Most liked posts in thread: Akpan

Yes a lot of those really fit into the attributes Mr Bowyer outlined? Strong physical and pacey.....

 

You have in one post persuaded a good number NOT to renew their season tickets

 

Nice to see someone actually defending Akpan, but it's true he's not really captain material. However, he was the better of a very bad bunch and he will be just what we need in L2

 

Akpan is frustrating he has the ability to drive forward with the ball yet he moves a yard or so and gets rid. He looks like a player who could do so much more yet never does

 

One thing for sure, When the opposition break he is never going to catch or keep up with them and for this alone he should be out

 

Him and Payne should be working really together. Akpan winning the ball, and getting it to Payne as much as he can. Unfortunately, Payne seems to have totally switched off, and can't even get in the team (after getting taken off at haf time, do you think we'll see him start again?). Butterfield should easily step into his shoes. Simple remit. Akpan win the ball, give it to Butterfield, who plays balls through to our fowards. Simple. But alas, we only play one up front, and Doyle's confidence and effort have gone. Ball seems to be trying to operate as a winger now, yet keeps coming back for the ball or coming inside, leaving Butterfield (or on Saturday Payne) having no options once he gets the ball.

Connor Wood? Luca Coleville? Where are they? They are players who can get up and down the channels, yet aren't even in the squad. Caddis showed brief glimpses what can happen if the ball is spread wide and put into the box. On Saturday however, he stopped those runs, trying to plug the huge leaking gaps in our defence. Akpan winning or holding the ball in midfield, could at least have a few more options if we had width. And if we did have width, then there would also be more space in midfield for him to make those runs which he looks good at, but doesn't have much opportunity to make.

Whole thing is a shambles. Still not sure what Bowyers tactics are. For me, bringing Wright on, shows he has about as much clue as the other previous managers who failed before him.

Really need Rupp/Rhodes...even our club skipper to give us fans a little insight into what the hell is going on.

 

He may be fantastic but I bet you he's on a big whack. Can we carry on with these big money players in L2? Not sure we can.

 

He didn't pick the Captains armband up.

 

I see his physicality been exactly what works in L2. But I don't see him as "ineffective passenger", as in order for that description to be true - you must think there's someone else doing the driving. There isn't and that's the problem - we have no solid defensive midfield players to go alongside him

We've had others who've started their careers poorly and then had a satisfactory following season and Akpan will be in a lesser division (we think)

We can't write him off or any of the contracted ones because of this season - we have to see if they'll be of benefit in L2 and if so keep them, if not try and get rid

 

I don't see him strolling through games. He has a typical languid Afro / Caribbean style, that divides fans as they mistake that for a lack of effort. He made two very good runs and passed the ball well to create an attacking opportunity -one of those times O'Brien decided he'd stop the ball, rather than running into the open space with it

He's not been perfect, but we're talking about L2 here. And I think he's got a better manager who believes in him

But he must have a defensive partner

 

Pretty certain, that Riley, Wright, O'Connor, O'Donnell, Akpan, Scannell, Doyle and Mellor will all be there next season - unless sold / offloaded, with McCartan coming back as well

Some of course will scoff, but that isn't a bad set off players if they can stay fit and get their mentality correct

 

He isn't going to dominate any midfield by himself. Kick him to bits as much as you want, but he has never been set up to play to his strengths

 

What's even more hilarious about your comment, is that it's you who's then used Jamie Lawrence for comparison. And you don't even see the irony!

Did you have a problem, when the likes of Billy Bremner, McCall and Batty got grouped together. Was that racist too?

 

Did you actually see Jamie Lawrence play?

I get the feeling that the point has just fine waaaaaay over your head?

 

What are his strengths? Absolute rubbish.

 

As is your comment in simply writing off a player, who clearly Bowyer likes. Others like Stephen Warnock have also gone out of their way to praise him

So sorry, I'll stick to my view and ignore yours, as in your world players never improve, aren't allowed to have struggles and recover and are forever rubbish

Incidentally, my all time favourite player Robbie Blake, was deemed rubbish in his first 15 months. Fortunately Jewell too ignored the likes of yourself. And before you say the skills comparison is ludricous, my point is that players can look a million dollars shortly after been dross

 

OK let's go back to my point. This isn't all that difficult, you said he was physical. I'd asked what makes you think he would change as he's been about as physical as fly all season?

For what it's worth there is possibly a player in Akpan but this would be his second successive relegation, it doesn't make for great reading. Is it the fact he likes to lay down and get his tummy tickled because that's all he's shown all season, no ifs no buts he hasn't been good enough for the sort of money I imagine we are paying him.

 

You can't be simplistic and assume, that this seasons form dictates next seasons. Clearly if you'd been in charge of MK Dons and Bury you'd had got rid of all their players from last season

Instead, as someone else pointed out, Bury have a lot of that squad and are currently 2nd

I'm a bit worried about some of the comments on here. I too was pissed off with that fade out after we went 2-0 down at the weekend. But I know enough about people to be confident that some of them under the new and better Rupp/Rhodes/Bowyer, will perform better

For instance, virtually none of the team new anyone back in August. We all worried about that, as team spirit is only made when the team know each other, it can't be instantly achieved. This seasons over-achievers, Luton, Blackpool, Wycombe, had that togetherness. We can create that atmosphere, under someone like Bowyer, who of course built the Blackpool one

 

Great we agree. I don't think anything more. He's not been great, but we don't just cast him aside costing us a fortune. We get a proper manager like Bowyer, to work on him

In fairness he wasn't the worst on Saturday.

 

I just don't get your point about him being physical, hasn't shown it once all season so why would he start all of a sudden?

I'd argue he was part of the problem, when our midfield part like Moses parting the waves every week it's a problem. Doesn't he understand when to press, doesn't he understand how to keep shape, doesn't he understand how to protect what is an absolutely woeful defence? The bare minimum is to run about and work hard but it's not like he does that is it? We can't carry passengers.

I see above you mentioned teams like Bury and MK Dons above, they weren't getting battered every other week. I've never known a team fold like this every week and show so little grit and determination and to suggest that any of our team, not just Akpan will suddenly be revitalized in a league below is crazy and I'm not sure I want to see any of the current crop is in a city shirt again barring maybe Caddis.