Max Bird

[RoyMac5]

8 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

How many of those games were before he turned 20?

Thorne for example, joined us as a 21 year old, in a very good attacking side, and got 5 goals and 6 assists in 73 games. 

Bird was at a similar age only at the start of the 21/22 season. I'm sure you know the circumstances around that season were as far away as possible from where we were in the 2013-16 period. Yet, Bird has still registered 3 goals and 6 assists in the 71 games since the start of last season.

He's gonna be a good player for sure. How good is always a tricky thing to gauge (cf Sibley too). I'm glad that Warne encourages him to get forward and he seems to be get trained in how to challenge for headers! He's bulking up and no longer looks weedy. I really do hope we get to see him progress here with us. #COYR

[1of4]

Bird would be able to get forward more often and influence the flow of the game. If he had a central midfield partner working along side him, who doesn't keep drifting off towards the left-hand of of the pitch. Which for all his skills Hourihane as an unfortunate tendency of doing.

Edited December 13, 2022 by 1of4

[Caerphilly Ram]

10 minutes ago, 1of4 said:

Bird would be able to get forward more often and influence the flow of the game. If he had a central midfield partner working along side him, who doesn't keep drifting off towards the left-hand of of the pitch. Which for all his skills Hourihane as an unfortunate tendency of doing.

Partly why I’m keen to see us play 3 in midfield, probably sacrificing one of McGoldrick or Collins from the starting side to do so.

I think playing some sort of 4-3-3 with a “destroyer” in the middle of the park alongside Bird and either Hourihane or Knight would be ideal. From the current squad someone like Smith (or Knight?) could be tasked with the job, but ideally a Bielik or some other physical presence in there to break up play and protect the back 4, allowing Bird and the other midfielder to take it in turns breaking forward to support Collins/NML/Barkhuizen in attack, taking shots from distance, arriving late into the box to get on the end of crosses, playing through balls for the forwards to run onto. What a joy it could be… if only we had another option at right back ? 

[Rampant]

The need for a capable, natural RB is probably Warne's #1 priority in January going by comments he's made. Bring back Mark Patterson I say.

[richinspain]

On 14/12/2022 at 08:00, Rampant said:

The need for a capable, natural RB is probably Warne's #1 priority in January going by comments he's made. Bring back Mark Patterson I say.

Patterson was ok, but I would much prefer to see David Langan return.

[Simmo’s left foot]

On 15/12/2022 at 09:52, richinspain said:

Patterson was ok, but I would much prefer to see David Langan return.

How about Ron Webster? Marvelous right back.

[RoyMac5]

1 hour ago, Simmo’s left foot said:

How about Ron Webster? Marvelous right back.

 

[Ilkestonian]

18 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

 

Those were the days ♥️

[i-Ram]

49 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

 

Some goal that, particularly when you think about the weight of the ball. I wonder, how much lighter are footballs nowadays compated to the early 70's? Was a 70's ball twice as heavy? More?

[Bob The Badger]

8 minutes ago, i-Ram said:

Some goal that, particularly when you think about the weight of the ball. I wonder, how much lighter are footballs nowadays compated to the early 70's? Was a 70's ball twice as heavy? More?

They were a lot more than twice as heavy mate.

They were made of leather that was soaked in molten lead for 3 years and then coated with osmium to a depth of 2 inches before finally being sprayed with plutonium to ensure they lasted the game when being thrashed to death by the likes of Alan Hinton.

 

[IslandExile]

3 hours ago, i-Ram said:

Some goal that, particularly when you think about the weight of the ball. I wonder, how much lighter are footballs nowadays compated to the early 70's? Was a 70's ball twice as heavy? More?

And it even bounced off the BBG mud. Not very high, admittedly, but still technically a bounce. Then a roll....still moving forwards.

None of these near-zero friction billiard tables they play on now.

[Gerry Daly]

Yeah but assuming Warne wants to play with wing backs I think we could do worse than Stefano Eranio  

[Van der MoodHoover]

On 16/12/2022 at 12:27, i-Ram said:

Some goal that, particularly when you think about the weight of the ball. I wonder, how much lighter are footballs nowadays compated to the early 70's? Was a 70's ball twice as heavy? More?

Rule on dry weight of the regulation ball not changed since 1937 ie around the time you base your wardrobe on?

[Caerphilly Ram]

Out for anything between 2 and 8 weeks, big big loss. 

[IslandExile]

Major loss 

[Scott129]

Step up Liam Thompson?

Or put Knight/Smith/Sibley in there and fill in the gaps as necessary?

[Simmo’s left foot]

I thought Liam did quite well after he came on, maybe a chance for him to get a run in the team?

[Caerphilly Ram]

9 minutes ago, Scott129 said:

Step up Liam Thompson?

Or put Knight/Smith/Sibley in there and fill in the gaps as necessary?

Current options I can think of within the squad would be Thompson, Rooney, Smith or Sibley. Any one of them could do a job though I fear not at the same level as Bird. Sibley might make sense as Roberts could cover left back as he’s been doing well there already and Sibley has the passing and vision to be a creative option in the middle. Smith offers that experience and a more defensive option but then we’d lose his solid reliability from rb. Rooney and Thompson both inexperienced but capable on their day. It’s a tough one

[sage]

He will play Smith there and Rooney at RB

[littleover ram]

Recall Bielik?