Porter

[Pedro Verde]

I would have subbed Porter after 30 mins yesterday he was woeful. Give Taylor a run in the team or play Baxter up front with Miller. There were too many players yesterday that didnt turn up

 

[bartman]

Bloody hell no ,he is not a footballer. His positional sense is unbelievable ,once caught asleep 10 yards behind the back line yesterday. He cannot kick a ball straight ,he wins the odd header which goes nowhere near it was intended to. That is Matt Hill

and yet he has probably been our best defender so far this season. (although Maguire is now regaining form)

I see a player who never hides,wins tackles, has limited ability going forward but normally has good positional sense,covers the centre halfs well and is strong in the air. His anticipation is also good ...in particular yesterday when he was covering Long's indeciciveness

 

[Guesty]

and yet he has probably been our best defender so far this season. (although Maguire is now regaining form)

I see a player who never hides,wins tackles, has limited ability going forward but normally has good positional sense,covers the centre halfs well and is strong in the air. His anticipation is also good ...in particular yesterday when he was covering Long's indeciciveness

I've been particularly impressed with his anticipation recently. Very noticeable when he filled in at Centre Half. How someone can watch yesterday's match and still single out Hill for special criticism is beyond me.

 

[Jehovah]

For me today i thought Long didn't have a great game but we all know he's better than he was today. The sane i thought for McGinn, he's been quality a lot of games this season but today he was awful, luckily one bad game shouldn't ruin a players season. Porter isn't good enough, people say he's the only target man we have but he stands at 6 foot 1 inch whereas Taylor stands at 6 foot 2 inches... Why not give him a chance to make that position his own? He's certainly more mobile and he has shown he can hit a decent shot.
I also felt sorry for McMahon today, in the first half he had nobody in front of him, so he didn't dare get forward, as he had nobody to overlap that could cover him.

Do we? He continually looks nervous and does not speak a word to his defenders. The amount of times he flapped yesterday was unreal. He also costs us goals by letting routine saves bounce away from him, allowing the opposition to have an easy tap in. He's liability for me.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Porter is shit, end of. I don't believe 'he's the best we've got'. If he is , then we will definitely go down. Unfortunately, talking to Derby fans, Clough is a manager that if your face fits i.e. he likes you, then you are in the team regardless. I think Porter & Doyle are in that category and that worries the hell out of me.

Warnock and Bobby Ford, Wilson and Doyle, Collins etc..Clough and Porter, Doyle.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

I sit behind the dug out and it's interesting to see the areas picked out for what can only be described as a bollocking during the match.

Midfield as a whole were getting slagged. Murphy kept wandering infield when Clough wanted him on the touchline. McGinn got a slating for being a lazy sod. And I don't think Taylor works hard enough for Clough.

Has everyone decided they like Matt Hill now by the way?

Hill.......his crosses and hopeful punts upfield make Maguire`s distribution look sublime.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

On the subject of strikers, I thought Miller was the worst player on the pitch yesterday. Granted, this isn't wholly his fault as he found himself on the wing for a fair spell and he certainly isn't a winger. He doesn't have the pace, skill or crossing ability to play out wide. He is a box player, a finisher, a poacher. Definitely not a winger.

Some of his poor performance was his fault though. There were at least three 50:50 or even 60:40 in his favour situations where he absolutely shit himself and completely bottled it, allowing their player to come away with the ball unchallenged. The much maligned Porter and Doyle both went crunching into similar challenges and came out with the ball. I don't know if it because of Miller's injury, or if he is just soft as shit, but either way he doesn't have the ability to coast through a game at 50% effort or determination. He isn't good enough to do this, so if he is to remain in the team, he needs to get his attitude sorted.

I much prefer Taylor to Miller or Porter at the moment and can't see why he isn't getting a run in the side. He looks like a player willing to put the effort in and who things would come good for with a spell in the team. I would even be tempted by a forward line of Murphy and Taylor with Baxter in just behind.

Taylor needs a run in the side, drop Porter now.....

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Porter should remain in the team until a better option playing the role he's playing is signed. Until then, he's obviously going to remain there because he's the best person for the role. Clough's been here long enough to see if there's anyone that can do the same role. Let me summarise what's happened to the others:

- Taylor: benched
- Ironside: banished to the Conference
- King: frozen out completely

I'm no fan of Doyle as either the defensive man in midfield or as captain. However, I'm willing to admit that he's the best option for both out of our distinctly average squad. The fact remains that until better players come in, we have to make do with the best options available. So calling for Porter or Doyle to be dropped when there are no better options in their positions at this current moment in the squad is completely pointless.

 

[Pedro Verde]

Porter should remain in the team until a better option playing the role he's playing is signed. Until then, he's obviously going to remain there because he's the best person for the role. Clough's been here long enough to see if there's anyone that can do the same role. Let me summarise what's happened to the others:

- Taylor: benched
- Ironside: banished to the Conference
- King: frozen out completely

I'm no fan of Doyle as either the defensive man in midfield or as captain. However, I'm willing to admit that he's the best option for both out of our distinctly average squad. The fact remains that until better players come in, we have to make do with the best options available. So calling for Porter or Doyle to be dropped when there are no better options in their positions at this current moment in the squad is completely pointless.

 

[Pedro Verde]

Did you see Porter yesterday ?
Taylor has not been given a run in the team he cant be any worse than Porter was yesterday, he might even nick a goal something Porter is unlikely to do

 

[Foxy]

Did you see Porter yesterday ?
Taylor has not been given a run in the team he cant be any worse than Porter was yesterday, he might even nick a goal something Porter is unlikely to do

Have you seen them both all season? Despite looking improved in his last couple of performances, there is a reason Taylor has remained on the bench and Porter is starting. Porter simply adds more to the team and regardless of people's opinions on holding the ball up, when he plays, the ball stays further forward longer.

What did Miller or Taylor do yesterday to suggest they should be in front of Porter?

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Have you seen them both all season? Despite looking improved in his last couple of performances, there is a reason Taylor has remained on the bench and Porter is starting. Porter simply adds more to the team and regardless of people's opinions on holding the ball up, when he plays, the ball stays further forward longer.

What did Miller or Taylor do yesterday to suggest they should be in front of Porter?

I am unsure but Porter is like a dead duck in the water.
Taylor may get a goal..all opinion really but it is not the only time in recent years we`ve struggled..big Darius, etc springs to mind. But it is so frustrating to watch.

 

[Deadbat]

Worryingly I think out of current options Porter is still the best we have got. Use the word 'best' loosely. Taylor other than 10 minute spell at Coventry has run around a lot and done his best but looks well out of his depth. Ironside is not good enough sadly and Murphy has continued to disappoint. Miller looks a shadow of the player we saw for the 5-10 matches for a spell last season. I am somewhere in the middle of 'he may need more time' to 'is he any good anyway looking at career stats etc'.

I have defended Porter a lot and still think at times he offers something occasional hold up play; flicked header and can keep the ball occasionally. However in recent weeks the games I have seen (not been to many away outside of Bristol) he has got worse and been really poor.

Yesterday despite this continual discussion over service (yes, it is poor mostly) I watched him carefully and saw him have 3 balls to run onto in the first half and he ran onto one and miscontrolled it badly, the second he fell over his own feet nad telegraphed a ball and another his first touch was that bad it just shot off from him. He was behind his man most of the time and so slow to react (usually not bad at getting in front of centre back whatever I think of him) and seemed completely off the pace. He was slow to react to 2 or 3 half chances (the one at the end he was completely on his heels again) and aerially he lost a lot of headers yesterday.

He is a poor footballer but can compensate for this with effort and chasing/harrying but yesterday there was nothing from him.

As for Hill; I think technically he is woeful, he cannot pass to save his life, his control and touch is often embarrassing BUT he never hides, is a very good positional defender and does not make many basic mistakes both with and without the ball and has been a long way from our worst player in recent games. I think the commentator v Oxford said he was '7/10' every week which is stretching it but he is fairly consistent. In an ideal world he would be jettisoned too but sadly there are around 7 or 8 other starters I would replace before him at the moment. That is how bad we are.

 

[Pedro Verde]

Have you seen them both all season? Despite looking improved in his last couple of performances, there is a reason Taylor has remained on the bench and Porter is starting. Porter simply adds more to the team and regardless of people's opinions on holding the ball up, when he plays, the ball stays further forward longer.

What did Miller or Taylor do yesterday to suggest they should be in front of Porter?

Yes I have seen them both. I feel strikers need a run in the team Taylor hasnt had that under Clough
You ask about what did Taylor do yesterday he only had 5 mins FFS what can he do in that time. They are both strikers Taylors goals per game ratio is a lot better than Porters
I have been patient with Porter but yesterday he was woeful, Miller wasnt much better but then he was playing on the right wing some of the time. Porter didnt hold the ball up at all yesterday the Oldham CBs had a comfortable afternoon

 

[Sharpestblade]

I sit behind the dug out and it's interesting to see the areas picked out for what can only be described as a bollocking during the match.

Linz, from your seat behind the dugout does Cloughy have anything to say about McMahon?

 

[breeny]

Poor - could neither hold the ball up effectively, run onto a through ball or…score!

 

[FleaPitBlade]

I wish he'd be a bit less of a team player. I see occasions in every game where he's got half a yard near goal and nobody in support - have a pop, get your head down and charge to goal, cause a bit of havoc regardless of whether it ends in a goal or row z it puts doubt in defenders minds next time hes got the ball - his instinct is to head for the byline or slow it down and wait for support which are commendable attributes but he needs to mix it up with a bit of erratic and selfish play.

 

[blade too long]

cows arse and banjo spring to mind when Porter is mentioned

 

[sitwell]

As for Hill; I think technically he is woeful, he cannot pass to save his life, his control and touch is often embarrassing BUT he never hides, is a very good positional defender and does not make many basic mistakes both with and without the ball and has been a long way from our worst player in recent games

Sorry Deadbat but you have lost all credibility with that statement for me. He is the worst positional defender I have ever seen. He gets lost all the time ,is often yards behind the other defenders ,our centre halves are constantly looking where he is. He has bottle and is a nice bloke ,that's it for me Im afraid

Btw positionally he would be better sat next to me.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Sorry Deadbat but you have lost all credibility with that statement for me. He is the worst positional defender I have ever seen. He gets lost all the time ,is often yards behind the other defenders ,our centre halves are constantly looking where he is. He has bottle and is a nice bloke ,that's it for me Im afraid

Btw positionally he would be better sat next to me.

Maybe the truth is somewhere between your and Deadbat's opinion. There is probably general concensus regarding his attacking contribution though. We lack a left sided winger who is good at getting past full backs on the outside, and when there's no good overlapping from left back we struggle to create much from down that side.

 

[alcoblade]

As for Hill; I think technically he is woeful, he cannot pass to save his life, his control and touch is often embarrassing BUT he never hides, is a very good positional defender and does not make many basic mistakes both with and without the ball and has been a long way from our worst player in recent games

Sorry Deadbat but you have lost all credibility with that statement for me. He is the worst positional defender I have ever seen. He gets lost all the time ,is often yards behind the other defenders ,our centre halves are constantly looking where he is. He has bottle and is a nice bloke ,that's it for me Im afraid

Btw positionally he would be better sat next to me.

I don't agree re Hill, he's a reasonable defender at this level, but poor with the ball.

But as people like to tell me when I point out the deficiencies of the woeful Porter, we all need a scapegoat.



UTB

 

[JohnDenver]

I don't agree re Hill, he's a reasonable defender at this level, but poor with the ball.

I'd go a bit further - I think he's a good centre back at this level, if given a run of games. At full back he's a stop-gap.

 

[alcoblade]

I'd go a bit further - I think he's a good centre back at this level, if given a run of games. At full back he's a stop-gap.

True - but it's fair to say we've got up to 11 stop gaps.

The fact is, we can "make do" with stop gaps everywhere but up front. With a decent striker we wouldn't be in the position we are, albeit our problems being much deeper than that.

UTB

 

[dingledog]

I thought he was solid today, did everything you would want except get the goal he deserved.

 

[Guesty]

Wonderful pass for Baxter's goal. He had an excellent second half in general I thought.

Sitwell's ongoing anti-Matt Hill campaign is looking ever more bizarre. He was solid as a rock again today.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I thought he was solid today, did everything you would want except get the goal he deserved.

I think it's abundantly clear that Porter offers nothing to the team. He never scores, is useless even from the penalty spot, and certainly doesn't create any chances for others. Anyone suggesting otherwise is clearly crackers.

 

[silverfox]

Wonderful pass for Baxter's goal. He had an excellent second half in general I thought.

Sitwell's ongoing anti-Matt Hill campaign is looking ever more bizarre. He was solid as a rock again today.

Matty Hill was excellent today!

 

[alcoblade]

I think it's abundantly clear that Porter offers nothing to the team. He never scores

And the facts back you up, sir............

, and certainly doesn't create any chances for others. Anyone suggesting otherwise is clearly crackers.

A bit harsh, he had an excellent second half today. Some people clearly need a scapegoat...........



UTB

 

[LoughboroBlade]

And the facts back you up, sir............

It amazes me that we've waited two and a half seasons now for him to score a goal. Was today his 50th game for us without a goal? It's getting ridiculous.

 

[Jon Bon]

Porter deserved a goal today. I actually felt for him when he curled it towards the top corner only for the keeper to pull off a quality save. If he's not blazing over from 5 yards out he's being thwarted by world class saves poor chuff.