Match Thread Derby County Friendly (H) @ 3 pm Saturday 9 July 2022

If he does bring in a better RB than Hendrie that that would be brilliant. But I still don't think Hendrie is as big a weakness as some think.

 

Why?

 

we have to have a scapegoat every season it’s sadly the Bradford City way

 

This here is the problem with our fans, Hendrie is a bog standard average L2 defender. We're not wanting bog standard or average, we should be wanting and signing the best players for league 2. He has let us down last season just like the rest of them did. We can do better than him and must do better than him down the right.

 

Or we just have some players that aren't very good ?

 

Exactly that, we've upgraded positions. When you bring in guys like Walker, Smallwood, Chapman and guys who's promotion rivals wanted in Odusina, even the teams in last seasons L2 play off final wanted Critchlow and Harratt who look like they might be starting on the bench for us, then other in the squad will start to naturally drop down the pecking order.

Guys like Hendrie and Ridehalgh who are at best solid 4th tier full backs and would probably start in most squads in the lower half of L2, suddenly look like the weaker links.

 

Very true but is there any need to target them ???
I am sure in an ideal world we would be paying huge fees and offering players mega wages to come here ........ x sadly we are a club without huge finances and have to rely on players who ain’t the best but will come in and do a job for us ............... I mean had we got a decent full back on decent money folk would start moaning about other positions not being ............. Luke Hendrie will do a good job for us next season

 

Don’t think it can be said Hendrie let us down. He certainly did better than I expected however we need another right back without a doubt yesterday showed us that.

 

Exactly. Hendrie was out yesterday and the second and third options showed us they’re simply not good enough. So Hendrie for me is our single right back option and he’s injured.
We have to get someone else in.

 

If we have an unlimited budget and no financial restraints I would agree. But unless I'm wrong that isn't the case so we can't afford the best player in league 2 for every position. And by the way I think he held his own last year in his position.
But since you bring up the question of the right hand side, I thought our best combo there last year was Sutton at RB with Gilly in front of him, but I think that only happened for half a game.

 

Don't get me wrong he had a few decent games last season but he also had a few poor ones but that's the standard he's at. People bang on about scapegoating but in truth we have players that aren't up to our ambition and they will be rightly brought to the fore for it

 

Yet Ridehalgh has played over 100 games at league 1 level. Not sure why he gets stick, he was very consistent last season and in his day is the best crosser of a ball in the squad. Hendrie will do a job if required but we could do with having an out and out right back as first choice

 

Our budget isn't up to our ambition .
And herein lies the point. If a player gives 100% and plays to the best of his ability, is it fair to scapegoat him just because we haven't got / can't afford anybody better. And I realise my original scapegoat joke might be getting out of hand!

 

Hendrie is back up only. Let’s be honest our defence , with the exception of Platt was makeshift in reality. Three of the four, one could easily say, were playing outside their natural position.

It took 20 mins to suss both fullbacks were so far out of their depth it was untrue, I posted as such at the time. As a result it did put added unnecessary pressure on our two centrebacks .

I was really impressed with Lewis, by the way.

 

You do realise Hendrie wasn't playing yesterday

 

That is why I asked you why you think Hendrie will be the scapegoat next season. Players that give their all and try their best don't tend to be scapgoated, but that doesn't mean people aren't entitled to point out their weaknesses and suggest we need better as first choice.
As for your point about our budget not matching our ambition and us not being able to afford anyone better, what exactly are you basing that on, when we've brought in the likes of Smallwood, Chapman and Walker?

 

We said exactly that about a certain Wayne Jacobs at the end of every season he was at the club and season after season he proved us wrong, if Hughes can get a better RB in then fine but Luke will do a job and with better players around him IMO he will improve, but its good to debate and get other fans opinions of players.

 

Like I say my scaegoat comment was a joke that seems to have run out of hand - but some have made their mind up about him already and thats fair enough.

My point about the budget is reinforced by what you say. It's the fact that we have already spent big on the likes of Smallwood, Chapman and Walker. I would love to be wrong but I don't believe we can afford to splash that sort of cash on every position. Hence why I think Hendrie will be our starting RB........assuming of course we play 4 at the back

 

I hope you are wrong too, and I don't think it's a case of necessarily needing to break the bank to bring in better. Also bare in mind that Hughes hasn't come here to be an also ran.

 

Agree about Hughes. Looks like we will have to agree to disagree about Hendrie.
Are there not spending constraints on L2 clubs this season? Asking because I don't know