Sonny Bradley

[ollycutts1982]

2 minutes ago, Chris_Martin said:

yeah he probably chips in with 6-8 goals. but i think bird is equally as creative. Bird was really creative in pre season and would probably get more assists if he took hourihane's set pieces

But he can’t take set pieces and isn’t progressive enough and goes hiding. That’s the issue. 

[sage]

4 hours ago, Yoxoram said:

I sort of agree with this but I would ditch Bird. We need some legs in forward midfield and based on our current squad that would be Thompson or Sibley. Smith is not as bad as some people make out and he certainly is a better defender than Bird. Hourihane needs to be in the team as he is the most likely player to create something and he chips in with important goals.

Bird is quicker than Thompson and Sibley over 20 yards or longer 

[YorkshireRam]

35 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

He played in a 3/5 at Luton, why doesn't he understand his role?

Because whenever I saw them, Luton didn't have the other 2 centre halves bombing into the attacking half of the pitch... Their centre halves were also more mobile so he didn't get pulled out of position as much. Formation and system are two separate things, more players than Bradley look genuinely confused as to how they're supposed to perform their roles- the fact he's played that formation in a very different way before is probably what's causing the most confusion for him, ironically. 

[DCFC Kicks]

2 hours ago, gccrowdpleaser said:

Bradley is not the problem at the back at all. Cashin seems untouchable to Rams fans but was absolutely woeful last night. Slow. Ponderous on the ball. Repeatedly dragged out of position.

In experience us part of it because there was very little talking but if somebody offered 500k I'd snap their hand off. 

Hasn't Cashin gone through the whole academy system playing in a back 4? Is this the first time he's played in a back 3? because he looks he doesn't know his role at times

[RoyMac5]

28 minutes ago, YorkshireRam said:

Because whenever I saw them, Luton didn't have the other 2 centre halves bombing into the attacking half of the pitch... Their centre halves were also more mobile so he didn't get pulled out of position as much. Formation and system are two separate things, more players than Bradley look genuinely confused as to how they're supposed to perform their roles- the fact he's played that formation in a very different way before is probably what's causing the most confusion for him, ironically. 

He might not know how to play the role but he also doesn't look like he knows how to play a captains role, a leadership role, an experienced players role, a 'championship' players' role, a scoring headers from corners role, putting in some effort role, etc. He looks bloody useless most of the time. Is that really all down to having a new role?

[YorkshireRam]

7 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

He might not know how to play the role but he also doesn't look like he knows how to play a captains role, a leadership role, an experienced players role, a 'championship' players' role, a scoring headers from corners role, putting in some effort role, etc. He looks bloody useless most of the time. Is that really all down to having a new role?

In fairness, he might not be expected to be a leader. I don't think he looks any more useless than our other centre halves- I saw more defensive nous from him in pre-season than I did Nelson, for example. This is perhaps where my leniency is coming from as I do still have faith Sonny could be a good player for us. 

Bashing our defence I agree with; singling Bradley out for criticism I don't. 

[RoyMac5]

4 minutes ago, YorkshireRam said:

In fairness, he might not be expected to be a leader. I don't think he looks any more useless than our other centre halves- I saw more defensive nous from him in pre-season than I did Nelson, for example. This is perhaps where my leniency is coming from as I do still have faith Sonny could be a good player for us. 

Bashing our defence I agree with; singling Bradley out for criticism I don't. 

He's the one in the middle that sits at the back doing squat? Nelson and Cashin have been tasked with bringing the ball forward, they have harder skill sets to fulfil. Oh Nelson has a handy long throw too and imho hasn't looked as bad as SB.

[YorkshireRam]

2 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

He's the one in the middle that sits at the back doing squat? Nelson and Cashin have been tasked with bringing the ball forward, they have harder skill sets to fulfil. Oh Nelson has a handy long throw too and imho hasn't looked as bad as SB.

And therein lies the problem, Bradley isn't mobile enough to cover the gaps left when the other two go marauding upfield. Again that's a systemic issue with what is being asked of each defender. I'd argue the system is to blame for a lot of the faults we're seeing as it's exposing many of their individual flaws, lack of pace primarily. 

[RoyMac5]

1 minute ago, YorkshireRam said:

And therein lies the problem, Bradley isn't mobile enough to cover the gaps left when the other two go marauding upfield. Again that's a systemic issue with what is being asked of each defender. I'd argue the system is to blame for a lot of the faults we're seeing as it's exposing many of their individual flaws, lack of pace primarily. 

But it doesn't excuse his 'attitude', his lack of motivational skills and the rest. As you've said he doesn't know this role, what about the rest of my points? I think it's interesting that when he's taken off you see more effort from Nelson, who I would rather see in the side. He's much more committed a player.

[Chris_Martin]

46 minutes ago, ollycutts1982 said:

But he can’t take set pieces and isn’t progressive enough and goes hiding. That’s the issue. 

He can take set pieces I've seen him take great corners before

Progressive doesnt always just mean getting the ball forward. Iv'e seen countless times when bird finds a pass out of a tight spot that leads to us keeping hold of the ball or building up an attack. Bird does a lot that goes unnoticed in my opinion.

Bird generally only goes hiding when the rest of the team start to aswell

[YorkshireRam]

Just now, RoyMac5 said:

But it doesn't excuse his 'attitude', his lack of motivational skills and the rest. As you've said he doesn't know this role, what about the rest of my points? I think it's interesting that when he's taken off you see more effort from Nelson, who I would rather see in the side. He's much more committed a player.

I think they're peripheral issues to be honest. Motivational skills aren't a primary responsibility for a centre half, it's a bonus, sure, but I don't think it's a valid trait to criticise at this stage when he needs to focus on his own performances. I've also not seen an attitude to be honest, just a player struggling to come to grips with what's being asked of him on the field. 

I hope to see all 3 CBs succeed in this system. I just don't think Bradley is worse than either of the other two, certainly not enough to warrant his own thread. 

[valakari]

Personally i think he was promised the captaincy..which lets face it, we all assumed he would get!... until Warne decided 'to let the players pick the skipper"...then his standards seem to have dropped..because in pre season, ( Stoke City game), he was very good..commanding, blocked everything etc

I think this, if correct, has led to his poor performances... 

[DRBee]

16 hours ago, Jourdan said:

True, his interview was anything but humble.

However I am thinking from the standpoint of having experienced players who have probably signed contracts and joined us in this division with a certain level of entitlement, an element of being untouchable irrespective of performance.

Take Hourihane and Bradley, for example. Two players who came in with big fanfare. Right now, it is hard not to look at them as anything but two of the biggest weak links in the team. Yet one is captain and the other came in as a marquee signing and a supposed leading figure both on and off the pitch.

How do we improve the team if the core of the team is dysfunctional? What do we do when the central figures in the team are standing in the way of progression?

Can't believe you are classing Hourihane and Bradley together. Not sure what you see when watching a game. Hourihane scores goals and already has 1 assist and one goal  from our 3 league games. But more importantly he gives the ball away far less than most and judges what pass to make, long or short carefully. He is no tackler and is not being played in what might be his best position. But that is down to Warne and his misjudged team selection an tactics

[Blondest Goat]

1 hour ago, RoyMac5 said:

He's the one in the middle that sits at the back doing squat? Nelson and Cashin have been tasked with bringing the ball forward, they have harder skill sets to fulfil. Oh Nelson has a handy long throw too and imho hasn't looked as bad as SB.

Nelsons long throw is one of the few positives to come from the start of the season.  Our goal and Washingtons chance both came from a long throw last night.  Last season our final third throw ins were awful and we gave possession away almost every time without making the opposition defend.

** Just realised thread is about Bradley so not really place for my comment but hey a tiny amount of positivity today is probably no bad thing.

Edited August 16, 2023 by Blondest Goat

[DCFC Kicks]

16 hours ago, Jourdan said:

The system doesn’t play to his strengths, but equally we don’t have the players in the squad to cancel out his shortcomings. We don’t even know if a new system will completely remedy his issues.

Does this system play to any of our players strengths? Apart from Ward and Wilson, they all appear more suited to a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 type system.

[Jourdan]

5 minutes ago, DCFC Kicks said:

Does this system play to any of our players strengths? Apart from Ward and Wilson, they all appear more suited to a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 type system.

Based on what I’ve seen, no.

But how much of that is also down to several players playing in roles that are unnatural to them?

Playing Cashin as a wide centre back, Bird as an advanced midfielder, NML as a central player are all steps that are putting additional strain and confusion on the team.

[valakari]

Ward and Wilson are the only 2 suited to play 3 at the back with wing backs.

As they are both injured, only a fool would play 3 at the back v Fleetwood...but then it looks like we are managed by a fool!

[Rampant]

I asked the Luton fan who previously told me that Bradley's legs and confidence had gone and that at the end of his time there he was played centrally in a back three a question earlier today. What was Bradley like in a back four last season? 

His answer - worse.

[DCFC Kicks]

8 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

There was one of the friendlies where he looked competent in tackles and headers when in the box (ours not theirs 😄 ) can't remember which one.

He was good against Stoke because we were underdogs parked in our own box. 

Warnes managerial career has primarily been built on an underdog mentality. Did he ever play teams at Rotherham who sit back and required his team to be on the front foot? His system doesn't transfer to Derby 

[Sparkle]

3 hours ago, YorkshireRam said:

Because whenever I saw them, Luton didn't have the other 2 centre halves bombing into the attacking half of the pitch... Their centre halves were also more mobile so he didn't get pulled out of position as much. Formation and system are two separate things, more players than Bradley look genuinely confused as to how they're supposed to perform their roles- the fact he's played that formation in a very different way before is probably what's causing the most confusion for him, ironically. 

At Luton the pitch is tiny at Derby you need to be able to run