Coutts replacement... Brooks.

[ThroughThinAndThinner]

Lundstram has mainly come in to a team when Chris has made quite a few changes so a bit harsh judging him on those performances. Give him a run in a settled side and then judge him.

 

[Grappler]

Brooks in for Coutts? No.

Carruthers in for Coutts? Probably not.

Lundstram or Basham in for Coutts, yes, for now.

CW and AK will already be working on the permutations, the formations, the strategy and tactics.

We are all gutted for Paul Coutts, first and foremost for him as a person, 18 months ago he was on the transfer list, now he is the first name on the team sheet, he must have been in such a happy place in his life, playing lovely football with confidence, settled in his working life as a Blades regular and settled in his home life. This is the second bad injury in his career, "unlucky" doesn't cover it.

The midfield trio of Coutts, Duffy and Fleck were almost unplayable at times. No team could really match them or stand up to their considerable talent. Coutts himself said, in a recent interview, that the partnership he has with Fleck is almost telepathic, they both know instinctively, almost without looking, where the other will be to receive the ball.

We don't have a "like for like" replacement for Paul Coutts, because there isn't one. We need to change things slightly and and that is what Mr. Wilder and Mr. Knill will be doing.

I actually like Lundstram, he is not the finished article but he is gutsy, can pick a pass and can score. We all know he will not shy away from a hard tackle, he gives us some muscle and solidity. CW would not have brought him to BDTBL if he thought he was not up to the task of playing for our club. Get behind the lad.

The table doesn't lie, we are top of the Championship on merit, not luck. One player didn't put us there, even as important as he is.

Onwards and upwards.

UTB!

 

[Kevincarterversion2.0]

Brooks isnt a player who should be sitting deeper like Coutts does. Definitely not a replacement IMO.

 

[snootyfenooty]

Playing Carruthers would give us a midfield with no physical presence, we would be overrun most games. Playing Bash in midfield would lose the creativity Coutts brings. Brooks as playmaker? Forget it, I would do a better job and it would set him back massively.

Lundstram is Hobson's choice.

 

[sufcboy95]

For what purpose? We’re after promotion. You really don’t get professional football, do you?

Bladey Boyband Claptrap.

lundstrum ain’t good enough, simples old boy

 

[Sheffsteel]

lundstrum ain’t good enough, simples old boy

Same as Coutts wasn’t good enough.
Lunny was very highly rated at Oxford, give him a chance starting a few matches and see what happens.
But he definitely gets my support. If he’s not up to it then we’ll have reached the January transfer window.
I’m confident Wilder will have already made plans for any injuries and i’m confident he’ll already have a long list of transfer targets.

 

[Pinchy]

lundstrum ain’t good enough, simples old boy

Maybe not. Whiteman certainly isn’t.

It’s Lundstram by the way, callow Youth.

 

[Kimmy Blade]

Correct.

Yep

 

[Barney]

I sadly doubt it, but I really hope Lundstram can step up.

 

[super_pig]

lundstrum ain’t good enough, simples old boy

ironic really when you consider me and Pinchy got pelters for ages for saying Coutts was a good player.. it takes time for players to settle in he's only played (five?.. ish) games

 

[Bergen Blade]

George Saville is a good midfielder at Millwall, I wondered if we'd be interested in the summer when he was available. Scored twice today at Sunderland. From Chelsea's academy and a full international for Northern Ireland.

 

[wavy-blade]

What about Barry Bannan
* puts crash helmet on for incoming *

 

[Zlatan]

I don't think you can replace Coutts with Brooks or Carruthers. Either alongside Fleck in central midfield would be too lightweight, and there's nobody really capable of holding the ball up like Coutts does.

I think Lundstram is the best option for now and it's an area I'd definitely look to strengthen in when January arrives.

 

[super_pig]

i've been reading these comments with interest..
IMHO 'nobody' will be asked to play the 'Coutts' position.. because they aren't Coutts .. the skill of management is to get the maximum from the best attributes of your staff, making the whole the greater of the sum of the parts.. this is Wilders key skill.. it might take a tweak in formation and a few games to bed in but soon everyone will be talking about the Samir role or the Lundstrum role as Wilder obviously has a back up plan.. the fact that we go on about and everyone is shitting their pants (self included) about filling the Coutts role is testament to Paul for making it his.. get well soon Paul.. look at Zlatan. as soon as he got injured he remained super positive so much so he was ridiculed. and now he is back.

 

[Bladesman]

Didn’t Coutts, master of never giving the ball away, do precisely that against Leeds leading to a chance? It will at times happen, and the nature of the area they patrol is that when it’s given away there the likelihood is it will lead to a chance.

Didn't Coutts give the ball away against Hull and it led to their goal?

The chant doesn't work though if you replace "he never gives the ball away" with "he somtimes gives the ball away"

 

[I should coco]

lundstrum ain’t good enough, simples old boy

Based on what exactly? A few bit part games with no extended run.

Strange as it may seem, I trust AK and CW's judgements rather than some negative random internet bloke.

Lundstram will do for me and we need to get behind him from the off.

 

[Rodley]

George Saville is a good midfielder at Millwall, I wondered if we'd be interested in the summer when he was available. Scored twice today at Sunderland. From Chelsea's academy and a full international for Northern Ireland.

Great shout, done really well this year at Millwall.

 

[Rodley]

Based on what exactly? A few bit part games with no extended run.

Strange as it may seem, I trust AK and CW's judgements rather than some negative random internet bloke.

Lundstram will do for me and we need to get behind him from the off.

Agreed -Talk about giving up without a fight eh? Lundstram gets my full backing. He needs time and continued improvement under Wilder and Knill, but physically he’s potentially a more mobile Kevin McDonald.

We’re second in the league, we can’t start pulling apart players.

 

[Trueblade]

Lundstram really should have the chance now I think. Wilder must like him as he comes on pretty much every game for some match time.

Only an extended run in the team will really give us an idea of what he’s about. I’ve had a look and I can see three games he’s started (league) and we lost two. That may be why some have doubts. I think it’s fair to say he cannot be blamed for them defeats.

Brooks as a replacement is just desperate. The lad should be running and terrifying defenders. He should not be shackled in the middle of the Park. I appreciate however that fans are desperate to give him game time though.

 

[Headshrinker]

I see it as this:
Lundstram and Basham are good defensively but poor offensively.

Carruthers is decent offensively but poor defensively.

Brooks is not physical enough and poor defensively.

There's no player good enough to replace Coutts in the middle.

I fear things will be much tougher going forward. I would give Lundstram the first chance to prove me wrong and show that he's good enough.

 

[blade67]

I'm sure lundstram will get first dibs at it and good luck to him.

One option I've not seen is to push CCV forward 10 yards. Better on the ball than either bash or lundstram, mobile and physical. Would allow the attacking players to do just that and when our right backs return we have enough cover at CB.

 

[Stevo]

I'm sure lundstram will get first dibs at it and good luck to him.

One option I've not seen is to push CCV forward 10 yards. Better on the ball than either bash or lundstram, mobile and physical. Would allow the attacking players to do just that and when our right backs return we have enough cover at CB.

I put this forward as an option. Stearman in at the back (or bash when baldock or Freeman back) and ccv could be an option. Defensive, good on the ball and an eye for a pass....could work

 

[super_pig]

football manager isn't real
i get the feeling some people are subconsciously desperate to fail cos that's what we normally do.. up until now that is

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Totally different sort of player. Playing either player in the other one’s role would be a complete waste of talent.

 

[BV]

Lundstram won’t give the ball away more than Coutts did at Leeds and we still had far too much for them. He might not be as good as Coutts at his best but most of the time doesn’t have to be. And he still might surprise a few of us.

 

[Blade for Sale]

What about Barry Bannan
* puts crash helmet on for incoming *

It's actually a decent shout insofar as type/standard goes. However I suspect he's one of the many doing a sterling job of rapidly emptying the piggy's coffers on wages befitting The Massive which probably makes him a non starter