Van La Parra . . . Should we make a bid?

[atomised]

I'm still waiting for you to point out Calde's errors this season (compared to say, Dunk or even Bruno) that have lead to goals against ?

I would also like this list. Most of the errors recently have seemed to come down brunos side or through the middle. Calde may be slow but hes not to blame for our form

 

[BensGrandad]

The sooner we get Calderon out the team the better.

Agreed.

 

[Seasidesage]

I agree that Calderon is no longer Championship standard in all honesty. His legs have gone, no shame in that it happens to us all, if he is to continue playing after this season I very much doubt it will be with us. VLP did a decent job in the month he was here but it sounds like we have a better option elsewhere...

 

[severnside gull]

It is not a case of isolated mentionable errors like Dunks more his general play and the fact that every team has targetted him knowing him to be the weak link. Sears tore him apart for Ipswich and caused us problems all of the game.

Do you watch games at all? "Most teams" have appeared to target our right side and it's where goals have tended to come from. But there's a reason why there's a saying "never let a fact get in the way of your preconceptions" and I guess we are all guilty to some degree.........

 

[Sheebo]

I would also like this list. Most of the errors recently have seemed to come down brunos side or through the middle. Calde may be slow but hes not to blame for our form

No individual is to 'blame' - the main blame is clearly injuries. Bruno has been immense this season but yes, we have conceded a fair few down that side. Also, Calde (who I love btw) playing out of position really does affect the Left winger (Murphy) as they have very little attacking support - it's no coincidence that Murphy's form has dipped since we've had Calde there. So it is indeed a contributing factor - but again comes down to poor luck and injuries I'm afraid. It's not me making excuses - it's a nailed on fact tbh!

FWIW I wouldn't sign RVLP - Did alright to start with but really isn't up to our (now fairly high) standards...

 

[hans kraay fan club]

gracefully.

tea boy .

a liability and should retire.

his latest abysmal manner..

You wouldn't know the meaning of the word.

Do you watch games at all? "Most teams" have appeared to target our right side and it's where goals have tended to come from. But there's a reason why there's a saying "never let a fact get in the way of your preconceptions" and I guess we are all guilty to some degree.........

Completely right.

Charlton; both from the right - one Bruno back off allowing the shot, the other allowing the cross in.
Derby: Both from set pieces.
QPR: One down the middle, one from a set piece.
Boro: One down the right, with Bruno caught upfield, two from set pieces.
Ipswich: Dunk howler.
Wolves: Soft cross allowed in from the right.

Anyone who thinks our recent travails are down to a weakness on the left, is either clouded by preconceptions, or simply a very poor judge.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

That is my view of Calderons use to us now he has been a good servant but is now a liability and should retire. All his good will be undone if he continues in his latest abysmal manner. As regards VLP I like him but feel that we may be looking for better with him being a stand by if all else fails.

I absolutely take your point about Calde being past his best, (l don't think anyone could dispute that), but I wouldn't exactly call him a liability, (more errors have come from other players than him in recent games), and he is very far from abysmal.

 

[Wellesley]

That is my view of Calderons use to us now he has been a good servant but is now a liability and should retire. All his good will be undone if he continues in his latest abysmal manner. As regards VLP I like him but feel that we may be looking for better with him being a stand by if all else fails.

Not a popular view, but in my opinion it's absolutely right. He can't be faulted for effort, but he has become, as you say, a liability.

 

[BensGrandad]

What people seem to be missing is that when teams break from defence they invariably break down our left as they know they will make most progress, when challenges come in just outside of our penalty area they swich the ball to the other side and in most cases Bruno is standing off aloowing the room to advance into the box hence the goials coming from our right. Just an observation but what do I know.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Calde is fine as a reserve squad rightback.

He struggles more at leftback, but he does at least do a better job than Chicksen.

 

[BensGrandad]

Calde is fine as a reserve squad rightback.

He struggles more at leftback, but he does at least do a better job than Chicksen.

How do you know he hasnt been given the chance to show what he can or cant do although CH will have seen him in traiing. Why havent they offloaded him?

 

[Marshy]

Calderon is being targeted there is no doubt about that, and he is struggling at left back in my opinion, without doing anything wrong as it were.

Much like Crofts on the right side of midfield for the last games, he didnt have a bad game personally, but his inclusion in that role upsets the balance of the side and slows down our play drastically, he naturally drifts central and congests things for Kayal and Stephens.

Both these players should not be playing in these positions clearly, not there fault at all and needs must with our current injury list.

I would have started Manu wide instead of Crofts and played Chicksen at left back. At least the side would have had a balanced look to it.

Hughton will always go with experience given the choice, hence Crofts and Calderon over Manu and Chicksen

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

How do you know he hasnt been given the chance to show what he can or cant do although CH will have seen him in traiing. Why havent they offloaded him?

I've seen Chicksen play and he is truely awful.

Not as bad as when we played Halford at rightback, though.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

What people seem to be missing is that when teams break from defence they invariably break down our left as they know they will make most progress, when challenges come in just outside of our penalty area they swich the ball to the other side and in most cases Bruno is standing off aloowing the room to advance into the box hence the goials coming from our right. Just an observation but what do I know.

Its a completely inaccurate 'observation', though. Of the four recent goals conceded down the right (Charlton x 2, Boro, Wolves) precisely NONE of those breaks started down the left. None of them. Feel free to watch them back.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I've seen Chicksen play and he is truely awful.

Not as bad as when we played Halford at rightback, though.

I really wouldn't call Chicksen truly awful!, he wouldn't still be at the club if he was, and in any case I don't think we have seen enough of him to pass that judgement.

It's the old cliche though isn't it?, if you don't get the chance to play games at first team level, no one will ever be sure.

 

[amexer]

Calderon in defence has been good and stopped some very good players. His defensive work has been better then Brunos. Only problem is unable to get to byline and cross. But then March and Van La Pa cant even do that and that's there job.

 

[nwgull]

I really wouldn't call Chicksen truly awful!, he wouldn't still be at the club if he was, and in any case I don't think we have seen enough of him to pass that judgement.

It's the old cliche though isn't it?, if you don't get the chance to play games at first team level, no one will ever be sure.

I've only seen Chicksen twice: once against Blackpool away when he was more than adequate and kept Tom Ince quiet all game; the other was in the play off semi when we were in disarray with Ward having to play centre back, so hardly a fair test!!

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

I really wouldn't call Chicksen truly awful!, he wouldn't still be at the club if he was, and in any case I don't think we have seen enough of him to pass that judgement.

It's the old cliche though isn't it?, if you don't get the chance to play games at first team level, no one will ever be sure.

Chicksen had a run of games under Hyypia when Sami's formations pushed the wide players higher up the pitch and did not encourage them to track back, leaving space that opposition teams readily exploited to run at our FBs. Chicksen was left too exposed and often given a torrid time (Scannell at Huddersfield particularly comes to mind, not exactly a world beater but we gifted him an opportunity to look good). This cannot have done his confidence much good.

With the plethora of defensive coaches now in the Hughton regime you would hope that Chicksen might develop and get another chance. However it seems he still isn't seen as good enough to cover for Bong or Calderon. Maybe he'll get a run out in the FA Cup?

Chicksen might have been more confident this season with our wide players now tracking back more readily. Part of our early season solidity was due to KLL (plus March and/or Rosenior on the right) showing a greater commitment to doing defensive work when required. However I'm not sure that a Chicksen / Murphy combo on the left would be quite as resilient.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Charlton; both from the right - one Bruno back off allowing the shot, the other allowing the cross in.
Derby: Both from set pieces.
QPR: One down the middle, one from a set piece.
Boro: One down the right, with Bruno caught upfield, two from set pieces.
Ipswich: Dunk howler.
Wolves: Soft cross allowed in from the right.

Anyone who thinks our recent travails are down to a weakness on the left, is either clouded by preconceptions, or simply a very poor judge.

I would suggest your Charlton analysis is incorrect as goals were conceded due to a sloppy loss of possession initially upfield, first by Murphy, second was from our corner.

For me the issue is more to do with a lack of tracking back by VLP or whoever was playing right wing.

You simply should not leave either of your full-backs in one on one situations. To point the finger at Bruno because he is RB is too simplistic.

 

[GT49er]

What people seem to be missing is that when teams break from defence they invariably break down our left as they know they will make most progress, when challenges come in just outside of our penalty area they swich the ball to the other side and in most cases Bruno is standing off aloowing the room to advance into the box hence the goials coming from our right. Just an observation but what do I know.

So let me get this right - teams attack us down our left because that's where they'll make most progress, but when they get near the penalty area and the challenges come in they can't get any further, so they switch to our right where they actually do get through to score? Hmmm .................................