REAM...............? Why?

[Bruce Rioja]

Being as I started this thread I think that it's probably the best place to comment. Tim Ream, today, was pretty fecking terrific, and given that he was next to the once again found-out-tae-feck Knight, we needed him to be. I'm not here to say 'hey, I take it all back, I don't, but the way that he's progressed in recent games culminating in today's performance are really leading me to believe that there's actually a very decent centre half in there. I just hope he can continue to play for us like he did today.

[plymouth wanderer]

So now Ream is ace and knight is shit?

Just trying to keep up with who is the current scape goat

[Harry Genshaw]

Fair play to ya Bruce. Today was as good as I've seen him and made me realise (perhaps belatedly) how bad Knight is with the ball. Ream is a footballer but I doubt his ability to stand up to the rough stuff. Knight is a stopper but I doubt his ability to be a footballer!

[Bruce Rioja]

So now Ream is ace and knight is shit?

No - Ream's progressing, that was my point (which thought I'd made plainly, obviously not). Knight's always been shit except for at the start of this season when he looked to be comfortable at this level. However, he's now dragged himself down to a level whereby he's a fecking liability once again. Read also: Chris Eagles.

[Enoch]

Maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see, but in the time I've been registered here it seems a few players, Alonso, Sordell, maybe Pratley and now Ream have moved from the 'he's a basket case tray, to the 'hang on, this fella can play a bit' tray.

I wonder what could be behind this change!

[SmokinFrazier]

I think Ream is a good player who started off poorly whereas Knight is a poor player who had a good start to the season.

I'd invest a lot of time in Ream, who I think he has the potential to be an very good defender for us, hopefully alongside Wheater. Those two had a good partnership and I'm sure with 30 games or so together under their belt, they'd be quite formidable. Their strengths compliment the others weaknesses so it works out well.

[BWFC_Insane]

For me Ream can play football, but he's never a centre back.

Ever.

With Dawson it will be interesting to see what happens. Who gets left out.

He did play well Ream today. Until Felaini worked out that it might be best to pull onto him late in the game.

[boltonboris]

For me Ream can play football, but he's never a centre back.

Ever.

With Dawson it will be interesting to see what happens. Who gets left out.

He did play well Ream today. Until Felaini worked out that it might be best to pull onto him late in the game.

That's my worry with him. He can be great for 89 minutes. But there's always one moment in a match, where his lack of any kind of presence can cost us.

He's by no means the only one, like. But it is a worry. Not everyone has a Fellaini. But most do have a big lad up front to call on, like Millwall did when N'guessen pumped him.

[Armchair Wanderer]

Yesterday I thought he did well, put his head in and did defending at least once.

My reservations are 1) body language not the best in warmup, is he fitting in? 2) would like a cb to be a bit bigger, and 3) our players would sometimes go out of their way not to pass to him... this often led to giving the ball away. Everton's winner was shortly after Ricketts had done this.

[Beefheart]

Does a CB have to be massive? Wasn't Cannavaro something like 5' 9"? and Baresi can't have been much taller than him. I'm not saying Ream is anywhere near the standard of those two, but every CB is going to have their limitations. With Ream it's going to be with ariel battles and up against big, strong strikers. For Wheater it might be coming up against a pacy Striker. For Zat Knight, football. But I guess you'd hope to have CB's that compliment each others strengths and weaknesses, like I reckon the Ream/Wheater partnership does.

[bobo the clown]

I guess he'll be the one sidelined for Dawson ..... unless Dawson isn't fit.

We only have him for 3 months, so he must be seen as a shoe-in or why would we have broufght him, or he signed.

Now, Knight's performances are very odd, but I don't see Ream staying in his stead.

[boltonboris]

Does a CB have to be massive? Wasn't Cannavaro something like 5' 9"? and Baresi can't have been much taller than him. I'm not saying Ream is anywhere near the standard of those two, but every CB is going to have their limitations. With Ream it's going to be with ariel battles and up against big, strong strikers. For Wheater it might be coming up against a pacy Striker. For Zat Knight, football. But I guess you'd hope to have CB's that compliment each others strengths and weaknesses, like I reckon the Ream/Wheater partnership does.

Cannavaro was strong as an ox, though.

[JJ4bwfc92]

He is growing on me Ream I must admit but I think he's one of them that you should play against certain teams Everton have SLOWLY but admittedly played a bit more on the floor football over the last 2 years and I think Ream did well against that so games like that maybe hes a good option but it is like a lot of you say sometimes the physicality and strength is needed in every centre back regardless of the partner hes with and considering knight considering how tall he is doesn't show any physical strength to him quite often or at least doesn't show it anyways it does make you wonder which one of thems meant to be the bruiser and which ones meant to be the footballer

But on another note that could play to Ream's strength has anyone seen him take any shots from afar and how strong they are??? I think if he could bulk up maybe a bit and get some venom in his shots he could be a great asset in a Defensive mid position if he works for it thought

[Beefheart]

Does a CB have to be massive? Wasn't Cannavaro something like 5' 9"? and Baresi can't have been much taller than him. I'm not saying Ream is anywhere near the standard of those two, but every CB is going to have their limitations. With Ream it's going to be with ariel battles and up against big, strong strikers. For Wheater it might be coming up against a pacy Striker. For Zat Knight, football. But I guess you'd hope to have CB's that compliment each others strengths and weaknesses, like I reckon the Ream/Wheater partnership does.

Cannavaro was strong as an ox, though.

True, I suppose his low centre of gravity would make him hard to knock off the ball.

[boltonboris]

Does a CB have to be massive? Wasn't Cannavaro something like 5' 9"? and Baresi can't have been much taller than him. I'm not saying Ream is anywhere near the standard of those two, but every CB is going to have their limitations. With Ream it's going to be with ariel battles and up against big, strong strikers. For Wheater it might be coming up against a pacy Striker. For Zat Knight, football. But I guess you'd hope to have CB's that compliment each others strengths and weaknesses, like I reckon the Ream/Wheater partnership does.

Cannavaro was strong as an ox, though.

True, I suppose his low centre of gravity would make him hard to knock off the ball.

That. And the fact he's built like a brick shit house

[Athers]

Not every team in Serie A or Europe had a 6'3 lump they just knocked it long to either!

[TANGODANCER]

Not every team in Serie A or Europe had a 6'3 lump they just knocked it long to either!

Not much to do with the topic, Ream, but two teams playing perfect Italian-style possesion football is about as boring a game as I can think of.

[Athers]

Italian league is great stuff these days though.

[Annoyed Grunt]

Italian league is great stuff these days though.

Isn't Italian football like wrestling....fixed?

[Jez]

Italian league is great stuff these days though.

Isn't Italian football like wrestling....fixed?

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