Collins defends Williams Place in Back Three

https://www.barnsleychronicle.com/article/27424/collins-defends-williams-place-in-back-three

"NEILL Collins has defended his captain Jordan Williams’ performances at centre-back this season.

The Barnsley skipper has been used on the right of a back three this season, after mainly playing as a full-back or wing-back previously.

Williams has played every minute of Barnsley’s league campaign and has made 184 appearances for the Reds since signing from hometown club Huddersfield Town in 2018.

The 24-year-old has made some errors, including one in the build-up to Leyton Orient’s goal on Saturday.

He may eventually be moved out of the back three when new signing Donovan Pines is fully match-fit but Collins defended his skipper.

The head coach told the Chronicle: “He has been beaten a few times in the air and you could say that’s because he’s playing centre-back. Me and Jordan would both hold our hands up and say it’s not his biggest strength. The goal on Saturday comes from right wing-back. The mistake he makes is not from being at centre-back"

“What people are forgetting is Jordan won the free-kick for the winner, There is give and take. We don’t have a six foot four centre-back ready and available to play. If we did he wouldn’t give us what Jordan does, but he would give other aspects. Jordan has been part of a team for the last 25 games which has been probably up there in the top two in the league. He brings so much."

When Donovan and Jamie (McCart) are fully fit, we have a decision to make about what set-up we go with. He’s captain, he’s been here a long time and with that comes responsibility and scrutiny. If the fans could see what Jordan does for this club, it is what they want from players.”

Asked by the Chronicle if Williams is making mistakes because his confidence has been knocked by the spell out of position, Collins told the Chronicle: “I don’t think so.

“He’s a really level-headed person.

“Our defensive record stands up to the play-off level. We would like it to be even better.

“But the team is playing well, picking up results, and it’s not a big issue for me. Every player has areas to improve but also strengths.”

 

Great comments. Excellent he won't hang people out to dry.

 

Yeah I like that.

 

On that basis then that goal would have been avoided had Williams been playing in his natural position at rwb

 

But he wasn't and it did.

 

I like the fact that we have a number of players who are able to play in more than position as it provides flexibility to the team. I don't buy into the 'natural position' rhetoric which appears to be this months buzz phrase for a whinge.

 

That end bits a mouthful. Wouldn't want to get those mixed up. A bit like Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry. I'm just crude. Great point well made by the way .

 

Wait, hang on a minute! You like the fact that Collins supports Williams after criticizing him for conceding the opening goal against Orient last Saturday, but I thought it was Mael's error for the goal? Aren't you going to tell Collins he's wrong and to look at the replay of the goal?

 

I like the fact that Collins isn't hanging players out to dry like some of our managers have in the past. Like said if we had 3 center backs one with pace Williams would be back to his best position rwb.


You look at orients goal and Shrewsburys. If j. Williams does the same as what mael does in failing to make a tackle on 2 occasions you and others would be hammering Williams and the goals would all be his fault. I'm not saying the Orient or Shrewsburys goals are all down to mael but he doesn't do great on either goal.

 

He's said everything you would expect him say,I'm pretty sure if Williams was given the choice he would have played at wing back all season. It's a totally new position he's been asked to play he gets in some terrible positions and he's not great in the air for a fullback let alone a centre half but he's taken one for the team and for that he should be given great credit. The quicker we get 3 centre halfs playing together the better and let Williams go and do what he does best.

 

I think Collins faces a bit of conundrum with Williams because he’s made him Captain.

He’s not scared to alternate Mad Baz and Okeefe but can’t have your captain rested or replaced every other game.

 

He shouldn't be rested or replaced every other game. He should be playing week in week out in the position he's excelled in for a number of years. One of the other two should be back up and the other shouldn't be here.

 

I think those comments are very fair.

I hope Jordan knows that the criticism he's got from some fans this season is more because we all know how good he is a RWB and want to see him there again. I think Collins makes some good points though that he's playing in the middle not because that's his best position but because he's better there than any of our other options until Pines is ready.

 

Feel really sorry for Jordan and am glad Collins is backing him fully. He shouldn't have to though as this is another example of our fans (and tinpot populist journos like Staton) asserting or giving truck to irrational vendettas.

Our number 6 has actually been central to almost double the amount of goals or clear goalscoring opportunities to opposing teams that Jordan has, even though Jordan has played more games. Collins will know this I assume from his analyst team.

@redrum has factually pointed out the errors made by the number 6 in the last two games but has then received all kinds of unmerited opprobrium - yet all he/she has done is state facts. It seems that any 'BBS darling' is beyond critique in some quarters, regardless of evidence.

Go back a game further if you want to the Bolton game and look at who gave his man a free header that was (thankfully if inexplicably) missed by their player very early on at 0-0 and who fluffed an unchallenged header that allowed Bolton's sub in to almost win it at the death (fortunately Earl's cover and Roberts' save rescued us).

I could go back through the full list but I don't want to because I want to look forward like we all should. I think Collins has earned the right to pick who he wants and only he and his staff know how fit and functioning Pines is - nobody, literally nobody, who's clamouring for Pines to come in (including me!) has ever seen him play a first team game in the flesh at any level.

For me, all evidence I've seen with my eyes tells me (and pretty much all who attend with me) that number 6 is not a good defender but I will be 100% behind him and vocally supporting him tomorrow as much as I can with what little voice I have left from Tuesday. Can people on Williams back say the same? It would go along way I think if there was a rousing round of vocal support early on from our whole fan base tomorrow in support of our number 2 and captain.

 

Did ChatGPT write this or did you just try and fit as many unnecessary words in as possible?

 

I agree, he did excel some of the time but didn’t have the armband, which was my point. I’m not knocking Williams ability in any way, and I’m not suggesting he should be swapped and changed, but it’s tough position and Collins likes to freshen it up.

I’d like to see him at RWB, I’m just trying to offer my opinion on why Collins may not fancy moving him.

 

Nothing wrong whatsoever with criticising Williams. If he's not very good and/or is constantly making errors its perfectly fine for people to say so as long as they explain their reasoning. Same can be said of anyone else, including the manager. It's whether over the long term the criticism is justified or not and/or there's a genuine alternative. Personally I think Williams is overrated- period. I just dont buy into this 'he's a great player, esp at wing-back' rhetoric. I think he makes too many errors and is far too inconsistent. He's 'ok' for me that's all But, we all have different views dont we?

 

I am pretty sure there isn’t a faction of Williams J knockers on here. The criticism is more of where he’s been played rather than what his merits as a footballer are.

As for “Our number 6”:

You speak of redrum having received “all kinds of unmerited opprobrium” for his views on MDG, where in 2 separate threads he describes MDG in his first thread as “weak as piss” and “it all stems from MDG,” and then continues in a second thread with further attacks – 7 posts in all along the same lines where his point of view does not attract one “like”.

I am one of the few who took issue with his intent to blame MDG for the two recent goals, and I posted the “evidence” as to why I thought MDG was by no means any more culpable than others.

If you think that people like me post on here because we have a “BBS darling” that we can see no wrong with, then you are firstly posting a basic insult to people like me, and secondly assuming that your opinion is the only one that reflects the actual truth.

If MDG was crap then he wouldn’t be playing. Collins presumably also knows this "from his analyst team". He is top of the supporters poll for player of the year so far. He brings the ball out of defence like Alan Hansen’s ******* son and he can distribute it like Kaiser Franz on a bad day. Plus my eyes tell me that he’s pretty decent at doing his normal day job.

I have no agenda, still less an irrational vendetta, regarding Williams J beyond hoping that he can replace Cotter/O’Keefe asap. I’ve been OK with him as RCB, but if we’ve got someone for RCB who is stronger/taller than him, better co-ordinated when it comes to clearing it and quick enough to cover danger, then it’s a no-brainer for me.

Is that OK as an opinion rather than a vendetta or a post in favour of a darling?

 

I applaud Collins for not hanging any of our players out to dry HOWEVER Williams performances have been extremely poor & he needs a rest. Either play him at RWB or he doesn’t start he’s gotten away with quite a few basic mistakes and been caught out for numerous goals aswell. I do feel for Williams as we all know he’s a decent rwb at this level. I really believe if we’d of already had a decent right sided centre half and William at RWB we’d be pushing top 2 at this point in the season. Don’t think he’s captain material either it feels like Collins has said who been here the longest here you go.

 

He did explain better options weren't fit.