The Craig

Quality player. 100% will be a Premier League regular.

 

And he's only 14

 

Looked like a Tottenham regular. A real class act.

 

Is he so obviously better than Connell, DKLD, Phillips, or even Benson on today's cameo?

Not for me.

 

For me, absolutely. His ball retention is incredible. Considering he's doing it in our own third, often just outside our box, the way he shields the ball when surrounded by 2,3 players and then shifts it with a good pass, often simple but takes tonnes of composure. Opposition just can't get the ball off him. My man of the match by a mile today. DKD, Cozzy & Connell after that, in that order, but yeah, Craig blew them away today in my opinion. A proper class act.

 

Different type of player. I posted in the MDT that I thought he was (league one standard) Rodri-esque.
Just sat, picked up the ball from the defence, got stuck in and started all our best moves.
Not saying none of our other players couldn’t do it, but none of them have played that role well so far this season except Russell and he was no where near the quality, despite having decent games.

 

Not sure you can compare them all like for like, as they're all different types of players.

He gets more out of Connell though. Having someone there at the base of the midfield allows Connell to get forward more, which is something he's often not had the licence to do in the 2 years previous, yet was undoubtedly why we signed him given the clips I've seen of him at Queens Park.

I'm not quite going to go as far as the OP, but he's certainly going to play regularly at a higher level.

 

He's better than Eric Dier ever was. And Harry Winks.

 

I'd forgotten what it was like having a midfielder who can tackle and pass forward.

 

Good player in a good midfield. Not sure about him being top end Prem material, just hopeful he helps us to promotion.

 

That’s the best I’ve seen Craig play by some distance.

He could’ve easily been man of the match.

The only problem for me is Connell. He’s not suited to playing further forward. His best game by far this season was at home to Sheff Utd back in his best position in front of the defence. I couldn’t believe how many times he gave it away in the 2nd half today. He might as well have had a Bristol Rovers shirt on. It’s as bad as I’ve seen him in possession.

If he wasn’t such a fan favourite I think he would have had a few fans getting on his back.

 

Craig is a great player. I just think the balance of the team is a bit off. 3 centre backs and a defensive midfielder - 2 would be enough with a player protecting the back line, especially at home.
On yesterday's performance, had we played with Benson, Connell, Craig and Phillips in the midfield from the start and dropped one of MDG or Pines we'd have scored about 6.

 

Agree with this, we need to ditch this 5 at the back. Roberts & Pines would make a solid pairing, Mael only decent as back up.

 

Craig does a huge amount of donkey work. I think he really holds the shape of the team together. It's no coincidence that we've looked considerably worse every time he's not been on the pitch.

 

We looked terrible with three at the back, so twi would be worse IMHO. Plus we don't have any proper full backs, or ones that can actually defend.

 

I think Earl is starting to look very accomplished at left back in a flat back four. He's no wing-back, but with attacking players in front of him he's finally starting to look like the player we signed back in February.

 

Think the only way to do it would be him there and Barry or Lofthouse on the right but have them pushing up. If OKeefe gets anywhere near our team we have no chance.

 

Hero's ..DKD, Cosgrove, Cotter, Roberts,
Craig, A mention for Earl who did well.

Zero's..MDG... Mention for Connell who didn't do well..

Nice to have 6 players scrapping for MOTM...

 

Slonina

Cotter
MDG
Roberts
Earl

Craig
Connell
Benson

DKD
Phillips

Cosgrove.

-Cotter has looked at his best playing RM this season infront of MDG who has played the makeshift RB role, does DC trust Cotter in the back 4? Agree about Earl, he doesn’t have the onus on him to get forward in a back 4 as there is plenty of attacking options in-front of him.

-plenty of midfield and forward options from the bench now; Lofthouse, Russell, Yoganathan, Nwakali, Humphrys, Watters.

On a side note I don’t see Gent getting any minutes any time soon, O’Keefe seems to be infront of him at back-up LB….

 

I would play.Robert. Pines.Earl as a back 3..Cotter and Lofthouse as wing backs. Phillips. Connell .Craig in mid and DKD. Cosgrove up top.. No choice on goalkeeper though he's made a couple of errors..drop MDG.