He's a good lad and a decent player - can't believe the stick he got on this forum. Gus needs to take a few lessons from him.
and that's got to be a good thing.... competition for places. That can only spur players on to perform to their utmost. Potts had a decent game too so across the midfield the competition is beginning. The forwards are as yet to begin shining , for me so far this season they have been nothing better than very average. Its a shame the McBurnie thing ended as it did as that may have sparked the competition for the strikers.... but you never know their are a good many players who are un attached and have no contract , there my be still one or two good deals yet to be had...... and for free.
What was the formation today Was it 4411 with Potts supporting ugbo or 4141 with williams staying deep and Gardner just replacing Moncur or 4231 with Gardner and Williams both defensive. Cheers
He has a look of Stephen Foster about him to me. I don't see him developing as quickly as say Mawson or Roberts, but he could be a very effective defender at this level for us. He keeps it very simple, possibly overly simple at times but he defends the ball first and foremost and is very good in the air. I'm hoping he can become a steady, long term player for us. we could do with some continuity given the likelyhood of further upheaval going forward.
Good comparison that. He's taken his chance in the team, been impressed what I've seen, which is only the last 2 matches to be fair.
Check the date. According to that site though, Matty Pearson is the 12th best player statistically in the division so far. Our highest performer. Jacko is 15th. For reference, Hourihane was top most of the season but finished 2nd last year (to Knockaert) due to a drop-off in form once he left. Yids was our top performer last season with Who Scored. 9th Overall, made their team of the season. Robbo just missed out. So arr. Been a great start for Pearson and Jackson. Can't get my head around any criticism of either, however, it's an opinions game.
Jackson doing brilliantly this year. But he was far better than I think most of us realised last year when needed. And still very young so hopefully bags of rooms to improve with expeirence, coaching, support and confidence. Hecky knows a good defender that's for sure! Matty Pearson has stepped up ok from L2! I think one of the issues is neither Hedges or Barnes are strong defensively. leaving Matt exposed at times. Needs to stop crosses better but sure Hecky will coach that into him. If he had an Isgrove in front of him doing lots of tracking back then he will be fine. And more confident to bomb on like he did at Accrington. All great signs we've signed more really good players. While Robbo sits on the bench at Birmingham and Watkins can't get in the squad at Norwich.
I think the reason he was getting lots of stick was due to unfortunate circumstances for him: he wasn't a new signing so didn't get that 'honeymoon period' that new signings get, and he didn't play much last season so wasn't proven. Some fans therefore used him as a scapegoat because of these factors. I'm delighted he's getting praise now he's playing more football. For me he's an old-fashioned type defender; he doesn't look at comfy on the ball as someone like Mawson did, but he heads it away, clears it when needed, and does what a defender's main job is: to defend. He may not go on to be out next multi-million pound defender sale, but as already mentioned on this thread it would be good to have a player stick around for a few years, and Jackson could be that. Angus will struggle to get into the side now Lindsay and Jackson are playing well; I hope Hecky doesn't choose Angus just because he's captain and break up a promising partnership, and I don't think he will. Anytime Angus comes back into the side should be form lack of form of one of the others, injury or suspension.
It's a nice position to be in as I thought Mcdonald and Pinnock would end up being our main two central defenders. I have high hopes for Pinnock a big footballing centre half , that type are quite sort after nowadays and with a few months of hecky coaching will soon be ready. Mcdonald I still think will be our main defender and will comeback stronger and better as he now knows he has got a fight on his hands to get in the team where I think he started off thinking he was guaranteed a starting place with being made captain, the sending off may work for us in the long run.
Bar a sliced clearance which went just over the bar and a couple of wayward passes, he was solid as a rock yesterday and seems to get better with every game I see him. Same with McCarthy who was also excellent at Deepdale.
So does this mean you will stop criticising the club on a new post every 5 minutes? You seem to do this, prior to the game you open 10 threads on why our clubs proper **** and then when we get a result you praise us from the roof tops. Odd.