Rate the players "new & old" from what you have seen pre season?

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highpeakblade

Shoreham Street - Til Death Us Do Part
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Positives

Brandy - Breath of fresh air. Looks pacey, tricky with a great deal of flair about him. Full of confidence to beat his man and tee something up or to have a shot. Hasn't done a great deal wrong for me so far therefore hopefully this will continue, if it does he will be a key player for us this year.

K'Mc - Rightly rated as probably one of our better, stand out players during our life in league one but for me personally I would run out of fingers and toes at the amount of times I have yelled for him to have a pop on sight. I don't know why but previously when he found himself in dangerous positions he wouldn't go for it but I have noticed a big change in Mcdonald since Weir has come in. He's playing in a much more attacking role that suits, he's getting himself in much more dangerous positions in and around the 18 yard box and overall he looks like he's enjoying it. I fancy a very good season for him this season.

Porter - I have defended Porter from heaven to earth when other Blades have slated him. How can a striker be a striker when he's left on his own up front to get on the end of 60 yard passes whilst being man marked with his back towards goal and little support?. Porter is an old fashioned forward, get the ball out wide or pinged into the box and he will poach and get on the end of it. The right players around him and given the pitch time and Porter will bag double figures no problem for united this year.

McFadzean - Looking more and more a footballer every single time he plays. He's growing in confidence and looks like he wants to make something happen every time he gets on the ball. Still has a good bit to learn definitely but if he carries on like he is doing he won't go far wrong in my books. A level head and the same confidence and approach to his football and he will get goals and go well this year.

Murphy - Looked well for me pre season. Seems to have a bit more about him than he did last year. Possibly a confidence thing with the new gaffer but seems improved in my opinion and seems to be linking well with the new lads. Have to admit he didn't blow me away last year week in week out but I think we will see a good bit more from him this year.

Jury's Out

McGinn - Need to see a bit more of this lad as of yet. Not been bad or under-performed by any means but hasn't stood out as of yet or caught my eye like the players above. That said he has been out through injury for a good spell and needs to get his confidence and eye back no doubt. A little light weight but could potentially be a handful because he has a good touch with the ball at his feet. Potential is there and a great finish at Bury.

Johns - Shame I haven't seen a bit more of this lad. I did like what I saw of him over at Bury. He seems eager to get involved in the play and wanted to get on the ball. Seems to fancy himself more as a midfielder and looks like he would like to get forward a bit. No verdict til i've seen a bit more the lad.


Taylor - Same as above. I've like what I've seen of the lad when I have seen him. Would like to see him in full confidence. Might be a bit rusty post summer, needs to get his sharpness back in front of goal but I can definitely See why they have brought him in because he has to potential to be very lively and get us a good few goals when on form. Tough one for me, a large part of me wants to put him up in the positives but It's early days and I want to see a bit more of him. Huge potential but jury is still out.

Coady - Not seen enough of him to cast a verdict yet but not done much wrong to be fair.

Please feel free to discuss the above or add to them or change them. Please also feel free to discuss any of the other players not listed.
 



Agree with nearly all of that, although with regards to McGinn, he seems to me the type of player who may not be a stand out and go slightly un-noticed, but is still very important to the team in that he gets and gives the ball well and allows others to stand out. Admittedly, I haven't seen enough of him to make a full judgement. Murphy wise I always thought he showed flashes of quality but lacked confidence and hadn't quite settled, so as he becomes more comfortable and confident in what seems a slightly free-er role I feel he can make a big impact.
 
Perhaps McGinn would be more noticeable if he was all over the pitch like a carrier bag in the wind; relentlessly but hopelessly chasing the shadows of better players? Maybe on the odd occasion he actually got possession he could deliver the ball unerringly to the nearest stand?

That's how we like our midfielders in S2. It's the Bladesfans' Way.
 
Would it be good to quantify what the ratings are based on? I.E, how many games/where at?

The blokes behind us though "Brandy" looked useful yesterday at York for example... Whilst I thought "he" must have been wearing a Jahmal Smith fancy dress suit.

Will add mine soon :)
 
Agree with your positives.
Hope Macca has a good season tend to find if he plays well the team does, he is that influential.

Jury's still out :- Ryan Flynn, I don't know if its just me but I find Flynny one of the most frustrating players to watch. I don't really see what he brings to the team has a RM or a winger. If he is going to play out wide I think he needs to be a lot more positive when is possession of the ball instead of looking inside/behind to often. I find he gets knocked off the ball to easily and lacks pace has a wide man, I do find him to be neat and tidy on the ball passing etc but we need more from him if we are going to play him out wide.
 
Positives

Brandy - Breath of fresh air. Looks pacey, tricky with a great deal of flair about him. Full of confidence to beat his man and tee something up or to have a shot. Hasn't done a great deal wrong for me so far therefore hopefully this will continue, if it does he will be a key player for us this year.

K'Mc - Rightly rated as probably one of our better, stand out players during our life in league one but for me personally I would run out of fingers and toes at the amount of times I have yelled for him to have a pop on sight. I don't know why but previously when he found himself in dangerous positions he wouldn't go for it but I have noticed a big change in Mcdonald since Weir has come in. He's playing in a much more attacking role that suits, he's getting himself in much more dangerous positions in and around the 18 yard box and overall he looks like he's enjoying it. I fancy a very good season for him this season.

Porter - I have defended Porter from heaven to earth when other Blades have slated him. How can a striker be a striker when he's left on his own up front to get on the end of 60 yard passes whilst being man marked with his back towards goal and little support?. Porter is an old fashioned forward, get the ball out wide or pinged into the box and he will poach and get on the end of it. The right players around him and given the pitch time and Porter will bag double figures no problem for united this year.

McFadzean - Looking more and more a footballer every single time he plays. He's growing in confidence and looks like he wants to make something happen every time he gets on the ball. Still has a good bit to learn definitely but if he carries on like he is doing he won't go far wrong in my books. A level head and the same confidence and approach to his football and he will get goals and go well this year.

Murphy - Looked well for me pre season. Seems to have a bit more about him than he did last year. Possibly a confidence thing with the new gaffer but seems improved in my opinion and seems to be linking well with the new lads. Have to admit he didn't blow me away last year week in week out but I think we will see a good bit more from him this year.

Jury's Out

McGinn - Need to see a bit more of this lad as of yet. Not been bad or under-performed by any means but hasn't stood out as of yet or caught my eye like the players above. That said he has been out through injury for a good spell and needs to get his confidence and eye back no doubt. A little light weight but could potentially be a handful because he has a good touch with the ball at his feet. Potential is there and a great finish at Bury.

Johns - Shame I haven't seen a bit more of this lad. I did like what I saw of him over at Bury. He seems eager to get involved in the play and wanted to get on the ball. Seems to fancy himself more as a midfielder and looks like he would like to get forward a bit. No verdict til i've seen a bit more the lad.


Taylor - Same as above. I've like what I've seen of the lad when I have seen him. Would like to see him in full confidence. Might be a bit rusty post summer, needs to get his sharpness back in front of goal but I can definitely See why they have brought him in because he has to potential to be very lively and get us a good few goals when on form. Tough one for me, a large part of me wants to put him up in the positives but It's early days and I want to see a bit more of him. Huge potential but jury is still out.

Coady - Not seen enough of him to cast a verdict yet but not done much wrong to be fair.

Please feel free to discuss the above or add to them or change them. Please also feel free to discuss any of the other players not listed.


Totally agree with SEB. How can you seriously rate players from pre-season friendlies against teams who are also trying things out and when the majority haven't played a full game.

e.g. Anyone who saw Taylor yesterday would have been disappointed and not someone with 'huge potential' .

The time to start rating players (in some some fans' cases decide who the new scapegoat will be) will be after at least 15 games
 
The time to start rating players (in some some fans' cases decide who the new scapegoat will be) will be after at least 15 games

Pure lies :D, it's after the Notts County game when the player ratings feature will get it's first outing of the season.

I totally agree with the point you are making though.
 
I struggled at York yesterday.

I'm bad enough with names and faces when I know who is who so give me a team of lads I've hardly ever seen before and I've no chance.

Didn't help that the programme had a list of squad numbers which bore no relation to shirts on the pitch and the quality of the PA was so poor I couldn't make out more than the odd word in 5.

In conclusion, I could have been calling any one anything.

That lad McFadzean though did have a touch of Dane Whitehouse about him. I was well impressed, that's if it was McFadzean I was looking at ;-)
 
Would it be good to quantify what the ratings are based on? I.E, how many games/where at?

The blokes behind us though "Brandy" looked useful yesterday at York for example... Whilst I thought "he" must have been wearing a Jahmal Smith fancy dress suit.

Will add mine soon :)


That may well have been me.

See above :-) ^^^^
 
Pure lies :D, it's after the Notts County game when the player ratings feature will get it's first outing of the season.

I totally agree with the point you are making though.


Maybe we should start a poll to see who the first one will be.

I am going for Westlake,followed by Williams then Porter :-)
 
No disrespect to anyone above but of course you can rate a player based on their pre season performances. You can't class an overall solid opinion of them but of course you can rate them otherwise why do we have pre season games anyway?

Pre season is all about having a good look at your squad and deciding who looks up for it, who is the sharpest in which particular position etc. It's the rating of the performances of players during pre season that ascertains which starting XI you go for in the season opener.

So in conclusion yes you can rate players based on what you have seen of them pre season 100%, but you can't really draw out a full conclusion until you have seen them more during competitive games.
 



Out of interest, how much of pre-season have you seen?


Sorry Foxy just not a porter fan and i am entitled to my opinion, i have seen enough of him over the last few years to last a life time. I was especially annoyed when he was on the radio saying "its a year to consolidate" what?? he should be full of confidence saying were up for promotion even that pig Rhys McCabe came on saying they want promotion although we all know they have no chance at least the kid had confidence. As for Westlake and Williams average squad players at best and we have better in the squad just like we now have better than Porter.
 
Out of interest, how much of pre-season have you seen?

It doesn't matter. They haven't lived up to expectations in the past so we have to write them off.

I didn't rate alot of our players last season either, but a few of them would be in my team on Friday based on what I've seen this pre-season. I reckon this will be the team that Weir picks (the full backs may be forced because of injuries to McMahon and Williams)

-------------Long

Westlake Collins Maguire Hill

---------Coady---Doyle

Brandy----McDonald----Murphy

--------------Porter

Howard, McMahon (if fit enough), Higginbotham, McGinn, Flynn, McFadzean, Taylor.

I thought he was going to go with Howard in the net until the Atromitos friendly but I think Long will get the nod. Williams would play if he was fit in my opinion, and I don't think Liverpool will have let Coady join us not to play. I actually think we've got a decent side, and while we don't have what is perceived as an 'out and out' goalscorer, we have Brandy, Murphy, Porter and Taylor who are all capable of reaching double figures in this system. I expect McDonald to contribute much more to the attacking play this year too based on Weir's assessment of him.
 
It doesn't matter. They haven't lived up to expectations in the past so we have to write them off.

I didn't rate alot of our players last season either, but a few of them would be in my team on Friday based on what I've seen this pre-season. I reckon this will be the team that Weir picks (the full backs may be forced because of injuries to McMahon and Williams)

-------------Long

Westlake Collins Maguire Hill

---------Coady---Doyle

Brandy----McDonald----Murphy

--------------Porter

Howard, McMahon (if fit enough), Higginbotham, McGinn, Flynn, McFadzean, Taylor.

I thought he was going to go with Howard in the net until the Atromitos friendly but I think Long will get the nod. Williams would play if he was fit in my opinion, and I don't think Liverpool will have let Coady join us not to play. I actually think we've got a decent side, and while we don't have what is perceived as an 'out and out' goalscorer, we have Brandy, Murphy, Porter and Taylor who are all capable of reaching double figures in this system. I expect McDonald to contribute much more to the attacking play this year too based on Weir's assessment of him.


I think your right we have got a decent side providing he plays the right one i'd like to see us start with pace at home

-------------Long

McMahon Collins Maguire Hill

---------Coady---Doyle

Brandy----McDonald----Murphy

----------- -Taylor

Howard, westlake (if McMahon is fit enough), Higginbotham, McGinn, Flynn, McFadzean, Porter.
 

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