Darren Pratley

[the-Bowtun-Warrior]

You don't become a bad 'un overnight (or over a summer).

I'd bet my bottom dollar that if we sent him back to Swansea today to play under a decent manager he'd look half decent again.

Can't be doing with the scathing criticism he gets. He hasn't been great but by god he isn't that bad and look at the conditions he's playing in. Bad fit in a bad team under a shat manager.

[Hoboh]

You don't become a bad 'un overnight (or over a summer).

I'd bet my bottom dollar that if we sent him back to Swansea today to play under a decent manager he'd look half decent again.

Can't be doing with the scathing criticism he gets. He hasn't been great but by god he isn't that bad and look at the conditions he's playing in. Bad fit in a bad team under a shat manager.

I'll drive him there, championship player

[Ianmooreslovechild]

You don't become a bad 'un overnight (or over a summer).

I'd bet my bottom dollar that if we sent him back to Swansea today to play under a decent manager he'd look half decent again.

Can't be doing with the scathing criticism he gets. He hasn't been great but by god he isn't that bad and look at the conditions he's playing in. Bad fit in a bad team under a shat manager.

You can see how he'd look ok coming into a tippy tappy team sailing through a successful championship season and nipping into the box to finish moves off. He may even look quite classy. The problem is put him in a struggling premiership side that cant string 3 passes together and his Zat Knightesque demeanor becomes a windup. In a successful team he may be known as stroller in a struggling team he becomes feckless useless b'stard.

He wasnt good enough to start for swansea,they let his cointract run down and didnt rip up trees to keep him,they knew he was a bit part cameo player. Why are people surprised when he's not really much use.

[Gail Platz]

I voiced my opinion on this absolute sack of shit on another forum prior to joining this one, when we were continually linked with him when he was at Swansea. I just kept hoping that the deal would never materialise.

I remember watching a Swansea match last season as a complete neutral and seeing Pratley play, and thinking "God he is rubbish"... and if you're watching as a neutral and not exactly picking a player out to be good/shit, then there's definitely something up if he caught the eye. I couldn't believe it the next day when Nixon had linked us with him.

A truly shocking player, Mark Davies was missed so much yesterday and it told.

[Armchair Wanderer]

Seeing the Citeh/Blackburn highlights Silva did a few little one-twos. That seems to me to be what Pratley wants to do. He's a linking player, who doesn't seem to me to be lazy, he runs about a lot. With the ball there's just rarely any end-product, he's recycling, and keeping the ball rather than necessarily making the incisive Silva pass or scoring. Without the ball I'm not sure.

[Worthy4England]

Seeing the Citeh/Blackburn highlights Silva did a few little one-twos. That seems to me to be what Pratley wants to do. He's a linking player, who doesn't seem to me to be lazy, he runs about a lot. With the ball there's just rarely any end-product, he's recycling, and keeping the ball rather than necessarily making the incisive Silva pass or scoring. Without the ball I'm not sure.

Putting Pratley and Silva in the same conversation about football, is a bit like suggesting I'm like Maradonna at football, because we're about the same shape.

[50sQuiff]

You don't become a bad 'un overnight (or over a summer).

I'd bet my bottom dollar that if we sent him back to Swansea today to play under a decent manager he'd look half decent again.

Can't be doing with the scathing criticism he gets. He hasn't been great but by god he isn't that bad and look at the conditions he's playing in. Bad fit in a bad team under a shat manager.

I'll drive him there, championship player

And I'll chip in for petrol and a Ginster's pasty at the services. I don't know what Bowtun Warrior has been drinking, but Pratley could be out of place in a lot of League Two sides.

I had the misfortune of going to yesterday's game with some Chelsea fans and beforehand I told them to keep an eye on number 21, so they could witness the worst - technically speaking at least - Premier League player I've ever seen. Needless to say they weren't disappointed. The lack of first touch in the most simple of circumstances is just frightening. I bet most of this board have better close control than our Dazza.

[Bruce Rioja]

so Pratley is this weeks 4-4-2 for the bandwaggoners.
he wasn;t the worst of our central mid 3 yesterday
Reo-Coker was absolute shit AND he was strolling around like billybigbollocks.does he track back- ever?
he's shit but apparently above criticism

Far be it for me to reinforce a stereotype, but you're Scottish, aren't you?

[bobo the clown]

You don't become a bad 'un overnight (or over a summer).

I agree. Look how often he played for Swansea in their promotion season. Barely at all after turn of the year.

If there is a good player hiding in their somewhere then he needs to sart fckg showing himself coz he doesn't even look like a footballer at the moment. I've honestly wondered whether he didn't fancy it in the end & it's his brother or something who's shown up instead.

[Lord Kangana]

I think the turn of the year issue was to do with him not signing a new contract. But that aside, he's hardly ripped up tress.

What I would add is that 1) We were always on a hiding to nothing at Stamford Bridge, can't solely blame Pratley for that 2) Darren Pratley is the kind of signing you get with a wallet full of moths.

[thebish]

I think the turn of the year issue was to do with him not signing a new contract. But that aside, he's hardly ripped up tress.

What I would add is that 1) We were always on a hiding to nothing at Stamford Bridge, can't solely blame Pratley for that 2) Darren Pratley is the kind of signing you get with a wallet full of moths.

you can if you can't blame 4-4-2... (it seems)

[Armchair Wanderer]

Every time I've seen Pratters he's done the same kind of thing. I didn't see the cup game where we beat Swansea but he was apparently MOTM in that game.

Am I right to think he had a good game then?
If so, what did he do differently?

100% agree with LK that you can't blame one player, especially when someone else has to put him on the pitch. Chelsea away wasn't gonna save our season.

[Armchair Wanderer]

Seeing the Citeh/Blackburn highlights Silva did a few little one-twos. That seems to me to be what Pratley wants to do. He's a linking player, who doesn't seem to me to be lazy, he runs about a lot. With the ball there's just rarely any end-product, he's recycling, and keeping the ball rather than necessarily making the incisive Silva pass or scoring. Without the ball I'm not sure.

Putting Pratley and Silva in the same conversation about football, is a bit like suggesting I'm like Maradonna at football, because we're about the same shape.

In my case it'd be the earring and alleged coke habit

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

so Pratley is this weeks 4-4-2 for the bandwaggoners.
he wasn;t the worst of our central mid 3 yesterday
Reo-Coker was absolute shit AND he was strolling around like billybigbollocks.does he track back- ever?
he's shit but apparently above criticism

Far be it for me to reinforce a stereotype, but you're Scottish, aren't you?

-
that would be depending which stereotype you wish to reinforce
this one-
or this

really not trying to defend Pratley - coz in all likelihood he isn't probably very good- just drawing some attention to the possibility that all 3 CM's were dire yesterday. and have been for much of the season. didn't see Villa fighting tooth and nail to keep Reo-Coker at the end of last season. He's played in most games as well which at least is likely to make him slightly more culpable for us being 2nd bottom than Pratley who hasn't- don't you think?

[bobo the clown]

Every time I've seen Pratters he's done the same kind of thing.
I didn't see the cup game where we beat Swansea but he was apparently MOTM in that game.He fckg was not.
Am I right to think he had a good game then? No.
If so, what did he do differently? Fck all. Unless that he "scored" one, when it hit his shoulder.

There. I'm glad I can to dispel that misunderstanding.

[Prufrock]

Looked OK in the Champo last year. Free transfer, low wages, kinda punt we have to take, no problem. Now, months later, and clearly not up to it....stop fecking picking him! Though in fairness, wasn't his fault we lost yesterday, and only other real option was Eagles and Tunners inside, which would've meant not much tackling. Could see the logic, even if he is a bit rubbish.

[BWFC_Insane]

I think with a different manager and style Pratley could do ok. He's like Nolan in that he offers little in the way of passing, tackling and basic midfield duties, but makes good runs and is a threat ghosting into the box. He's had a few chances this season and if he'd buried one of them it might be different. But he would be best playing in the old Nolan role, of using his engine to get into the box and support a striker when we're playing some relatively direct stuff. Which I believe is what he did at Swansea, and why he didn't stay in the team cos they preferred knocking it around short and he didn't fit in that sort of game.

[Andy Waller]

I think with a different manager and style Pratley could do ok. He's like Nolan in that he offers little in the way of passing, tackling and basic midfield duties, but makes good runs and is a threat ghosting into the box. He's had a few chances this season and if he'd buried one of them it might be different. But he would be best playing in the old Nolan role, of using his engine to get into the box and support a striker when we're playing some relatively direct stuff. Which I believe is what he did at Swansea, and why he didn't stay in the team cos they preferred knocking it around short and he didn't fit in that sort of game.

So what you're saying is, he's a pretty good player, apart from the football bit?!

[P.O.S.]

Ah I remember on the Wanderers official site live match updates someone commenting they were expecting 12-15 goals from him this season after he had scored a few in pre-season

[BWFC_Insane]

I think with a different manager and style Pratley could do ok. He's like Nolan in that he offers little in the way of passing, tackling and basic midfield duties, but makes good runs and is a threat ghosting into the box. He's had a few chances this season and if he'd buried one of them it might be different. But he would be best playing in the old Nolan role, of using his engine to get into the box and support a striker when we're playing some relatively direct stuff. Which I believe is what he did at Swansea, and why he didn't stay in the team cos they preferred knocking it around short and he didn't fit in that sort of game.

So what you're saying is, he's a pretty good player, apart from the football bit?!

Sommat like that. But from what I've seen he's the sort that if used right and has some confidence that could get you 5 goals or more a season from midfield. I just think how we've used him hasn't suited him and clearly he's low on confidence!