The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed

[Risso]

Are you sure you're watching the right team and player?  He makes Stewart Downing look like Vinnie Jones.

Looks like you're in the minority there.

Does it, why?  Some people rate him, and that's fine.  He may well turn into a useful player for us.  I've watched every game he's played though, and one thing he certainly isn't is handy in the tackle.

[dave.woodhall]

Are you sure you're watching the right team and player?  He makes Stewart Downing look like Vinnie Jones.

Looks like you're in the minority there.

Does it, why?  Some people rate him, and that's fine.  He may well turn into a useful player for us.  I've watched every game he's played though, and one thing he certainly isn't is handy in the tackle.

Because more people seem to like the look of him (the majority) than not (the minority).

[Risso]

Are you sure you're watching the right team and player?  He makes Stewart Downing look like Vinnie Jones.

Looks like you're in the minority there.

Does it, why?  Some people rate him, and that's fine.  He may well turn into a useful player for us.  I've watched every game he's played though, and one thing he certainly isn't is handy in the tackle.

Because more people seem to like the look of him (the majority) than not (the minority).

Which would be for his passing rather than his ball winning I'd imagine.

[dave.woodhall]

Are you sure you're watching the right team and player?  He makes Stewart Downing look like Vinnie Jones.

Looks like you're in the minority there.

Does it, why?  Some people rate him, and that's fine.  He may well turn into a useful player for us.  I've watched every game he's played though, and one thing he certainly isn't is handy in the tackle.

Because more people seem to like the look of him (the majority) than not (the minority).

Which would be for his passing rather than his ball winning I'd imagine.

You can imagine whatever you like.

[KevinGage]

Was impressed with Makoun in the Man U and Fulham matches.

Fulham in particular, he looked like he was quite comfortable to get on the ball as much as possible and was always one move ahead, not just playing the obvious pass. He does have a bit of bite to his game as well, but he needs to time his challenges better.

Since the Fulham match he's been more miss than hit though. A few nice touches, but you often don't notice him unless he's giving the ball away. There is talent there, and I hope we get the full benefit of it. I do wonder how a possible change of manager in the summer might impact on him though. It'll impact on all players, but as a foreigner still looking to adapt Makoun might feel it more than most.

[peter w]

Makoun is no better than Petrov at this moment in time. He may get better and there are people who are seeing things that I have missed. But how much of that is objective and how much is it hoping to see what we want to?

[luke25]

Im very much in the Pro Makoun camp, the through balls to Ash and Bent against Wolves and Newcastle were sublime, we have'nt had a player that can play those sort of passes for a long time.

[KevinGage]

He moves the ball on quicker than Petrov.

Petrov can be canny and win the foul, but another consequence of dwelling on the ball too long is the opposition don't always need to foul you to win the ball back.

Makoun is a bit sharper in his movement and is not afraid to mix it up more with long range passes (Stan has it in his locker to do more of the latter, but invariably he opts for the square ball to retain possession).

[peter w]

Petrov very seldomly loses possession which is not something you can say about Makoun.

[luke25]

Petrov's an extremely safe player were as Makoun tries trickier passes.

[peter w]

And gives away the ball. I know which I prefer, and the defence.

[luke25]

I like Petrov, if were to pesist with Ged, which I hope we do, then we need as many players as possible who are comfortable on the ball, hence why I'd keep him and move NRC on, going off the point a little there though.

[KevinGage]

For continuity as much as anything else, we could do with keeping Stan on.
There will be plenty of outgoings this summer as it is.

Is he able to play the all action midfielder role? probably not. Don't think I've ever seen much of that from him in a Villa shirt TBH. He also quite clearly can't last 90 minutes, certainly not in back to back games anymore.

But for 70 minutes, or from the bench in the latter stages of a match to calm things down and do the things he does well (retain possession and so forth) he could still have an important role to play for us. By all accounts he's popular with the players too, and is respected as a captain. Even when he wasn't captaining the side in the first 2/3 years, he was the one who would try and make the young players and new signings feel part of the set up, according to Bannan and a few others who mentioned him by name.

[eamonn]

The defence-splitting passes that he's provided for Ash when he hit the bar against Wolves and for Bent's offside goal last weekend are something we've seldomly, possibly never, seen from the likes of Petrov and NRC.

[Risso]

Are you sure you're watching the right team and player?  He makes Stewart Downing look like Vinnie Jones.

Looks like you're in the minority there.

Does it, why?  Some people rate him, and that's fine.  He may well turn into a useful player for us.  I've watched every game he's played though, and one thing he certainly isn't is handy in the tackle.

Because more people seem to like the look of him (the majority) than not (the minority).

Which would be for his passing rather than his ball winning I'd imagine.

You can imagine whatever you like.

Thanks.  Think I'll give "Makoun the ball winning midfield enforcer" a go, it seems to be working for you.