Home v Plymouth Feb 29th

There seems to be a huge debate over Mellor. No one disputes he’s better than Henley. The question surely should be is there a better right back on the books than Mellor or can anybody be co-opted into that position to better effect. I think the answer is no and therefore further debate doesn’t lead anywhere. Better to focus on his positives, his height and long throw. Akpan is a different case. I believe there are other players who could improve his position.

 

With Akpan I believe he can offer more and believe it or not I think under McCall he is improving a little bit. I think Akpan can be a decent player but for whatever reason it's not clicking.

AOC started the season well but under McCall he has gone backwards.

Going back to Mellor though he is offering us his maximum(unlike Akpan) and his maximum isn't good enough..

Due to Bowyer making the squad more unbalanced that is was before he arrived we have two of the worst right backs in the division. Mellor shouldn't be anywhere near the 1st team but as you say he's better than Henley.

Honestly, Mellor would be one of the 1st players I would be kicking out of VP in the summer along with AOC(who is going backwards).

 

Now Henley is easily the worst right back I've ever seen in a City shirt

And @JonButterfield that includes the also useless Paul Arnison

 

To say Mellor was returning after another lay off he did well on that pitch, thought he supported Connolly most of the game, his long throw was part of the build up to our first goal and in my opinion there left winger was one of their better players.
I think the reason McCall might have hooked him is because he was tiring on that pitch, he certainly performed better in his 70+ minutes than Henley, but seeing their goal on Quest l though although he turned Henley inside out O'Donnell should have done better with the shot.

 

AOC's performances had started to drop off before McCall arrived.

 

Yeah, and now getting worse.

His defending is awful.

 

Problem for Mellor is that he rarely manages any more than six games on the bounce. Difficult to carve out a good reputation at a new club, when your appearances are so stop start

 

And correct me if I’m wrong Bowyer rated him so highly as to sign him twice AND at the beginning of the season start him at left back ahead of Wood. Unbelievable.

 

Recently he’s usually found himself marking someone about three inches bigger than him.

 

Plus I thought his first card was for dissent? Always a waste in my view.

 

I know, thought I watched a different match tbh. According to that report they were aggrieved they didn’t win, and the reasons they didn’t, was the pitch (mud heap) which apparently we have inner knowledge about and gain in having as we have a direct style of play!!! Hello, any manager looking at that pitch would try and mitigate tactics, but hey ho. The ref, who was conned by the ever prone Connnley, and just sheer bad luck.

 

Good question, and I’d probably agree the answer is no. Perhaps AOC could play there but that means POC coming in at CB which based on recent performances I wouldn’t do. Think POC needs this season to finish and start next afresh as there’s definitely a good player there.

For RB question remains around Riley. None of us know if he can be the answer and may/probably will never find out. If he features in any of the last 6 games of this season we may have some insight. If none of 3 RB’s we currently have will be here next season.

 

Yes, you're right, it's not Anthony that's playing below par, it's all the big boys' fault.

 

Poor by O’Donnell as well let it through his legs his distribution was shocking as well Stuart was going mad about it

 

I suspect you’re distorting what I’m saying. I have no great brief for Anthony but it’s a fact recently he has come up against bigger players who have won headers against him. I don’t think he’s been below par as you put it. I think he’s been par and his par is not very good. As I’ve said before he’s slow thinking and needs lots of time in possession.

 

Might be a case for dropping the captain? A keeper shouldn’t be beaten at the near post from that angle. Having said that I think he’s had a good season.

 

He was playing very well at the start of the season though, and was given a lot of credit from fans (myself included) who had openly stated they would have been glad to see the back of him in the summer. Since the turn of the year however, his form has dipped significantly, whether that is a confidence thing or he just can't be arsed anymore I don't know but what I do know is throughout the course of the season, he has played games against players that are bigger than him and has coped adequately. It isn't like these bigger players have suddenly crawled out of the woodwork; they've been there all season!

 

One of the most bizarre and embarrassing match reports from a club I've ever read.

https://www.pafc.co.uk/news/2020/february/bradford-away-report/

 

No real difference of opinion here but I would say we need a new set of centre backs next year regardless of which division we’re in. On present form I’d take Anthony over Paudie. At present we’re in the land of the giants at both ends of the pitch and our big guy BRE is actually only about average height in his position in this division. Unfortunately Bowyer did not practise what he preached in assembling his squad.