What we're missing most this season.....

[Trafford]

Some say Doyle, some say Murphy, others say a centre half. To my mind what we're missing most is a genuine leader on the pitch. We've had various captains but none of them gee the players up like Doyle used to - and what's more worrying is that I can't think of anybody in the current squad who could actually do the job. Am I missing anybody?

 

[SwissBlade]

Yep a leader is missing, nobody in the squad has stepped up and I can't see that they will.

We need to be active in January to finally bring in a leader.

 

[JohnDenver]

Doyle wasn't the worst player we've ever had and he found a niche in Clough's midfield. But the day we lament the gap he leaves in the SUFC squad is a sad one indeed.

Does anyone actually remember what a Championship standard footballer looks like?

This time next year - what we're really missing is Neil Collins. You heard it here first.

 

[loyalblade95]

What we need is another Morgan like captain a commanding presence on the field and whose not afraid to open his mouth at people if something should be done better or if we make a mistake

 

[Barney]

What isn't missing?

 

[Silent Blade]

We do miss Murphy and Harry but not the ageing Doyle who isnt good enough and hasnt been in last 5 years to play in a 442 formation

 

[Trafford]

Vinnie Jones wasn't any good either but he made an enormous difference to the players around him, including the opposition. Ditto Chris Kamara and Bob Booker - I'd snap your hands off if we could sign anyone in their mould in the January window, limited talent or not.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Hopefully Hammond will be that man. Adkins has certainly invested a hell of a lot of expectation in him.

We still need a dominant central defender though (& a better goalie) - from what I've seen, Edgar's not the answer.

 

[SwissBlade]

Vinnie Jones wasn't any good either but he made an enormous difference to the players around him, including the opposition. Ditto Chris Kamara and Bob Booker - I'd snap your hands off if we could sign anyone in their mould in the January window, limited talent or not.

Are Charlie Hartfield and Bradders still match fit?

 

[Bartleby]

What we need is another Morgan like captain a commanding presence on the field and whose not afraid to open his mouth at people if something should be done better or if we make a mistake

Bang on, in a nutshell! This lot need a kick ass captain like Morgan, and possibly one they are just slightly afraid of IMO.

 

[Tezza1889]

What we are missing is commitment from our board, we all say we need a leader, possibly Kyle walker could have been that, oh wait, we sold him and naughton, maybe kev macdonald, oh hang on, as for the defence we thought Harry was coming on as every game passed, the rug was pulled from under our feet and he was sold, as for Murphy, he's been missed , and also, che will be gone in January if our league position doesn't improve.. We could all ad many, many players to that list but I know you get me..

The academy for all its stars of the future it has produced has done nothing whatsoever to benefit us on the pitch, it's the old factory owner philosophy, train them up, when they get good at the job and want the right pay, let them go, and repeat the process, only thing is they get millions when they're sold, again, where's that money got us...??

Btw, John stones is still at Everton after a transfer request, and a 35 million bid from Chelsea, where there's a will there's a way, so this shit about us having no choice shouldn't wash, deep down we know what our board are, Phipps just hinted at nothing in January happening, draw your own conclusions

 

[axel smeets]

A good team?

 

[Pollingtonblade]

We do miss Murphy and Harry but not the ageing Doyle who isnt good enough and hasnt been in last 5 years to play in a 442 formation

The voice of reason.

 

[sheffielder]

Are Charlie Hartfield and Bradders still match fit?

Fitter than coutts probably

 

[blade too long]

its why we miss Brayford so much , he gees up the whole team, hes not the full answer but adds 20% to the team
we need a midfielder who pulls all the strings together, Baxter isnt capable of playing his own game and directing others
Someone like Vinny Jones ,inspiratiomal , tough and very verbal, even a bit nuts to spark the whole team

 

[Woodwardfan]

We do miss Murphy and Harry but not the ageing Doyle who isnt good enough and hasnt been in last 5 years to play in a 442 formation

The op doesn't say Doyle should still be here but makes a valid point. We miss him and his type of player and character.

All those Doyle bashers over the years know that now.

 

[Houston_Blade]

The op doesn't say Doyle should still be here but makes a valid point. We miss him and his type of player and character.

All those Doyle bashers over the years know that now.

I don't agree, this deification of Doyle since he left is typical of our fans. He was shit, always will be shit and did nothing but run around a lot and point. I never saw any evidence of him being the hard tackling midfielder he's now painted as, in my view he was the chief culprit of allowing players to run past him without challenging. Now he's left he's all of a sudden Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira combined sprinkled with a bit of Michael Carrick.

 

[Keef Chedwyn]

We need one leader, not a team full, that's how teams work.

Think Kompany, Puyol, Terry etc.

All successful teams of recent times have this and the last time we did owt we had Chris Morgan. We're a million miles away.

 

[SwissBlade]

We need one leader, not a team full, that's how teams work.

Think Kompany, Puyol, Terry etc.

All successful teams of recent times have this and the last time we did owt we had Chris Morgan. We're a million miles away.

Disagree slightly, there needs to be a captain, a proper morgs type, but nothing wrong with a team of 'leaders' - big strong characters able to step up if the captain is out for any reason

Can't comment on the others as I've only heard of Terry of the three mentioned

 

[Keef Chedwyn]

Disagree slightly, there needs to be a captain, a proper morgs type, but nothing wrong with a team of 'leaders' - big strong characters able to step up if the captain is out for any reason

Can't comment on the others as I've only heard of Terry of the three mentioned

Fair comment. In that case we're 2 million miles away!

Who would you say our stepping up character was during our promotion season? Unsworth?

You're taking the piss about Kompany and Puyol, right?

 

[SwissBlade]

Fair comment. In that case we're 2 million miles away!

Who would you say our stepping up character was during our promotion season? Unsworth?

You're taking the piss about Kompany and Puyol, right?

Yeah unsworth was definitely the next man but we had others like jags, kenny and Monty all capable of running through brick walls. It's not just the geeing up of players, but it's also the ones that don't hide, the ones that brush off a niggle and put that tackle in anyway

I had to google them both, Kompany I recognise from his picture but Puyol I didn't, never heard of him

 

[Gin&Juice]

John Brayford is the only championship player we possess.

I base this on consistency, if Baxter showed consistency he wouldn't be here nor would he have probably left Everton or if he did he'd still be playing his trade at a higher level.

Consistent performers at this level at a young age over the past few years have all stepped up into the championship with ease. Bryne, Afobe, Rhodes, Norwood, Luke Murphy etc.

That type of player are the players we should be signing. Unfortunately Matt Done to my knowledge is the only one i'd suggest we have signed. James Wallace possibly but he was signed on the back of an injury.

That to me is why we're shit!

 

[sheffielder]

The op doesn't say Doyle should still be here but makes a valid point. We miss him and his type of player and character.

All those Doyle bashers over the years know that now.

No they don't. I miss fuck all about Doyle

 

[sheffielder]

People who think we miss Doyle should look at what division he is in now. Poor players poor leader. Blame everyone else type is no captain

 

[wizadry]

The op doesn't say Doyle should still be here but makes a valid point. We miss him and his type of player and character.

All those Doyle bashers over the years know that now.

We don't miss Doyle, we miss a player who can play in his position who can do the things Doyle should've been doing properly. We didn't progress with Doyle, we declined if anything and as Sheffielder says, the league he is now playing in is further evidence that he isn't no where near good enough for us, he isn't the only one 'btw' but unfortunately i haven't got all day

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

Some say Doyle, some say Murphy, others say a centre half. To my mind what we're missing most is a genuine leader on the pitch. We've had various captains but none of them gee the players up like Doyle used to - and what's more worrying is that I can't think of anybody in the current squad who could actually do the job. Am I missing anybody?

At this moment in time, Collins seems to be the obvious choice as he is the only one that seems to show any fire on the pitch (Billy excepted). Trouble is, he is one of those that needs replacing and he seems to have the knack of upsetting his teammates by bollocking them to cover for his mistakes. For all his faults, at least he opens his gob, unlike the silent man, Bash.

 

[sheffielder]

John Brayford is the only championship player we possess.

I base this on consistency, if Baxter showed consistency he wouldn't be here nor would he have probably left Everton or if he did he'd still be playing his trade at a higher level.

Consistent performers at this level at a young age over the past few years have all stepped up into the championship with ease. Bryne, Afobe, Rhodes, Norwood, Luke Murphy etc.

That type of player are the players we should be signing. Unfortunately Matt Done to my knowledge is the only one i'd suggest we have signed. James Wallace possibly but he was signed on the back of an injury.

That to me is why we're shit!

I think people need to realise that last season was done's best season by a country mile. Apart from last season he struggled everywhere he has been. Also it was his first season as a striker I believe

 

[1danewhitehouse]

This time next year - what we're really missing is Neil Collins. You heard it here first.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

What we need is another Morgan like captain a commanding presence on the field and whose not afraid to open his mouth at people if something should be done better or if we make a mistake

But according to the many Collins critics, you may only do that if you are mistake free yourself.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

I don't agree, this deification of Doyle since he left is typical of our fans. He was shit, always will be shit and did nothing but run around a lot and point. I never saw any evidence of him being the hard tackling midfielder he's now painted as, in my view he was the chief culprit of allowing players to run past him without challenging. Now he's left he's all of a sudden Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira combined sprinkled with a bit of Michael Carrick.

Doyle was an OK league 1 defensive midfielder and a so-so captain. Not having better than him was a problem for a long time. It still is. Hammond should be an improvement in theory but we’ve not seen it yet. We massively miss Murphy and Maguire though.