Match Thread Salford City vs Bradford City Tuesday 22nd November 2022 @ 7.30pm

If he gets prickly or not he should still go ahead and push him on certain situations ...........

 

yeah but we call them very very defensive midfielders bordering on being centre backs

 

Our problem is we are currently fielding a team that has six players who don't tackle, which puts added pressure on the back four who do.

We desperately need two ball winning midfield players, like Doyle & Jones were back in the day, who can win the ball and give it to the creatives.

Wright & Banks are very good wingers, stick with them (not convinced at all that Chapman adds anything these two can't), and get two upfront. A "Hanson & Wells" type combination where one does the donkey work and the other feeds off the space it creates.

To get out of this league we need to find a team that can play much more like the the History Makers did. They weren't the best, but they never lacked effort and never gave up on a game.

I'm not demanding promotion, but want I want is to see us really chasing a game down when we are losing and really going for a second when we are winning.

At this rate, Northampton & Orient are going to smash this league and we are going to be struggling to make the playoffs, fifth placed or not at present.

 

I agree with others who say we lack pace and quicker passing forward. Who are the main culprits? Smallwood and Gilleard. It is such a crucial position it is stifling our ability to attack. I can sort of understand MH not wanting to tell us how bad it is, but as long as he recognises it and addresses the problems

 

Great comments OB, if I can find Rayner on Twitter I'll put that to him, Well said!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sorry but disagree on many counts. Songo isn’t a defender to name the primary reason . He’s sadly a waining midfielder, now lacking in pace. The rest sorry , again can’t agree.

 

Oh come on Dave, he has no goal record of any meaning, lack of fear is one thing , hitting the onion bag is another. I recall him scoring one away from memory. He runs well in a straight line for sure but technically he’s no comparison, no matter how limited Gilly is. Like I said he isn’t the answer, even against poor opponents as this season has proved. I honestly believe he was a poor signing but hey I await his and Gillys goals .

 

If only we had a box to box midfielder that had energy to burn took on the defence running at them with pace and a good crosser but still defended well with good passing skills and made goals and scored a few.
Oh wait we have and cannot get a game
Sutton may not be the best but is twice the player no goal. no threat Gilliard is who makes mistakes costing goals

 

That player you describe doesn't exist in league 2

 

I believe Jude Bellingham plays for Borussia Dortmund.

 

Well there's a surprise

 

He was asked the question about them who said they were the answer

 

You are right,they don’t exist but I thought McWilliams (no17) for Northampton was as good a box to box midfielder performance as you will see at our level.
Broke play up on edge of his own box and then sprinted length of field to support.
Scored their 2nd and I think it was him who missed the 1 on 1 in the first half as well.
Made Gillead and Smallwood look even more pedestrian than normal.

 

Yes it does it exists in every league at different levels of ability. All the teams that do well have at least one player who can fulfill that role and we see them weekly in the league. Sutton with a run of games can grow in to that position but is not given the chance even after scoring on his last game as Hughes prefers a headless chicken who is careless with the ball and has zero attacking threat

 

Funny that no manager has given him that run. Quite simply because he does not possess the skills needed to be part of a midfield two. Being able to run about a lot does not make you the ideal candidate for a particular position.

 

I did meny

I did mention Songo'o as an option to Smallwood, but no idea who could step up as captain

 

For now.

 

Sutton is certainly not the answer.

 

This is factually incorrect.

I figured it was wrong, then went to playmakerstats, and yep - incorrect.

 

He has been played regular with Watt as a midfield partner that did well under two managers. Am not saying he is that good but compared with Gillieard he is in a higher league as a player