Lopata

He was in the first season. He was absolutely crap and I stand by that.

He massively improved after that though. Something Earl and MDG haven't done sadly.

 

Does it work like that?

"We've made a mistake and these players aren't good enough but just make it work"

That's a recipe for disaster imo

 

Totally agree, you can’t make a silk purse out of a cows ear as they

 

You were peddling Mads as crap long after his first season. Anyway, no worries, it was only your opinion.

I personally don't mind either Earl or MDG. There are many other positions where we are more deficient.

 

I genuinely don't think there are. Everyone has focused their attention on our attack but how many clean sheets have we kept since those two joined our team at the heart of defence? It's an absolutely massive issue.
And I actually feel a bit for both of them because they're being asked to do a job that they simply can't do. Carry the ball out of defence AND be back to defend. They can't do it which is why on so many of our highlights we concede a goal and earl isn't even in the video because he's gone waltzing out of position. I don't blame the players for being poor, I blame the recruitment who have seen the dollar signs and jizzed over the stats of "ball carrying defender" and forgot about the slightly less glamourous "good at stopping the ball going in the net" part of being a defender when it came to deciding what to spend our ever decreasing cash on

 

I can’t imagine it works like that, no.

But that isn’t what I posted. I never suggested the club think they’ve made a mistake. I gave my own opinion. That they must have rated these players, signed having used the same data and processes they use today.

And that I believe Earl could play left back. As he’s done for much of his career.

If it was possible to just move on players you don’t rate, without cost, and could guarantee that your replacements would be much better, happy days.

But considering we replaced Devante Cole with Stephen Humphrys, Nicky Cadden with Georgie Gent and instead of Jordan Williams we now have Corey O’Keeffe, Barry Cotter and Kyran Lofthouse, it’s clearly not that simple.

What would be your suggestion?

 

Well you say they're being asked to move forward with the ball - which they do and often do it well because they can actually play football - and then slate them for "waltzing out of position".

Alan Hansen often went waltzing out of position. He wasn't at the back defending at the same time he did it - it's the team's job to be coached to react and cover appropriately. Just like when defenders go up for a corner or free kick.

We have often been caught on the break, more after dead ball situations than in general play.

Anyway, MDG and Earl have indeed been caught out failing to do basic defending, I agree. But then so have Roberts and Pines and McCarthy.

And often, if Earl or MDG don't bring the ball forward, then nobody else in the team can do the job instead (Russell I'll give the benefit of the doubt to, on his good days). The wing backs are all hopeless, and the midfield can't go past their man.

Without MDG and Earl showing some forward purpose, we often go nowhere. That's why I wouldn't slate them.

 

Attempt to replace one with one rather than attempting to replace one with several poor alternatives in the hopes that one of the several is any good

We lost cole and mcatee and replaced them with Humphrys, DKD, Lewis, Rodriguez. Four for two? And we wonder why the quality halves

 

There’s some big decisions to be made. I know one thing, it won’t be quiet this summer. New coach, players leaving, players coming in, staff potentially in and out etc.

Oh for a plan and some stability.

 

Why Lofty is out on loan beggars belief

 

I can’t say I’ve seen enough of him to know if he’s any good. But being played in a different position every time he got any minutes here probably frustrated him. He seems a regular starter at Burton.

 

I watched him a few times for the under 21s ,he is rapid ,and was streets ahead of the players around him.