Celina

[mrploppy]

Out of curiosity, who else has Cooper "failed to get a tune out of"?

Pick any wide player in the squad. None of them have had a prayer of doing well in the way we've been set up to play most of the season, and in the way they've all been in and out of the side. No doubt there will be those (as with Celina) who think the players themselves are entirely at fault, but that makes about as much sense as blaming Leon Britton for not standing out in a Neil Warnock team would be.

You could also point at Connor Gallagher absolutely shining in a central midfield role for a poor Charlton team yet spending almost all of his time for us being less effective (although still chipping in with assists) at #10. Square pegs, round holes.

OK. Routledge and Dyer are past it. Kalulu and Peterson showed nothing when they had the chance. Garrick shows promise, but he's very raw, often injured and sometimes stupid (sent off for a slap, and could easily have been sent off in an away game which I'm struggling to remember (Barnsley or Blackburn when he fouled their keeper?)). As someone else pointed out, Celina has done bog all since he scored against Man City. Anyone else I've missed?

Byers hasn't so much gone backwards - he's actually stayed where he is. He's just not good enough to be in the first team, never was, and he's now found his level. Fine if things are going well, although a little slow of thought and loves playing the ball backwards, but never really pulls his weight. Seems lacking in energy, struggles to get back, zero pace, can't tackle, etc. He's a luxury we can't afford most of the time.

Connor Gallagher is a strange one. Not quite sure what his best position is. He looked good when he sat deeper against Brentford. Unfortunately, we have the underwhelming Grimes who seems to want to run the show in midfield, whereas Gallagher could actually do it. Gallagher's finishing has been poor though when he's had the chance e.g. against Brentford in the 2nd leg. He also looks for fouls, and mostly doesn't get them, instead of staying on his feet. I think he's struggled after the restart because of the number of games and the way he plays.

On the broader subject of wide players. I think we should persist with the 3 CBs, with Bidwell and Roberts as wingbacks. In that formation, there's no room for true wingers anyway.

 

[Dr. Winston]

OK. Routledge and Dyer are past it. Kalulu and Peterson showed nothing when they had the chance.

Completely missing (or ignoring) the point. One wide player performing poorly can be put down to one player. Every single one we've got struggling tells a different story.

What do you expect wide players to contribute when the team plays as narrow as we did for most of the year and moved the ball so slowly? When opposing teams have got both time and space to double up at every opportunity, or if your wide players have to keep dropping deep to get the ball in the first place? Why do you think that after a long season of tedious, cautious nonsense finally adding a bit of width via wingbacks has been such a breath of fresh air?

Players showed nothing when they had the chance? No. They weren't given one.

 

[mrploppy]

OK. Routledge and Dyer are past it. Kalulu and Peterson showed nothing when they had the chance.

Completely missing (or ignoring) the point. One wide player performing poorly can be put down to one player. Every single one we've got struggling tells a different story.

What do you expect wide players to contribute when the team plays as narrow as we did for most of the year and moved the ball so slowly? When opposing teams have got both time and space to double up at every opportunity, or if your wide players have to keep dropping deep to get the ball in the first place? Why do you think that after a long season of tedious, cautious nonsense finally adding a bit of width via wingbacks has been such a breath of fresh air?

Players showed nothing when they had the chance? No. They weren't given one.

FWIW, I wouldn't have any of Kalulu, Peterson, Routledge, Dyer, Celina in our team/squad. I've seen enough of the first two to know that they're not good enough. Routledge and Dyer needed to retire last year. Celina, when he was playing regularly, in whatever position, consistently underperformed and drove me nuts with his stupid flicks and the ease with which he was muscled off the ball. I'd keep Byers for the odd occasion when we can afford him, and Garrick because he may improve.

I see us playing 3 at the back with wingbacks next season. That won't necessarily require wide players, as in old-fashioned wingers. Luckily, Roberts and Bidwell both appear to have the energy to get "up and down". Bidwell's delivery in to the box is normally excellent. Roberts could improve that aspect of his game.

We do need to move the ball quicker, that's for sure. If we had a two-footed defensive midfielder, with a turning circle of less than 10yards, that would help. And we need someone who can deliver set pieces in to the box at pace rather than shovelling them up in to the air i.e. not Grimes.

 

[PatchesOHoulihan]

Completely missing (or ignoring) the point. One wide player performing poorly can be put down to one player. Every single one we've got struggling tells a different story.

What do you expect wide players to contribute when the team plays as narrow as we did for most of the year and moved the ball so slowly? When opposing teams have got both time and space to double up at every opportunity, or if your wide players have to keep dropping deep to get the ball in the first place? Why do you think that after a long season of tedious, cautious nonsense finally adding a bit of width via wingbacks has been such a breath of fresh air?

Players showed nothing when they had the chance? No. They weren't given one.

FWIW, I wouldn't have any of Kalulu, Peterson, Routledge, Dyer, Celina in our team/squad. I've seen enough of the first two to know that they're not good enough. Routledge and Dyer needed to retire last year. Celina, when he was playing regularly, in whatever position, consistently underperformed and drove me nuts with his stupid flicks and the ease with which he was muscled off the ball. I'd keep Byers for the odd occasion when we can afford him, and Garrick because he may improve.

I see us playing 3 at the back with wingbacks next season. That won't necessarily require wide players, as in old-fashioned wingers. Luckily, Roberts and Bidwell both appear to have the energy to get "up and down". Bidwell's delivery in to the box is normally excellent. Roberts could improve that aspect of his game.

We do need to move the ball quicker, that's for sure. If we had a two-footed defensive midfielder, with a turning circle of less than 10yards, that would help. And we need someone who can deliver set pieces in to the box at pace rather than shovelling them up in to the air i.e. not Grimes.

Roberts slightly poorer delivery than Bidwell is more than made up for with his runs into the box. If we can find another one of him to play on the left we’d have no need to discuss wingers

 

[Pacemaker]

How can you blame Cooper when he more or less had the job because of his superb coaching of youngsters. I have watched and have been impressed with the way the youngsters responded after the break, yes they make mistakes and miss a leader on the pitch sometimes but Celina can only blame himself i have defended him as i think he could be sensational in this league but HE has blown it and looks like he wants out.

Yet strangely looked up for it when he came on last night, I was convinced he was going to get an unlikely equaliser, and if Brewster had played him in late on, when he was completely open in the box, he might have done so
I’ve seen lots of arguments on here about whether he’s a 10 or not, but for me he offers a genuine threat from the left wing, I find him too lightweight and brushed off the ball too easily at 10
Let’s hope he stays and Coops can get more out of him next season

Mick McCarthy said the same thing, he had him at Ipswich, he said his best position was left wing as he can go missing at 10. One of the few sensible comments he made.

 

[KrunchyKarrot]

Yet strangely looked up for it when he came on last night, I was convinced he was going to get an unlikely equaliser, and if Brewster had played him in late on, when he was completely open in the box, he might have done so
I’ve seen lots of arguments on here about whether he’s a 10 or not, but for me he offers a genuine threat from the left wing, I find him too lightweight and brushed off the ball too easily at 10
Let’s hope he stays and Coops can get more out of him next season

Mick McCarthy said the same thing, he had him at Ipswich, he said his best position was left wing as he can go missing at 10. One of the few sensible comments he made.

I hope he stays as i think if he matures and doesn't go missing again he could be a force in this league. However he might have blown it with Cooper and fellow players.