Aaron Tshibola

[kippaxvilla2]

Given that a life size cardboard cut out of Ashley Westwood being placed strategically in the middle of the pitch would actually be more effective than Ashley Westwood, I cannot possibly foresee a circumstance where Aaron Tshibola would be considered as a worse option.

[cdbearsfan]

I think he's shown promise when he has been picked, and his exclusion is ludicrous. I have form as I was telling everyone Delph should be in the team when others were writing him off. Okay, I did also think Isaiah Osbourne was going to be the new Patrick Vieira so my record of identifying midfielders isn't 100%.

[Villafirst]

I think he's shown promise when he has been picked, and his exclusion is ludicrous. I have form as I was telling everyone Delph should be in the team when others were writing him off. Okay, I did also think Isaiah Osbourne was going to be the new Patrick Vieira so my record of identifying midfielders isn't 100%.

Agree, Tshibola should be on the bench at the very least.

[PaulWinch again]

I think he's shown promise when he has been picked, and his exclusion is ludicrous. I have form as I was telling everyone Delph should be in the team when others were writing him off. Okay, I did also think Isaiah Osbourne was going to be the new Patrick Vieira so my record of identifying midfielders isn't 100%.

Agree, Tshibola should be on the bench at the very least.

I agree.

[Chris Jameson]

Maybe he's really not very good?

Maybe, but it's not like he's having much to compete against. Maybe Tshibola couldn't possibly be as effective for us as Ashley Westwood is, but I don't think it's particularly plausible.

The argument of "well if he were good enough then he'd be picked" is the same argument that sees Zat Knight picked ahead of Gary Cahill and Kieran Richarson picked ahead of Marc Albrighton.

Maybe Cahill and Albrighton just weren't very good.

No idea why you've brought up Cahill and Albrighton but all the speculation about why he's not in the team doesn't seem to take into account the fact that Steve Bruce may have watched him in training and thought "fuck me, he's even worse than Westwood".

[Dave]

Maybe he's really not very good?

Maybe, but it's not like he's having much to compete against. Maybe Tshibola couldn't possibly be as effective for us as Ashley Westwood is, but I don't think it's particularly plausible.

The argument of "well if he were good enough then he'd be picked" is the same argument that sees Zat Knight picked ahead of Gary Cahill and Kieran Richarson picked ahead of Marc Albrighton.

Maybe Cahill and Albrighton just weren't very good.

No idea why you've brought up Cahill and Albrighton but all the speculation about why he's not in the team doesn't seem to take into account the fact that Steve Bruce may have watched him in training and thought "fuck me, he's even worse than Westwood".

For the reason that I've made pretty clear in my post.

The exact same argument and even wording could have been used about why Martin O'Neill picked Knight over Cahill. Maybe O'Neill was just wrong. And maybe Bruce is as well.

[Old Kodjia]

What frustrates me is that all this must have happened within 2 weeks of Bruce taking over.

Disappointed as I am, I now accept that there is not going to be a turnaround in this standoff.  I'm looking forward to January, keen to see who we bring in, in that position.                                                         

[KevinGage]

From the small bit I have seen of him this season, ability isn't the issue.

So maybe he has been acting like a dick in training or said something beyond the Pale to Bruce. It's a shame, because you want your best 1-11 on the pitch and Tish is clearly better than Gardner and Westwood.

[LeeB]

Maybe Bruce is a committed atheist, and has no time for God botherers.

[brian green]

I imagine the Muslim players we have had in recent times were religious and deserving respect for their beliefs.  I see no reason why Christian players should be treated any differently.

[malckennedy]

Maybe he's really not very good?

Maybe, but it's not like he's having much to compete against. Maybe Tshibola couldn't possibly be as effective for us as Ashley Westwood is, but I don't think it's particularly plausible.

The argument of "well if he were good enough then he'd be picked" is the same argument that sees Zat Knight picked ahead of Gary Cahill and Kieran Richarson picked ahead of Marc Albrighton.

Maybe Cahill and Albrighton just weren't very good.

No idea why you've brought up Cahill and Albrighton but all the speculation about why he's not in the team doesn't seem to take into account the fact that Steve Bruce may have watched him in training and thought "fuck me, he's even worse than Westwood".

If Steve Bruce did think that then he's wrong. We've seen the evidence on the pitch.

[peter w]

I imagine the Muslim players we have had in recent times were religious and deserving respect for their beliefs.  I see no reason why Christian players should be treated any differently.

Because they've perpetrated their nonsense for longer?

[cdward]

No manager gets every decision right.
Good managers make fewer bad decisions. Overall Bruce has made good decisions, we as fans may not agree with his call on Tish, but we have to go with it.
I am interested to see who he brings in in January before deciding if losing Tshibola is bad for us.

[Chris Jameson]

Maybe Cahill and Albrighton sulked a bit because they were asked to pass some tickets on. Or something like that.

[peter w]

As did Brian McClair. And Stan Lynn.