Welcome Roberto Di Matteo and Steve Clarke

[KevinGage]

One of the things that impressed me about him when he first broke through was his composure on the ball.

He was just lacking at the physical aspects. You can always bulk up, but it's harder to do the things that seemed to come naturally to him.

But his decision making at different times over the last few years has been woeful. I wouldn't write him off completely, because he has had the misfortune to play under some right duffers. And even with that handicap, he has still shown decent stretches of good form.

But he's getting to an age where we need to see more over an extended period of time now.

[OCD]

I don't know if anyone else saw it before the England game but there was an interview with Eric Dier. He talked about his education in Portugal where they taught him to think, to be a few steps ahead and alert to danger. People have called for Clark to be made into a defensive midfielder and that may have been an option with the same education as Dier.

[tomd2103]

I don't know if anyone else saw it before the England game but there was an interview with Eric Dier. He talked about his education in Portugal where they taught him to think, to be a few steps ahead and alert to danger. People have called for Clark to be made into a defensive midfielder and that may have been an option with the same education as Dier.

I thought his performance last season against Blues in that position had put that idea to bed. 

[Stirchley Villain]

I don't know if anyone else saw it before the England game but there was an interview with Eric Dier. He talked about his education in Portugal where they taught him to think, to be a few steps ahead and alert to danger. People have called for Clark to be made into a defensive midfielder and that may have been an option with the same education as Dier.

I thought his performance last season against Blues in that position had put that idea to bed.

Wasn't that his original position before he moved to defence?

[oswald funkletrumpet]

I don't know if anyone else saw it before the England game but there was an interview with Eric Dier. He talked about his education in Portugal where they taught him to think, to be a few steps ahead and alert to danger. People have called for Clark to be made into a defensive midfielder and that may have been an option with the same education as Dier.

I thought his performance last season against Blues in that position had put that idea to bed.

im sure clark played as the holding midfielder against arsenal at home about 4 seasons ago, he scored both goals in a 4 - 2 defeat and was comfortably our man of the match

[Malandro]

You can tell when player is probably not very good, people starting talking about moving them out of their natural position!

He's good enough for the league we are in.

[Phil from the upper holte]

My opinion on Clark is if we get an offer accept it

[Hookeysmith]

You can tell when player is probably not very good, people starting talking about moving them out of their natural position!

He's good enough for the league we are in.

Allan Evans came to us as a Centre forward and moved to Centre half
Chris Sutton started life as a CH and moved to be a CF
Kenny Swain IIRC started life as a winger
Gareth Bale was bought as a LB and moved to attack

I am sure there are many more examples that show a player can change their position as they gain experience

I do agree though that as much as I like him Clark is not good enough for where we want to be either reading the game, physically or able to hold concentration

[Damo70]

I was pleased we got Kevin Bond on board. He always seemed to be very 'proactive' on the touchline when working for Spurs and QPR under 'Arry. Di Matteo has got out of this league previously with Smerrick FC and whilst I wouldn't want Clarke as manager his CV as an assistant is impressive.

[paul_e]

You can tell when player is probably not very good, people starting talking about moving them out of their natural position!

He's good enough for the league we are in.

Allan Evans came to us as a Centre forward and moved to Centre half
Chris Sutton started life as a CH and moved to be a CF
Kenny Swain IIRC started life as a winger
Gareth Bale was bought as a LB and moved to attack

I am sure there are many more examples that show a player can change their position as they gain experience

I do agree though that as much as I like him Clark is not good enough for where we want to be either reading the game, physically or able to hold concentration

Gareth Barry was a central defender, then a left-back, then a left-sided midfielder before settling back in as a central midfielder (where he started).  It happens a lot and actually one of the biggest failings on the academy structure for English clubs is that we don't do it a lot more often.  By the time a player reaches 17-18 they really should have played in 3-4 different positions and learned how to play each role to a decent level (other than for goalkeepers obviously).  That's how you get central defenders who are comfortable on the ball or midfielders who are comfortable in stepping across and covering a fullback who's been caught up field.  I think that experience generates players who are naturally more intelligent and can read and understand the game better because they see it from different perspectives.

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

You can tell when player is probably not very good, people starting talking about moving them out of their natural position!

He's good enough for the league we are in.

Allan Evans came to us as a Centre forward and moved to Centre half
Chris Sutton started life as a CH and moved to be a CF
Kenny Swain IIRC started life as a winger
Gareth Bale was bought as a LB and moved to attack

I am sure there are many more examples that show a player can change their position as they gain experience

I do agree though that as much as I like him Clark is not good enough for where we want to be either reading the game, physically or able to hold concentration

Gareth Barry was a central defender, then a left-back, then a left-sided midfielder before settling back in as a central midfielder (where he started).  It happens a lot and actually one of the biggest failings on the academy structure for English clubs is that we don't do it a lot more often.  By the time a player reaches 17-18 they really should have played in 3-4 different positions and learned how to play each role to a decent level (other than for goalkeepers obviously).  That's how you get central defenders who are comfortable on the ball or midfielders who are comfortable in stepping across and covering a fullback who's been caught up field.  I think that experience generates players who are naturally more intelligent and can read and understand the game better because they see it from different perspectives.

Wise words Paul, we can live in hope with this new regime.

[Chico Hamilton III]

You can tell when player is probably not very good, people starting talking about moving them out of their natural position!

He's good enough for the league we are in.

Allan Evans came to us as a Centre forward and moved to Centre half
Chris Sutton started life as a CH and moved to be a CF
Kenny Swain IIRC started life as a winger
Gareth Bale was bought as a LB and moved to attack

I am sure there are many more examples that show a player can change their position as they gain experience

Con Martin must surely be the most versatile player we've ever had?

[robbo1874]

You can tell when player is probably not very good, people starting talking about moving them out of their natural position!

He's good enough for the league we are in.

Allan Evans came to us as a Centre forward and moved to Centre half
Chris Sutton started life as a CH and moved to be a CF
Kenny Swain IIRC started life as a winger
Gareth Bale was bought as a LB and moved to attack

I am sure there are many more examples that show a player can change their position as they gain experience

I do agree though that as much as I like him Clark is not good enough for where we want to be either reading the game, physically or able to hold concentration

Gareth Barry was a central defender, then a left-back, then a left-sided midfielder before settling back in as a central midfielder (where he started).  It happens a lot and actually one of the biggest failings on the academy structure for English clubs is that we don't do it a lot more often.  By the time a player reaches 17-18 they really should have played in 3-4 different positions and learned how to play each role to a decent level (other than for goalkeepers obviously).  That's how you get central defenders who are comfortable on the ball or midfielders who are comfortable in stepping across and covering a fullback who's been caught up field.  I think that experience generates players who are naturally more intelligent and can read and understand the game better because they see it from different perspectives.

good point PaulE. Barry really came on for Villa when he moved to left midfield. Players that are versed in a number of positions add to their resale value aswell.

[Lastfootstamper]

Ferguson had a penchant for chucking newcomers to the side in at right-back. And didn't Wenger start Henry on the wing so's he'd have an appreciation of what he needed to do to be on the receiving end as a centre-forward?

All of which is distracting from my thinking that he's getting worse with each passing season. If he could play anywhere else, why has not one of the plethora of managers we've endured since his debut employed him there, other than in an emergency?

You can't compare him to Barry, even at sixteen everyone could see he'd got something.

[paul_e]

You can tell when player is probably not very good, people starting talking about moving them out of their natural position!

He's good enough for the league we are in.

Allan Evans came to us as a Centre forward and moved to Centre half
Chris Sutton started life as a CH and moved to be a CF
Kenny Swain IIRC started life as a winger
Gareth Bale was bought as a LB and moved to attack

I am sure there are many more examples that show a player can change their position as they gain experience

I do agree though that as much as I like him Clark is not good enough for where we want to be either reading the game, physically or able to hold concentration

Gareth Barry was a central defender, then a left-back, then a left-sided midfielder before settling back in as a central midfielder (where he started).  It happens a lot and actually one of the biggest failings on the academy structure for English clubs is that we don't do it a lot more often.  By the time a player reaches 17-18 they really should have played in 3-4 different positions and learned how to play each role to a decent level (other than for goalkeepers obviously).  That's how you get central defenders who are comfortable on the ball or midfielders who are comfortable in stepping across and covering a fullback who's been caught up field.  I think that experience generates players who are naturally more intelligent and can read and understand the game better because they see it from different perspectives.

good point PaulE. Barry really came on for Villa when he moved to left midfield. Players that are versed in a number of positions add to their resale value aswell.

With Barry it made him a much more rounded player (and I'm not talking about his arse) it really helped his game to have those other experiences and made him, in my opinion, the most complete English central midfielder of his generation (I didn't say the best before anyone jumps in) who would've been truly world class if he'd had an extra yard of pace.