Need to win the ball

[Hodgyman]

We have lost the ability to win the ball from the opposition. This is not just down to a "ball winner" as an individual, this is for the whole team to participate. A captain can, and should, motivate others and lead by example. Our current captain is playing well below the standard himself so is hardly an example to others,

We need to be pressing other teams higher up the pitch, not just putting in a token challenge. Murphy and Flynn try their best in this area but are not getting sufficient support from the likes of Kitson, Porter and (previously) Blackman.

Perhaps Higginbottom could put some "bite" into midfield as a player and captain.

Failing that, we need to bring a big, physical, hard man in when loan signings are again allowed. Someone the likes of Bob Booker, John Mathews or even Trevor Hockey would do.

 

[Latters]

We have lost the ability to win the ball from the opposition. This is not just down to a "ball winner" as an individual, this is for the whole team to participate. A captain can, and should, motivate others and lead by example. Our current captain is playing well below the standard himself so is hardly an example to others,

We need to be pressing other teams higher up the pitch, not just putting in a token challenge. Murphy and Flynn try their best in this area but are not getting sufficient support from the likes of Kitson, Porter and (previously) Blackman.

Perhaps Higginbottom could put some "bite" into midfield as a player and captain.

Failing that, we need to bring a big, physical, hard man in when loan signings are again allowed. Someone the likes of Bob Booker, John Mathews or even Trevor Hockey would do.

From what I've seen of Higginbotham up to now he looks to be of an age where he keeps his teeth in a glass at the side of his bed so I couldn't imagine him adding "bite" to anything.

People have been saying "play him here" or "play him there" since he came, but he hasn't impressed me.

Our problem seems to be that we're picking names, not players. Oh, he's played in the Premier League, lets play him in midfield, regardless of the fact he's shown very little since he got here and that has been in the position he has spent the majority of his career.

Before you ask me what the answer is, the sad truth is, I really don't know. We have a squad full of poor players, with the odd exception, and seemingly no niche any more, be it flowing football or big men lumping it. We need to decide on a game plan and pick the players in the squad that suit that. But real life isn't as simple as that, is it?

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

From what I've seen of Higginbotham up to now he looks to be of an age where he keeps his teeth in a glass at the side of his bed so I couldn't imagine him adding "bite" to anything.

People have been saying "play him here" or "play him there" since he came, but he hasn't impressed me.

Our problem seems to be that we're picking names, not players. Oh, he's played in the Premier League, lets play him in midfield, regardless of the fact he's shown very little since he got here and that has been in the position he has spent the majority of his career.

Before you ask me what the answer is, the sad truth is, I really don't know. We have a squad full of poor players, with the odd exception, and seemingly no niche any more, be it flowing football or big men lumping it. We need to decide on a game plan and pick the players in the squad that suit that. But real life isn't as simple as that, is it?

Blackman was a hero - says how far we have fallen