Hassell. By an absolute country mile. Better passing, touch, heading, tackling, defensive positioning, composure, awareness. Calmer head and more experience. Also, if changes have to be made during a game, he's multi-positional. Plus he's a legend and the fans want to see him playing (most of them anyway). I also find it astounding that, despite being frozen out for the best part of two years, he can come back in to the side and immediately make an impact. Each time he comes back I wonder whether he'll have 'lost it' but no. He pulls a performance out of the bag every, single, time.
Thought he got around the pitch well, covered good areas. Can run with the ball pass the ball too. People for me can say he got sent off how ever many times they want but you put Hassell/ Cranie/ Alex Song (Frimpongs mentor almost when he was younger) and they would have had a great chance of been sent off. andre the Ref had a shocker.
I'd wager the best part of a Euromillions win that Hassell has had more good games in a Reds shirt than Dawson. In my opinion Dawson is a lower league player and a poor one at that.
The first half is available to watch on Player, Phil. I suggest you watch the first 30 minutes and then get back to me. I am not slating him, I have faith in him being decent. But you'd have to be silly or on a wind up to suggest he was decent on Saturday. He deserved his red card, for being an idiot if nothing else. I mean, who gets a booking and then goes in from behind on a player going nowhere down by the corner flag? He's played 20 games at first team level. He's got a lot to learn.
I'm not arguing mate, I'm just giving my opinion and telling you why. He's a defender, not a midfielder. The further up the pitch you push him (which he'll have to in a 4 man midfield) the less he has influence.
Did you see him against Leeds? Got forward more than most, and to good effect. Was back in his own box when needed. Bossed the midfield. I'm no arguing either. Debating. I like a good debate.
A more interesting question would be Dawson or Kelvin. As they are both as w.ank as each other it would be a harder decision to make.
Dawson or Hassell? Hassell. Dawson or Kelvin? Probably Dawson. Not the kind of decision I'd like to have to make though.
Different types of players that do different jobs in the team. Neither one is a replacement for the other. However, Hassell is much better at the role he is asked to play than Dawson is at his. He seems like a decent lad does Dawson and he puts in plenty of effort, but his lack of skill has been really exposed this season and when he came on against Wednesday he was just awful. A dreadful performance. There'd be a place for Hassell in my team. I think we look much more solid when we have a player sitting in front of the defence and it allows the full backs to push on. I thought Frimpong would also be able to do that, we'll have to see, and long term that role should go to Digby, but at the moment Hassell looks the best bet if we can get him injury free. Dawson would be part of the squad, but he'd be a last resort to actually play, I think we've got much better options, and he's someone I'd be looking to move on in the summer.
In central midfield I'd prefer Digby to be started instead of either with Bobby on the bench to support/mentor/ come on if it's going tits up. Dawson isn't good enough and no amount of running around trying hard can cover that up. I'd see if Rochdale fancy him on loan or summat.
On the evidence of last Saturday, Hassell by a mile, if fit. The number of things he can do that Dawson can't is substantial. Like passing to our players. Winning headers. Tackling without looking like getting booked. Keeping calm. Knowing when to pass and knowing when to row Z it. Scoring goals from set pieces.
Dawson's performances against Wednesday and Blackburn were the last straw for me. He was awful in both games just as bad as when being played as a winger.