Micky settling in on opening line-up?

[B.W.]

'Livermore the new hate figure'? Where do you get this stuff from?

He wasn't ineffective because he didn't get forward - he was ineffective because he neither got forward, got back, nor got stuck in. Many of the problems in the first-half were because he provided no cover for the two centre-backs, left them hopelessly exposed, and under constant threat.

There were three or four occasions where your hero (and mine) FDM got us out of gaol with saves and double-saves, and by the time the ball was caught or cleared, Livermore and Thomson were seen finally merrily trotting back into the area.

As for El-Abd playing ahead of Livermore in that role, at present, it ought to be a nailed-on cert. I'm sure Livermore is much better than that - it's just that during the pre-season games I've seen him play, he's got nowhere near proving it.

You really are wrong here... IF El-Bad is played ahead of Livermore at Crewe it will be a joke... luckily, you don't pick the team...

 

[B.W.]

IMO El Abd has done a lot more than Livermore in pre-season to warrant a place in midfield.
The difference to last season is that when Thomson and AEA played together last year they BOTH played the defensive midfield role (or at times part of a bloody stupid diamond!!). This year it is very clear from pre-season that Thomson has been told to join up with the attack meaning we need a defensive minded midfielder such as AEA (or Livermore).

With all the signings in defence I would not like to see AEA play there. I think we have better options across the back. As a defensive midfielder though I think AEA is a very good player. I also think the arrival of competition will get the best out of him as he knows he cannot afford to take his foot of the gas for fear of losing his place. From what I have seen so far (and I appreciate it is only in friendlies) Livermore is playing like a player guaranteed of his place.

Oh and as for moving quickly Livermore isn't exactly speedy!

Sorry, wake up!

El-Bad is not and never will be a midfielder... HE CANNOT PASS!

On the other hand, Livermore has a good track record of playing in this position, and at a higher level than league 1...

It would be a HUGE mistake if Mickey plays El-Bad in midfield at Crewe... time will tell, but I, for one, will be unimpressed if that is the selection made, regardless of performances in a few friendlies...

 

[The Large One]

You really are wrong here... IF El-Bad is played ahead of Livermore at Crewe it will be a joke... luckily, you don't pick the team...

You are not in a position to say I am wrong. I am merely expressing an opinion that, in what I have seen so far, I believe El-Abd ought to be ahead of Livermore in the pecking order. Livermore's career to date count for little if he is not doing the business right now.

Equally lucky is the fact that you don't pick the team either. Your disgust at El-Abd's (calling him 'El-Bad' - utterly puerile) efforts does your argument no favours. But that's your problem. Thankfully, the manager doesn't share your brand of myopia to El-Abd's contribution.

 

[B.W.]

El-Abd should be set as midfielder, nurtured there as a conduit to distribute to the forward players, and eventually made Captain. That would be the key move to turn BHAFC into a team with prospects.

The defence OUGHT TO have enough players there in their respective positions - Whing/Richards/Lynch/Elphick should know those critical few yards of space by now - but imho the latter two (that NSC and all have been creaming themselves over for ages) need a lot of work before they can be considered up to their jobs.

Yes, I will be the one accused of kissing el-Abd's bottom while most of you lot have been extolling Elphick as the new Messiah.
"he's a mess alright...."

FFS... Elphick was immense last season... El-Bad is NOT A MIDFIELDER AND NEVER WILL BE! The truth is that he is 5th or 6th choice CB too... maybe 2nd choice RB... what is wrong with you... can't you see that your beloved AEA just doesn't have the key attribute of a midfielder; the ability to pass! Yes, he can tackle, BUT THAT IS NOT ENOUGH...

 

[B.W.]

Why? His past is not the over-riding issue, it's the present and near future we're interested in - especially if he is not playing well.

You don't start just him because he's the senior man.

No, but you pick him because he CAN play well in midfield and El-Bad just CAN'T...

 

[The Large One]

No, but you pick him because he CAN play well in midfield and El-Bad just CAN'T...

Livermore can play in midfield, and I would be happy for him to be there IF he played well - but that's something we haven't seen yet.

But regarding El-Abd, that's five times you've said that, and that's five times the Ipswich match - among many others - has demonstrably proven you to not be correct.

 

[B.W.]

You are not in a position to say I am wrong. I am merely expressing an opinion that, in what I have seen so far, I believe El-Abd ought to be ahead of Livermore in the pecking order. Livermore's career to date count for little if he is not doing the business right now.

Equally lucky is the fact that you don't pick the team either. Your disgust at El-Abd's (calling him 'El-Bad' - utterly puerile) efforts does your argument no favours. But that's your problem. Thankfully, the manager doesn't share your brand of myopia to El-Abd's contribution.

Your opinion clearly takes no account of anything but a few friendlies, which makes your opinion based on very shaky foundations... my use of 'El-Bad' maybe puerile in your opinion, but the guy has been a poor (bad) performer for the Albion over a number of seasons, and I do not think a few mediocre performances in friendlies this close-season mean that he is anything better than 'Bad'...

In short, you are talking bollox...

 

[B.W.]

Livermore can play in midfield, and I would be happy for him to be there IF he played well - but that's something we haven't seen yet.

But regarding El-Abd, that's five times you've said that, and that's five times the Ipswich match - among many others - has demonstrably proven you to not be correct.

His performance against Ipswich was certainly one of his best in that position (not saying much)... he was still MISPLACING PASSES... watch the game carefully, then comment...

 

[The Large One]

Your opinion clearly takes no account of anything but a few friendlies, which makes your opinion based on very shaky foundations... my use of 'El-Bad' maybe puerile in your opinion, but the guy has been a poor (bad) performer for the Albion over a number of seasons, and I do not think a few mediocre performances in friendlies this close-season mean that he is anything better than 'Bad'...

In short, you are talking bollox...

I strongly disagree.

Thankfully, so do at least three Albion managers.

In fact, I'm going to lay my balls on the line here. Scroll back a couple of pages, and you'll see I've got a friendly £10 bet (loser pays a ten quid to REMF) with HKFC that David Livermore will be in the top three come Player of the Season time and the end of the season (HKFC says he will, I reckon he won't).

I'll take that one stage further with you and bet a tenner to REMF that El-Abd WILL finish in the top three. (He finished fifth last season).

Scoff all you like, but are you up for it?

 

[The Large One]

His performance against Ipswich was certainly one of his best in that position (not saying much)... he was still MISPLACING PASSES... watch the game carefully, then comment...

EVERYONE mis-placed passes during the evening. We're a third division English league outifit, it's in our footballing DNA to do that. El-Abd was no better or worse than anyone else on that score. He did, however, play his defensive duties very well, which is FAR more than you could say for Livermore, who just trotted through the first half offering no cover for the two centre backs.

 

[B.W.]

I strongly disagree.

Thankfully, so do at least three Albion managers.

In fact, I'm going to lay my balls on the line here. Scroll back a couple of pages, and you'll see I've got a friendly £10 bet (loser pays a ten quid to REMF) with HKFC that David Livermore will be in the top three come Player of the Season time and the end of the season (HKFC says he will, I reckon he won't).

I'll take that one stage further with you and bet a tenner to REMF that El-Abd WILL finish in the top three. (He finished fifth last season).

Scoff all you like, but are you up for it?

Tell you what, I'll put up £20 for REMF if AeA makes the top 3, OK?

 

[The Large One]

Tell you what, I'll put up £20 for REMF if AeA makes the top 3, OK?

I'll match it.

 

[B.W.]

EVERYONE mis-placed passes during the evening. We're a third division English league outifit, it's in our footballing DNA to do that. El-Abd was no better or worse than anyone else on that score. He did, however, play his defensive duties very well, which is FAR more than you could say for Livermore, who just trotted through the first half offering no cover for the two centre backs.

The one that sticks in my mind, is where El-Bad tried to push the ball wide... the ball traveled across the pitch and neatly landed at an Ipswich player's feet... perfect... for the opposition... you are right about the 3rd tier, but he does it FAR TOO OFTEN to be a MIDFIELDER,,, funnily enough, I also agree that Livermore gave little protection to the back four in the fist half... here's hoping the latter was a blip... the former problem (El-Bad's lack of passing ability) will NEVER be addressed... he just hasn't got the ability, IMHO...

 

[B.W.]

I'll match it.

Nice! Now there is something we can agree on!

 

[The Large One]

The one that sticks in my mind, is where El-Bad tried to push the ball wide... the ball traveled across the pitch and neatly landed at an Ipswich player's feet... perfect... for the opposition... you are right about the 3rd tier, but he does it FAR TOO OFTEN to be a MIDFIELDER,,, funnily enough, I also agree that Livermore gave little protection to the back four in the fist half... here's hoping the latter was a blip... the former problem (El-Bad's lack of passing ability) will NEVER be addressed... he just hasn't got the ability, IMHO...

Blody hell, you've picked out ONE pass!

For me, for a properly functioning midfield, El-Abd's role ought to be - close down the opposition, harangue them (smiling sweetly helps, it generally scares the shit out of mose people) win the ball (something he does do well), play a simple pass to Thomson / Cox / McLeod. That's all, anything else is a bonus.

Yes, he can do that. Yes, he does do that.

 

[NMH]

FFS... Elphick was immense last season... El-Bad is NOT A MIDFIELDER AND NEVER WILL BE! The truth is that he is 5th or 6th choice CB too... maybe 2nd choice RB... what is wrong with you... can't you see that your beloved AEA just doesn't have the key attribute of a midfielder; the ability to pass! Yes, he can tackle, BUT THAT IS NOT ENOUGH...

AeA does not play passes if it risks exposing areas to counter-attack, or to players in dodgy positions. Certainly you may see Forster berate midfielders for not getting the ball to him - just as Rooney berates his team-mates at manu - because he's hungry and wants every ball played to him. So, no wing-and-a-prayer passes does NOT mean "he cannot pass" at all. Watch YOUR beloved players welting hopeful clearances to nobody-in-particular, so that (like the 1st half v Ipswich) the ball simply returns to our area for yet-another scoring chance.

You would buy a crap picture because it had a nice frame.

 

[NMH]

And I just bet you were praying for Currie to return. Yes, the fellow who could be relied on to put long beautifully-flighted passes right into the opposing keeper's arms... EVERY TIME!

Yeah, bloody useful THAT is, just what we need to make our number of attacks turn into more defending as keepers send long clearances hurtling upfield PAST the midfielder who just took a free-kick. Yes, I have watched that happen too many times to ignore it.

El-Abd is just the kind of player we need in the middle. If you remember Brian Horton, I say he's got the potential to be better than him.

 

[NMH]

Dear DK,

Time to get the cheque book out... then we may actually go up this season...

You never know, some of our new signings may be an investment...

Nice sig - MAYbe some of our new signings might even make the first team!

But then again, maybe not.
Good to strengthen the reserves with a couple of old boys and a few hopeful new names though. Currie could have helped the reserves a bit, when fit.

 

[Napper]

my two pennys worth on this El Abd (El-Bad = wanky name !) debate is...

He isn't my favourite player by a long shot but the facts are he has been bloody good when played in CM , we shouldnt just dismiss this by any means. If he starts then he will deserve to ....... why would any one have a problem with that unless it's personal

 

[Kneon Light]

Your opinion clearly takes no account of anything but a few friendlies, which makes your opinion based on very shaky foundations... my use of 'El-Bad' maybe puerile in your opinion, but the guy has been a poor (bad) performer for the Albion over a number of seasons, and I do not think a few mediocre performances in friendlies this close-season mean that he is anything better than 'Bad'...

In short, you are talking bollox...

Sorry but it is really hard to have a sensible debate with someone who resorts to calling players names. Personally I think it is pathetic. Are you one of the mindless idiots that abuses our own players just because your favourites aren't playing?

Last season we finished 7th. As has already been pointed out El ABD was 5th in the player of the season poll - during a season he played mostly in midfield. If he has been so poor for us why did so many fans vote for him? Why have a number of managers continued to pick him in MIDFIELD.

Charlie Oatway was not the most gifted player but played an important role in breaking up opposition moves and playing it simple. AEA can do it just as well.

I hope Livermore can to but I have yet to see it. Yes my opinion is based on a few friendlies - he has not played competitively for us yet so it is hard to judge on anything else. I am not going to say he is worth a place in our team based on performances for another team at the start of last season.

Either way whoever is in the team I will be cheering them on at Crewe and not calling either of them names.