Whats Happened To Ivan

[nashey]

Whats happened to Ivan Sproule, when he first came to us I thought he was a great signing, a good replacement for scott murray, some freinds of mine in Scotland said we had signed a good player who scored a hatrick against Rangers. But lately he just isnt the same player, do you think he wants out of the Club?. I went to Stoke yesterday and an Up for it Ivan would have taken them apart. What do you think.

[Simez]

The Hibs fans also said we were getting a very frustrating player, they were right on that one.

[Tales From The Front]

Whats happened to Ivan Sproule, when he first came to us I thought he was a great signing, a good replacement for scott murray, some freinds of mine in Scotland said we had signed a good player who scored a hatrick against Rangers. But lately he just isnt the same player, do you think he wants out of the Club?. I went to Stoke yesterday and an Up for it Ivan would have taken them apart. What do you think.

I'm inclined to agree, I posted before the game, that Palace had showed us the way with two pacy wide men. Only when McIndoe got running at them aided and abeted by Trundle did we cause them problems and for 15 mins we scared the living daylights out of them and nearly turned a disater in to an all time classic.

If only we had had an option down the right as well, I'm sure we would have taken at least a point from the game. It also illistrated where the pattern of play has been going wrong of late. For that period in the second half we were back in business, with a wide mann running straight at and in behind the defence.

Ivan Sproule has been poor of late, no question but i think he has been asked to do to much defending and taticaly he is expected to sit deeper in support of the defence and midfield. I think it was a mistake not to have him at least on the bench, especially when we had two centre halves there. Had he been allowed to come on and given a free licence to attack the Stoke left back, who knows what might of been.

[GrahamC]

Be honest, how could he have started after last week?

[bh_red]

Be honest, how could he have started after last week?

I would have

When the only other option is a out of positioned right back, who when played there before has been dreadful, yes I would have picked sproule

[Tales From The Front]

Be honest, how could he have started after last week?

In fairness you are right, as I said he has not produced. But I think this is in part due to the role he is expected to play. I am not saying he should not have any defensive duties, of course not. But I think the tatics of late have been restrictive and to defensive and nervous.

My view is had he been on the bench and brought on at the half time, with Trundle and Noble I honestly think we would have got something from the game. Stoke were panicing when McIndoe got the ball to feet and ran at them. Had we had the balance on the right hand side as well, with Sproule told to attack then who knows.

Obviously it is utimately down to the player to perform, but to have two centre halves on the bench was a bit negative which I think was un-necessary in a game we had to take something from. And when we went route one in desperation as the game entered into the last few minutes, Stoke looked far more comfortable then when was got the ball down and ran at them.

[Bristol Boy]

Ivan Sproule has been poor of late, no question but i think he has been asked to do to much defending and taticaly he is expected to sit deeper in support of the defence and midfield. I think it was a mistake not to have him at least on the bench, especially when we had two centre halves there. Had he been allowed to come on and given a free licence to attack the Stoke left back, who knows what might of been.

The problem with IS is in his attacking play and he rarely gets at his full back or to the byeline for crossing.His crossing on the hole is poor and that's why for all his headless chicken running he's got two excellent goals and two assists.Contrast that with Stokes Liam Lawrence with 15 goals & 16 assists in less games.

That problem is mostly the player but partly our wandering minstrel tactic that narrows the pitch.Then there's tactic two which sees them swap wings usually to no avail.

We should either play a different formation, I've suggested wing backs with McIndoe & Wilson or sign a replacement and GJ's record of signing wide players hasn't been great (Betsy, Wilson & Sproule) with McIndoe the only success.Wilson was originally signed and made his first starting appearance in the left wing spot.

[Tales From The Front]

The problem with IS is in his attacking play and he rarely gets at his full back or to the byeline for crossing.His crossing on the hole is poor and that's why for all his headless chicken running he's got two excellent goals and two assists.Contrast that with Stokes Liam Lawrence with 15 goals & 16 assists in less games.

That problem is mostly the player but partly our wandering minstrel tactic that narrows the pitch.Then there's tactic two which sees them swap wings usually to no avail.

We should either play a different formation, I've suggested wing backs with McIndoe & Wilson or sign a replacement and GJ's record of signing wide players hasn't been great (Betsy, Wilson & Sproule) with McIndoe the only success.Wilson was originally signed and made his first starting appearance in the left wing spot.

Agreed but you by association tend to agree I think with the defensive nature of our tatics by comment you make concerning the narrowing of the pitch. This has been apurely tactical one to protect a light weight central midfield. elliott over the season has performed above and beyound and he is now punch drunk. More strenght in depth in that area would have freed up the wide men to concentrate on attacking.

Also if I conceed your point concening Sproule's attacking quality which I agree has more than a degree of foundation. Then as you have posted in a seperate thread why wasn't more players, Scott Sinclair for example brought in has we have looked thread bare in creative attacking options of late. But given what we had available last night I stand by the fact that a "headless chicken" as you put it running at them would have caused problems.

That said, when the players got the ball down and played with a bit of freedom for 15 / 20 mins last night we did see what had got us this far. It really is a shame that a little more investment was not made becuase with all due respect to Stoke, they are a functional side nothing more and really were there for the taking.

[Geoff65]

He seems to be playing with a lack of confidence and really what you need to do in those circumstances is play to his strengths and that means when Bradley has the ball he should be sitting on the shoulder of their left back and hoping Bradley knocks it long to allow his pace to come into his game - he isn't a Beckham who doesn't need pace to knock over a good ball he needs pace to free up the space for him to take time with his crosses - the ball to his feet and then let him try to take on a player works when a player has confidence and when it doesn't then a bit harder hit pass down the line that then forces corners, freekicks, bookings and throw-ins just seems very obvious.

If he doesn't have the footballing brain to work this out and Bradley doesn't want to hit those longer through balls then the coaches are the ones who need to knock some sense into our right flank. Our central midfielders need to look for the longer diagonal balls into space for our wingers too instead of the too often side pass to our wingers or back to our full backs to then not put into space for our wingers to enjoy.

[GrahamC]

I would have

When the only other option is a out of positioned right back, who when played there before has been dreadful, yes I would have picked sproule

It's all supposition now, but I'd have started with Wilson because I felt we needed to try to stay in the game longer than we did at Saints (and would have been wrong which is why GJ is the manager and I'm not) but we do have yet another alternative and I'd have had Murray on the bench where I still think he could give us half an hour or so, instead of Noble, myself.