Jose Baxter

[Woodwardfan]

Where does that leave Scougall then ?
Do you really think he was one our stand out players ? I thought he was poor in 80 % of his games ,and just stood out in a few ,I don't think he was anywhere near as good as ,Maguire ,Harris ,Brayford ,Flynn, Murphy , Scougall or even Doyle in the last 15 games.

Fully agree. Very skillfull player but anonymous in many games.

 

[Woodwardfan]

I actually think baxter is good enough to be a top player in the championship. ...BUT like has already been said his fitness and sometimes his effort let's him down. .let's hope he has a good pre season and gets himself as fit as possible and I think he'll do well for us

For goodness sake, he's as fit as a flea. His problem, his perceived problem maybe, is his composure, some may call it arrogance./ personal confidence.

Do Real Madrid expect Ronaldo to track up and down the field? Or Barca expect Messi to be a workhorse?

By the way, the supremely scrawny Scougall doesn't get back much either.

Currie didn't work hard. Neither did Keith Edwards or Sabella. Nor did Woodward but that's forgiven!

The really skillfull players should not be expected to be jacks of all trades. It's a team game and each team is the sum of it's parts.

 

[Pedro Verde]

Some of the positions Baxter has been asked to play (wide when hes swapped with Murphy) mean he has to get back and defend
Madrid and Barca can afford the luxury type player within their formation
Im afraid L1 football doesnt allow you that option very often as other teams usually work their bollocks off

 

[Foxy]

For goodness sake, he's as fit as a flea.

He'll be having a tough pre-season, in order to improve his fitness.

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

For goodness sake, he's as fit as a flea. His problem, his perceived problem maybe, is his composure, some may call it arrogance./ personal confidence.

Do Real Madrid expect Ronaldo to track up and down the field? Or Barca expect Messi to be a workhorse?

Probably not...But they do and that is why they are two of the greatest players that's ever lived. Exceptional technical ability and work-rate are not mutually exclusive, it's like saying a 6 foot plus, stocky beast of a man is usually a donkey, but then there were/are people like Zidane and Cantona.

Back to Baxter; his ability to make something happen with the ball isn't doubted. But it is hampered by his fitness which overrides how much of the game he participates in. He often has 'breather' moments where he floats out of the game. The criticism of his fitness levels is very fair, fitness is the fundamental attribute you would expect of any professional footballer picking up a professional salary. I genuinely believe that Clough will address this.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I genuinely believe that Clough will address this.

Or he'll sell him. Though if he's going to do that I'd rather it be pre-Clough-fitness-regime than after. Similarly we should be sending Febian Brandy a cake a day to try and curb his pace for his next employer.

 

[MBoreman]

Having disagreed with much of the things said here (as is often the case with Baxter discussions), I won't directly address anyone but here's my basic thoughts.

1) Baxter isn't unfit
2) I see no reason why Scougall HAS to play, he's a good player but may not always get in. He did well last year but hardly ripped sides apart, he was bought to develop anyway.
3) Baxter and Scougall don't play in the same position, Scougall is a CM.
4) Baxter is the best footballer at the club and arguably the second best player behind Harry.
5) If the squad remains as it is now (it won't) I'd play Baxter behind McNulty with Doyle and Scougall CM and Basham at RB through necessity.

 

[Pinchy]

In hindsight he may have not actually said this an interview, however traditionally with Derby and Burton he tended to use a 4-4-2 system.

Oh, he did. On his very first day!

 

[wizadry]

I don't think Baxter fits into 4-4-2. That's why he is not a worldbeater in the lower leagues. Put him in the Premiership and he would show the likes of some highly paid players how to play in a "diamond", "in the final third", "in the hole". Give him licence to appear "between the lines" and watch him create. Players of natural ability will always be accused of being fat, lazy or disinterrested until they play in a successful team. Then they are "maestros".

I think leon britton could fit somewhere in the brackets mentioned woodwardfan,although he certainly wasn't a fat twat.Natural ability is one he has clearly shown he's got.Shite for us ,very good for swansea.

 

[Woodwardfan]

I think leon britton could fit somewhere in the brackets mentioned woodwardfan,although he certainly wasn't a fat twat.Natural ability is one he has clearly shown he's got.Shite for us ,very good for swansea.

Interesting, I don't see Leon Britton as having half the natural skill that Baxter has - in forward areas. Of course he is excellent keeping the ball in deep territory but doesn't assist much in the final third when I watch him.

No ball playing midfielder could have played in Blackwell teams, so Britton never stood a chance with us. Blackwell signed him to change our style without doing anything else about it as far as I saw. Around that time he also had Swansea's Dyer on loan for three months and had him on the bench most of the time, apparently didn't rate him!!

 

[Rossb123]

Looking forward to watching Baxter next season, from what I have read Clough is well known for a tough pre season fitness programme and that's what Baxter needs. Interested to see how he fits scougall and baxter in the team because they both deserve to be in there.

 

[wizadry]

Interesting, I don't see Leon Britton as having half the natural skill that Baxter has - in forward areas. Of course he is excellent keeping the ball in deep territory but doesn't assist much in the final third when I watch him.

No ball playing midfielder could have played in Blackwell teams, so Britton never stood a chance with us. Blackwell signed him to change our style without doing anything else about it as far as I saw. Around that time he also had Swansea's Dyer on loan for three months and had him on the bench most of the time, apparently didn't rate him!!

I wasn't saying he had more natural skill than baxter,i said he could fit somewhere in the bracket you mentioned,and of them brackets natural ability was one of them and he showed how good he could be at a successful club.

 

[Mendi]

do you reckon the club will pin him down on a longer deal.