in January but expected to stay with us

 

[Keen Blade]

He's got two options: to look after his man and leave a massive space between himself and Robinson for them to run clean through on goal, or defend the space, forcing their right footed winger to cross on his weak foot and hope those in the middle deal with it.

It's not comedy defending imo. They caught us on the break and scored a really good goal. Not sure why people are so eager to hammer our ridiculously good defence, but each to their own.

By the time the cross comes over both Souttar & Robbo are goalside of Burnley strikers - unfortunately they've not marked them closely , they're just in space between them & Coops.
And the cross beats everyone anyway apart from the scorer.

 

[Bladesman]

 

[EddieColquhoun]

Alfie needs to learn that the LW is HIS MAN and he needs to track him much closer .

He was close to the LW.
The spare man was the left-back Humphreys.

 

[Keen Blade]

He was close to the LW.
The spare man was the left-back Humphreys.

Ok , the player free as a bird on the flank he is supposed to be defending - this is not a one-off incident , I wouldn't bother commenting on a one-off incident , it's something I've noticed about how he tends to drift inside away from a winger.

 

[EddieColquhoun]

it's something I've noticed about how he tends to drift inside away from a winger.

He was close to the winger, but the left back had pushed up leaving him against 2 players.

 

[Thrice]

I think as a pure defender he's really good. And honestly if I had to pick who to keep beyond this season I take him over Souttar any day. Souttar's the better player now, but Gilchrist has so much more potential. And his playing style is probably more suited for the Premier League anyway.
I really hope the club can find a way to make it a permanent deal. Could be an absolute steal.

 

[NerdyBlade]

 

[Bladesman]

 

[jono_t2000]

Get Jonjo Kenny in ASAP!!

I don't care if costs us double the 800k or even triple.... it's not a huge outlay ffs.

Gilchrist involved in 2 of Hulls goals and just isn't good enough on the ball

Should be a substitute only

(Mind you Hull just scored 3rd and Anel was just as poor )

 

[Wright1889]

Get Jonjo Kenny in ASAP!!

I don't care if costs us double the 800k or even triple.... it's not a huge outlay ffs.

Gilchrist involved in 2 of Hulls goals and just isn't good enough on the ball

Should be a substitute only

(Mind you Hull just scored 3rd and Anel was just as poor )

He’s been shite since Cardiff.

 

[jono_t2000]

He’s been shite since Cardiff.

Whisper it quietly he's been shit since Souttar got injured.

Souttar made him look better than he is.

 

[FTPE]

Whisper it quietly he's been shit since Souttar got injured.

Souttar made him look better than he is.

Souttar made US look better.
Seems the entire "wall" was down to him.