Why Knight should start at RB

[Red Ram]

The question is, where does Knight actually want to play? This matters because he's far too good a player to be playing in League One. He's Championship at a minimum and would probably do a good job for someone in the Prem too. Does he welcome the experience of temporarily playing in a different position to further his development or is he frustrated and exasperated at, yet again, not being able to play as a central midfielder despite being our best box-to-box midfielder?

He may feel that been played out of position is detrimental to his development in general and his international career in particular. If he does feel like that it's going to significantly increase the chances of him leaving either before the end of the transfer window or in January. His agent may well already be telling him he needs a move for the sake of his career because he's not playing in his best position.

I want us to build a team around the remaining academy graduates - Knight, Bird, Cashin and Sibley etc. So personally I'd like to see LR do everything within his power to keep Knight at Derby and strongly suspect that will mean playing him in his preferred position and therefore signing another right back.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2022 by Red Ram

[vonwright]

At some point I'd (hope) he'd try Knight in midfield and AN Other (Smith, I guess, of the current candidates) at RB. Then we will find out whether what we gain (in terms of legs & forward drive in midfield) is greater than what we lose (in terms of a competent, energetic RB). I strongly suspect it will be, and that playing Smith rather than Knight at RB won't be that much of a loss at all.

Still better if we can sign a right back, of course!

 

 

[Ambitious]

Without watching the game on Saturday, from the highlights it looked as though Knight was having a greater impact from right back and picking up positions that I imagine Rosenior imaged when he first had this idea. 

He had 5 shots, most out anyone on the pitch. He's slowly growing into that role and with another month of experience should be able to impact games a lot more. 

[Sparkle]

1 hour ago, Red Ram said:

The question is, where does Knight actually want to play? This matters because he's far too good a player to be playing in League One. He's Championship at a minimum and would probably do a good job for someone in the Prem too. Does he welcome the experience of temporarily playing in a different position to further his development or is he frustrated and exasperated at, yet again, not being able to play as a central midfielder despite being our best box-to-box midfielder?

He may feel that been played out of position is detrimental to his development in general and his international career in particular. If he does feel like that it's going to significantly increase the chances of him leaving either before the end of the transfer window or in January. His agent may well already be telling him he needs a move for the sake of his career because he's not playing in his best position.

I want us to build a team around the remaining academy graduates - Knight, Bird, Cashin and Sibley etc. So personally I'd like to see LR do everything within his power to keep Knight at Derby and strongly suspect that will mean playing him in his preferred position and therefore signing another right back.

 

 

 

 

You make some great points but also Knight May end up one day playing as a right back for a very long time either in the premiership or internationally 

[Sparkle]

4 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

Without watching the game on Saturday, from the highlights it looked as though Knight was having a greater impact from right back and picking up positions that I imagine Rosenior imaged when he first had this idea. 

He had 5 shots, most out anyone on the pitch. He's slowly growing into that role and with another month of experience should be able to impact games a lot more. 

If he had been a bit more composed Knight could easily have scored in probably three of our away league games whilst playing right back - it will be interesting to see if those chances keep coming 

[Rev]

We're going to have to rename the MOTM award at this rate. 

MOTM excluding Knight, perhaps.

[Mckram]

3 hours ago, Rev said:

We're going to have to rename the MOTM award at this rate. 

MOTM excluding Knight, perhaps.

He’s been my favourite player for a while now and the one I enjoy watching the most.

As good as he’s been at RB, I always just think what if he was playing higher up and would we benefit from him even more.

Imagine if we’d had Nathan Byrne this year with Knight in midfield…

[LeedsCityRam]

Most people's MOM from yesterday & continued vindication for Rosenior picking him at RB.

Was apprehensive early on as Clarke-Harris seemed to sit on his wing but no need to worry - Knight comfortably won the overall battle between the two both in the air & on the deck. Linked up very well with Sibley & Dobbin on that right side in both starting attacks & being in a position to cross from wide. And of course his endless stamina enabling him to snuff out attacks down our left side.

As Rosenior said post match, the game is changing. 'Right backs' aren't the Lee Dixons of yore but multi-faceted footballers that can contribute in areas around the pitch. Knight not only scored yesterday but has had two absolute sitters in recent games - I'd argue he is just as able to contribute going forward as if he was sat in centre midfield.

Perhaps worth remembering that Steven Gerrard spent a lot of his first 2/3 seasons playing right back/right wing back for Liverpool - someone most would automatically pigeon hole as a central midfielder. James Milner has also moved between those two roles at times in his career. The transition between modern right back & box to box midfielder isn't that unusual.

[Dcfcsr92]

On 22/08/2022 at 16:09, vonwright said:

At some point I'd (hope) he'd try Knight in midfield and AN Other (Smith, I guess, of the current candidates) at RB. Then we will find out whether what we gain (in terms of legs & forward drive in midfield) is greater than what we lose (in terms of a competent, energetic RB). I strongly suspect it will be, and that playing Smith rather than Knight at RB won't be that much of a loss at all.

Still better if we can sign a right back, of course!

 

 

Knight in cm is key for us max bird has done decent for us but the lack of him movement and shocking short passes are killing us! As soon as smith come on the speed of our play increased which coursed them problems 

[Day]

1 hour ago, LeedsCityRam said:

Most people's MOM from yesterday & continued vindication for Rosenior picking him at RB.

It’s hard to argue against this, yet at the same time I truly believe this is simply highlighting what a special player we have on our hands, RB, RW, CM, anywhere the lad will be in contention for man of the match.

I reckon he would be reaching the top corners if we stuck him in goal, his attitude is second to none and if we could somehow clone him 10 times, we would walk the league.

But for the sake of the team, his personal development and my sanity, I desperately still want to see him in the middle of a 3 man midfield. Bird, Hourihane and Knight. 

[Gee SCREAMER !!]

On 22/08/2022 at 17:00, Sparkle said:

You make some great points but also Knight May end up one day playing as a right back for a very long time either in the premiership or internationally 

He continually gets motm whilst playing midfield for Ireland .  Can't see that position changing anytime soon. 

[Kernow]

Jason Knight's performances at right back doesn't only show his quality as a footballer, but also his professionalism. He's already a player who is too good for League One, he'd feature regularly for pretty much any Championship side. He'd be one of the best players for about half of them. He could easily have kicked up a fuss like others did, demanded to leave, I need to be playing at a higher level blah blah blah. Yet even when playing out of position, he never moans, just gets on with it and does really well. He's going to be such an important player for us, I just hope we can still say this at this point next week.

 

[Jortat]

Knight is a great player and was MOTM yesterday. I actually like him at RB . Even when things go wrong , his tenacity to win the ball back is fantastic and gets us out of the mire.

I love him in midfield as well but we will need to sign a really good rb to make him moving up to midfield again viable, which is no easy job with the restrictions we are running under.

[Carl Sagan]

9 hours ago, David said:

It’s hard to argue against this, yet at the same time I truly believe this is simply highlighting what a special player we have on our hands, RB, RW, CM, anywhere the lad will be in contention for man of the match.

I reckon he would be reaching the top corners if we stuck him in goal, his attitude is second to none and if we could somehow clone him 10 times, we would walk the league.

But for the sake of the team, his personal development and my sanity, I desperately still want to see him in the middle of a 3 man midfield. Bird, Hourihane and Knight. 

Bird, Knight and Sibley as our central midfield for me, when all fit and on form. 

[Sparkle]

17 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

Bird, Knight and Sibley as our central midfield for me, when all fit and on form. 

I see that but against WBA knight Thompson Sibley and Smith worked well together