Baxter on Saturday

[Snowman]

Probably the only playing in our team capable of playing a truly defence splitting pass. He has genuine creativity, something lacking in our team in recent weeks.

Sad but true. However change recent weeks to recent years.

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

When I see this "no. 10 role" and Sheffield United mentioned in the same sentence, I can only think of one player, "a quality player"....

 

[Deadbat]

Quite. But I don't think giving Long a contract is even a debate. He's not set the world on fire, but he's probably our player of the season - maturing and improving whereas most of our players are visibly regressing or at best treading water. If we're interested in using players who are on an upward curve, start with him. Even if he's second choice or loaned-out next season, that's fine. Just so long as there's improvement.

Player of the season? Really. He's been ok but still some real moments of indecision too and some poor errors in games. He has been better than Howard granted. That was not hard.

As for being loaned out? He is 22 is he? We are in the third division. If we are loaning him out now then where does he go - non league, back to Scotland. He went to Oxford and could not get in the team and was in and out at Motherwell. He has to do it now for united if he is every going to make it as a professional goalkeeper. If we loan him again then we might aswell release him for me. I dont buy all that keepers start maturing later rubbish either. Not aware of many keepers these days who suddenly turned 25/26 and became good.

Pleased with his improvements and as I say may be worth another year but I still have concerns about him long term. Would you say he is any better than when he first played? I would say not really and that was 3 years ago.

Hope I am wrong. Love him to be our dominant number one for years to come.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

He is not a natural athlete. Granted. Then he needs to get fitter to compensate for that. He seemed to have done that at the start of the season but the pounds seemed to have gone back on?

Laziness would not be tolerated by management or team mates. His weight and all round fitness will be monitored in training and in matches.

He's as fit as he's going to get. It's just his physiology that limits him.

Just listened to Adkins' interview and he says as much: if we're going to play Jose then we need to be aware he can be exploited defensively and adapt. Not a criticism, an observation.

Imo the assertion of laziness is just plain wrong. And, yes, lazy.

 

[Silent Blade]

As for being loaned out? He is 22 is he? We are in the third division. If we are loaning him out now then where does he go - non league, back to Scotland. He went to Oxford and could not get in the team and was in and out at Motherwell. He has to do it now for united if he is every going to make it as a professional goalkeeper. If we loan him again then we might aswell release him for me. I dont buy all that keepers start maturing later rubbish either. Not aware of many keepers these days who suddenly turned 25/26 and became good.
.

He was Motherwell's stand out player in the play-offs

 

[wizadry]

On the point of player of the season, that is Billy Sharp by a country mile even if he didn't play another game. This is down to Billys' work rate, goals and all round game and the fact that nobody getting anywhere near his performance level and i didn't even want him here. It's a good job he has been otherwise we would've been in shit creek.

 

[spongebobblade]

Play him to to be the creator and to get forward and he'll be an asset. Whether you like him or not his goals and assists record speaks for itself. Play him on the wing or ask him to be defensive and we see a shite player. You wouldn't ask Billy to play centre half or Reedy to be centre forward so it's time Nige stopped fucking about and play Jose regularly in a position that gets the best out of him

 

[alcoblade]

Last season this might have been true. This season I don't think it is at all. The stuff about morale is just made up isn't it? How do we know what morale is? And if it is so low - which I think is incredibly unlikely - then there could be all sorts of causes. Why single out Baxter?

If you point out other players whove done what he's done for no reason, and then waited for his team mates to back him, then I'm all ears.

I can assure you that at least one of the players is fucking appalled.

UTB

 

[spongebobblade]

He was Motherwell's stand out player in the play-offs

His shot stopping is as good as any in this division. The command of his area is his weakness. Occasionally he looks like he's improving of late but his confidence isn't great doing this. Collins bollocked him first half at Donny for it. Then again our defence doesn't generally instill confidence in anyone

 

[spongebobblade]

Thought Baxter had a good game Saturday
Lots of love
Sitwell

 

[JohnDenver]

Player of the season? Really. He's been ok but still some real moments of indecision too and some poor errors in games. He has been better than Howard granted. That was not hard.

As for being loaned out? He is 22 is he? We are in the third division. If we are loaning him out now then where does he go - non league, back to Scotland. He went to Oxford and could not get in the team and was in and out at Motherwell. He has to do it now for united if he is every going to make it as a professional goalkeeper. If we loan him again then we might aswell release him for me. I dont buy all that keepers start maturing later rubbish either. Not aware of many keepers these days who suddenly turned 25/26 and became good.

Pleased with his improvements and as I say may be worth another year but I still have concerns about him long term. Would you say he is any better than when he first played? I would say not really and that was 3 years ago.

Hope I am wrong. Love him to be our dominant number one for years to come.

I forgot Billy Sharp - he'll win it obviously.

But Long is second in my view. Mostly because the others are dreadful, I admit. I do actually think he's better than when he first started, and is improving. It's the fact he's improving that makes a new contract a no-brainer to me. At worst he's an ideal back-up keeper for us at this level, and at best he pushes on to become a real asset.

Imagine we were in the Championship and in the market for young backup keeper from the lower leagues. A 22 year old having a steady season as first choice in League 1 would fit the profile. It's just not worth ditching Long yet as he'd only need replacing with a bigger gamble.

 

[mosbolad]

He went to Oxford and could not get in the team and was in and out at Motherwell.

Get your facts right Deadbat.

Long was loaned to Oxford as their number one Ryan Clarke was injured. He played 10 games, Clarke returned from injury and Long was dropped, loan cut short and returned to United.

Played every match at Motherwell from the start of the loan to the playoffs against Rangers.

He has to do it now for united if he is every going to make it as a professional goalkeeper.

He has played well over 100 league games, I'd suggest he is a professional goalkeeper.

 

[Lane Ender]

Get your facts right Deadbat.

Long was loaned to Oxford as their number one Ryan Clarke was injured. He played 10 games, Clarke returned from injury and Long was dropped, loan cut short and returned to United.

Played every match at Motherwell from the start of the loan to the playoffs with Rangers.

To me Long has picked his game up.
He's improving with every game

 

[Fulwood Blade]

"I watch other team midfields who are constantly fitter, quicker and sharper"

The above has been lifted from deadbats post above.

This is WHY we need a clear out and start again

UTB

 

[wizadry]

"I watch other team midfields who are constantly fitter, quicker and sharper"

The above has been lifted from deadbats post above.

This is WHY we need a clear out and start again

UTB

Apart from Donnys' on Saturday

 

[Dnblade]

Can't believe the slagging Baxter is getting after having another decent game..If we play that shape,then he's In the team every time for me..who else would have put Che in with a pass like that...we'd have come away with a 0-0 without him Saturday,..I read the Star article and Che said... “I know, when Jose gets on the ball, he can find me with any type of pass.”...I bet Billy would say the same,as he knows there's a good chance he'll make a run and Baxter will get the ball to him.

 

[SB_90]

We may have finally found Baxter place putting him in that no 10 role, that relieves baxter of some of his defensive duties & still say if iniesta had done a 50yd pass for Barcelona like that 1 baxter did for utd v Bradford Away world would be lauding him

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

If you point out other players whove done what he's done for no reason, and then waited for his team mates to back him, then I'm all ears.

Hang on - are the goalposts moving? No reason. Teammates back him. Are you dropping itk hints about his ban?

Anyway, one extremely appalled team mate doesn't make low team morale - but I take the point.

I still don't think he's lazy.

Just to be clear I don't think Baxter is likely to make it above this level. You would have to build a team around him, and I don't think his (undoubted) talent justifies that.

But I still don't think he's lazy.

Lots of teams from Real Madrid a younger Ronaldo down to the Rose and Crown with their drunk and unreliable but freescoring striker struggle with these disruptive-but-creative types. Infuriating. They find their levels where the costs and benefits are balanced. Ours is Jose.

But he's not lazy.

My pet hate in this area is Ibrahimovic. Tosser. And he's lazy.

 

[sitwell]

Thought Baxter had a good game Saturday
Lots of love
Sitwell

does anyone know a decent lawyer ?

 

[alcoblade]

Can't believe the slagging Baxter is getting after having another decent game..If we play that shape,then he's In the team every time for me..who else would have put Che in with a pass like that...we'd have come away with a 0-0 without him Saturday,..I read the Star article and Che said... “I know, when Jose gets on the ball, he can find me with any type of pass.”...I bet Billy would say the same,as he knows there's a good chance he'll make a run and Baxter will get the ball to him.

He isn't getting a slating after a decent game. He's getting a slating after failing to regularly impress for two years, in England's third division, being an integral part of the worst period in the club's history.

Most people accept, sadly, that he should be a contender for the current team. It's just that the current team is well short of the standards we should be expecting.

It's a thread about Baxter. I doubt it's escaped your notice that every other player has been the target of lots of criticism too.

UTB

 

[Dnblade]

He was Motherwell's stand out player in the play-offs

That's right,and if Mark Bunn can play in the Prem,then so can our George.

 

[wizadry]

Can't believe the slagging Baxter is getting after having another decent game..If we play that shape,then he's In the team every time for me..who else would have put Che in with a pass like that...we'd have come away with a 0-0 without him Saturday,..I read the Star article and Che said... “I know, when Jose gets on the ball, he can find me with any type of pass.”...I bet Billy would say the same,as he knows there's a good chance he'll make a run and Baxter will get the ball to him.

Exactly!

If we play two up top with two midfielders who can play in a two then by all means don't play Baxter, the problem is we haven't got two players who can so Baxter plays all day long. Only at the end of the season will this get sorted for the Baxter haters, up until then they will have to put up with him for a bit longer. Sorry Sitters and co.

 

[alcoblade]

Hang on - are the goalposts moving? No reason. Teammates back him. Are you dropping itk hints about his ban?

Anyway, one extremely appalled team mate doesn't make low team morale - but I take the point.

I still don't think he's lazy.

Just to be clear I don't think Baxter is likely to make it above this level. You would have to build a team around him, and I don't think his (undoubted) talent justifies that.

But I still don't think he's lazy.

Lots of teams from Real Madrid a younger Ronaldo down to the Rose and Crown with their drunk and unreliable but freescoring striker struggle with these disruptive-but-creative types. Infuriating. They find their levels where the costs and benefits are balanced. Ours is Jose.

But he's not lazy.

My pet hate in this area is Ibrahimovic. Tosser. And he's lazy.

Yes, I'm ITK and I'm sure you'd want him out of our team if you knew too. In short, the rumour was true.

It's implausible that this one pissed off player is alone.

I don't think he's lazy. He's just a fucking dreadful athlete. That's not his fault but it is our problem.

He won't make it at a higher level IMHO, but I'll be pleased if someone wants to take him off our hands.

UTB

 

[Dkc]

My pet hate in this area is Ibrahimovic. Tosser. And he's lazy.

Totally. He's like a Chris Porter who gets lucky every game.

 

[Dkc]

Yes, I'm ITK and I'm sure you'd want him out of our team if you knew too. In short, the rumour was true.

It's implausible that this one pissed off player is alone.

I don't think he's lazy. He's just a fucking dreadful athlete. That's not his fault but it is our problem.

He won't make it at a higher level IMHO, but I'll be pleased if someone wants to take him off our hands.

UTB

Go on then. Was it Collins? And if so, how do Accrington Stanley fit into the jigsaw?

 

[spongebobblade]

Baxter is a real marmite player amongst our supporters. He hasn't helped himself particularly over the last year or so but he does contribute positively on the pitch. Some just cannot see past the negatives though

 

[wizadry]

Yes, I'm ITK and I'm sure you'd want him out of our team if you knew too. In short, the rumour was true.

It's implausible that this one pissed off player is alone.

I don't think he's lazy. He's just a fucking dreadful athlete. That's not his fault but it is our problem.

He won't make it at a higher level IMHO, but I'll be pleased if someone wants to take him off our hands.

UTB

If you're ITK, Alco, could you please tell me how the fuck Sun Jihai knows the team so early on a match day and you're nowhere to be seen?

#sunjihaipremierleagueITK
#alcobladeconferenceITK

 

[Dkc]

Whatever the incident was that led to the suspension, I'd trust Adkins (above ITK posters on here) to the best judge of what destroys team morale and what doesn't.

 

[Dnblade]

He isn't getting a slaying after a decent game. He's getting a slating after failing to regularly impress for two years, in England's third division, being an integral part of the worst period in the clubs history.

Most people accept, sadly, that he should be a contender for the current team. It's just that the current team is well short of the standards we should be expecting.

It's a thread about Baxter. I doubt it's escaped your notice that every other player has been the target of lots of criticism too.

UTB

It's not escaped my notice alco,no mate...Just to add though,Baxter has contributed quite a lot in terms of actually scoring and creating goals this season,and at the moment nobody else in our midfield comes anywhere near in that respect..we all know what he's not good at,due to his lack of mobilty,but what he does do well is he contributes to bringing other players into the game,and is our only midfielder who's actually got a goal in him.

 

[SwissBlade]

He might be a troublemaker, have an attitude problem, be fat, be lazy or any of the other things people say about him, but he was the only player that consistently showed some talent on Saturday. Flashes from Che and it was no surprise they combined for the goal.

Baxter covered plenty of ground, got it down to play and with his first touch just created extra space every time. He gave the ball away once and that was possibly a foul.

Whatever people say about Jose, I always prefer it when he's on the team sheet.

He's the best player in the squad, but needs to be played in his favoured position, have players like Reed to do the work for him and he can play with players like Che and Billy as they're intelligent footballers.

I'd like to see Basham in for Hammond, but its not going to happen, it'll be Basham for Reed or Baxter