Brayford - defending

[flash-blade]

The lad can't defend, said it first time he was here. He backs off, gets caught out, doesn't tuck in when the ball is on the other side and switches off. Good going forward but a full back needs to be able to defend. He'd be best as a wing back ala Vaz Borbokis and K Wallace on the other side ala Wayne Quinn with Basham, Collins or edgar and Mckev as three centre half's.
Atkins team last night had no pace or width hence Sharp and Done had to feed on scraps until the last 20 mins when we made changes and got at Wigan out wide, if we are going to sneak in the play offs we've got to get at teams and go for it, we have the players to do that, last nights first half was devoid of ideas and attacking threat. Adkins has tried to shore things up but we're still conceding goals.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

The lad can't defend, said it first time he was here. He backs off, gets caught out, doesn't tuck in when the ball is on the other side and switches off. Good going forward but a full back needs to be able to defend. He'd be best as a wing back ala Vaz Borbokis and K Wallace on the other side ala Wayne Quinn with Basham, Collins or edgar and Mckev as three centre half's.
Atkins team last night had no pace or width hence Sharp and Done had to feed on scraps until the last 20 mins when we made changes and got at Wigan out wide, if we are going to sneak in the play offs we've got to get at teams and go for it, we have the players to do that, last nights first half was devoid of ideas and attacking threat. Adkins has tried to shore things up but we're still conceding goals.

Unfortunately what you say about his defending is true but there is no doubting that we have looked a better side since his return. Our defenders idea of defending is to run alongside the opponent, the point they miss is that at some stage they have do what is commonly known as put a tackle in. Hoping that they might try it at Colchester this coming weekend.

 

[Trigger Blade]

There's an object lesson for you Barney, the first line of both paragraphs of the OP are highly critical.

The difference is, I doubt that flash-blade will post the same thing time and time again to a point well beyond tedium and he also has positive suggestions to make. Let's see whether he gets castigated for his critical view, which is what you claim happens to you.......

 

[Deaneandagana]

The biggest single issue, as I see things & one which may ultimately cost us, is our inability to defend - how many times this season have we conceded 3 or more, not got the stats but has to be 5 +?

Teams who generally get promoted have solid robust defences, btw scoring 3 goals away & only getting a point - scandalous.

Memo to NA - buy some defenders.

 

[Bladesman]

The biggest single issue, as I see things & one which may ultimately cost us, is our inability to defend - how many times this season have we conceded 3 or more, not got the stats but has to be 5 +?

Teams who generally get promoted have solid robust defences, btw scoring 3 goals away & only getting a point - scandalous.

Memo to NA - buy some defenders.

He says he is after a couple of players as well as signing Hammond.

So I expect one of those players to be defender.

 

[PeteBlade]

Selling players like Maguire with no plan to adequately replace them has this effect.

We need proper recruitment plans with long term strategy in mind, and that strategy can't simply be: 'who can we sell next'.

We must be smarter.

 

[FTPE]

He can defend.
He gets pulled out of position. He gets caught going forward too much, but he's a leader, our best player and it's not his fault that he has too many responsibilities for a right back.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

He's a better defender than Kyle Walker

The modern day right back is more about going forward than defending but I agree with ftpe above, he looks worse when we're defending as a team as badly as we are on occasions.

 

[Balham]

The biggest single issue, as I see things & one which may ultimately cost us, is our inability to defend - how many times this season have we conceded 3 or more, not got the stats but has to be 5 +?

Teams who generally get promoted have solid robust defences, btw scoring 3 goals away & only getting a point - scandalous.

Memo to NA - buy some defenders.

Seven to date if you include Fulham in the League Cup:
1 - Gillingham (a) 0-4
2 - Bury (h) 1-3
3 - Colchester (h) 2-3
4 - Shrewsbury (h) 2-4
5 - Peterborough (h) 2-3
6 - WIgan (a) 3-3
7 - Fulham (a) 0-3

We've scored 3 on five occasions:
1 - Peterborough (a) 3-1
2 - Doncaster (h) 3-1
3 - Rochdale (h) 3-2
4 - Fleetwood (h) 3-0
5 - Wigan (a) 3-3

 

[Ricky]

If we're being honest, he's not even very good going forward either is he? He's totally reliant on support and movement around him. If he has that he's OK. But he has little pace or trickery. If he's on his own all he can do is put in a deep cross whereas a player like Lowton would get into the box. His crossing's usually decent though.

 

[metty]

There's an object lesson for you Barney, the first line of both paragraphs of the OP are highly critical.

The difference is, I doubt that flash-blade will post the same thing time and time again to a point well beyond tedium and he also has positive suggestions to make. Let's see whether he gets castigated for his critical view, which is what you claim happens to you.......

Shhhhhh Trig, don't wake him up for fuck's sake.

 

[anglian blade]

Our defenders idea of defending is to run alongside the opponent, the point they miss is that at some stage they have do what is commonly known as put a tackle in. Hoping that they might try it at Colchester this coming weekend.

Modern defenders don't tackle much, at best once or twice a game.

 

[sitwell]

The lad can't defend, said it first time he was here. He backs off, gets caught out, doesn't tuck in when the ball is on the other side and switches off. Good going forward but a full back needs to be able to defend. He'd be best as a wing back ala Vaz Borbokis and K Wallace on the other side ala Wayne Quinn with Basham, Collins or edgar and Mckev as three centre half's.
Atkins team last night had no pace or width hence Sharp and Done had to feed on scraps until the last 20 mins when we made changes and got at Wigan out wide, if we are going to sneak in the play offs we've got to get at teams and go for it, we have the players to do that, last nights first half was devoid of ideas and attacking threat. Adkins has tried to shore things up but we're still conceding goals.

He doesn't have the problem when Coutts is in front of him ,who was in front of him last night ?

 

[Deaneandagana]

Seven to date if you include Fulham in the League Cup:
1 - Gillingham (a) 0-4
2 - Bury (h) 1-3
3 - Colchester (h) 2-3
4 - Shrewsbury (h) 2-4
5 - Peterborough (h) 2-3
6 - WIgan (a) 3-3
7 - Fulham (a) 0-3

We've scored 3 on five occasions:
1 - Peterborough (a) 3-1
2 - Doncaster (h) 3-1
3 - Rochdale (h) 3-2
4 - Fleetwood (h) 3-0
5 - Wigan (a) 3-3

Thanks for this, 2 worrying observations (I) conceded 3 or more at home on 4 occasions and (ii) twice in the last 2 league games.

Time to act.

 

[lazyfecklessblade]

He provides so much more than defending, besides with the more steady McEvely on the other side we play a little asymmetrically at the back - allowing our bearded wonder a bit of leeway out of possession. With a more attacking LB (freeman maybe), allowances would probably have to be made such as sacrificing playing 2 up front

 

[Thorpy]

If we're being honest, he's not even very good going forward either is he? He's totally reliant on support and movement around him. If he has that he's OK. But he has little pace or trickery. If he's on his own all he can do is put in a deep cross whereas a player like Lowton would get into the box. His crossing's usually decent though.

judging by your post you wouldnt know a good footballer if you saw one, john brayford is probably the best all round footballer at the lane, the fact that he runs himself into the ground for united would not be good enough for some fans doesnt seem to matter and the fact remains that some united fans would moan whoever we bought and will never be satisfied.

 

[Ricky]

judging by your post you wouldnt know a good footballer if you saw one, john brayford is probably the best all round footballer at the lane, the fact that he runs himself into the ground for united would not be good enough for some fans doesnt seem to matter and the fact remains that some united fans would moan whoever we bought and will never be satisfied.

I've not said he isn't one of our best footballers.

For what he cost we're entitled to expect more from him - whether he runs himself into the ground or not.

There's no doubt whatsoever that a large percentage of our fans see what they want to see with Brayford, more so than with any other player.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Confucius he say:

The player does not defend - the team defends.

Singling out individual errors is personally profitable but often offers little or no insight into the practical problems.

(I wonder how Yoda would say it.)

 

[wizadry]

judging by your post you wouldnt know a good footballer if you saw one, john brayford is probably the best all round footballer at the lane, the fact that he runs himself into the ground for united would not be good enough for some fans doesnt seem to matter and the fact remains that some united fans would moan whoever we bought and will never be satisfied.

I don't disagree but at the same time you and others have to accept his defending is mediocre at best and I love the bloke.

He must have been at least partly at fault for quite a number of goals this season and this is what the OP is alluding too. He should be a wingback then he won't have to worry about getting back as much.

Up the pitch is where he is influential, not at the back, I thought that was pretty obvious in recent weeks to be honest.

Some people like to go on one when it has nothing to do with the OP concerns.

 

[Toledo Blade]

I like him, he is exciting to watch and provides the Blades with some rare attacking raids on the wing. lets be honest we do not see much attacking play or support to the frontmen from the midfield, I would even say he's a breath of fresh air to watch. he is our best player and would also say he always gives 100% every time, which is more than I can say for other Blades players. As fans we want to see commitment, guts, and some gung-ho attacking from our defenders. I rest my case with McGuire who when ventured forward the crowd would always yell shoot.

 

[Ashtonsmashton]

Unfortunately we are in the league where every player has a week point because if Brayford could defend then he would be in the premier league. Like if Sharp was fast or a bit taller, Premier league. If Sammon could head the ball, Premier League. If Basham could pass, Premier League. JCR could cross, top championship team.

 

[longinthe toothblade]

Confucius he say:

The player does not defend - the team defends.

Singling out individual errors is personally profitable but often offers little or no insight into the practical problems.

(I wonder how Yoda would say it.)

Great sentiment Fatso.

I wish folk would think about this and give poor old Collins a break - every now and then.

 

[wizadry]

Great sentiment Fatso.

I wish folk would think about this and give poor old Collins a break - every now and then.

Collins and McEveley have been better than Brayford and Edgar in recent weeks, it hardly ever gets mentioned though.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

If we're being honest, he's not even very good going forward either is he? He's totally reliant on support and movement around him. If he has that he's OK. But he has little pace or trickery. If he's on his own all he can do is put in a deep cross whereas a player like Lowton would get into the box. His crossing's usually decent though.

I think he’s very similar to Lowton in a lot of ways. People used to say he couldn’t defend either. I think the issue is they can’t be everywhere at once and will occasionally get skinned by a winger (It’s what wingers are paid to do). Neither tended to skin 3 or 4 players going forward but both have loads of energy looking for a quick give and go to get near the byline. Both benefit from playing behind a withdrawn winger/ wide midfielder (Lowton-Willo, Brayford- Coutts). Neither is perfect but both are/were very good all round players for this level.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Confucius he say:

The player does not defend - the team defends.

Singling out individual errors is personally profitable but often offers little or no insight into the practical problems.

(I wonder how Yoda would say it.)

Google 'Yoda speak generator', you must.

http://www.yodaspeak.co.uk/

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Google 'Yoda speak generator', you must.

http://www.yodaspeak.co.uk/

Part of a team, the Beard is.
Defend as a team, we do.

I think Yoda's wisdom was shown at Old Trafford when Brayford was beaten by Depay, Hammond and Coutts covered, Hammond went to ground, by which time the Beard and Coutts(!) in the 93rd minute(!!) had recovered.

Unfortunately the Dark Side was too strong at that time.

 

[blade too long]

Brayford , is a jack of all trades, but master of none , but the sum of his worth is great
better defenders oh yes , better attacking wing backs again affirmative , better support players , a few, better organisers , there are a few
but this is about the package
he and the defence were unruffled for 90 minutes, in the theatre of dreams
yes he got skinned by a 30 million pound player , but so do some 20 million pound defenders

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I don't disagree but at the same time you and others have to accept his defending is mediocre at best and I love the bloke.

He must have been at least partly at fault for quite a number of goals this season and this is what the OP is alluding too. He should be a wingback then he won't have to worry about getting back as much.

Up the pitch is where he is influential, not at the back, I thought that was pretty obvious in recent weeks to be honest.

Some people like to go on one when it has nothing to do with the OP concerns.

sometimes people have to get off the fence even with popular players.

Agree with you about Brayford - better than freeman, but still not brilliant at defending.
He looks a couple of yards slow in defence since his return - hopefully this will improve over a few months.
tbf - Coutts arrived injured and took time to settle - different player now.

UTB

 

[lazyfecklessblade]

Confucius he say:

The player does not defend - the team defends.

Singling out individual errors is personally profitable but often offers little or no insight into the practical problems.

(I wonder how Yoda would say it.)

'You go up or you do not, there is no playoffs'

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

Brayford isn't perfect but he's an excellent influence on the team in all sorts of ways.

I don't have the information to hand but if anyone is in a position to post our record over the past two years when Brayford has played and when he hasn't I suspect they would make instructive reading.