Gilliead & Smallwood

Exactly, I think this genuinely is a problem.

There's no point Smallwood offloading the ball to the back four or Gilliead, as none of them are any more creative than he is...

 

But is that because they are incapable or are they under orders to play like that ?

 

Gillead is shiete and holds the whole team back. We need better. In fact a great deal better

 

I thought Gilliead kicked on a bit when MH first arrived, but he seems so ineffective now ..

 

Has Gilead been under orders since 2017 to never beat a man and constantly turn away from goal as soon as he nears the area?

 

Unfortunately I think he has, sadly it’s his own brain giving the orders. The bloke has ability but not the mentality, he seems to get a nose bleed when entering the final third. Not a good look for someone who’s supposedly a winger by trade.

 

I don't disagree. For all the stick I give him, ability wise he is more gifted than those I compare him to but he seems to lack the bravery or even desire to actually implement that ability.

I've no idea why but as you say, it's got to be something only he can resolve.

 

Totally agree, but have been put in my box by others on here for expressing that opinion.

 

Gilliead couldn't use a three year old child's plastic post office set

 

Despite the negativity surrounding Gillead, Mark Hughes rates him. Just listen to last Friday's pre match press conference when Jamie Raynor mentioned the two holding midfielders.

 

Deluded fool then.

 

He's been out performing Smallwood lately, but they're still a limited partnership.

It's less about one or the other being woeful, and more about them not offering us enough going forward.

We don't need 6 defenders.

 

It's EVERYTHING about them being woeful. It feels like Smallwood is definitely under achieving but Gillead has been below average, at best, for both spells at the club at at no point has he ever threatened to develop beyond being someone who can plug a gap every now and again or fresh legs from the bench.

And before everyone suggests "Mark Hughes picks him and he knows better, blah, blah, blah" ..... Stuart McCall made Zesh Rehman captain.

 

Good point, well made !

 

Gilliead really is this season's scapegoat with our fans. I thread about a new player (in a completely different position) signing has turned into a thread slagging off Gilliead.

 

There has always got be a scapegoat and at the moment it seems to be Gillead and Smallwood. Our poor performances are not caused by individuals but team tactics in my opinion despite one or two performances Smallwood has been very good doing what he has done all his career sitting deep and breaking play up. And whilst Gillead’s has dropped of a bit he has been inhibited by the tactics. Get a high press by the whole team with when it’s called for a bit more directness then I am sure individual performances will improve

 

This is very true, but could easily be resolved by Hughes realising that Gilliead isn't doing what we need in that role and resting him. Supporters will always have a player who gets it in the neck, it goes with the territory and if the player can't up his game to overcome that then he probably isn't good enough.