Grimes...

[Smurph]

Managers love him because he is a safe pair of hands and will always govern you good metrics and stats.

The biggest problem is that his stats are very very rarely ever in an impactful area of the pitch. If he had a creative maestro ahead of him and his job was to collect the ball and release it to his creative partners he would be good and a safe pair of hands you could leave that job to.

However the likes of O’Brien and Galbraith and Stamenic have shown that you can be the holding midfielder and still have a meaningful impact ahead of you

Galbraith has done more in the short period of time he's been here than Grimes did in his entire career with us.

 

[bakajack]

Galbraith has done more in the short period of time he's been here than Grimes did in his entire career with us.

That one is a bit much
It agreed that game to game so far he is much the superior player

 

[sit_down_jack]

I must say I don’t understand the Grimes hate, it’s false to claim he was the sole reason we have been a boring and laboured side over the past few years. That’s down to general recruitment and managerial decisions in my opinion.

I think the way he exited didn’t help things but it’s obvious he’s a quality player for the Championship. There’s a reason Coventry (a side much better than we have been for the past few seasons) wanted him.

Were there times where he could have lifted his head for a pass instead of going backwards? Yes, but you could probably say the same for Galbraith or any deeper midfielder if you put their performances under enough scrutiny.

I know this post won’t make me many friends

 

[Smurph]

I must say I don’t understand the Grimes hate, it’s false to claim he was the sole reason we have been a boring and laboured side over the past few years. That’s down to general recruitment and managerial decisions in my opinion.

I think the way he exited didn’t help things but it’s obvious he’s a quality player for the Championship. There’s a reason Coventry (a side much better than we have been for the past few seasons) wanted him.

Were there times where he could have lifted his head for a pass instead of going backwards? Yes, but you could probably say the same for Galbraith or any deeper midfielder if you put their performances under enough scrutiny.

I know this post won’t make me many friends

The difference between our midfield now compared to the Grimes era is their first intention is to play the ball forward as quickly as possible as opposed to sitting deep between the central defenders, putting their foot on the ball before passing is sideways and backwards constantly.

 

[sit_down_jack]

The difference between our midfield now compared to the Grimes era is their first intention is to play the ball forward as quickly as possible as opposed to sitting deep between the central defenders, putting their foot on the ball before passing is sideways and backwards constantly.

But that’s a style difference no? I don’t remember Grimes coming in for the stick he did under Cooper when we were playing a counter attacking direct style (that was ultimately just as boring as anything else we’ve seen recently)

Put Galbraith in a Russell Martin team and he comes in for the same criticism in my opinion.

 

[Smurph]

But that’s a style difference no? I don’t remember Grimes coming in for the stick he did under Cooper when we were playing a counter attacking direct style (that was ultimately just as boring as anything else we’ve seen recently)

Put Galbraith in a Russell Martin team and he comes in for the same criticism in my opinion.

The success we had under Cooper probably allowed him to slip under the radar plus he maybe wasn't so influential in the squad.

Flynn Downes did ok in Martin team.

For me, Grimes is too slow and ponderous on the ball for the way I like to watch football being played.

 

[Frankie Burrows Cap]

Very different managers (characters and style) in terms of Cooper, Martin, Duff, Williams & now Lampard though.

I do think it’s interesting they’ve all played him for pretty much every minute and all made him/kept him as captain. Not sure that’s all just as simple as stats.

 

[Dillwyn the Dog]

I must say I don’t understand the Grimes hate, it’s false to claim he was the sole reason we have been a boring and laboured side over the past few years. That’s down to general recruitment and managerial decisions in my opinion.

I think the way he exited didn’t help things but it’s obvious he’s a quality player for the Championship. There’s a reason Coventry (a side much better than we have been for the past few seasons) wanted him.

Were there times where he could have lifted his head for a pass instead of going backwards? Yes, but you could probably say the same for Galbraith or any deeper midfielder if you put their performances under enough scrutiny.

I know this post won’t make me many friends

I’ve been watching Galbraith very closely and he rarely takes a backwards step. His vision is sublime , for example he assisted both assists in our win over Wednesday. He was always involved and is a massive leap ahead from Grimes in ability but even more so in application. I can forgive players if they try stuff when they aren’t quite good enough but I can’t stand to see players capable of better but just not being bothered. Glad he’s gone and let’s see how both sides end the season

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

I do think it’s interesting they’ve all played him for pretty much every minute and all made him/kept him as captain. Not sure that’s all just as simple as stats.

Happens in all lines of work.

The coaster who happens to be very good at networking up, down and sideways. Wholly unspectacular at their job, always does just enough, probably easily replaced, but they're everyone's best mate so they just become part of the furniture.

 

[Frankie Burrows Cap]

Happens in all lines of work.

The coaster who happens to be very good at networking up, down and sideways. Wholly unspectacular at their job, always does just enough, probably easily replaced, but they're everyone's best mate so they just become part of the furniture.

That’s true, but it’s a bigger gamble as a football manager where the average shelf life is less than 18 months.

I’d also argue that networking sideways and downwards appear to be a major weakness of his.

 

[sit_down_jack]

Happens in all lines of work.

The coaster who happens to be very good at networking up, down and sideways. Wholly unspectacular at their job, always does just enough, probably easily replaced, but they're everyone's best mate so they just become part of the furniture.

I take your point and agree in the work context but this is competitive sport. A manager isn’t going to play a player just because, we all know their jobs are too precarious for that.

I just feel there are far too many knives out for Grimes. A player that would get into most teams at this level.

Anyway, Galbraith is just as good if not better with a seemingly higher ceiling so no great loss for us.

 

[Dr. Winston]

I think it's probably a case of the kind of coaches we've mostly had over the last six or seven years preferring him to play the "safe" way that is his forte. The only two to try and force him out of that were Potter and Duff, and for my money both of them got performances out of him that Cooper, Martin and Williams never came close to.

That was always my biggest issue with him and why I was more critical of his contribution than any other player. He could play in a more aggressive, attacking way than he usually did. He always had that in his locker, but we'd see it maybe two or three times a season. Then we'd have people crowing that he was the best midfielder in the division even though no Prem side ever showed a serious interest in him despite one of them snapping Downes up after just one season.

He could have been as good as they claimed. He just never was.

 

[Nottinghillbilly]

we are SO utterly bereft of a Matty G pivot

we are a simple, Vanilla Champ team with no discernible identity

no control, no balance, no clue

proper fans, owners etc deserve so much more

 

[Blackpooljack]

we are SO utterly bereft of a Matty G pivot

we are a simple, Vanilla Champ team with no discernible identity

no control, no balance, no clue

proper fans, owners etc deserve so much more

Take an ignore you clung