The Sibley Enigma

[S8TY]

If we are relying on Sibley to come good and be consistently good god help us ..his best short spell was when Cocu played him …that’s it 

[BramcoteRam84]

I took the Sibley comment from Warne in a different way, it was more Warne saying he’s still learning about the team he now realises Sibley can’t tackle and although he didn’t say this, basically he won’t be playing him left back again. Didn’t think there was any other meaning than that. He looked ok but still not at the levels everyone expects, I think he needs to play deeper as an 8 at the moment because he is the only one actually carrying the ball.

[RoyMac5]

9 hours ago, jimtastic56 said:

I got there early tonight to watch the entire pre-match warm up. Sibley’s finishing is 1st class. But how do we get him set up in the box? It’s tricky. I like Warne but I was suprised the manager had a dig at Sibley post match. Especially after what their goalie did. Hope Paul can get the best out of Sibbo.

Paul is setting Sibley up to be his LWB, so that'll be fun to watch.

[SuffolkRam]

Warnes comments on Barks’ and Chester’s injuries seemed more damning.  Seemingly surprised at their injuries, almost like he didn’t believe them

[RoyMac5]

1 hour ago, jameso said:

Two weeks ago at Accrington, Sibley played well and sauntered through for the shot that resulted in Barkhuizen’s tap-in.

I don’t think anything during the match or post indicates that Warne is thinking Sibley offers little unless he fills the problem LWB slot. But he is a wretched tackler (he did an equally awful one almost immediately after coming on vs City Littl’uns) and was the obvious halftime sacrifice - if not perhaps the obvious LWB when already on a yellow!

I don’t like him as the second forward though. If Warne reverts to a 3-5-2 I’d have either him or McGoldrick as the most advanced of the midfield, at the expense of Hourihane.

I didn't think his tackling at LWB were that bad, as good as Roberts tbh, but he'd been booked for a 'challenge' earlier - not sure what that was about from him. He was better than Hourihane with deadballs and runs better up front than McGoldrick. Last night neither Hourihane nor McGoldrick did squat, they are also not our future!

[Gaspode]

Last night will at least have shown Warne that he can't afford to have Sibley playing anywhere defensively - his complete lack of footballing awareness (never mind tackling ability) was quite shocking. At one point, an Exeter player ran at Sibley with the ball, knocked it past him and then ran round him to collect the ball before Sibley had even begun to turn - and in the next few minutes there were a number of other situations where his body positioning was so wrong that the Exeter players just waltzed past him (or played the  ball past him) with ease.....

[Crewton]

1 hour ago, SuffolkRam said:

Warnes comments on Barks’ and Chester’s injuries seemed more damning.  Seemingly surprised at their injuries, almost like he didn’t believe them

He may have a point though - Barks "stopped trying" at PNE according to some of their fans, because they were playing him at WB. Chester has had allot of time out injured in recent seasons and may be over-protective whenever he feels a niggle. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, RoyMac5 said:

I didn't think his tackling at LWB were that bad, as good as Roberts tbh, but he'd been booked for a 'challenge' earlier - not sure what that was about from him. He was better than Hourihane with deadballs and runs better up front than McGoldrick. Last night neither Hourihane nor McGoldrick did squat, they are also not our future!

Agreed, he made 2 solid enough tackles at LWB, but, like Collins, he has in him a tendency for a flying hack (where it’s hardly a crucial situation) and almost as if he shuts his eyes while launching into it! (McGoldrick also goes in with his whole body but I haven’t seen him misjudge one yet.)

Definitely wouldn’t put him in the same bracket as Roberts for tackling. Fortunately he kept it sensible after the yellow until he was hooked.

McGoldrick hasn’t had an influence in the last 2 games but he puts pressure on opponents and nearly always uses the ball as well as he is allowed to (given that his teammates are not always where he’d prefer them to be). He isn’t the future but a fit McGoldrick can play a big role over these 2 seasons. A good Hourihane could too, but I’m not sure where to find one right now.

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Crewton said:

He may have a point though - Barks "stopped trying" at PNE according to some of their fans, because they were playing him at WB. 

I don’t discount this but he didn’t look like he wasn’t trying at Accrington. Had a very decent game there.

At Ipswich I’m not sure there was much more to it than that he was just awful! (unless already carrying a knock?)

[Ghost of Clough]

I heard the "he's a high risk tackler" comment. I haven't heard him say "worst tackler he's ever seen"

[Gee SCREAMER !!]

16 minutes ago, Crewton said:

He may have a point though - Barks "stopped trying" at PNE according to some of their fans, because they were playing him at WB. Chester has had allot of time out injured in recent seasons and may be over-protective whenever he feels a niggle. 

I'm sure he was pretty specific when he joined that he was looking forward to getting games in a position that suited him better.  That didn't last long.

[BramcoteRam84]

3 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

I heard the "he's a high risk tackler" comment. I haven't heard him say "worst tackler he's ever seen"

The latter comment was in his RD interview. But i took the whole thing to me more Warne saying he’s still learning about the squad and admitting he now knows Sibs can’t tackle so won’t be playing him LWB again (he didn’t say the latter but of my sentence but that’s what he was implying)

[Day]

If Sibley is put in a position where we needs to tackle/win the ball, that’s on the managers head, simple as that. 

You can’t play Wildsmith as a number 9 and then complain he’s not a great finisher. 

You give Sibley the ball to make things happen, if he loses the ball, you have someone to win the ball back and give it Sibley to try again. 

His discipline record prior to this season isn’t great, most of which when you look back is due to frustration fuelled attempts to win the ball. 

Whilst I saw Scholes mentioned earlier, clearly Sibley is not on that level, however the comparison in tackling ability is a fair one and Warne really needs to understand what kind of player he is.

Let’s not start smashing square pegs in wrong holes, it won’t work and make us weaker as a team.

[Ghost of Clough]

Is Hourihane any better, yet he hasn't been singled out?

Sibley
Tackles: 13
Dribbled Past: 5
Fouls: 7

Hourihane
Tackles: 13
Dribbled Past: 5
Fouls: 11

In terms of succesful tackles per 90, only Tommo with his 46 minutes of action is better than Sibley's 1.70. Hourihane is way down the list at 1.05 per 90.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Is Hourihane any better, yet he hasn't been singled out?

Sibley
Tackles: 13
Dribbled Past: 5
Fouls: 7

Hourihane
Tackles: 13
Dribbled Past: 5
Fouls: 11

In terms of succesful tackles per 90, only Tommo with his 46 minutes of action is better than Sibley's 1.70. Hourihane is way down the list at 1.05 per 90.

Hasn’t been singled out for his tackling, true, but for me, relative to Hourihane’s performances, Sibley is on for the Ballon d’Or

[Curtains]

11 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Is Hourihane any better, yet he hasn't been singled out?

Sibley
Tackles: 13
Dribbled Past: 5
Fouls: 7

Hourihane
Tackles: 13
Dribbled Past: 5
Fouls: 11

In terms of succesful tackles per 90, only Tommo with his 46 minutes of action is better than Sibley's 1.70. Hourihane is way down the list at 1.05 per 90.

2nd half last night Derby were better but a lot of that was due to going 4 at the back at half time and Smith did well at RB as did Roberts on the left .

All too late though by the manager 

Sibley can’t be singled out for the system that manager played 1st half .

I have been advocating 4 at the back since Ipswich.

PS We haven’t got the right players for 3 at the back due to no wing backs that can get up and down and injured players are a problem now  and also Odura for some reason isn’t trusted by the manager !

Osula looks nowhere near as good as Collins so hope he’s back Saturday 

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by Curtains
Added

[kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong]

3 hours ago, Ghost of Clough said:

I heard the "he's a high risk tackler" comment. I haven't heard him say "worst tackler he's ever seen"

It was on the radio derby interview with Warne,I've just listened to it.

[RoyMac5]

6 minutes ago, kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong said:

It was on the radio derby interview with Warne,I've just listened to it.

Didn't hear, who was the comment about, because it doesn't do them any favours.

[Sparkle]

Didn’t play great but nobody did - if he was played and allowed to play from central midfield to attack in support of a decent forward he will do well - yes he absolutely cannot time when and how to tackle but some of that will come if he is trusted, which means two players need to be behind him who know what they are doing - in recent times the likes of a Shinnie and a Belick are a good example but Bird and Hourihane cover nowhere near enough ground especially when played together 

[FKANorwichExile]

The thing that I think goes unnoticed about Sibs is that he tends to bring out the best in Bird. His forward movement opens up space in the middle for Birdy to spray the ball about. He's also our only midfielder who naturally wants to run with the ball.

But with a back 3/5, you just can't have a luxury player in midfield because there's always an extra man for the opposition, and Hourihane hasn't got the legs to throw himself about.

I think 4-2-3-1 would be the obvious formation for this side, but we don't have a single right back (thanks EFL soft embargo)