Is Liam Bridcutt's place in jeopardy for Friday?

[bristolseagull]

No, never.

Bridcutt is a much better player than the other 3 in my opinion. If we're only going to play 2 in centre mid I would go for Bridcutt and Crofts every time.

absolutely, why the f*** we signed hammond i'll never know.

 

[BensGrandad]

absolutely, why the f*** we signed hammond i'll never know.

To play at the back as the defensive midfielder when Bridcutt is out injured or suspended

 

[mune ni kamome]

Bridders is not the passer some of you make him out to be ... just count during a game he puts us under needless pressure with a misplaced pass

I'm with you on this. Bridcutt can pass the ball but I don't think he has the intuitive brain to split defences nor can he retain the ball under pressure. Not creative enough for me. Don't get me wrong. Worth his place in the side but more a Neil McNab sideways type when we need a silky skills passer like Peter O'Sullivan

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Hammond, Crofts and Bridcutt were all playing the same position today but the decision was taken to replace Bridcutt. Previously unquestionably untouchable, by replacing him today has Gus shown his hand?

I'm sure the majority of people on here would prefer a maximum of two holding midfielders rather than 3 (Anyone fancy a midfield 4 of Hammond, Bridcutt, Crofts AND Dicker?), so would you leave Bridcutt on the bench in favour of Hammond and Crofts?

Yes I would, for me he is not quite as untouchable as he is built up to be on NSC.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I would disagree with that as I feel Liam's distribution has been average this season. Hammond is a better passer of the ball and Dicker is much better at threading passes to our more advanced players.

Liam is fast becoming our very our Ray "Right Angle" Wilkins, not a bad thing but we can't play three holding midfielders and be adventurous at the same stage.

was interesting to see that against middlesbro when bridcutt went into the back four..hammond slotted into his role and started to play better

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

Liam is a superb holding midfielder. If Bruno or Bridge go forward, he immeadiatly covers their position, he also helps Greer and El-Abd out cos their distribution can be iffy.
But the problem is you only need a deep-lying holding midfielder if you have midfielders that get forward to support your wide men and strikers. Ours dont, any one of Crofts, Hammond, Dicker, are all too static at the moment.
Mascarenhas does it brilliantly for Barca, because Javi, Iniesta, Fabrigas etc are all making runs and outlets for the others.Until the midfield has more pace and gets forward, they will get in each others way. We are too slow and deep in midfield, and CMS and Buckley are isolated.
Dont drop Liam, but get the others to up their game.

 

[bristolseagull]

To play at the back as the defensive midfielder when Bridcutt is out injured or suspended

Andrew Crofts, Gary Dicker and Ryan Harley.


Who do we have to replace CMS or Barnes when they're injured or suspended?

 

[Langley]

Did you see the Sunderland game last season?

What's that got to do with his current form. I think he needs resting for a game or two.
Personallly I think he has been over rated by many on NSC. As a mid fielder, how many assists have you seen from him ?

 

[Ninja Elephant]

What's that got to do with his current form. I think he needs resting for a game or two.
Personallly I think he has been over rated by many on NSC. As a mid fielder, how many assists have you seen from him ?

The Sunderland game is an example of how good he can be.

He isn't the type of midfielder to be getting assists or goals, he is much deeper lying than that. He is the guy who allows others to go and attack knowing he'll be there to cover. I don't think we have been using Bridcutt in a way to get the most out of him, playing with both Hammond and Crofts/Dicker alongside him. You don't ever need 3 defensive midfielders in the same starting 11, it doesn't allow any of the individuals to shine or allow them to show their best form.

 

[BensGrandad]

Andrew Crofts, Gary Dicker and Ryan Harley.


Who do we have to replace CMS or Barnes when they're injured or suspended?[/QUOTE

Crofts and Harley were signed as attack minded midfielders not holding as per Bridcutt, the nearest to him is Hammond and Dicker and we all know that Dicker for all the criticism that he gets he is better at passing the ball forward than most of our midfielders but tends to get caught on the ball on the edge of our area too much.

 

[bristolseagull]

Andrew Crofts, Gary Dicker and Ryan Harley.


Who do we have to replace CMS or Barnes when they're injured or suspended?[/QUOTE

Crofts and Harley were signed as attack minded midfielders not holding as per Bridcutt, the nearest to him is Hammond and Dicker and we all know that Dicker for all the criticism that he gets he is better at passing the ball forward than most of our midfielders but tends to get caught on the ball on the edge of our area too much.

They're both more than capable of playing a few games as the holding midfielder- as is Sparrow for that matter.

Hammond is no better than what we already have.

 

[Lindfield by the Pond]

I had visions of :-
1) Bridcut holding / disrupting / being available for a pass / moving the ball. (Dicker or Hammond as cover)
2) Crofts disrupting and pushing forward and making some runs (Hammond as cover)
3) A winger (Buckley or LL, interchanged on the hour mark)
4) A creative player who can nip past a man, and then create a bit of panic with a well placed pass (Orlandi / Vicente)

However Gus seems to start matches ultra defensive, wanting at times recently Bridcutt, Hammond, and Crofts, with Barnes filling in the space, leaving CMS on his own as an ineffective target man. It feels to me that the midfield is too congested.

However IMO the first man on the midfield teamsheet should be Bridcutt. If Gus was a little more adventurous, we would see a bit more from Bridcutt.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I had visions of :-
1) Bridcut holding / disrupting / being available for a pass / moving the ball. (Dicker or Hammond as cover)
2) Crofts disrupting and pushing forward and making some runs (Hammond as cover)
3) A winger (Buckley or LL, interchanged on the hour mark)
4) A creative player who can nip past a man, and then create a bit of panic with a well placed pass (Orlandi / Vicente)

However Gus seems to start matches ultra defensive, wanting at times recently Bridcutt, Hammond, and Crofts, with Barnes filling in the space, leaving CMS on his own as an ineffective target man. It feels to me that the midfield is too congested.

However IMO the first man on the midfield teamsheet should be Bridcutt. If Gus was a little more adventurous, we would see a bit more from Bridcutt.

Post of the day this exactly it and you have brilliantly highlighted my frustrations with the manager. Please note that is not advocating him out just bloody change it.

 

[chucky1973]

first name on the team sheet every week.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Bridcutt and Hammond are the 2 'defensive' central mids............ we play 3 central mids a game.......... 2 defensive and 1 attacking away from home, 2 attacking and 1 defensive at home........... I would drop Hammond as he was great at start when had to prove himself but been rubbish lately. Give him a kick up the arse and drop him!

I also wouldn't play Dicker as an attacking mid I'd go for Crofts and Lopez with Orlandi on bench

 

[GT49er]

Why is Crofts being held back?

I had visions of him marauding forward from a position just in front of Bridders.
Not standing next to him, holding his hand.

This. Both Crofts and Hammond have been good box to box midfielders, with the ability to arrive in the box at the right time - I thought that's why we brought them back. That needs to happen again - over to you Gus, make it happen!

 

[DJ NOBO]

The problem with bridcutt is he's only as good as the people around him. If he had a dynamic central midfielder to feed he'd be much more effective .
As it is he looks tidy but just isn't effective in what is a pretty shit team at the moment.

For that reason I would drop him for crofts and hammond even though i think he's a more talented player than either will ever be.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Bridcutt is one of four players in our side that are undroppable IMO. The other three are obvious.

 

[paul pring]

no but get rid of hammond

 

[grummitts gloves]

No, never.

Bridcutt is a much better player than the other 3 in my opinion. If we're only going to play 2 in centre mid I would go for Bridcutt and Crofts every time.

I wish we would do this. It's like they're all getting in each others way when we play 3 in the middle. It would be nice if Gus put a little faith in Bridcutt & Crofts to handle the middle and have Buckley & Orlandi either side of them.