Tommy Elphick - signed for Huddersfield

[paul_e]

I'm not making any excuses for Bruce by any means but Elphick has been nothing short of appalling when on the field in a Villa shirt. His first spell earned him the "Bombscare" nickname and when he was bought back into the fold at the start of this season he was no better.
I'm certainly in agreement that he could flourish at another club but he's had his chances with us as far as I am concerned.

He played 3 games this season and we conceded twice in those games, given we've conceded 22 in 14 without him I wouldn't be singling him out as having performed badly or saying he's had his chance. For some people they've just decided his face doesn't fit after 15-20 games in his first season and nothing will change their mind. He was ok last year when called upon and did well in his few appearances this time. Add to that some very good performances for Hull and we really shouldn't be throwing him away when we can barely put out a defence.

[chrisw1]

He was made captain and given a great opportunity when he first arrived.  For whatever reason he simply didn't step up.

I agree we should have given him another chance this season and allowing the loan under the circumstances was bewildering.  But he has been average at best for us and I think the pining for him is more about us being down to bear bones than him being any more than an adequate player at this stage of his career.

[paul_e]

He was made captain and given a great opportunity when he first arrived.  For whatever reason he simply didn't step up.

I agree we should have given him another chance this season and allowing the loan under the circumstances was bewildering.  But he has been average at best for us and I think the pining for him is more about us being down to bear bones than him being any more than an adequate player at this stage of his career.

It's not about pining, it's about wasting money.  We paid a decent amount for him and have very quickly written him off when we don't have better options.  I don't think he's anything more than an average player at this level, but I'd rather have him available than be paying a big chunk of his wages for him to be adequate elsewhere whilst we struggle to put out a functional defence.

[Drummond]

By all accounts he was a proper captain and leader when he came. He's not exactly done brilliantly playing for us but then who has? Plus he's got to be better than anyone bar Chester and Tuanzebe.

[berneboy]

He was made captain and given a great opportunity when he first arrived.  For whatever reason he simply didn't step up.

I agree we should have given him another chance this season and allowing the loan under the circumstances was bewildering.  But he has been average at best for us and I think the pining for him is more about us being down to bear bones than him being any more than an adequate player at this stage of his career.

Wasn't there a video going g around of him criticizing Mr Bruce? I'm sure I read that on here somewhere. It's maybe the reason he was sent away.

[Drummond]

He was made captain and given a great opportunity when he first arrived.  For whatever reason he simply didn't step up.

I agree we should have given him another chance this season and allowing the loan under the circumstances was bewildering.  But he has been average at best for us and I think the pining for him is more about us being down to bear bones than him being any more than an adequate player at this stage of his career.

Wasn't there a video going g around of him criticizing Mr Bruce? I'm sure I read that on here somewhere. It's maybe the reason he was sent away.

I reckon there could be a lot of them.

[chrisw1]

He was made captain and given a great opportunity when he first arrived.  For whatever reason he simply didn't step up.

I agree we should have given him another chance this season and allowing the loan under the circumstances was bewildering.  But he has been average at best for us and I think the pining for him is more about us being down to bear bones than him being any more than an adequate player at this stage of his career.

It's not about pining, it's about wasting money.  We paid a decent amount for him and have very quickly written him off when we don't have better options.  I don't think he's anything more than an average player at this level, but I'd rather have him available than be paying a big chunk of his wages for him to be adequate elsewhere whilst we struggle to put out a functional defence.

I don't think we've said anything different here?

[paul_e]

He was made captain and given a great opportunity when he first arrived.  For whatever reason he simply didn't step up.

I agree we should have given him another chance this season and allowing the loan under the circumstances was bewildering.  But he has been average at best for us and I think the pining for him is more about us being down to bear bones than him being any more than an adequate player at this stage of his career.

It's not about pining, it's about wasting money.  We paid a decent amount for him and have very quickly written him off when we don't have better options.  I don't think he's anything more than an average player at this level, but I'd rather have him available than be paying a big chunk of his wages for him to be adequate elsewhere whilst we struggle to put out a functional defence.

I don't think we've said anything different here?

Saying people are pining for him when we have 2 centre backs on the books and suggesting his appearances for us this season were appalling is hyperbolic at best. No one thinks he's a world beater but the squad would be better with him in it right now and, if we can't get a new centre back in January, recalling him would be the only sensible thing to do.

[LeeB]

He's one the the most technically deficient players I've ever seen play for us.

The way he moves, his touch, his turning circle, his passing are all way off this level, in my opinion.

[Toronto Villa]

Wanting Elphick back in any capacity is like meeting the one woman on a boat full of blokes. Even though she’s clearly taken a battering through life she’s... well still a woman. Right now our defence is that boat full of blokes making Elphick desirable even if you know the story has got a hideous end.

[FatSam]

The much maligned and not really given a chance here.
Typical of Steve Bruce management.
Don’t get on with a player, throw th3m under a bus and try and buy a replacement or not in this case.

How did Bruce throw him under a bus? Has he ever publicly singled him out for blame? How do you know he didn’t get on with him?

Elphick scared the sh*t out of me whenever I saw him play. His positioning and body shape were really unconvincing.

However, i’d certainly have him as centre back cover at the moment, and i’d love it if the change of playing style somehow suited him better.

[FatSam]

He's one the the most technically deficient players I've ever seen play for us.

The way he moves, his touch, his turning circle, his passing are all way off this level, in my opinion.

Agreed. I hadn’t read this thread properly, and was trying to articulate the same thing.

He seems like a nice bloke but I can’t see how he would give his team mates any confidence, which is not what you want from a centre back. A bit like the keeper really.

I’d love to be proved wrong, and find that he’s just an ‘unconventional’ footballer or something.

[chrisw1]

He was made captain and given a great opportunity when he first arrived.  For whatever reason he simply didn't step up.

I agree we should have given him another chance this season and allowing the loan under the circumstances was bewildering.  But he has been average at best for us and I think the pining for him is more about us being down to bear bones than him being any more than an adequate player at this stage of his career.

It's not about pining, it's about wasting money.  We paid a decent amount for him and have very quickly written him off when we don't have better options.  I don't think he's anything more than an average player at this level, but I'd rather have him available than be paying a big chunk of his wages for him to be adequate elsewhere whilst we struggle to put out a functional defence.

I don't think we've said anything different here?

Saying people are pining for him when we have 2 centre backs on the books and suggesting his appearances for us this season were appalling is hyperbolic at best. No one thinks he's a world beater but the squad would be better with him in it right now and, if we can't get a new centre back in January, recalling him would be the only sensible thing to do.

Are you actually reading my posts Paul?  I haven't said he's been appaling and I've said loaning him was daft.

[ColinMac]

Wanting Elphick back in any capacity is like meeting the one woman on a boat full of blokes. Even though she’s clearly taken a battering through life she’s... well still a woman. Right now our defence is that boat full of blokes making Elphick desirable even if you know the story has got a hideous end.

Classy 👏👏

[SoccerHQ]

Will only have six months left on his deal in January, I think we'll move him off the books for a small fee if Hull want him full time.