TonyAgana said:
I genuinely believe Nick Montgomery is not 1st team material.
So he hasn't performed in the first team? This confuses me as he's been a number of people's man of the match for weeks now.
TonyAgana said:
If giving 200% week in week out got teams promoted then Monty would be first on my team sheet. But it doesn't.
So you'd prefer the lads to have a few off days but then blinders?
TonyAgana said:
The crowd applaudes his "no-nonsense" tackling - but how often is he simply cleaning up a mess he's gotten himself into?
And how often is he cleaning up a mess Quinny has gotten them into? The latter is what I have seen most.
TonyAgana said:
Or how many times will he break down our own attack by laying the ball back 40 yards to Paddy?
Jags was one of the main offenders for this when in defence. He did it a few times from midfield as well. Don't just single out Monty for things. It makes you seem as though you aren't putting forward a reflective argument.
TonyAgana said:
We cheer him on when he's steaming through the park onto a through-ball but there is NEVER an end product.
So if he scored a few goals he'd be a different player in your eyes?
TonyAgana said:
He'd be my third choice behind Alan Quinn and Lilian Nalis.
Quinny, disappointing to the end of last season/pre-season. Did well the few times he's played but his passes have a habit of going astray. No-one seems to pick up on this though.
Nalis, looked confident and collected pre-season but flustered against Leicester and annoymous against Burnley and QPR. Dispossessed easlisy and showed little creative flair.
TonyAgana said:
Quinny gets goals and Lilian Nalis has one major addition to his game that Monty woefully lacks. Forward, intelligent, intuitive passing.
Quinny - 8 goals in 40 starting games for United (6 subs)
Nalis - many people blamed him for the goal at Burnley. Monty has had a lot of forward passes? No? Maybe I was watching a different few games then.
TonyAgana said:
I challenge Blades fans that back Montgomery to give me reason as to why he is picked before Nalis or Quinn.
See above. Monty is performing so why drop him? Nalis has been poor (and is apparently having some off-field troubles if the rumours are to be believed). Quinny played well with Monty in midfield to be more defensively minded. But Quinny does not defend, and can often be found further forward than the forwards. Fair enough he might score a few goals, but his lack of defending might cause them at the other end as well. He's too lightweight in the challenge and his passing needs improvement.
I'm sorry, but whatever Monty's doing, he's doing right.
As you say, Jags is not a creative midfielder but why shouldn't he be dropped in favour of one of the others? Monty has far outplayed Jags IMO when he was moved into midfield so why pick on Monty?
The best example that immediately springs to mind of a Monty run was in the first half v. Boston, but some people would chose that not to count for reason of their arguments (lower division side, just a first round cup match etc. etc.) If his runs and crosses don't produce an end product i.e. the forward fluffs it, why is that Monty's fault?
I like Monty and don't like people singling him out for criticism when there are players who have worse games but are still seen as the "golden boys." The more people pick on him, the more I stick up for him
I like a good underdog.
