Chris_Martin Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 2 hours ago, S8TY said: Who’s looking to sign him? Birmingham were earlier this season, and Hull are heavily linked. Both clubs have been in and around top 6 this season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crewton Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 4 minutes ago, Chris_Martin said: Nyambe yes i agree Wildsmith has been and is better than vickers Elder has had 1 good game and about 10 bad games In regards to NML & Collins, how do we know anyone else wouldn't get the same out of them... Elder's only started 5 league games. Archied 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gee SCREAMER !! Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 15 hours ago, YorkshireRam said: Has he actually said this? I saw the ''2 touch'' quote but didn't see anything about this? As I heard it after the game he mentioned two touches then getting it to the wides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambitious Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 21 hours ago, On the Ram Page said: Sorry but I don't agree with you. I think Bird reads the game very well but isn't strong enough in the tackle, is poor in the air and just isn't aggressive enough. You say that, but Bird’s tackle success rate isn’t a problem at all. Aerial ability isn’t important for a centre midfielder, although that is also around 50% success and aggressive enough is just an emotive term. He fouls more than any of our other midfielders if that counts, but I don’t buy that aggression somehow makes a player better. It’s a characteristic that certain players like to exude but I’ve never thought it makes a player better. The success rate of involvements Bird gets himself into isn’t at all bad, honestly, especially when it comes to duels. However, the rate of involvements he gets himself into is the problem. He’s been pinned as a player who can read the game well, intelligent and cultured central midfield player. I just wonder if the wool has been pulled over our eyes a little and the fact that he a) can’t anticipate danger very well and perhaps more importantly b) can’t spot opportunities very well is why his output over the course of the season is always underwhelming. I don’t believe it’s an ability issue, not that I think he’s a supreme talent, but he’s definitely a level higher than this but his inability to really do the above is the reason why we’re still questioning him as a player. Dcfcsr92 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Contain Nuts Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 (edited) 12 hours ago, EulogyForEvolution said: I'd like to see us bring in a player who can sit in front of the back four and turn over the ball. Then see Fornah or Thommo play as the midfield engine driving the ball on, and Bird or Hourihane playing between the lines. Isn't there quite a simple fix for this though? There's no reason Bird can't sit in front of the back 4 and turn the ball over, it's what he's done under every other manager at senior level. Fornah or Thommo the engine and Hourihane between the lines as you describe. I'm not saying it would work if we suddenly dropped what we were doing and switched the players around because it would have to be something we've worked on all season on the training ground. While I understand that having Bird further forward allows him more involvement in big moments and gives him a nice little stat boost individually, is it really what's best for the team? Our midfield doesn't look balanced because we're asking it to function normally whilst performing a headstand. It's upside down. Edited January 27 by May Contain Nuts angieram and Andrew3000 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
On the Ram Page Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 4 hours ago, Ambitious said: You say that, but Bird’s tackle success rate isn’t a problem at all. Aerial ability isn’t important for a centre midfielder, although that is also around 50% success and aggressive enough is just an emotive term. He fouls more than any of our other midfielders if that counts, but I don’t buy that aggression somehow makes a player better. It’s a characteristic that certain players like to exude but I’ve never thought it makes a player better. The success rate of involvements Bird gets himself into isn’t at all bad, honestly, especially when it comes to duels. However, the rate of involvements he gets himself into is the problem. He’s been pinned as a player who can read the game well, intelligent and cultured central midfield player. I just wonder if the wool has been pulled over our eyes a little and the fact that he a) can’t anticipate danger very well and perhaps more importantly b) can’t spot opportunities very well is why his output over the course of the season is always underwhelming. I don’t believe it’s an ability issue, not that I think he’s a supreme talent, but he’s definitely a level higher than this but his inability to really do the above is the reason why we’re still questioning him as a player. I think that you are misunderstanding what I mean by aggression. I don’t want home tongs around kicking people. I think Declan Rice is aggressive and wins the ball but he is also very cultured. You may be right that Max wins 50% of his aerial duals but I can guarantee that the majority of duals he wins don’t go to a Derby player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Martin Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 14 hours ago, Crewton said: Elder's only started 5 league games. I'm aware of that. He has come on as a sub 9 times aswell though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sage Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 That Bird. He's shocking blah blah blaah Caerphilly Ram 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollycutts1982 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 4 minutes ago, sage said: That Bird. He's shocking blah blah blaah Him and CH just don’t work and we’ve known this since day dot. If we get an offer for Bird that enables us to bring in a more mobile, combative midfielder then move him on. 1 good game in 10 isn’t good enough. Even today he was poor first half and marginally better second if you take away the goal. McMuffin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyMac5 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 2 minutes ago, ollycutts1982 said: Him and CH just don’t work and we’ve known this since day dot. If we get an offer for Bird that enables us to bring in a more mobile, combative midfielder then move him on. 1 good game in 10 isn’t good enough. Even today he was poor first half and marginally better second if you take away the goal. Really Paul, why keep playing them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollycutts1982 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 8 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said: Really Paul, why keep playing them? 😂 the balance isn’t right, Stevie Wonder could see it, it’s that obvious. CH doesn’t have the legs anymore so needs someone to do that side for him if he’s in the team. Bird doesn’t have the positional awareness. I don’t think there’s been a game this season where we’ve dominated midfield. I hoped Fornah would offer the solution but hasn’t done enough. Offload Bird, Ward, Fornah and Smith and sign a decent midfielder and a striker. If, and it’s a big if, we can get anyone to take them. In reality we’ll put all our eggs in signing Smith and end up with no one. S8TY, RoyMac5, Dcfcsr92 and 1 other 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walkley Ram Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 Thought we looked much better today with 3 in the midfield. They had 4 in the middle, Bird and Hourihane were just overran. That balance was much improved when we moved to a mobile 3 in the middle. I hope we at least dabble now with a 4-3-3 going forward, but I'm not holding my breath. S8TY, sage, Caerphilly Ram and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simmo’s left foot Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 I thought Thomson looked very good today, very mobile, always looking to tackle and win the ball. He deserves a run in the team I think. Dcfcsr92, McMuffin, Caerphilly Ram and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sage Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 55 minutes ago, ollycutts1982 said: Him and CH just don’t work and we’ve known this since day dot. If we get an offer for Bird that enables us to bring in a more mobile, combative midfielder then move him on. 1 good game in 10 isn’t good enough. Even today he was poor first half and marginally better second if you take away the goal. Bird started running the game when we played with a 3 man midfield with 2 other people who can run. It's the system tomsdubs, Premier ram, Ghost of Clough and 9 others 9 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollycutts1982 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 25 minutes ago, sage said: Bird started running the game when we played with a 3 man midfield with 2 other people who can run. It's the system Really? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him run a game. I really don’t know what type of midfielder he is. Not a DM but also not creative or progressive enough to play further forward. Dcfcsr92, Gee SCREAMER !! and McMuffin 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo Ram Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 33 minutes ago, sage said: Bird started running the game when we played with a 3 man midfield with 2 other people who can run. It's the system And the personnel… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sage Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 1 minute ago, ollycutts1982 said: Really? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him run a game. I really don’t know what type of midfielder he is. Not a DM but also not creative or progressive enough to play further forward. He is a CM/DCM. Deep lying midfielder but creative passer. He brought the ball down brilliantly and played it to Sibley for the free kick for the first goal. Then scored. Then the subs came on and he was the deepest midfielder with space to play. For the second goal, Cashin made a run forward but misplaced his pass allowing them to break. Bird read the danger, ran back to intercept the forward before laying it square to Bradley to start the attack for the second goal. Just because he doesn't do massive crunching tackles, 60 yard balls or dribble past 5 opponents doesn't mean he isn't a good CM. His work is more subtle and not everyone can see it. Every manager picked him regularly. A top 6 championship club tried to sign him. He isn't having a great season but he has been around our 5th or 6th best player. Running around in a 2 with someone who can't run against against a 3 every week is difficult, tiring and I imagine dispiriting. angieram, tomsdubs, May Contain Nuts and 7 others 5 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramarena Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 13 minutes ago, sage said: He is a CM/DCM. Deep lying midfielder but creative passer. He brought the ball down brilliantly and played it to Sibley for the free kick for the first goal. Then scored. Then the subs came on and he was the deepest midfielder with space to play. For the second goal, Cashin made a run forward but misplaced his pass allowing them to break. Bird read the danger, ran back to intercept the forward before laying it square to Bradley to start the attack for the second goal. Just because he doesn't do massive crunching tackles, 60 yard balls or dribble past 5 opponents doesn't mean he isn't a good CM. His work is more subtle and not everyone can see it. Every manager picked him regularly. A top 6 championship club tried to sign him. He isn't having a great season but he has been around our 5th or 6th best player. Running around in a 2 with someone who can't run against against a 3 every week is difficult, tiring and I imagine dispiriting. As soon as he moved into that 3 man midfield he looked like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Suddenly he was able to be in the right place at right time, instead of chasing around after players on his own. He also started finding players with passes much more consistently, as he had options around him instead of having to force a ball wide asap. angieram and tomsdubs 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nottingram Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 First half today I had absolutely no idea what was going on. On paper I assumed a 4-2-3-1/4-4-2 but Bird was so high up almost level with Barkhuizen and Hourihane was holding the CB’s hands. Near enough a 5-5. Wilson gave the ball away 3 or 4 times as he had no options and there was 30-40 yards of space in the middle of the pitch with no Derby player in it. As with the other night I think when everyone in an area of the pitch looks crap it is hard to point it down to individual performances. Let’s hope the coaching staff have learned they cannot set the team up like whatever that was today again. Bird, Thompson and one more please. I’d like Sibley to get a proper run in there in a functioning midfield but I don’t think that will happen. LeedsCityRam and Carnero 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srg Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 Fornah, Thompson and Bird. That’s your midfield. Solves the glaring issues immediately. Carnero 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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