Summer 2023 Transfer Rumours

I never said that there was anything wrong with him.
Is he quick? I didn’t think that he was particularly but I’ve not seen a lot of him so if someone’s seen more him than me and says that he is then fair enough.

 

More important than formations to me is attitude Hughes saying we are going on the front foot this season. If he sticks to that and banishes the negative stuff of last season we have a chance

 

Well he doesnt move slower because points are at stake?

 

Well maybe he moves faster with the more intense play of a league match because he hasn’t looked anything like quick yet

 

Who said he was quick? I asked what was wrong with this pace - he is definately no slouch and adds some pace to the CB trio.

If you want a decent defender who is quick then go search the leagues above because there are very very few at this level.

 

Is he slow?

 

Being able to read a game well is faaaaaaar more important to defending than pace

 

Ideally you have both of course, but as a few of us have pointed out, that's a rarity at this level. Next best thing is to have a mixture of the two, which hopefully we have. Odusina and Oyegoke (if played as a CB) both have pace, Kelly's no slouch and then Stubbs, Taylor and Platt are the experienced heads. It's not perfect, but very little is in league 2, and I'm sure 20+ other teams will be grappling with exactly the same issues. The way some are going on about it you'd think every other side had a back line of defenders that can run 100m in less than 10 seconds.

 

Pace is a nice added bonus but ultimately if you're running around all the time as a centre back you're stood in the wrong place.

 

Or forwards like Usain Bolt or even worse - Dan Agyei.

 

Agree being in the right place at the right time "reading the game" usually comes with experience, obviously having pace can also be a great asset we've had both but the standout CD for me was the late Dean Richards, you could tell from his first few games the lad was destined for higher league football.

 

Spit on, my coaches taught me to defend with you back to goal in front of you. If you’re defending side to side in a foot race or with the player goal side of you, you have already done something wrong regardless of your speed.

 

Agree. At this level, the ability to read the game, be strong and powerful in the air take a priority over pace for me.

Although no slouches, Mcardle and Davies I wouldn’t have put in the bracket of having ‘pace’, but both did just fine. Piergianni for Stevenage the same.

 

Pace for a CB is a nice commodity but isn't vital in order for a player to be good. As long as he has players around him that make up for it, a defenders lack of pace won't be exposed. We all knew Stubbs wasn't fast, but the only time he was truly exposed is when Halliday had a mare against Crewe, which left Stubbs isolated with Aygei. Besides that, theres not many instances where Stubbs lack of pace truly showed

 

Bang on!

 

I think we're all making the mistake of when someone says "pace" we're thinking Usain Bolt pace when in reality, it just means the odd one out of 3 who can cover the ground reasonably quickly to cover around like Conor Wood used to do from left back.

 

I keep looking at the team today and bench and regardless of the result against a poor Crawley I imagine serious questions need to be asked. Rupp Ryan , Hughes and Gent is this really the best we can bring in? 15k seasons tickets, highest revenue and we have a 37 year old Derbyshire and untried smith who has played minimal games as our firepower on the bench (plan b and c)

It’s really brought home for me today seeing at as a lineup. I also counted 6 defenders and not even our best one in the team!!!

 

Armstrong's on his way somewhere. Made himself unavailable for selection for Harrogate this afternoon.

 

I know you're on a wind up but the sad thing is that I can't disagree with your post.

That first week line up looks incredibly weak and miles away from a promotion winning side.

 

Probably Wrexham