Underperforming Players?

[Bruce Rioja]

I'd agree with that.

Why change it though? That's probably the biggest frustration. Just when it looks like working....TA-DA! Tinkerman strikes!

I assume he shifted to left back when Tierney got injured.

Its personal preference, it always is with football, but I'm of the opinion that if you have strong players in positions they are strong in, you don't merely shift them around to accomodate others. To put that in plain English, I'd have had Mears back in the team, or even a kid at fullback, if it meant keeping players who are playing well in positions they are playing well in. Like when Sam put Pedders at fullback.

Oh, you'll find no disagreement here, Chef - I'm in total agreement. It is, however, the only reason I can see for him doing what he did.

[thebish]

Why not?

when we played him regularly at the start of the season, he didn't look good, did he? or is my memory failing me? i don't remember it working that well, is all... the goals-against dried up a bit when wheater and knight got dropped...

[officer_dibble]

Two of our under performing players face the music - q&a with Knight and Spearing at tomorrow nights BWSA meeting. Brave.

[LeverEnd]

Two of our under performing players face the music - q&a with Knight and Spearing at tomorrow nights BWSA meeting. Brave.

Freedman should be there alongside them.

[Lord Kangana]

the goals-against dried up a bit when wheater and knight got dropped...

Ahem.... from double figures?

[thebish]

the goals-against dried up a bit when wheater and knight got dropped...

Ahem.... from double figures?

my memory is that we were conceding 2 per game. wheater and knight were dropped and we stopped conceding 2 per game... seems to have worsened again since Tierney was injured and McNaughton left...

maybe my memory is faulty - is that not the case?

I'm perfectly happy for you to want wheater back, btw - whatever floats your boat! it's just that I'm not sure I do...

[bobo the clown]

Largely gone to rat-shit since McNaughton went back imo.

You see, a back 4 of ... McNaughton & Dawson and we'd only be two short of a decent defence.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Ream impressed in deep midfield because he can pass. Trouble is, he still had Wheater or knight behind him, until DF trooped them both.

Think the back four of McNaughton-mills-ream-Baptiste averaged fewer than a goal per game conceded.

Ream got shifted left when McNaughton went back.

Mills and Ream both only seem to play well alongside each other. It shouldn't work but it does... Better than any alternative thus far explored.

They could be reunited in the middle if Freedman would get the stick from up his arse about Mears - something I'm surprised he hasn't been more criticised for in this open season. As noted, he's done plenty wrong.

[bobo the clown]

That's a fair point DSB. I think we've sort of forgotten abut Mears ... it's been a while since we've seriously thought about him.

[William the White]

Ream impressed in deep midfield because he can pass.

I understand why he had to be shifted. and that his appearances in that position were fleeting.

But he looked many times more of a footballer there than anywhere else.

He's a disastrous full back.

Which just adds another disaster to a disaster heavy defence.

[boltonboris]

"He can pass" 4 yards, yeah. Even Spearing can do that. I wasn't counting, which is just as well!, but the number of times he tries squeezing ball between 2 midfielders and gets snuffed out is startling. He's more dangerous to us in possession than he is to any opposition.

[BWFC_Insane]

"He can pass" 4 yards, yeah. Even Spearing can do that. I wasn't counting, which is just as well!, but the number of times he tries squeezing ball between 2 midfielders and gets snuffed out is startling. He's more dangerous to us in possession than he is to any opposition.

Ream? To be fair the lad can pick out a pass, and incisive ones at that. There is no doubt he is the best user of the ball in possession we have. He seemed to do ok at centre back though with Mills and I think he is best on the ball when stepping out from that position. He's not a great defender though, has to be said.

[BWFC_Insane]

Seen that from the BWSA last night, Knight and Spearing talked about there being "rebellious players" in the squad. Said Craig Davies has been struggling with recurring hamstring injuries all season and that as a whole they might have taken the division "too lightly".

Knight apparently got some abuse from one person there....but Spearing jumped in to tell the questioner they were out of order.

[Bruce Rioja]

Knight apparently got some abuse from one person there..

It wasn't me, OK?

Was anyone from T-W present? Any chance of a run-through?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

"He can pass" 4 yards, yeah. Even Spearing can do that. I wasn't counting, which is just as well!, but the number of times he tries squeezing ball between 2 midfielders and gets snuffed out is startling. He's more dangerous to us in possession than he is to any opposition.

You don't have to count, Boz: other people do it for us. WhoScored.com have his pass-completion ratio at 75.9%, better than any other defender (and several midfielders) - not bad considering the only person who averages more passes per game is Spearing (and, to be scrupulous, Mears in his one game).

But stats are only part of the story, and I value your opinion. For the record, I prefer Ream at centre-back rather than deep midfield - where I'd like to see Sparky alongside Medo-or-Spearing - but that's mainly due to lack of other options. And that only goes so far: we have even fewer options at left-back, but I've never been convinced by Ream there and would rather not put him out of the left.

[bobo the clown]

Seen that from the BWSA last night, Knight and Spearing talked about there being "rebellious players" in the squad. Said Craig Davies has been struggling with recurring hamstring injuries all season and that as a whole they might have taken the division "too lightly".

Knight apparently got some abuse from one person there....but Spearing jumped in to tell the questioner they were out of order.

Rebellious players ?

I think names should be named. If not then I'll be forced to make some up.

You see, if THAT was Mear's game then we'd understand DF a little more.

Craig Davies .... I have to admit that I get 'Keiron Dyer' thoughts whenever a player disappears of the radar the way he has. ie would he pass a post match medical if he did play ?

Knight deserves a degree of challenge, but not abuse & good on Spearing if he stopped some, probably tanked up, scrote laying into him.

[Puskas]

Mills and Ream both only seem to play well alongside each other. It shouldn't work but it does... Better than any alternative thus far explored.

If I may comment on this - Ream played well alongside Wheater at the dog-end of the last Premier League season. Indeed, they looked a relatively solid pairing until Wheater got injured, and we were back to Ream and Knight for the Stoke match.

It seems to me that Ream likes playing alongside big, solid type centre-backs. Don't know why, but maybe it gives him more confidence. Wheater, Mills fit that bill.

So yes, I'd concur - get a full-back in. Don't care who. And bring Ream back alongside Mills.

Then wait for the season to end. And for it all to start again in August.

[Lord Kangana]

Seen that from the BWSA last night, Knight and Spearing talked about there being "rebellious players" in the squad. Said Craig Davies has been struggling with recurring hamstring injuries all season and that as a whole they might have taken the division "too lightly".

Knight apparently got some abuse from one person there....but Spearing jumped in to tell the questioner they were out of order.

Rebellious players ?

I think names should be named. If not then I'll be forced to make some up.

You see, if THAT was Mear's game then we'd understand DF a little more.

Craig Davies .... I have to admit that I get 'Keiron Dyer' thoughts whenever a player disappears of the radar the way he has. ie would he pass a post match medical if he did play ?

Knight deserves a degree of challenge, but not abuse & good on Spearing if he stopped some, probably tanked up, scrote laying into him.

Its too easy to slur players that way, with a general broad brush approach.

If we're speculating on who it is, perhaps its the players Dougie has brought in and then doesn't play? Or the ones he continues to pick despite several very public condemnations? After all, if it is Mears, then how in the hell would that effect our performances this season? He hasn't bloody well played.

Otherwise, its just too easy a get out from addressing real problems.

[BWFC_Insane]

Its too easy to slur players that way, with a general broad brush approach.

If we're speculating on who it is, perhaps its the players Dougie has brought in and then doesn't play? Or the ones he continues to pick despite several very public condemnations? After all, if it is Mears, then how in the hell would that effect our performances this season? He hasn't bloody well played.

Otherwise, its just too easy a get out from addressing real problems.

These are two players in the squad openly admitting it though. Which is relatively unusual and telling perhaps of some of the behind the scenes problems.

It could very well be that is one of those "real problems" your're talking about.

[jaffka]

It's been known for a while that the dressing room isn't happy.