George Evans at CB

[RoyMac5]

2 minutes ago, Sparkle said:

Sorry but he slows our play dreadfully as he constantly puts the ball into our penalty area more than the opponent does and he doesn’t seem to win any headers - he is just not a centre half 

No. But he did have a good first half and kept us in it. Fozzy had a mare and Clarke is a bit leaden at times. Bogle kept trying to go past his man, but I wish he hadn't...Evans was the best of them today.

[Sparkle]

1 minute ago, RoyMac5 said:

No. But he did have a good first half and kept us in it. Fozzy had a mare and Clarke is a bit leaden at times. Bogle kept trying to go past his man, but I wish he hadn't...Evans was the best of them today.

Not saying much though is it - Forsyth looked tired and Clarke ok with the limitations that he has 

[Ambitious]

I think he’s looked decent recently, arguably our best player today although that’s not exactly a glowing endorsement.

He will get better with each game, but he can more than hold his own now and definitely has room to grow. It’s the only way he makes it here as his chance in CM have gone for sure, plus he looks better at CB than he ever did at CM for us. 

[Uptherams]

Looking at how good he's been defensively, you wouldn't think he used to play further up the pitch. He looks far better at the defending basics than he is on the ball. Maybe that will come with time. Mould him into a CB. 

[Premier ram]

George is playing really well at the moment , hardly a foot wrong since his return

[Sparkle]

Interesting opinions - I still think he is very poor at centre half especially in this league ( ok he is better than nothing) 

[Andrew3000]

On 09/07/2020 at 00:42, Uptherams said:

Looking at how good he's been defensively, you wouldn't think he used to play further up the pitch. He looks far better at the defending basics than he is on the ball. Maybe that will come with time. Mould him into a CB. 

I think he needs to be told that playibg CB is your best chance of making it with us and ultimately, of being a professional footballer because he isn't a midfielder.

Then hopefully he concentrates on developing his positional sense and using his size and arial ability. Surely this is where he has most potential.

[Uptherams]

18 minutes ago, Andrew3000 said:

I think he needs to be told that playibg CB is your best chance of making it with us and ultimately, of being a professional footballer because he isn't a midfielder.

Then hopefully he concentrates on developing his positional sense and using his size and arial ability. Surely this is where he has most potential.

I agree. I didn't think he should stay beyond the end of the season a few months ago. But he's got the versatility. At the beginning of next season we will have Mike te Wierik and Curtis Davies as our only true CB's. Davies obviously a backup. Bielik can play CB and DM. Wisdom RB and CB, Evans DM and CB even Forsyth LB and CB. Good to have that versatility from so many players. But obviously the only missing piece in all of that is LCB. Which could be Clarke. 

With Huddlestone having left, Evans staying makes more sense.

Our main focus being on a GK, LCB and winger. Obviously we are stretched right now and allowed more subs, but Saturday showed that there's even more players from the academy who are pushing to try and be included in the match day squad every other game, next season. 

[DarkFruitsRam7]

1 hour ago, Andrew3000 said:

I think he needs to be told that playibg CB is your best chance of making it with us and ultimately, of being a professional footballer because he isn't a midfielder.

Then hopefully he concentrates on developing his positional sense and using his size and arial ability. Surely this is where he has most potential.

I don't think he's going to be particularly worried about not being a professional footballer. He's 25 years old, playing for the second Championship promotion-chasing side of his career.

[RoyMac5]

1 hour ago, Sparkle said:

Interesting opinions - I still think he is very poor at centre half especially in this league ( ok he is better than nothing) 

I agree, but he did have a good first half against WBA. 

[Andrew3000]

1 hour ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

I don't think he's going to be particularly worried about not being a professional footballer. He's 25 years old, playing for the second Championship promotion-chasing side of his career.

Ok so maybe a little exaggerated on my part. Obviously im thinking ahead which he will need to, to some degree. He's a squad player, who at the moment doesn't look likely to become a first team regular.  He could fall quickly down the ranks as a 'versatile' player with no real identity and who fails to develop into either midfielder or CB. This really is the main point.

[Ghost of Clough]

Needs to improve in the air a bit and be more willing to dribble out of defence with it, but other than that I think he's a really good CB at this level. Perfect for playing out from the back in terms of composure on the ball and passing range, and seems to read play well enough when defending.

[Shuff264]

I think he's a perfectly good 3rd choice center back and defensive mid, a good squad player to have

[LeedsCityRam]

Always though he looked like a centre-half playing in midfield when he was at CM. Often seemed to disappear from games but decent in the air & when we were being hemmed in by opponents.

Think he's been very decent since he came in against Preston, not looked out of place at all. My only criticism would be some overly ambitious long passes at times (he does this in midfield also) & not bringing the ball into midfield when space opens up. Assume the latter is a confidence issue but looking forward to seeing him develop in that position.

[Duracell]

Why are we talking about him like he's meant to look enough for the starting XI? That's not what he was signed for.

You can't have a squad of 36 equally talented players. In the modern game, you're only as good as your back-up players.

I think he was a good signing by Lampard - a competent stand-in for more than one position.

I'd be concerned if he was Plan A, but he isn't so I'm not.

[Millenniumram]

He’s been better than I thought at CB to be fair. Better than he was in midfield. Must admit until recently I’d have probably let him go in the summer - he was little more than ok emergency cover at CDM, and we had more than enough options there without him. Now though I think it’s clear he still has something to offer as a pretty solid backup option at CB. Having him in the team for his distribution qualities has helped us cope with the loss of Wisdom about as well as we could have, and he’s not made any major mistakes yet either which is good. He’s definitely worth keeping around to play backup to Te Weirik next season. 

[ram59]

Do you think he'd be able to play in goal? 

[Dimmu]

On 10/07/2020 at 17:22, Shuff264 said:

I think he's a perfectly good 3rd choice center back and defensive mid, a good squad player to have

Fully agreed. Far from glamorous but steady 7 each game. I take that gladly from the utility backup.

[RoyMac5]

9 minutes ago, Dimmu said:

Fully agreed. Far from glamorous but steady 7 each game. I take that gladly from the utility backup.

But he wasn't a 7 today. And he blocks youngsters from getting experience. Although fortunately for him we are quite light in the centre half department.

[JustOneBiblicalKazim]

3 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

But he wasn't a 7 today. And he blocks youngsters from getting experience. Although fortunately for him we are quite light in the centre half department.

So he blocks youngsters from getting experience, but in that position there’s no youngsters to get experience.