Elphick's treatment today...

[murraymints4brighton]

Ok so he was very very poor and made mistakes. But you could see his confidence was all over the shop and at half time all of our team ran off down to the changing rooms together leaving Elphick out on the pitch. Virgo (who was only a sub warming up at this point) was the ONLY player to give Elphick a pat on the back, as it was obvious his head was in a bad place.

Also when Elphick got subbed, Slade gave him a look of evil, as Elphick walked straight past him and sat on the bench. Then I swear I saw Slade lay-in to him. Maybe Elphick is one of the players that is not fully behind Slade? I think Elphick KNEW that he had been poor, and maybe a different approach rather than shouting at him like a schoolkid is needed here? His confidence must be at an all time low and it showed.

Slade laid into him because of Tommy's reaction. Elphick walked off the pitch and reluctantly shook Virgo and then Whites hand before throwing his bib to the ground and smashing a water bottle against the dugout, I heard the noise from H block. Slade then turned round and rightfully had a go at Elphick.

 

[hopper_182]

Missing Joel at the back. Shame he's loving it at Forest.

Agreed. But still could do with a bit of experience at the back.

 

[Skaville]

Perhaps many people underestimated the influence of Guy Butters alongside Elphick two seasons ago?

...and Wilkins coaching ability.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

I think at the moment Slade is using Elphick as his escape goat, yes his confidence is shot to pieces but it aint ONE person who is causing us to let in sloppy goals, it is the entire defence. Plus I don't think it helps with Slade changing the back four, why can't he stick to a back four which is comfortable instead of swapping every f***ing game.

 

[hopper_182]

I think at the moment Slade is using Elphick as his escape goat, yes his confidence is shot to pieces but it aint ONE person who is causing us to let in sloppy goals, it is the entire defence. Plus I don't think it helps with Slade changing the back four, why can't he stick to a back four which is comfortable instead of swapping every f***ing game.

Escape goat

 

[Easy 10]

 

[Skaville]

Nick, are you on a wind-up? You're worried about how Elphick was treated - how about the way he treated us, the paying customers, to the worst performance of his incredibly low-achieving career? I can't actually believe the twat made it on the pitch in the second half. He should have been carted off and sent off to a glue factory after half an hour. I don't think I've ever seen anyone gift the opposition THREE goals in a half before. Even by Eeyore Elphick's standards that's quite special. His talent is non-existent, his attitude is wrong and his reaction to being subbed was pathetic. PAY HIM OFF NOW PLEASE.

Oh give it a f***ing rest. Your spite is mind boggling at times. I think you need to go and pay a woman to give you a damn good servicing to take all this stress away.

 

[Wilko]

Escape goat. MASSIVE LOL.

 

[Scotty Mac]

Missing Joel at the back. Shame he's loving it at Forest.

agreed - lynch and elphick had a partnership that had been developed over years together coming up through the ranks. no coincidence that with lynch alongside him, elphick can win player of the year - and with the procession of centre backs he has been partnered with since he looks dire

not saying he is a world beater obviously, but the fact that it seems that EVERY week we have a different back four cannot help ANY of the players. the best defences are ones that are settled - roberts, virgo, cullip, butters, harding is a classic example as the backbone that got us out of the division

as long as slade chops and changes every weeks, we are never going to have a settled back four and the performances and circus that follows are reflective of this

 

[bright1064]

Nick, are you on a wind-up? You're worried about how Elphick was treated - how about the way he treated us, the paying customers, to the worst performance of his incredibly low-achieving career? I can't actually believe the twat made it on the pitch in the second half. He should have been carted off and sent off to a glue factory after half an hour. I don't think I've ever seen anyone gift the opposition THREE goals in a half before. Even by Eeyore Elphick's standards that's quite special. His talent is non-existent, his attitude is wrong and his reaction to being subbed was pathetic. PAY HIM OFF NOW PLEASE.

You are correct, he should have been subbed at half time, it was the right thing to do. I don't see the logic behind Slade subbing him 15 mins into the second half when we could have sorted that problem from the very start of the last 45 mins.

However the point I'm trying to make is that treating Elphick in this way is not going to help him perform, it's not going to make things better. It's obviously smashing his confidence further into the ground and I think it's poor management.

 

[Skaville]

Oh yes, it's clearly me in the wrong isn't it. I must have DREAMT those THREE goals the donkey gave away that cost us another result.

http://dimensmassage.homestead.com/

Ask for Sadie. Give her £50 and in two or three minutes it will all feel better

 

[Scotty Mac]

Or Lynch was just so quick and skilful he covered Eeyore Elphick's cock ups?

perhaps - but whichever way you cut out, lynch and elphick was a successfull partnership. just a shame that the joke of a last manager we had broke it up

 

[SirDouglasLoft]

Or Lynch was just so quick and skilful he covered Eeyore Elphick's cock ups?

Shame Micky Adams f***ed that up.

 

[Stevie Boy]

Perhaps many people underestimated the influence of Guy Butters alongside Elphick two seasons ago?

Bring back Tank

 

[portlock seagull]

You are correct, he should have been subbed at half time, it was the right thing to do. I don't see the logic behind Slade subbing him 15 mins into the second half when we could have sorted that problem from the very start of the last 45 mins.

However the point I'm trying to make is that treating Elphick in this way is not going to help him perform, it's not going to make things better. It's obviously smashing his confidence further into the ground and I think it's poor management.

In fairness though, what if Tommy really is shit? No amount of kinder management is going to improve him and maybe RS has already done that and finally, today, ran out of patience. His job's on the line too!

 

[portlock seagull]

No, the correct thing to do was to drop him. Weeks ago. I don't understand why Russell - who must know his job is under some pressure - would go into a make-or-break game with a player who has PROVEN he will let us down. Not once or twice, but in almost every game he's played this season. A Virgo-Tunnicliffe partnership is so obviously better than anything that involves Elphick it's embarrassing Russell doesn't see it.

As for treating him in any particular way, I don't give a shit. A professional defender shouldn't be costing us even ONE goal in a game, so to hand Hartlepool three in 45 minutes leaves him in no position to demand a pat on the back. And this comes after gifting Oldham a goal last week, and Southend the winner in the previous home match. Elphick has cost us all loads of money and time and could even cost a good manager his job in the end. Someone tell him to f*** off asap.

Hard to argue against this, however harsh it may sound. Tommy shouldn't be in the 1st team or even on the bench currently