Andy King at CB experiment should never happen again…

[Davefevs]

…after Birmingham (a), but he’s done well in the last two league games against Watford and today against Rotherham.  Not saying he should stay there, but shows his intelligence and composure.  There were a couple of balls he knocked back to Max today on the half volley that others wouldn’t have tried and may put themselves under pressure by taking a touch.  But he executed them perfectly.

His availability has been good too following last seasons disastrous time with injury.

[Shuffle]

He’s done very well Birmingham aside & wasn’t optimistic when I saw back 3 but credit where it’s due as been good. Experience gives him a yard & demonstrated he can step in but horses for courses in the future. Assume Klose so far out of picture he could be on a plane come January back to Switzerland 

[GrahamC]

53 minutes ago, Shuffle said:

He’s done very well Birmingham aside & wasn’t optimistic when I saw back 3 but credit where it’s due as been good. Experience gives him a yard & demonstrated he can step in but horses for courses in the future. Assume Klose so far out of picture he could be on a plane come January back to Switzerland 

Re Klose just look at the players who were unavailable today, Wilson & Kalas both injured, Vyner & Dasilva both ill, yet he still doesn’t even make the subs bench.

This is Bakinson levels of out in the cold, if the finances stack up I expect him to return home next month.

[77 punk]

did vyner and dasilva travel ?

[Davefevs]

52 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Re Klose just look at the players who were unavailable today, Wilson & Kalas both injured, Vyner & Dasilva both ill, yet he still doesn’t even make the subs bench.

This is Bakinson levels of out in the cold, if the finances stack up I expect him to return home next month.

I don’t think it’s Bakinson level…just think his legs might’ve finally gone.  He looked ok at the start of pre-season, but I watched him warm-up pre-match one game, and he couldn’t get his legs going at all.

[GrahamC]

13 minutes ago, 77 punk said:

did vyner and dasilva travel ?

Dasilva definitely, as Pearson said he was ill overnight, Vyner might not have, because he said he’d been unwell “for a few days”.

[Midred]

3 hours ago, Davefevs said:

…after Birmingham (a), but he’s done well in the last two league games against Watford and today against Rotherham.  Not saying he should stay there, but shows his intelligence and composure.  There were a couple of balls he knocked back to Max today on the half volley that others wouldn’t have tried and may put themselves under pressure by taking a touch.  But he executed them perfectly.

His availability has been good too following last seasons disastrous time with injury.

Are we saying he should play there or not, Dave? Confused by the title.

[Davefevs]

6 minutes ago, Midred said:

Are we saying he should play there or not, Dave? Confused by the title.

I was being a bit sarcastic…that was the theme of a lot of people’s posts after the Brum game…but he’s proved he can do a job when required.  It’s far from a natural choice for him to play there, but I suspect Nige wanted a “talker” inside of Tanner, who himself is not used to playing at RCB3.

Tanner went about his job, quietly and effectively today.  Nige did say if a natural RB can’t play RCB3 then he’d be surprised.

[ralphindevon]

Agree, he’s looked comfortable there and will be a good but not only option going forward.

I’ve decided to wipe Birmingham away from my memory now, it was just a bad day at the office for everyone in the office. 

[Edgy Red]

3 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Re Klose just look at the players who were unavailable today, Wilson & Kalas both injured, Vyner & Dasilva both ill, yet he still doesn’t even make the subs bench.

This is Bakinson levels of out in the cold, if the finances stack up I expect him to return home next month.

I agree with this Graham... Klose was one of Nige's signings and yet now doesn't even make the squad. He took a risk with the back 3 today and we got the win, but i wouldn't be confident with the team selected today against the majority of sides in the division.

I find it strange that Atkinson was on the bench too. He is our most physically dominant defender who Nige paid alot of money for. 

We got the 3 points today which was much needed, but against better opposition, i fear it could have been a diiferent outcome

[Major Isewater]

9 minutes ago, Edgy Red said:

I agree with this Graham... Klose was one of Nige's signings and yet now doesn't even make the squad. He took a risk with the back 3 today and we got the win, but i wouldn't be confident with the team selected today against the majority of sides in the division.

I find it strange that Atkinson was on the bench too. He is our most physically dominant defender who Nige paid alot of money for. 

We got the 3 points today which was much needed, but against better opposition, i fear it could have been a diiferent outcome

Better opposition ?

they were above us before today ! 

[Edgy Red]

48 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

Better opposition ?

they were above us before today ! 

That says more about us than them. Rotherham are a bottom 6 team and you know exactly what i meant.

 

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, Edgy Red said:

I agree with this Graham... Klose was one of Nige's signings and yet now doesn't even make the squad. He took a risk with the back 3 today and we got the win, but i wouldn't be confident with the team selected today against the majority of sides in the division.

I find it strange that Atkinson was on the bench too. He is our most physically dominant defender who Nige paid alot of money for. 

We got the 3 points today which was much needed, but against better opposition, i fear it could have been a diiferent outcome

Like Watford?  A bloody good point and a clean sheet.

Edited December 11, 2022 by Davefevs

[SouthS22]

He did a decent job today, but he makes me nervous n that centre back role and I would prefer to see him in there as little as possible.  He reads the game well, his distribution is good and he’s good at keeping the back 3 organised, which are all important parts of that role.  However, he seems weaker against the more physical, direct and especially aerial threats, and he seems to dive in a bit in one on one’s.  

More importantly for me today was that we had Naismith back.  He looked good in that LCB role, and we looked much better with him in the side. Tanner also did ok for the most part, though he did lose his man for their goal. As a makeshift back 3, they all had a good game, shielded well aLeo by the 3 in front of them.  Pring was given a bit of a torrid time defensively, but he was excellent going forward and gave us much needed threat from crosses.  Andy on the other side is surprisingly effective at RWB.  

[Garland-sweden]

The defence play was good today as vs Watford. King and Naismith played well, think they will start next game too. Pring before Dasilva for me. Now we got to rb to play, Tanner and Vyner. 

[Numero Uno]

10 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Dasilva definitely, as Pearson said he was ill overnight, Vyner might not have, because he said he’d been unwell “for a few days”.

Wrong they both took a sickie. The kiddie from Weston confirmed it……..

[Son of Fred]

3 hours ago, Garland-sweden said:

The defence play was good today as vs Watford. King and Naismith played well, think they will start next game too. Pring before Dasilva for me. Now we got to rb to play, Tanner and Vyner. 

How often did Kelly win the ball in the air,, often unchallenged...??

Too many times.

We got away with it..

[Port Said Red]

It's a bit of a hit to the confidence of Atkinson that King is preferred over him, especially as he was in his best form playing along side Naismith.

[Major Isewater]

8 hours ago, Edgy Red said:

That says more about us than them. Rotherham are a bottom 6 team and you know exactly what i meant.

 

That says that before yesterday they were  better than us. I understand that they are not a Prem side or a big club though. 

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

It's a bit of a hit to the confidence of Atkinson that King is preferred over him, especially as he was in his best form playing along side Naismith.

Assuming he wasn’t ill then I can only assume him being an “introvert” (Nige’s words) came into the discussion re selection about the best person to play Central with Tanner RCB3.  Of course he could’ve gone Tanner / Naismith / Atkinson (Naismith the talker inside of Tanner), but maybe Dasilva’s late withdrawal played into it.  I’m only speculating.  I wonder what the team was Friday night?

[Red Skin]

He's done well mostly.  I was surprised so many of our corners and set plays were directed to him at the back post?  Never struck me as being particularly tall or good in the air.  

[sh1t_ref_again]

Will be interesting when Vyner is back fit if he replaces King, also thought Skyes looked better than Weinmann when he came on, but perhaps Andy was just having an off day. 

Quite like the look of Skyes Tanner Vyner Nailsmith Pring

[The Swan and Cemetery]

Don’t think it’s a long term solution and we need to avoid him being exposed one on one given lack of pace, but shows the significant benefit of having someone to organise those around them. Whilst would good to get Wilson playing RWB consistently, for now I’d push Tanner there when Vyner’s back at RCB. RWB isn’t a natural position for either Sykes or Weimann and think it shows. Think that gives a pretty solid set up, but with enough dynamism and quality to cause teams problems. Preferable for Naismith to be on the left than central, as less exposed and gives a bit more licence - some of his passing yesterday was top notch, including doing apparently simple things well, eg timing his pass in line with the timing of runs from Conway/Wells etc, eg the ball to Conway just before their goal that Conway should have done better with. 

[Garland-sweden]

9 hours ago, Son of Fred said:

How often did Kelly win the ball in the air,, often unchallenged...??

Too many times.

We got away with it..

Ok but two games and only one goal conceded. Yesterday their goal was sloppy from our defence. Unmarked with two or thre Citydefenders watching. 

[RoystonFoote'snephew]

21 hours ago, 77 punk said:

did vyner and dasilva travel ?

I don't think so. I certainly didn't see them get off the coach. 

[GrahamC]

1 hour ago, RoystonFoote'snephew said:

I don't think so. I certainly didn't see them get off the coach. 

Surely if Dasilva was unwell “over night” as  Pearson said, that implies he did travel, but there would be no point in him being on the coach if he couldn’t play, would there?

He’ll have either stayed at the hotel or gone home.

[Hazelboy]

Bump

[marcofisher]

If Atkinson is not fit for WBA, I would like to see Tanner at RCB and Zak in the middle.

[petehinton]

We’ve been riding our luck with this one, and it came home to roost today

[Jacki]

4 minutes ago, petehinton said:

We’ve been riding our luck with this one, and it came home to roost today

Exactly right. You play King at centre half when you’re desperate and have no one else. Or you do it in the middle of a game when you have an injury. Playing him there through choice is a stupid thing to do and we paid for it today.

What I don’t understand is how, after a 4 week break and with other centre halves fit, we end up with Pearson thinking he’s the best option. Klose and Atkinson are both available and were both signed by Pearson so why the hell aren’t they playing? It’s a ridiculous situation and I have no doubt it cost us points today.