Interview With Baxter After Bradford

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baxters Definitely redeemed himself yesterday in the yesterdays game that 50 yd ball to sharp was outstanding
 
In Summary:

Says suspension over drugs was a dark time - difficult few months
Wants to thank fans and club for support - wants to win promotion as payback for loyalty
Said Adkins wanted him to demand the ball and make things happen at Bradford
Says Sharp has been encouraging him to pick him with out with a pass
Admits sending off was stupid and interrupted his start to the season - feeling good fitness wise.
 
I think in paying the club back actions speak louder than words. More games like that and I'll believe him.

Really strange that the header off the line has scarcely got a mention.
 
William Henry Foulkes said:
I think in paying the club back actions speak louder than words. More games like that and I'll believe him.

Really strange that the header off the line has scarcely got a mention.
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Not really WHF, "The Baxter Beaters" are not ready to accept that he's had a decent game or contributed in a positive way because that would be counter-productive to the constant victimising. What you'll get is someone saying the forward should never have had the header due to poor defending etc.

I'll happily offer that currently, we are a better team with him in it than without.
 
coaxingstar71 said:
Not really WHF, "The Baxter Beaters" are not ready to accept that he's had a decent game or contributed in a positive way because that would be counter-productive to the constant victimising. What you'll get is someone saying the forward should never have had the header due to poor defending etc.

I'll happily offer that currently, we are a better team with him in it than without.
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As a Baxter Beater I thought he was the best player for us on the pitch yesterday.

No, I don't think he should start (not in a midfield 2 anyway) as he's shown he can't play there.
 
He was magnificent yesterday. Completely at ease on the ball, so much time, pulling the strings. That pass was absolutely breathtaking, and his header saved the game. Whilst many don't think we deserved owt yesterday imagine what a kick in the bollix it would have been if Hanson scored.

Definitely should continue playing deep as playmaker but he needs 2 energetic midfielders alongside him to give him the space he needs.
 
His contribution yesterday was crucial. Does that mean it was a mistake to drop him? Not in the slightest. It was fairly obvious from what Adkins said last week that he was going to drop him after the Colchester performance, and for me this sent Baxter a bit of a message that he has to maintain high standards to stay in the team. And he answered that question with a cameo performance that was as impressive as anything I've seen him do. Even without that wonder pass, he controlled the game and was a key part along with Sammon in changing the mentality of us 2nd half.

We need to see more of this, more often. He should, following 3 games out following that brainless sending off, have returned fired up, full of energy, and keen to make amends. It's taken being dropped to do that. Here's hoping we're singing his praises Saturday evening after 90 minutes of a decent performance.
 
Baxter has been poor. He did well when he came on and should continue trying to impress. I don't question his ability, I question his attitude and his face.
 
coaxingstar71 said:
Not really WHF, "The Baxter Beaters" are not ready to accept that he's had a decent game or contributed in a positive way because that would be counter-productive to the constant victimising. What you'll get is someone saying the forward should never have had the header due to poor defending etc.

I'll happily offer that currently, we are a better team with him in it than without.
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Show me one post that is negative about his performance yesterday. Doesn't exist.
 



The problem with Baxter is of course is that if he was to play every performance, or even half of them like the second half at Bradford there would be no debate about him, he would be lauded as a star performer...

...and he would not be at Sheffield United in the third division. He would be operating at the top end of the the Championship or lower and of the Premier League a sort of Charlie Adam or Kevin Macdonald figure.

The debate is do we stick with him so he can produce performances like that perhaps six or so times a season or would we get more in the long run from a different player not capable of that pass to Sharp but not likely to produce the dog of a performance like against Colchester?
 
He's been very poor but yesterday he was superb. That pass for the first goal was absolutely sublime, it's not often you hear the commentators, in a Third Division game, rave about what 99 times out of 100, they refer to as a long ball.
 
WhiteHawk said:
He's been very poor but yesterday he was superb. That pass for the first goal was absolutely sublime, it's not often you hear the commentators, in a Third Division game, rave about what 99 times out of 100, they refer to as a long ball.
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Edgar hit the same pass to Sharp in the Colchester game ,but no one mentions it a) because hes not a play maker b) it wasn't on telly and c) Billy missed despite controlling it beautifully.
Sharp has made quite a few of these runs and controlled it on his chest this season ,why didn't coach of the century Blackwell spot this when he played ? It would have been right up his street really if he hadn't told them to hit the corners.
 
sitwell said:
Edgar hit the same pass to Sharp in the Colchester game ,but no one mentions it a) because hes not a play maker b) it wasn't on telly and c) Billy missed despite controlling it beautifully.
Sharp has made quite a few of these runs and controlled it on his chest this season ,why didn't coach of the century Blackwell spot this when he played ? It would have been right up his street really if he hadn't told them to hit the corners.
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You're right, there's been a few of those balls that Sharp has controlled superbly but unfortunately, they haven't lead to goals. I'm not sure we've got many players that can make that pass though :D
 
If Adko plays Baxter in that role in a midfield three like on Sunday, rather than in a two, we'll see that consistency. It's not lack of effort or desire when he's playing in a two, it's lack of the relevant (box-to-box) type of ability.

Would love to see more of him in that deep lying role (with two fellow middies let off the leash) like on Sunday.

4-3-3: it's the future!
 
Harry's Game said:
The problem with Baxter is of course is that if he was to play every performance, or even half of them like the second half at Bradford there would be no debate about him, he would be lauded as a star performer...

...and he would not be at Sheffield United in the third division. He would be operating at the top end of the the Championship or lower and of the Premier League a sort of Charlie Adam or Kevin Macdonald figure.

The debate is do we stick with him so he can produce performances like that perhaps six or so times a season or would we get more in the long run from a different player not capable of that pass to Sharp but not likely to produce the dog of a performance like against Colchester?
Click to expand...

.... along with the 10 other "dog" performances against Colchester.
 
William Henry Foulkes said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0330b4w

Interesting listening to him. Haven't got time to summarise atm.

(Definitely is the new footballers' at the end of the day.)
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Had chance to have a listen now and I picked out a few things :-

1. The managers instructions were to get on the ball and 'tick' things over, ie keep the ball. This is why he needs to be in the team because he's the best player we have in the squad that can do it. Which leads onto....

2. Praises the movement of Sharp for the pass and goal. Interestingly points out 'variety of movement' - in other words, it's no good the forwards making the same runs all the time. I think he was being generous here as the movement against Bury and Colchester and first half against Blackpool was poor and this is why I get annoyed at those on Baxter's back for losing the ball or percepted poor passing or playing square balls. He can't execute defence splitting passes if there's no movement from the forwards. I've seen it time and again at Bramall Lane and it's always the bloke with the ball that gets it in the neck. All you can do in that situation is keep ticking it over, passing square and round the back hoping the movement across the pitch will open up a different angle to execute a good forward ball. Then the crowd get restless and he tries the odd pass that isn't on and he's the one who looks a twat because invariably it either: goes out of play, goes to the opposition and sometimes even worse goes to them creating a dangerous situation for us.

Don't get me wrong, I've haven't got Jose tinted glasses on, I think he needs to be a lot more consistent (as do ALL of them) and he needs to work harder and eradicate the stupid tackles. But he's the only one who plays with his head up, can hold it and switch play so on that basis he plays.
 
My issue with Jose is his inconsistency.

He's at his best when fighting for his place coming back from suspension, injury or poor form. When he's on a run of starting he appears to get complacent, apathetic and disinterested and the fans pick up on it and he gets bad press.

If he could bring consistency into his game we would struggle to hang on to him. Until then he will continue to divide opinion.
 
Baxter in a 4-4-2 against Colchester: awful

Baxter in a 4-3-3 against Bradford: excellent.

Spot the potential reason? He's not tactically disciplined enough to play in a midfield 2. However, put him in a midfield 3 and he's much, much better.

Let's hope that Adkins sticks with the latter formation on Saturday, with Adams coming in for McNulty. Sammon played well on the left too.
 
Balham Blade said:
Baxter in a 4-4-2 against Colchester: awful

Baxter in a 4-3-3 against Bradford: excellent.

Spot the potential reason? He's not tactically disciplined enough to play in a midfield 2. However, put him in a midfield 3 and he's much, much better.

Let's hope that Adkins sticks with the latter formation on Saturday, with Adams coming in for McNulty. Sammon played well on the left too.
Click to expand...

Same with Basham at Bradford, ineffective first half, couldn't get close enough to players, didn't get forward. Second half, with an extra player covering, he managed to get closer to the Bradford midfielders, won more balls, got involved offensively and appeared in the box a few times. It's a role that suits him better, at least at the moment.
 
Bergen Blade said:
Same with Basham at Bradford, ineffective first half, couldn't get close enough to players, didn't get forward. Second half, with an extra player covering, he managed to get closer to the Bradford midfielders, won more balls, got involved offensively and appeared in the box a few times. It's a role that suits him better, at least at the moment.
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Given that Clough religiously stuck to a midfield 3 ( generally one holding, two pivoting) it's understandable that the majority of our recruitment was aimed at finding players suited to that.

Of our current crop of central midfielders (and there are a lot of them) I think only Wallace and maybe Coutts would be able to successfully play in a central 2. I understand Adkins' desire to play with out-and-out wingers but we're much, much stronger with three central midfielders and then inside forwards than with wingers: Campbell-Ryce is inconsistent, Flynn is injury prone and Woolford has been extremely poor thus far.

4-3-3 also suggests that we're playing further forward. It adds a lot to the workload of the front three but we've got enough forwards to be able to rotate.
 



Bergen Blade said:
Same with Basham at Bradford, ineffective first half, couldn't get close enough to players, didn't get forward. Second half, with an extra player covering, he managed to get closer to the Bradford midfielders, won more balls, got involved offensively and appeared in the box a few times. It's a role that suits him better, at least at the moment.
Click to expand...
Agree, we looked better in the second half with a changed formation, but don't forget the intensity which Bratfut played the first half with - there was no way they'd be able to keep that up for the whole 90 mins. I thought if we'd kept in the game there was always room for us to get more time on the ball and make chances.
 
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