Elphick's treatment today...

[BensGrandad]

But it was not an instance for going backwards! I'm all for retaining possession, believe me. But if El-Abd has the ball in THEIR half, has most of our team in FRONT of him, has them making runs for him and has TIME, then taking the easy option by passing backwards is NOT the correct option. That's the kind of play I would expect from someone who knows they have no creative ability, and would rather opt for the easy way out in case they cock-up the attacking pass. That's all El-Abd ever does, wherever he is playing!

We shall have to agree to disagree. I believe that El Abd's best position is as a holding midfielder just in front of the back four breaking up play, as he was used by Wilkins.

 

[NMH]

Elphick had a shocking half, granted, & has to accept his share of blame for a fair few games recently, but I can't be the only one deeply uncomfortable with the morons booing him when he got the ball at the end of the 2nd half. I accept players can play crap, but unless they're clearly not trying or taking the piss, nobody deserves personal abuse.

Elphick probably shouldn't have been playing, on recent form, but that's not his fault. What pissed me off royally was seeing the entire team skulk off to the changing room at half time, with not one of them bothering to console him or put an arm round him. No matter what our job, we all have bad days, & it doesn't say much for team spirit or management that they all (except sub Virgo) left Elphick to his own misery when the whistle went. Same goes for the management apart from a token Dean White pat on the back. I actually felt sorry for Elphick, he was having such a mare, & none of his club mates appeared to give a shit.

For crying out loud!! You people take the biccy, what are you all, his mothers??
He is a professional football player, not a poor little boy you want to cuddle - stop feeling sorry for him and start thinking about the club sinking down the league while losing supporters at the turnstiles - this is a business not a movie where you can shed a tear for the poor saddo who doesn't get the girl. People are spending their hard-earned to watch their local team fairy around shipping goals to the worst teams in the division! We will be in the Conference with you feeling sorry for Elphick!!

This stuff defies belief.

 

[bright1064]

We shall have to agree to disagree. I believe that El Abd's best position is as a holding midfielder just in front of the back four breaking up play, as he was used by Wilkins.

Yes, that is the only position I can think of that suits him. Because it doesn't require any real skill in terms of passing a football. Going backwards and sidewards is the speciality of most holding midfielders - so it would be a match made in heaven!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Maybe time we once and for all ditched the ex-youth team defenders (El-Abd, Virgo, Elphick) and their inbuilt bad habits and brought in some battle-hardened senior pros.

 

[NMH]

Now I know everyone's made the lad a scape-goat, but aside from his mistake today which cost us a goal I thought he was our best defender,confident and assured on the ball. I hold my hands up he was responsible for the goal. But wasn't Tunnicliffe responsible for the first yet there's no thread lambasting him or El-Abd's inability to pass the ball forward when we had numerous opportunities to advance and capitalise on Hartlepool's errors. Elphick is our most commanding and vocal centre-half, more so then both Virgo and Tunnicliffe. He has adapted to passing the ball out of defence rather then lumping it up the pitch like Virgo. He won more headers then Tunnicliffe and Virgo today. f*** me Micky you really defiled a smashing partnership in Lynch and Elphick

Lynch and Elphick

You have to be fishing mate, those two are the poorest excuse for a defensive 'partnership' I have ever seen in my life.
The only time he looks 'confident' is when no-ones near him and he slings the ball forward while thinking of how great a picture he will look for the photographer. He even runs elegantly, slowly.
Is this the Tommy Elphick modelling-brochure show every weekend?

Football like that only reminds me of what a handsome DEVIL that Lawrenson was, and especially alongside Phil Thompson!

Martin Keown was another incredibly good looking man.

 

[SittingbourneSeagull]

Firstly I agree that Elphick did not play well today, but why does that mean we have to slate him. He does not go on the pitch intending to make mistakes. I would love to see some of you perfect people at work, and have a few thousand give you stick every time you dared to do something they didn't like.
Secondly, he did play better with both Butters and Lynch. The reason I think is the right/left footed partnership. Today and for quite a few games this season he has had to play as the left sided partner and he does not look comfortable in that position. When the ball is passed to him he is often in the wrong position to play it comfortably and is looking for it on his right foot.

I think he is still and will be again a good player, unless as lots of Albion fans seem keen to do we manage to destroy his confidence completely. He is one of our better young players, give him a break.

 

[bright1064]

Maybe time we once and for all ditched the ex-youth team defenders (El-Abd, Virgo, Elphick) and their inbuilt bad habits and brought in some battle-hardened senior pros.

Last time we did that we ended up with Hawkins!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Last time we did that we ended up with Hawkins!

Good point, well made

 

[drew]

Now I know everyone's made the lad a scape-goat, but aside from his mistake today which cost us a goal I thought he was our best defender,confident and assured on the ball. I hold my hands up he was responsible for the goal. But wasn't Tunnicliffe responsible for the first yet there's no thread lambasting him or El-Abd's inability to pass the ball forward when we had numerous opportunities to advance and capitalise on Hartlepool's errors. Elphick is our most commanding and vocal centre-half, more so then both Virgo and Tunnicliffe. He has adapted to passing the ball out of defence rather then lumping it up the pitch like Virgo. He won more headers then Tunnicliffe and Virgo today. f*** me Micky you really defiled a smashing partnership in Lynch and Elphick

You must have been watching a re-run of a game where Elf-Dick played a decent game. Your account of his performance today says to me that you weren't watching the same game as the rest of us!

Beat me to it.

As for all this criticism of El-Abd, he probably knows he isn't the greatest but he comes in and does the job he is asked to do. I don't think he was too bad today but he is no McNulty coming forward (although it was his quick free kick to Bennett that set up the equalizer I think). Before you slag him off, ask yourself who else is going to play in that position?

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Elphick WAS shit, but lets look at the facts.

Tunnicliffe was piss poor too - although that seems to have gone unnoticed by everyone other than the idiot who things the sun shines out of Elphicks arse.
Virgo looked decent enough but has been shit in recent weeks.
Adam bloody el-abd was our best defender today.

Shambles.

 

[Race]

Elphick had a shocking half, granted, & has to accept his share of blame for a fair few games recently, but I can't be the only one deeply uncomfortable with the morons booing him when he got the ball at the end of the 2nd half. I accept players can play crap, but unless they're clearly not trying or taking the piss, nobody deserves personal abuse.

Elphick probably shouldn't have been playing, on recent form, but that's not his fault. What pissed me off royally was seeing the entire team skulk off to the changing room at half time, with not one of them bothering to console him or put an arm round him. No matter what our job, we all have bad days, & it doesn't say much for team spirit or management that they all (except sub Virgo) left Elphick to his own misery when the whistle went. Same goes for the management apart from a token Dean White pat on the back. I actually felt sorry for Elphick, he was having such a mare, & none of his club mates appeared to give a shit.

Morons booing?.....nobody deserves personal abuse?......coming from you? What YOU did a few years ago went way beyond moronic booing at a match just in case you had forgotten......but obviously you have seeing as you are dishing out your usual self righteous opinions.

 

[middletoenail]

In my opinion El-Abd is the O'Shea of League 1, no matter where he is asked to play he gets on with it. Yes he doesnt have the ability to command a starting berth when we have a full roster to choose from but he is a adequate player to keep on the bench as he can cover numerous positions.

There really is no one else that I can think of at this present time that can cover at left back so we need to get behind him, Davies really shafted him today. Bennett tracks back for Hoye and thats what El-Abd needs big time!

 

[brighton bluenose]

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.

How about because of injuries and suspensions FFS??!!

 

[dougdeep]

start thinking about the club sinking down the league while losing supporters at the turnstiles - We will be in the Conference with you feeling sorry for Elphick!!

Ermm! We moved up yesterday.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Elphick had a bad game and should have come off at half time. He was at fault for at least two of the goals. Whatever he is like off the pitch and however many goals he has been the architect of this season, it was clear that he needed picking up, not kicking further down. It was very sad to see that his team mates didn't want to help - I wonder why?

In all walks of life some people respond to the carrot and some the stick. Tommy is clearly a guy who needs supporting. The support he needs now is to be taken out of the firing line for a bit (not being subbed during the second half for maximum humiliation by the way Russ). Give him a break and get some real coaches in (is Guy B still around the club?). Give Elphick back his self-belief away from the (knee) jerk reactions of the fans and avoid a good prospect drifting away from the club.

El-Abd? Was pretty poor today too - everything came down our left. I Also think Aaron Davies looked pretty uninterested unless we were going forward. The last thing Tommy needed when playing with the jitters was the entire left side going AWOL.

The defensive farialties really did over shadow a good performance across the rest of the pitch today and it's a shame. RS (we all) needed a good game and he got it - bar from the back. That's why I'm feeling optimistic.

Tommy will get better out of the spotlight, McNulty/Wright and Whing will return and Tunni will get a run with Virgo giving us a more settled back four.

 

[dougdeep]

lets look at the facts.

Tunnicliffe was piss poor too
Virgo looked decent enough.

These are YOUR facts, you could always be wrong.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Morons booing?.....nobody deserves personal abuse?......coming from you? What YOU did a few years ago went way beyond moronic booing at a match just in case you had forgotten......but obviously you have seeing as you are dishing out your usual self righteous opinions.

I actually had forgotten all about that. Good point well made

 

[SNOOBS]

El-Abd? Was pretty poor today too - everything came down our left. I Also think Aaron Davies looked pretty uninterested unless we were going forward. The last thing Tommy needed when playing with the jitters was the entire left side going AWOL.

El-Abd poor? HOW? He is playing out of position, with no left foot, hes left exposed the time. The one error was when him and Elphick went for the same ball. Elphick was giving him shitty instructions all game pulling him out of position. The only criticism is where he backs off a player running at him.

Elphick WAS shit, but lets look at the facts.

Tunnicliffe was piss poor too - although that seems to have gone unnoticed by everyone other than the idiot who things the sun shines out of Elphicks arse.
Virgo looked decent enough but has been shit in recent weeks.
Adam bloody el-abd was our best defender today.

Shambles.

Agreed apart from Virgo was shite, kept trying to put the ball into orbit.

 

[Johnny Crumplin Football]

Could you fill me in on what happened. Musta missed it..

 

[drew]

All this rubbish about the team getting off at half time. Elphick was at fault for at least two, if not all three of the goals and he knew it. How is it going to look if, in front of all the fans, all 10 of his colleagues come over and pat him on the back. That would just show to everyone that the whole team actually blame him for the goals. Better to get off to the dressing room and prepare for the second half.