A Penny for the Defence

[ExiledAjax]

Hunt, Kalas, Williams, and Dasilva.

I asked before the game if this was our first choice back four. I wondered with the lineup whether LJ has been waiting for the day that he could play the back four he's wanted to use for months.

Now they'll face much sterner tests than Luton, but I think we can agree they did an utterly satisfactory job.

Hunt was being touted as MOTM by a few, and Dasilva did well on his first start (other than one loose back pass early on).

1 shot on target, and our first clean sheet since Forest. Hopefully a new dawn at the back.

[Northern Red]

Kalas looks miles more comfortable in a 2.

[Harry]

Defence certainly looked more solid and organised today. 
We have to take the “it’s Luton and they were poor” pinch of salt, but it was definitely more like it. 

[Magicdaps]

Rowe has done a sterling job but Jay just gives the back 4 an immediate balanced look regardless of who plays centrally.  Williams has done great and deserves to remain in the team but I'd love to see Moore start to form a longer term partnership with Kalas at some point. 

[Robbored]

Dasilva was excellent, particularly getting forward down the left and was close to MotM in my view and he and the other defenders were solid.

That said Luton are bottom of the league for a reason and apart from decent 10mins at the start of the second half they offered very little.

The Bees will be a far tougher test on New Year’s Day.

 

[Up The City!]

5 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Dasilva was excellent, particularly getting forward down the left and was close to MotM in my view and he and the other defenders were solid.

That said Luton are bottom of the league for a reason and apart from decent 10mins at the start of the second half they offered very little.

The Bees will be a far tougher test on New Year’s Day.

 

He was my motm tbh. Whilst Rowe is good, JD just has that little bit extra quality. It also enables us to play with NE.

[Dullmoan Tone]

Yes agree that Luton were very poor - still cannot understand how we were thumped away.

Luton offered nothing allowing the defenders to press - Dasilva back was a real plus but I would like to see how the midfield copes against a better team. I couldn't see what all the praise for Nagy was about today?

[Hampshire Red]

Love this back 4 and we have strength in reserve. At least the manager usually chooses the right team to suit the opposition but with Watkins today he excelled again.... and proved dozens of whingers on here a thing or two. 

 

[INCRED]

3 minutes ago, Dullmoan Tone said:

Yes agree that Luton were very poor - still cannot understand how we were thumped away.

Luton offered nothing allowing the defenders to press - Dasilva back was a real plus but I would like to see how the midfield copes against a better team. I couldn't see what all the praise for Nagy was about today?

Thought Nagy was poor today and looked lost on the pitch 

Would like to see Smith or Massengo in against Brentford 

[ExiledAjax]

7 minutes ago, Up The City! said:

He was my motm tbh. Whilst Rowe is good, JD just has that little bit extra quality. It also enables us to play with NE.

Dasilva is clearly a better player than Rowe in that LB position. Rowe can now revert to the utility cover player that we expected him to be. A senior player and a safe pair of hands to have on the bench.

[eardun]

Defence played well. Williams had a really good game and great to have Jay back - he makes such a difference with his runs forward. We also had none of the slow and ponderous passing sideways from centre back to centre back and back again; we played forward much more often  and more quickly today. Long may it continue. 

[Davefevs]

7 minutes ago, INCRED said:

Thought Nagy was poor today and looked lost on the pitch 

Would like to see Smith or Massengo in against Brentford 

Wouldn’t say poor, did some good things, but not his best either.

What should be happening now is LJ should be saying that is our system, that he’ll rotate for form and tiredness, but players are challenging those positions and the players in them.  So no harm if LJ decides on Wednesday that Smith plays instead of Nagy.

[Spud55]

10 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Wouldn’t say poor, did some good things, but not his best either.

What should be happening now is LJ should be saying that is our system, that he’ll rotate for form and tiredness, but players are challenging those positions and the players in them.  So no harm if LJ decides on Wednesday that Smith plays instead of Nagy.

Still think you can't be chopping and changing for no good reason at the moment, Brownhill and Nagy looked like starting to form a partnership, learning when one could go and when they had to sit, breaking that up now would be stupid, we need a settled side and system for a period, and should only be changed for injury. 

If he changes the side and or system and we get twatted by Brentford, which could easily happen anyway it would lump the pressure right back on Johnson. 

[Davefevs]

3 minutes ago, Spud55 said:

Still think you can't be chopping and changing for no good reason at the moment, Brownhill and Nagy looked like starting to form a partnership, learning when one could go and when they had to sit, breaking that up now would be stupid, we need a settled side and system for a period, and should only be changed for injury. 

If he changes the side and or system and we get twatted by Brentford, which could easily happen anyway it would lump the pressure right back on Johnson. 

Yes, fair comment.  Perhaps it’s more a case of if Nagy or Brownhill look like they’re tiring, that we introduce fresh legs.

[Lez]

1 hour ago, INCRED said:

Thought Nagy was poor today and looked lost on the pitch 

Would like to see Smith or Massengo in against Brentford 

Nagy is an intelligent mans footballer. Deep lying playmaker and positionally excellent. Best player at bcfc.

[AshtonGreat]

23 minutes ago, Lez said:

Nagy is an intelligent mans footballer. Deep lying playmaker and positionally excellent. Best player at bcfc.

Shame he's been pretty poor for a month then

[Lez]

32 minutes ago, AshtonGreat said:

Shame he's been pretty poor for a month then

Like I said those who understand the game will rate him....those who dont understand wont.

[Northern Red]

1 hour ago, AshtonGreat said:

Shame he's been pretty poor for a month then

Are there any of our players that you do like? Because you complain about most of them.

[bcfc01]

1 hour ago, Lez said:

Nagy is an intelligent mans footballer. Deep lying playmaker and positionally excellent. Best player at bcfc.

Agree with that.

Everything about Nagy is a cut above the other players we have imo.

Smith a decent back up but nowhere near the quality of Nagy and Massengo is not far behind.

LJ needs to give him a long run in the team - he'll be dictating games.

 

 

[Lez]

5 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

Agree with that.

Everything about Nagy is a cut above the other players we have imo.

Smith a decent back up but nowhere near the quality of Nagy and Massengo is not far behind.

LJ needs to give him a long run in the team - he'll be dictating games.

 

 

I think nagy is streets ahead of massengo at the moment....but obviously much older and more experienced. If people just watched him he is always looking to pass forward.....half the time there are no options.

For what it's worth he isnt a defensive midfielder.....I think he is a deep lying playmaker against Charlton he was the one making everything tick.....he is also good at bursting into the box.

[mozo]

2 hours ago, INCRED said:

Thought Nagy was poor today and looked lost on the pitch 

Would like to see Smith or Massengo in against Brentford 

Not at his best but I'd keep him in the side. Also would like to see more Massengo 

[bcfc01]

50 minutes ago, Lez said:

I think nagy is streets ahead of massengo at the moment....but obviously much older and more experienced. If people just watched him he is always looking to pass forward.....half the time there are no options.

For what it's worth he isnt a defensive midfielder.....I think he is a deep lying playmaker against Charlton he was the one making everything tick.....he is also good at bursting into the box.

Agreed.

Massengo was 18 in July and he is on a big learning curve - but the potential that kid has is enormous.

Not sure he is at the right club to realise the potential tbh..

 

[AshtonGreat]

2 hours ago, Lez said:

Like I said those who understand the game will rate him....those who dont understand wont.

Haha I'm not saying he's a bad player, but he's been poor the times I've seen him. Thats a fact

[Jacky Boy]

1 hour ago, Lez said:

I think nagy is streets ahead of massengo at the moment....but obviously much older and more experienced. If people just watched him he is always looking to pass forward.....half the time there are no options.

For what it's worth he isnt a defensive midfielder.....I think he is a deep lying playmaker against Charlton he was the one making everything tick.....he is also good at bursting into the box.

Completely agree, Nagy has the ability to play at prem level.

If he can stay fully fit he will make the team tick for the second half of the season.

[Lez]

43 minutes ago, AshtonGreat said:

Haha I'm not saying he's a bad player, but he's been poor the times I've seen him. Thats a fact

Quite possibly. Saying that you clearly dont grasp it that's my main point.

[AshtonGreat]

9 hours ago, Lez said:

Quite possibly. Saying that you clearly dont grasp it that's my main point.

Don't grasp what? 

[Engvall’s Splinter]

12 hours ago, Lez said:

Like I said those who understand the game will rate him....those who dont understand wont.

Nagy clearly has ability but has yet to consistently deliver in many of the games he’s featured. Hopefully a run of games and the possibility he’ll be settled from 2020 onwards we’ll see the player we all think may be there. 
 

Out of interest, presuming you understand the game - how is that qualified?

[Bristol Oil Services]

9 hours ago, Lez said:

Quite possibly. Saying that you clearly dont grasp it that's my main point.

"If you can't explain it simply, then, er, what were you saying again?" Albert Einstein 

[A Horse With No Name]

15 hours ago, Spud55 said:

Still think you can't be chopping and changing for no good reason at the moment, Brownhill and Nagy looked like starting to form a partnership, learning when one could go and when they had to sit, breaking that up now would be stupid, we need a settled side and system for a period, and should only be changed for injury. 

If he changes the side and or system and we get twatted by Brentford, which could easily happen anyway it would lump the pressure right back on Johnson. 

The problem is, playing Weimann, Fammy, Eliasson and Watkins against a top side like Brentford could leave us very exposed at the back. I fully expect him to bring in Korey, probably for Watkins .

[Robbored]

1 minute ago, The Horse With No Name said:

The problem is, playing Weimann, Fammy, Eliasson and Watkins against a top side like Brentford could leave us very exposed at the back. I fully expect him to bring in Morey, probably for Watkins .

LJ said post match that with Dasilva playing he lacked height when defending corners and set plays. That’s why Famara is always defending in those situations. 

Watkins is a taller guy and therefore useful when defending set plays etc,etc......plus Watkins had a very decent game yesterday and I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t start against the Bees.