Alan McCafu

[mr underhill]

we don't though, he's part of the defence that is our primary problem.

[tomd2103]

Had a much better game last night after arguably being at fault for both goals v Norwich. Surprised Smith is still persisting with Hutton/Elmo on right side. Both try hard but there is a glaring lack of quality on our right side.

I think it is about getting the balance and the formation right more than anything.  In a lot of teams in the modern game, the width is provided by the full-backs and the more advanced wide player is tucked in.  Wolves play that way, though they play three at the back and play with wing backs, but other teams do it with a back four.

If we are going to go that way, then Taylor and Hutton simply aren't good enough on the ball to be that wide outlet. 

[adrenachrome]

The closer you are to to the training pitch, the less you are likely to drop Alan Hutton.

There is not a cat in hell's chance that Dean Smith will drop him until we have a viable alternative.  Prepare for James Collins as well.

[Mister E]

I said on the QPR match thread that playing Hutton and Elmo on the same wing is problematic because neither seem capable of beating their man on the outside. The result is that the game inevitably slows down when it's over on the right.
Unfortunately, moving Hutton to the left will achieve the same outcome on the left wing, if we have no left-footer playing either at FB or LMF / wing.

Personally, I'd continue with the underwhelming Taylor in the short-term and dump Hutton in favour of Elmo or Bree at FB.

[AlexAlexCropley]

I said on the QPR match thread that playing Hutton and Elmo on the same wing is problematic because neither seem capable of beating their man on the outside. The result is that the game inevitably slows down when it's over on the right.
Unfortunately, moving Hutton to the left will achieve the same outcome on the left wing, if we have no left-footer playing either at FB or LMF / wing.

Personally, I'd continue with the underwhelming Taylor in the short-term and dump Hutton in favour of Elmo or Bree at FB.

Agreed

[sirlordbaltimore]

I said on the QPR match thread that playing Hutton and Elmo on the same wing is problematic because neither seem capable of beating their man on the outside. The result is that the game inevitably slows down when it's over on the right.
Unfortunately, moving Hutton to the left will achieve the same outcome on the left wing, if we have no left-footer playing either at FB or LMF / wing.

Personally, I'd continue with the underwhelming Taylor in the short-term and dump Hutton in favour of Elmo or Bree at FB.

Agreed

also agreed

putting Hutton on the left just takes the same problem to the other side of the pitch

[john e]

i don't mind Hutton he is what he is and does a reasonable job but he is limited

but i have to admit seeing Hutton and Elmo linking up down the right does make the heart sink, its just so predictable and pedestrian

i have a lot of hopes in Smith and like what he is trying to do already but if he keeps playing Elmo, Taylor and Whelan in the same team i will start losing faith in him
there must be better options than having that bunch of no hopers in the team

if he played one of the youth players and they performed exactly the same as one of those three we would be saying they are not ready  they are not good enough etc, but these very box standard below average players just keep getting in

Smith has got to change it round at some point and take a few risks, which i believe he doesn't mind doing

 Hutton is ok on his own but when he's in a team with other oldies, waifs, strays and players who struggle with a football he just becomes part of the bigger problem of not being able to deliver what Smith is wanting to do

[tomd2103]

I said on the QPR match thread that playing Hutton and Elmo on the same wing is problematic because neither seem capable of beating their man on the outside. The result is that the game inevitably slows down when it's over on the right.
Unfortunately, moving Hutton to the left will achieve the same outcome on the left wing, if we have no left-footer playing either at FB or LMF / wing.

Personally, I'd continue with the underwhelming Taylor in the short-term and dump Hutton in favour of Elmo or Bree at FB.

Agree.  Taylor has been playing really poorly for some time now, but moving Hutton to left-back has it's own problems as well.  I think the problem at left back is only going to be sorted by bringing in one or potentially two new options there.   

[paul_e]

I said on the QPR match thread that playing Hutton and Elmo on the same wing is problematic because neither seem capable of beating their man on the outside. The result is that the game inevitably slows down when it's over on the right.
Unfortunately, moving Hutton to the left will achieve the same outcome on the left wing, if we have no left-footer playing either at FB or LMF / wing.

Personally, I'd continue with the underwhelming Taylor in the short-term and dump Hutton in favour of Elmo or Bree at FB.

Agree.  Taylor has been playing really poorly for some time now, but moving Hutton to left-back has it's own problems as well.  I think the problem at left back is only going to be sorted by bringing in one or potentially two new options there.   

I'm happy with us recalling Mitch Clark as an option for left back. I'd recall Suliman as well and give Bree and the u23 midfielders a shot. If there's no money available in this window without sales I'd accept that as the starting point in Early Jan and then see what happens over the window. As John e suggests above, if we're gonig to have performances which aren't quite good enough I'd rather they come from 19-21 year olds who will learn from it than guys in their 30s who haven't been able to learn those lessons over a career.

[AlexAlexCropley]

Needs resting.Freshen things up a bit.

[Drummond]

I like his boots. All black old school.

[DB]

Everything about Hutton is old school, and not in a bad way

[chrisw1]

Very good game tonight.  Well done SC

[SoccerHQ]

Very good game tonight.  Well done SC

Shanking those crosses though....

He was solid but ultimately in the Smith system we need FBs who can actually cross as him and Taylor got in decent positions and then slowed the play down.

[chrisw1]

Very good game tonight.  Well done SC

Shanking those crosses though....

He was solid but ultimately in the Smith system we need FBs who can actually cross as him and Taylor got in decent positions and then slowed the play down.

He put some excellent crosses.  I can recall him shanking one, was there more than that?