Quote from: gregnash on July 16, 2011, 10:57:04 PMQuote from: dave.woodhall on July 16, 2011, 10:51:40 PMAll through last season when he wasn't getting a game he didn't seem too upset or want a move to carry on playing. Either that was loyalty above & beyond, or he was content to pick up his wages for minimum effort. not sure what you mean there. would you have rather he'd thrown his toys out the pram like Ireland? Bottom line is he played pretty well and never complained about being dropped or played out of position. After the amount of whiners last season that should be a positive i reckon.He's never seemed too bothered about not playing.
Quote from: dave.woodhall on July 16, 2011, 10:51:40 PMAll through last season when he wasn't getting a game he didn't seem too upset or want a move to carry on playing. Either that was loyalty above & beyond, or he was content to pick up his wages for minimum effort. not sure what you mean there. would you have rather he'd thrown his toys out the pram like Ireland? Bottom line is he played pretty well and never complained about being dropped or played out of position. After the amount of whiners last season that should be a positive i reckon.
All through last season when he wasn't getting a game he didn't seem too upset or want a move to carry on playing. Either that was loyalty above & beyond, or he was content to pick up his wages for minimum effort.
Lerner better have five or six players lined up or he will face a bit of a fan's reaction I think.
Ridiculed and criticised when forced to play at RB; lacking confidence and trying too hard to impress when he did get the chance to play at CB. He was immense in that Wolves games but never filled me with confidence when he was lunging in at players in and around our box in the few times he got an opportunity to play last season. May be Dunne/Collins felt similar when asked to partner him.
I would say he was criticised for his (lack of) ability at RB, but you're right that MON was to blame and rightly cristicised for playing him there in the first place. His passing ability at times was bordering on pathetic for a professional footballer, not to mention how many times he would put the ball out of play and put pressure back on the defence when playing a relatively simple ball down the line.You're also right about the other 2 diving in, giving away needless freekicks/penalties, but on the other hand they also made countless goal saving blocks and clearances. How the same players went from being one of the most solid defensive units in the league to verging on being incompetent in less than 12 months is something that still puzzles me.Yep agree. For me the last ditch tackle is something that a defender should have in the toolbox but not need to use it too often because of thier ability, balance and positioning. Collins and Dunne are well past thier peak and are too similar. The perfect CB combination is a Ball winner and a reader. Our defensive problems last year was a combination of a lack of discipline, structure, comitment, consitancy, positioning and tactics. Not just a back 5 problem but a structural problem.