Darren Pratley

[boltonboris]

So are you suggested we should play a style that suits him?

You want us to build our team around Darren feckin' Pratley?

[n035209]

Hes dung!!

[Beefheart]

Was going to say that he is a Championship quality Kevin Nolan. But then I realised that Kevin Nolan is the Championship Quality Kevin Nolan.

[BWFC_Insane]

So are you suggested we should play a style that suits him?

You want us to build our team around Darren feckin' Pratley?

Not really. Its just that the way we set up and play in the 4-5-1 suits Mark Davies. When he's not available and you throw Pratley in its a bit of an ask for him to do the link work that Davies does, or the direct running with the ball. He's a different sort.

I don't think Pratley is great or anything, but equally I can see that he has an eye for a run and probably a decent finish when his confidence is up. He suits a Nolan off KD role more than a Mark Davies style all action free man in the midfield one....

[boltonboris]

The attributes that you suggest he has are tailer ,ade for him to play in a 4-5-1 / 4-2-3-1. Yet he can't. He can't do it in a 4-4-2 either. So to me it suggests more that he's shite, rather than how we play.

[thebish]

The attributes that you suggest he has are tailer ,ade for him to play in a 4-5-1 / 4-2-3-1. Yet he can't. He can't do it in a 4-4-2 either. So to me it suggests more that he's shite, rather than how we play.

it HAS to be how we play - then it is Coyle's fault... Coyle makes Pratley shite

it also HAS to be about the way we play cos BWFCi picked Pratley in the midfield that would make Holden's absence no big deal... (so it can't be that Pratley is shite)

[Wandering Willy]

He's just like Nolan.

Feckin crap.

[BWFC_Insane]

The attributes that you suggest he has are tailer ,ade for him to play in a 4-5-1 / 4-2-3-1. Yet he can't. He can't do it in a 4-4-2 either. So to me it suggests more that he's shite, rather than how we play.

it HAS to be how we play - then it is Coyle's fault... Coyle makes Pratley shite

it also HAS to be about the way we play cos BWFCi picked Pratley in the midfield that would make Holden's absence no big deal... (so it can't be that Pratley is shite)

If its just that Pratley is shite, then surely thats Coyle's fault for signing him and then picking him?

[thebish]

The attributes that you suggest he has are tailer ,ade for him to play in a 4-5-1 / 4-2-3-1. Yet he can't. He can't do it in a 4-4-2 either. So to me it suggests more that he's shite, rather than how we play.

it HAS to be how we play - then it is Coyle's fault... Coyle makes Pratley shite

it also HAS to be about the way we play cos BWFCi picked Pratley in the midfield that would make Holden's absence no big deal... (so it can't be that Pratley is shite)

If its just that Pratley is shite, then surely thats Coyle's fault for signing him and then picking him?

yeah - it is! (duh!)

but you're trying to construct some kind of an argument that he's NOT shite!!

[BWFC_Insane]

The attributes that you suggest he has are tailer ,ade for him to play in a 4-5-1 / 4-2-3-1. Yet he can't. He can't do it in a 4-4-2 either. So to me it suggests more that he's shite, rather than how we play.

it HAS to be how we play - then it is Coyle's fault... Coyle makes Pratley shite

it also HAS to be about the way we play cos BWFCi picked Pratley in the midfield that would make Holden's absence no big deal... (so it can't be that Pratley is shite)

If its just that Pratley is shite, then surely thats Coyle's fault for signing him and then picking him?

yeah - it is! (duh!)

but you're trying to construct some kind of an argument that he's NOT shite!!

I'm not trying to construct anything at all.

Just stating that whenever I've seen him, he's always struck me as a Kevin Nolan type, not great on the ball, not a great defensive worker, but good at getting into the box and nicking the odd goal.

He may well just be shite at this level. Equally it could be that he's low on confidence having hardly played, and hasn't yet found a comfortable position/style to suit.

[Verbal]

Will you two please just get a room, or something.

[Andy Waller]

I've seen him a few times and when he should really be able to do something in a game (I'm thinking Macclesfield and Swansea in the cup) he looked clueless. I'm not a big fan of Eagles, but I can see he has some talent with a football. Pratley doesn't look like he can pass/shoot/run with the ball. Worst of all, he doesn't even want the ball. He looks like someone who's won a raffle to train with professionals.

He's getting painful to watch, I know he's low on confidence but he's still getting paid.

Saying that though, I have never seen a player so consistantly accurate in being a yard behind the play.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

He looks like someone who's won a raffle to train with professionals.

Absolutely... the one and only time he showed a few touches that made me believe he might actually be a professional footballer, at some level was the game against Arsenal's kids in the Carling Cup at the Emirates.

Can't see the Kevin Nolan comparison at all, incidentally.

[The Axman]

If Darren Pratley was given a freebie to Buxton, I'd fear we'd plummet from the heights of the Evo-Stick League into the depths of the Derbyshire Glue-sniffers and School's Association Amateurs League. He is the worst player I've ever seen on a Premiership pitch.*

[* actually that's not true. This weekend alone there were players as equally bad and one - Mr A Carroll - considerably worse. But that'd spoil the invective.]

[Tombwfc]

In the Championship, I can see why he'd do well. He's a good athlete and obviously has a knack for scoring goals.

He's just so beyond poor technically that it cancels everything else out. His first touch and general ability on the ball make Muamba look like Xavi.

It's not his fault we signed him though, and I'd have probably picked him on Saturday too.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

In the Championship, I can see why he'd do well. He's a good athlete and obviously has a knack for scoring goals.

In what sense is this alleged knack for scoring goals 'obvious'?

And while we're at it, apart from being a big lad, in what sense is he a 'good athlete'? His lack of pace and mobility are frightening at Premier League level and I'd be surprised if he covers an above-average amount of ground...

[Gail Platz]

In the Championship, I can see why he'd do well. He's a good athlete and obviously has a knack for scoring goals.

In what sense is this alleged knack for scoring goals 'obvious'?

And while we're at it, apart from being a big lad, in what sense is he a 'good athlete'? His lack of a pace and mobility are frightening at Premier League level and I'd be surprised if he covers an above-average amount of ground...

Thanks mummy, you've saved me asking this!

Darren Pratley has scored one goal for us all season and that went in off his shoulder. He's missed absolute sitters against Blackburn and Swansea. He has about as much knack of scoring as I do after 15 pints in The Swan.

[Jokers in White]

I've never rated Pratley even when he was at Swansea, he can't pass the ball for a start which is worrying when he is a midfielder, that should be one of his best attributes because he does like to be called an attacking midfielder he jogs around like he's shit his pants, but we might get him to run around abit if he takes his doses of morphine before and during games. Coyle could have a tranquilliser gun in hand at the dug out filled with morphine so that when Pratley is struggling with the pace of the game Coyle could shoot him with it so that he can get through another 15mins.

[Gail Platz]

I've never rated Pratley even when he was at Swansea, he can't pass the ball for a start which is worrying when he is a midfielder, that should be one of his best attributes because he does like to be called an attacking midfielder he jogs around like he's shit his pants, but we might get him to run around abit if he takes his doses of morphine before and during games. Coyle could have a tranquilliser gun in hand at the dug out filled with morphine so that when Pratley is struggling with the pace of the game Coyle could shoot him with it so that he can get through another 15mins.

Love this!

[Jokers in White]

I've never rated Pratley even when he was at Swansea, he can't pass the ball for a start which is worrying when he is a midfielder, that should be one of his best attributes because he does like to be called an attacking midfielder he jogs around like he's shit his pants, but we might get him to run around abit if he takes his doses of morphine before and during games. Coyle could have a tranquilliser gun in hand at the dug out filled with morphine so that when Pratley is struggling with the pace of the game Coyle could shoot him with it so that he can get through another 15mins.

Love this!

Cheers