Berlin Blade
Large Member
Why can't people see that it's horses for courses? It isn't really about being either FIRST TEAM or DROPPED to the bench. The squad is roughy 18 players, all interchanging depending on opposition. I reckon aside from JOC in defence, Fleck in midfield and Clarke upfront, there are no shoe ins, and those are only shoe ins because they're exceptional. You'll notice all three have started every game they're available. Every single other player is part of a squad and is just as important on the bench as they are starting.
CCV - sometimes has been preferred at RCB to Basham if Bash is required further up the pitch. This has worked well at Hillsborough and when covering injured midfielders. He's also been played at CB over Wright at the start of the season in games against big physical centre forwards like Bolton. Also been used on the bench to be able to cover CB, RCB and RB at a push.
Duffy - One of our most effective players, and probably the best player in the league for me. Yes I said it. Should he start every week? I'd like him to, but again, he's been used effectively off the bench at Hillsborough, or to change the game/shape coming on at 65 minutes. He's also been used out wide once or twice, to accommodate Brooks to great effect. That's allowed the emergence of a £10 million plus asset, so i'd say he was doing an important job for the squad by being on the bench occasionally.
Sharp/Don - Both are good players but very different. HOW can you lot not see that every game is different against different players set up in different ways ON DIFFERENT SIZED PITCHES. Does it just go completely over your heads that Donaldson looks an absolute world beater on the big pitch at Sunderland and the big pitch at Villa and then turns into a conference player on the tiny pitches at QPR and Forest where he has no space to run into? It'll be you lot that come on here like fickle 8 year old lads saying 'HE'S RATE GOOD HIM' one week then 'HE'S SHIT HIM' the next. Meanwhile, Billy is quality on a small pitch where he can play to his strengths of finding half a yard of space where there is none and finishing his dinner, but does look anonymous on bigger pitches (not for want of trying, it's just not his game). That's why we need both and if Sharp starts against Bolton it's NOT a case of 'HAVE U SEEN TEAMSHEET?? WILDERS DROPPED DONALDSON WHATS HE THINKING' it's horses for courses and Donaldson is going to be used on 70 if Bolton are chasing the game and leaving 2 defenders on the half way line and going for it. That means they're susceptible to the counter if we bring on some fresh pace.. like Don. Have you lot not been watching football for the last fifteen years? It beggars belief.
People are so quick to judge without taking in ANY external factors to what makes players have good games and bad games. I was saying when Lunny was having a tough time (after 2 games, lol) that perhaps the reason he wasn't playing well and settling in was that he was only getting a look in late in games to see the result out, or starting cup games where the team sheet was completely unrecognisable with ten changes and he was in the middle of it. I said if he was in the middle with Fleck and Duffy, two quality wing backs either side of him, infront of a settled solid defence and with two in form strikers infront of him, we would see a different player because he'd have the freedom to do his job. It's not rocket science is it. Look back at that team vs Leicester he started in. Ched, Carruthers, Lavary etc.
Stop being so polarised. It's not Brexit.
CCV - sometimes has been preferred at RCB to Basham if Bash is required further up the pitch. This has worked well at Hillsborough and when covering injured midfielders. He's also been played at CB over Wright at the start of the season in games against big physical centre forwards like Bolton. Also been used on the bench to be able to cover CB, RCB and RB at a push.
Duffy - One of our most effective players, and probably the best player in the league for me. Yes I said it. Should he start every week? I'd like him to, but again, he's been used effectively off the bench at Hillsborough, or to change the game/shape coming on at 65 minutes. He's also been used out wide once or twice, to accommodate Brooks to great effect. That's allowed the emergence of a £10 million plus asset, so i'd say he was doing an important job for the squad by being on the bench occasionally.
Sharp/Don - Both are good players but very different. HOW can you lot not see that every game is different against different players set up in different ways ON DIFFERENT SIZED PITCHES. Does it just go completely over your heads that Donaldson looks an absolute world beater on the big pitch at Sunderland and the big pitch at Villa and then turns into a conference player on the tiny pitches at QPR and Forest where he has no space to run into? It'll be you lot that come on here like fickle 8 year old lads saying 'HE'S RATE GOOD HIM' one week then 'HE'S SHIT HIM' the next. Meanwhile, Billy is quality on a small pitch where he can play to his strengths of finding half a yard of space where there is none and finishing his dinner, but does look anonymous on bigger pitches (not for want of trying, it's just not his game). That's why we need both and if Sharp starts against Bolton it's NOT a case of 'HAVE U SEEN TEAMSHEET?? WILDERS DROPPED DONALDSON WHATS HE THINKING' it's horses for courses and Donaldson is going to be used on 70 if Bolton are chasing the game and leaving 2 defenders on the half way line and going for it. That means they're susceptible to the counter if we bring on some fresh pace.. like Don. Have you lot not been watching football for the last fifteen years? It beggars belief.
People are so quick to judge without taking in ANY external factors to what makes players have good games and bad games. I was saying when Lunny was having a tough time (after 2 games, lol) that perhaps the reason he wasn't playing well and settling in was that he was only getting a look in late in games to see the result out, or starting cup games where the team sheet was completely unrecognisable with ten changes and he was in the middle of it. I said if he was in the middle with Fleck and Duffy, two quality wing backs either side of him, infront of a settled solid defence and with two in form strikers infront of him, we would see a different player because he'd have the freedom to do his job. It's not rocket science is it. Look back at that team vs Leicester he started in. Ched, Carruthers, Lavary etc.
Stop being so polarised. It's not Brexit.
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