Rubbish? - player ratings

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Personally I think that 'holds the ball up well' thing is the thing people say when all else has failed. They used to say the same thing about Trolley. Joe Gatting is dreadfully slow. Every single eye-witness account on here says so. Just won't do

 

[sir danny cullip]

I must have been watching a different game to the 2 or 3 people who have said El Abd did alright

I dont get your thinking at all. El abd is turning out to be a real quality holding midfielder but the reason he looks very average at times is because he cannot play the defence splitting pass that is needed (neither can Dean Hammond) so he ends up playing sideways. For a midfielder enforcer I havent seen many better in my time watching the albion (which is fairly limited I'll admit)

 

[sir danny cullip]

Personally I think that 'holds the ball up well' thing is the thing people say when all else has failed. They used to say the same thing about Trolley. Joe Gatting is dreadfully slow. Every single eye-witness account on here says so. Just won't do

Thing I dont get is I never recall this criticism of him when he was at youth level that he was "slow" or "slow off the mark". I agree with your point but just wonder why its suddenly so noticeable?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Thing I dont get is I never recall this criticism of him when he was at youth level that he was "slow" or "slow off the mark". I agree with your point but just wonder why its suddenly so noticeable?

Well he was about twice the size of most player at youth level. Now he just looks dreadfully sluggish.

 

[The Large One]

27? At least someone WAS keeping count! Mainly his pace over the first 5 yards that needs to be worked on. Just think its bad that because he's come in so young everyone expects so much and doesn't actually see how he benefits the team!

People do conveniently forget his age (19), the fact that he's a first year pro, and nowhere near the finished article when indulging in their time-honoured ritual of slagging youngsters off and attempting to destroy them with no recourse to supporting them whatsoever. 'He's rubbish, doesn't offer anything, get rid etc...'

Jesus.

 

[Da Man Clay]

Because he is playing with professional football players, Dont think it shows so much at youth level when pace isn't so important.

 

[The Large One]

Personally I think that 'holds the ball up well' thing is the thing people say when all else has failed. They used to say the same thing about Trolley. Joe Gatting is dreadfully slow. Every single eye-witness account on here says so. Just won't do

No, Trolley couldn't hold the ball up either.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

No, Trolley couldn't hold the ball up either.

YOU know that. I know that. But the poor saps attempting to find something positive to say about 'Big Mac' said it anyway

 

[Yorkie]

I dont get your thinking at all. El abd is turning out to be a real quality holding midfielder but the reason he looks very average at times is because he cannot play the defence splitting pass that is needed (neither can Dean Hammond) so he ends up playing sideways. For a midfielder enforcer I havent seen many better in my time watching the albion (which is fairly limited I'll admit)

It's all about opinions Mr Badger, but then I always seem to see a different game to a few others.


Kuipers was lobbed from 4 yards??

I'm with sir danny here and voted El Abd my MOM on the supporters vote.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

People do conveniently forget his age (19), the fact that he's a first year pro

No they don't. It's just that you can't make a sluggish player into a non-sluggish player. No matter how many years you persevere. Just won't do

 

[Da Man Clay]

YOU know that. I know that. But the poor saps attempting to find something positive to say about 'Big Mac' said it anyway

Didn't do too bad against us though did he?

 

[lovelyboy]

I think El-Abd is great in the holding role, which is why I couldn't understand that when we switched to 4-5-1 Hammond played the anchor role??

Regarding Gatts, I think he will become a good goalscorer for the albion, seems to have that fox in the box thing about him.. but trouble is he gets no service.

And all I can remember from last night was whenever we played the ball forward, it immediately got returned with interest. But in saying that, I think you are correct when you said he did alright when it was played to his feet. Just a pity nine times out of ten it was to his head!!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

So... to sum up...

El-Abd's a holding player

Hammond's got the anchor role

Gatting holds the ball up well



Could explain why we rarely score - every fucker's holding up the ball til the new signing arrives

 

[Jello]

still no clearer then after an afternoons debate

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

I dont get your thinking at all. El abd is turning out to be a real quality holding midfielder but the reason he looks very average at times is because he cannot play the defence splitting pass that is needed (neither can Dean Hammond) so he ends up playing sideways. For a midfielder enforcer I havent seen many better in my time watching the albion (which is fairly limited I'll admit)

I wouldn't go THAT far, however, you've raised the main issue.

El-abd can't play a forward pass to save his life, nor can he beat a man.

He's good at winning the ball back...but equally good at giving it away again. That though is still largely down to the fact that there is bugger all movement from ANYONE, and thus the only 'sensible' passes are square or backwards.

Once our players have actually been coached to find spaces and trouble defenders with their movement, then El-abd might look better.

 

[Yorkie]

Of course. Michel wasn't really lobbed from 4 yards though, was he? Ok, Enoch was close to the goal, but he was on the left and the ball ended up in the right, so in order to get it up and over Michel I would say it was more like 8 or 10 yards.

As for El Abd, what do you see in him that's so good? Genuine question. I obviously don't agree, but I'm just wondering how several people managed to see midfield qualities in him last night.

Enoch was within the 6 yard box.

El Abd was the only midfield player determined to tackle and win the ball instead of backing off the Bristol players and letting them run with it. Admittedly he passed it back or sideways when he'd won it but then so did every other midfielder.

 

[sir danny cullip]

Throw in an out of form Cox, and the very fact that Fraser is playing, and you have further evidence. Having said that, maybe it's just because we're not very good?

Do you actually think Fraser is a bad player or do you think its a case of a central midfield player being constantly played out of position on the right of midfield?