Akpan

Look at Doyle and Wright.

No hope whatsoever of them putting in performances for us, now key players at their current clubs.

Akpan is better than Wright, but had anyone scouted Wright at his last two clubs it should have been an absolute no from Orient.

 

Agree with this a lot that some people still haven't moved on from last season and still hold it against some people which clouds their judgement. If Akpan had made the awful pass that led to Port Vale's winner or got a stupid sending off that could have cost us 3 points then he would have been slated and no way would he have people clapping him off. Same with Anthony O'Connor who has barely put a foot wrong but if he got sent off like BRE did or leave Hanson free at a corner or give away a silly free kick after making it 2-2 away from home. Even O'Donnell has struggled to get praise from some fans despite a number of top saves that have won us points

 

O'Connor was my MoM yesterday

 

Probably the same sort of team like Burton who wanted him to stay. His languid style doesn't help. In a weird way he reminds me a bit like Toure who was called lazy but had a relaxed style about him

 

I thought that too.

But his interview seemed a little disingenuous after the game. It's all about the team, apparently, and getting results for the club.

So it's all changed from last season, huh?

 

I actually thought he spoke so well it reminded me of an interview that Van Dyke gave after a similar MoM performance

Of course they are miles (zillions!!) apart in ability, but I like the O'Connor of this season and after 'armbandgate' https://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/news/2019/march/statement-anthony-oconnor/ , where the amount of abuse he got makes the current Akpan bear baiting a walk in the park, I can give him nothing but praise for turning things around when frankly none of us (including me) wanted him

With him, O'Donnell and Akpan playing better than last season plus Doyle and Wright for their clubs, we have to conclude that the management was largely responsible for what was probably the worst seasons for any of them

A big well done to Bowyer, because as some of us pointed out - poor players at a relegated club can turn it around and become heroes

 

You still bashing on about last seaso and not getting it?

 

Yeah, last season's mistakes are crucial learnings.

They should be discussed for a long time.

 

Don't read your emails then.

Nothing to discuss! The city board mess up and Edin effected staff and players.

We move on!

Fans and players happier and you can tell that on and off the pitch.

 

O'Connor is the most consistent player in the team this season but you can guarantee when his first bad performance comes along or he makes a mistake for a goal the usual cries of swapping him POC will bound around VP. He was excellent yesterday and is forging a good partnership with BRE.

 

If that includes yourself I wouldn't like to hear you when your unhappy, Bowyer sh1t a bottler and a negative manager, I think you've mentioned most of our current squad at one time or another being sh1t.

https://bantamtalk.com/index.php?threads/akpan.3020/page-4#post-275116

https://bantamtalk.com/index.php?threads/home-vs-exeter-2nd-nov.3202/page-3#post-274586

https://bantamtalk.com/index.php?threads/eoin-doyle.2889/page-26#post-273192

https://bantamtalk.com/index.php?threads/mellor-how-poor.3189/page-3#post-272046

https://bantamtalk.com/index.php?threads/home-vs-port-vale-22nd-october.3185/page-10#post-271873

 

Without doubt it's all about results, although to be honest the first 20/30 minutes of yesterdays game didn't impress me, I did think it was only a matter of time before Exeter scored, but credit to the lads we got all 3 points.

 

Was talking about him yesterday. I sense from observing how he is with teammates etc he's a bit of a miserable git and someone you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of.

He felt like a toxic influence last season and obviously there was armband gate which endeared him to no one. But this year whilst his character won't have changed it feels like he's more like a Roy Keane type character and his influencing things in a more positive way.

I wanted him out after last year but he's been immense so far this season and partners well with BRE.

 

Yes, very frustrating. Yesterday he executed a perfect Cruyff turn, then promptly gave the ball away.

 

Yes, that one incident summed him up.

I want to like him, I really do, and I'm not generally one to scapegoat or slag off our players. I've seen enough to recognise that the guy obviously has talent and is undoubtedly playing better now than he did last season or at the start of this one. The fact that he has previously done well at two levels higher is further evidence of his ability.

I know his style is languid but there has to be more application and consistency from him. As things stand I think Palmer, or even Reeves if he returns anything like his former self, would be a shoo-in to nail the regular slot alongside Cooke. And that simply shouldn't be the case given Akpan's higher league pedigree.