The enigma that is Paul Coutts

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I think the midfield as a whole is the worst part of the team as it stands . Sharp and Adams were crap today but have scored enough goals to be satisfied whilst the addition of Baptiste has made us much more solid. The midfield is too slow, uncreative and between them haven't got 10 goals this season.
 
Roygbiv said:
I think the midfield as a whole is the worst part of the team as it stands . Sharp and Adams were crap today but have scored enough goals to be satisfied whilst the addition of Baptiste has made us much more solid. The midfield is too slow, uncreative and between them haven't got 10 goals this season.
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have a "like" young man, our midfield is average at best, I would not be sad to see all of them go in Summer, we are scoring up front and keeping clean sheets at the back, the middle of the park is crap.
 
The midfield is the reason why we're still in this league. Hammond is poor but we're a lot worse without him as we have no one in there who is even a decent centre mid. They create nothing. They score rarely, they don't track runners, they don;t tackle, they don't win 50/50 balls, hey don't press.
 
coaxingstar71 said:
Honestly thought he was possibly the best player on the park today. He was busy, his control and first touch were first class, he played some nice balls and linked up well, but questions remain over his fitness and work rate and remarkably he is still yet to score for us.

I wouldn't knock Billy, but he's had a stinker today.
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Fantastic 5 a side a footballer.
But we play on a full size pitch & have to shoot from from more than 6 yards out.
Love watching him; get rid.
 
Sorry but Coutts can fuck right off. .
Not a box to box player, he's another non-scoring midfielder that is stealing a massive wage.
Another shit signing.
I know Cluff coudn't build a side if he owned all of Lego but this guy is just another waste of space.
6 goals in 8 years from a midfielder c'mon , you're having a laugh.
We have to build a side where the goal threat comes from more than the strikers.
 
Fulwood Blade said:
I did ask you to give me another example of another club that did what Charlton did.

The danger of getting rid of every single player out of contract is fraught with disaster - especially after the players brought in by Adkins this season.

If you cannot see the dilemma that Adkins has then I can't explain any more - sorry.

UTB[/QUOTE
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If Adkins can fuck off every Clough signing barring Adams then sign one in 3 players who turn out to be as good as Sharps and Baps
(Both phenomenon signings for this division) , I'd be delighted.
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Mids need to pitch in with goals.....

for this reason he needs to be moved on........
 
alcoblade said:
Shiver! :)

UTB
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Cold sweetie? :)

To follow up on my post, the issue we have is that Coutts and Hammond don't really work together. They don't have enough energy between them to really justify playing them both.

Coutts is a decent footballer and is able to control the play. He can't tackle, he doesn't score goals and is too slow. He therefore has one attribute as the play maker.

Hammond is good at breaking up play, but also lacks pace, often makes awful tackles and decisions, but he knows that his role is once he gets the ball, he needs to give it to the play maker. Hammond has improved over his time at United (Leiceister have sub contracted him to us to get him fit)

As a result, the only way we can really play them together is in a midfield 3. The other player having the energy. However, i still think in a 3 we need another player with pace and energy.

Basham has height and energy, basically everything that Coutts and Hammond don't have, but having seen him this season and last, his best position is Centre Half.

I'd personally let Hammond go, i think Doyle was a more suitable player for the role he plays, i think Reed could also play the role and also have the energy we need alongside Coutts - So it would be Cuvelier or Whiteman for the third slot, although i haven't seen Whiteman, just seen reports.

As for Flynn, i'd stick him as wingback in the absence of Brayford and Bash.

James Wallace and Baxter will both be gone in the summer
 
Coutts is a 'Leo Britton'-type player. Fine with the safe, easy ball to unmarked players in non-threatening positions but no chance of a killer ball. He looks quite 'cultured' because he's never in there in the thick of it.

INTERUNITED said:
Not being funny mate but why would you keep players who are proven failures over a number of seasons just in case the new players are no better?? We won't get out of this division with these players, that's been proven. We need to get rid of all the out of contract players and change the dynamic of the side. It may or may not work, but the current bunch are proven not to work. Hardly a gamble in my eyes.
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God, I agree with all this. Baptiste (bang average in my book) is an improvement on what we've already got. Well that's hardly difficult, is it? Coutts/Hammond/Sammon used to play at a higher level? We can see why the past tense. Without wasting an hour of my life, I'll bet that the majority of the Barnsley team yesterday such as Hourihane, Winnall, Hammill, Mawson etc. - who looked fitter, faster and more effective than our lot - came from lower- or non-league. Too many of our team are safe in their comfort zone.

Adkins has got an massive job to do in the summer, but in a way it's an easy job. Apart from the odd player, most of our team don't divide opinion. We've seen over a long period that they simply aren't up to it. Football is never black and white but mid-table in a piss-poor Third Division speaks for itself. A huge clear out is needed but, knowing United, they'll flog Adams on an 'undisclosed' and the rest will carry on stealing a wage.

Up to you, Nigel. No more Mister Nice Guy. You've got away with it this season because we don't know that a replacement would be any better. But failure to improve recruitment, fitness, desire and discipline from now on will prove to be your downfall.
 
Fulwood Blade said:
I did ask you to give me another example of another club that did what Charlton did.

The danger of getting rid of every single player out of contract is fraught with disaster - especially after the players brought in by Adkins this season.

If you cannot see the dilemma that Adkins has then I can't explain any more - sorry.

UTB
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Agree Fulwood Adkins has to build on the foundations he has laid down in this seasons run in there is something to build on.
 
finlaytheblade said:
Agree Fulwood Adkins has to build on the foundations he has laid down in this seasons run in there is something to build on.
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Suggest we look at the Barnsley 'model' which has been achieved on a much lower budget during the last couple of seasons, many signings last 12 months.

Lower league signings of young players enhanced by loan signings of young players with quality.

Balanced formation good on both flanks, strong central defenders. Pace, mobility and energy.

Ages of Barnsley players: Davies 25, Williams 22, Scowen 23, Roberts 25, Brownhill (loan from Preston) 20, Hourihane 25, Isgrove ( loan from Southampton,. my MOM) 23 , Hammill 28, Flethcher ( loan Man Utd) 20, Tovey ( loan Toon) 20, Winnall 25.

Barnsley not that good? They were bottom when we played them in November!!

How many of our players would fit into Barnsley's 'model'? That's the size of Adkins task, if he indeed has a 'model' in mind. I don't have a clue what his 'model' is after following him for 10 months. I certainly do not see any evidence of that "Pathway for Youth", just because he keeps saying it doesn't mean he does anything about it. I honestly think he does not trust Reed, Lewin, Whiteman, McGahey, all players who would be featuring for Barnsley IMO.
 



Rodley said:
We've got loads of centre mids, none of whom can play in a 4-4-2. Coutts, Hammond, Reed, Basham are in capable. Can't pass, can't move, too weak, too small, too lazy. Pick one of the 5 attributes and it applies to our centre midders.

Needs major attention in the summer.
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It's telling that Clough built a squad deliberately for a five man midfield, and Adkins bought a star striker expressly to play in an attacking two. Thus after six months of fiddling about, the least worst option turns out to be a 3-5-2.

I just hope we cull the players rather than rely on a formation that hides their inadequacy.
 
SwissBlade said:
We've got the following all pushing for 3 slots:
Coutts
Reed
Hammond
Flynn
Cuvelier
Whiteman
Basham

Adkins will lose Flynn and Cuvelier as their contracts are up and Hammond goes back to leicester.

I can see him trying to bring back Hammond but surely he'll want to try his luck in the championship (think hes too slow for that personally) and i can see him wanting to keep one of flo or flynn
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Here's what you do with those players to improve midfield:

Coutts - drop him and try to loan him
Reed - loan him
Hammond - don't re sign him
Flynn - don't re sign him
Cuvelier - don't re sign him
Whiteman - keep and bring in gradually
Basham - keep and use in midfield/defence depending on who else is signed

Then you look for midfielders with one common denominator - goals and assists. PL loanees might be a decent bet as well as the summer frees.

Then we might have half a chance of going up.
 
Strikes me that Adkins has to contend with

1) A decent run-in with a 3 5 2 system he doesn't favour with players who aren't up to 4 4 2,
2) The prospect of having a major re-build to do with so many players out of contract,
3) Financial constraints
4) Hanging on to the very few decent players we have.
5) Getting rid of the dross still under contract that is surplus to requirements.
6) What system to play next year
7) What level of players to recruit (L1 - L1/Championship) - difficult given we don't want to be saddled long term with players who either can't cope with the physicality of L1 or be of use if we go up.
8) Having a team that hits the ground running and doesn't take till Christmas to gel.

I can see a few of the current crop of inadequates getting 1 year deals to bridge the gap. Let's hope they aren't the first choices for the first team.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if coutts had a quality season next year.

I remember McDonalds first 6 months, our fans slated him, said he was shit, slow, useless. I remember being at one game and one fan just ruining him "get him off Wilson, he's fucking useless, lazy bastard"... Fast forward 5 months and he was our savior and if he had been fit for the play off final we would probably have won.
 
He's like several of our players. In spite of how much grief I give Coutts, no, he's not a completely awful player.

The thing we ought to recognise is that the standard of our football this season has been representative of the standard of players like Coutts - mid to top half of the table and no better.

Yep, neat touches, the odd bit of skill, but doesn't score or create goals, is slow, tackles poorly most of the time. Not a patch on McDonald.

The last two seasons of abject mediocrity have been because we keep expecting to get away with having several players of Coutts' standard in the side. Quite simply, they aren't good enough and, in footballing terms, they've had a very long time to show what they're made of.
 
You need a player to keep the ball moving ,to start attacks, to link defence and attack ,someone who can control the ball and keep possession ,this is vital in a team who attack unless you go route one. People who just simply say no goals ,no assists don't understand the game ,you need players to play the way Adkins wants us to play. Baxter slowed us down and played percentage passes ,losing possession regularly and dangerously ( a hugely over rated footballer) If you take Coutts out of the side we lose any fluidity and outlets for the defenders to play the ball to. Have a look who Baptiste and Edgar always look for to either get the ball back to take a player out or move the ball on to the wide man or up front. What we don't get out of him is someone who can tackle and defend but that player would be beyond our reach in the 3rd division.
 
Cyprus Blade said:
Strikes me that Adkins has to contend with

1) A decent run-in with a 3 5 2 system he doesn't favour with players who aren't up to 4 4 2,
2) The prospect of having a major re-build to do with so many players out of contract,
3) Financial constraints
4) Hanging on to the very few decent players we have.
5) Getting rid of the dross still under contract that is surplus to requirements.
6) What system to play next year
7) What level of players to recruit (L1 - L1/Championship) - difficult given we don't want to be saddled long term with players who either can't cope with the physicality of L1 or be of use if we go up.
8) Having a team that hits the ground running and doesn't take till Christmas to gel.

I can see a few of the current crop of inadequates getting 1 year deals to bridge the gap. Let's hope they aren't the first choices for the first team.
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It's a real balancing act for Adkins.

We need a lot of signings but we don't want to be waiting forever for the team to gel. We need to get rid of a lot of players but getting rid of too many means needing even more signings. No area of our team is adequate so for the time being he'll have to pick one area over another.

I don't think it's impossible to strike the right balance but I think it might mean accepting that we're not going to be right up there in the first half of the season. As Jim Phipps said in his disgracefully honest statement, it will take three transfer windows, and the third will be next January where we can hopefully add the last 2/3 players required to make us a decent side. Until then we'll have to get by with some players we'd rather not tolerate.
 
Ricky said:
It's a real balancing act for Adkins.

We need a lot of signings but we don't want to be waiting forever for the team to gel. We need to get rid of a lot of players but getting rid of too many means needing even more signings. No area of our team is adequate so for the time being he'll have to pick one area over another.

I don't think it's impossible to strike the right balance but I think it might mean accepting that we're not going to be right up there in the first half of the season. As Jim Phipps said in his disgracefully honest statement, it will take three transfer windows, and the third will be next January where we can hopefully add the last 2/3 players required to make us a decent side. Until then we'll have to get by with some players we'd rather not tolerate.
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Quality players "gel" quicker. Aside from his poor first 20 minutes as a sub, a player like Baptiste shows quality very early on.

We're going to be missing Edgar and Baptiste, and McEveley really needs to go, but even keeping the latter, we're restructuring the defence again whatever happens. We're short a couple of quality wingers. Coutts needs improving on, and Hammond shouldn't be made permanent.

There's really no shying away from the fact that we haven't been good enough this season by a long shot (not even making play-offs when automatic should be the goal) and with the loan players in the squad we're already at three signings needed before you consider upgrading the other players.

We can't escape the overhaul needed and we ought not be scared of it.
 
Lord Bos of Eckington. said:
Coutts and Brayford are two class quality players , with better players around them they will both excell . If both can keep fit , have a good preseason we will reap the benefits next season.

Jury may be out on Adkins from me , but not on Coutts and Brayford . Them 2 and Billy are the only class we have got in a pile of mediocrity . Remember that Baps bloke is only on loan.

Hammond , well is Hammond.

Trying to be positive .

UTB
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No team ever in the history of English football have finished 8/9th in the third division and have been any good.

No matter how much spin people put on things we are shit.

End of.
 



Ricky said:
It's a real balancing act for Adkins.

We need a lot of signings but we don't want to be waiting forever for the team to gel. We need to get rid of a lot of players but getting rid of too many means needing even more signings. No area of our team is adequate so for the time being he'll have to pick one area over another.

I don't think it's impossible to strike the right balance but I think it might mean accepting that we're not going to be right up there in the first half of the season. As Jim Phipps said in his disgracefully honest statement, it will take three transfer windows, and the third will be next January where we can hopefully add the last 2/3 players required to make us a decent side. Until then we'll have to get by with some players we'd rather not tolerate.
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Its a good job Charlton didn't achieve it or people might be on here arguing a case against you?
 
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