The Scarlet Pimpernel Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Kevin Kilbane is definitely not the answer. He's old, and a stop-gap at best. I've said all summer (as have many others) that we could use a better left back, but the difference between Kilbane and Roberts is negligible. I'm glad we have injury cover until January, and I'd definitely extend the loan until May if nothing is available in the window, but in the long term we need to look elsewhere. Kilbane is a lot better than Roberts. Better talker, better positionally, better height wise, 100 caps for RoI. I know it was bit of a one off but Roberts wouldn't be a goal threat from free kicks and corners either would he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamNut Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Still early days I know but has he shown enough that says he can do a job for us, would you be happy for Clough to sign him after his loan spell is up or should we still be looking to bring in another left back.... both Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambitious Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 I don't mind Kilbane on what I've seen so far but in answer to whether or not a 34 year old should be signed permanently and be our long term answer to left back, I say not. I wouldn't mind him here for the year though, could turn out to be a useful player when we signed him I said it would be a shrewd loan signing as he is an experienced player who can play many different positions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derby_Dave Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Not good enough, which is all down to pace. He's losing his at an alarming rate, though I don't mind him being here till January, he's proving useful. Roberts is alright, people give him too much hate, he had a much better second half to the season. Some great performances that people ignored because they had already judged him. Still need to look around for a left back in January, but there aren't that many decent ones around. Full back position is very hard to fill, the best ones are all taken. That middle sentence sums up Roberts for me perfectly. He was a fine player the end of last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotherhamRam Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Hasnt Clough been looking for pretty much all the time in charge and hasnt found one, Kilbane isnt a world beater at all but I think he has got better and sharper as he has played games. Why are people so obsessed with age of players and anyone over 30 is over the hill. Lets take this season before planning for the next few Too true last year Huddersfield had the tightest defence. This year we have only conceeded 1 now it takes 4 players in defence normally and how they work together is all that matters not their age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CumbrianRam Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 The only problem is I don't know how well he we will cope with the likes of Gradel running at him. He looked very dodgy at Shrews and Watford when he had to deal with pace. He also tends to hoof the ball too much, mainly during the Watford game. And no, Moxey was not the answer. Chris Powell left 13 years ago and we have never properly replaced him with another decent left back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex W Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I don't think anyone should be worried about his age, or atleast they shouldn't be, but his lack of pace is a real worry. Every game i've seen him in hes been beaten because of it, I don't think his legs are going quite yet but his pace definitely is. Roberts has pace, a decieving amount. He managed to keep Nathan Dyer very quiet last season, you can't do that without having some pace about you. What I would do is make sure Roberts is fully fit then throw him into a game when we know there's someone of the speedy mold up against him. Barnes beat him once or twice very easily, the only joy that they had was against Kilbane. He has alot of useful qualities Kilbane, I do like him, but at left back I think he's a bit of a reliability. How good is he at the DM role I wonder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamNut Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Roberts has pace, a decieving amount. very decieving :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex W Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 very decieving :-) He managed to keep up with some of the quickest attacking players in this league last season, he definitely has pace. I keep calling back to his performance against Nathan Dyer, but he was excellent that day. MOM for me, i've never seen Dyer kept that quiet before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamNut Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 He managed to keep up with some of the quickest attacking players in this league last season, he definitely has pace. I keep calling back to his performance against Nathan Dyer, but he was excellent that day. MOM for me, i've never seen Dyer kept that quiet before. ssausagehorpe at home ....first goal by forte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex W Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 ssausagehorpe at home ....first goal by forte His first game back without full fitness or confidence? The first half of his season was disrupted by continously coming back from injury and playing poorly because of it, Roberts seems to need a run in the team to get settled. Once he'd had a few games played in a row he was decent, very accomplished. People are too blinded by opinions to see it, in some cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBW Ram Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Get him signed if we have the option. solid, professional, experienced and judging by his interviews a real good lad to have around the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NothernRam Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Get him signed if we have the option. solid, professional, experienced and judging by his interviews a real good lad to have around the place. http://i035.radikal.ru/1108/c6/22be5496d033 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBW Ram Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 http://i035.radikal.ru/1108/c6/22be5496d033 I'm assuming that's not a compliment Nothern? http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=4193 http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/8069/kevin-kilbane?cc=5739 You don't play the game at the level he has for as long as he has without having a bit about you. Without looking after yourself physically. I think he will do a job for us in any role he's asked. The young lads should be sensible enough to look up to him and look at the career he's had. He's good enough to have around for his experience alone. Average age of the side this season is likely to be around 23 or 24, even with him in the side. We need an old head and he seems to have settled in well.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asanovic Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Nah, i wouldn't sign him. A bit destructive when we're trying to get it down and play it. His long balls are often aimless. Still, he doesn't make me want to jump off a cliff. Just don't think he's very good. Pretty good summary. He's certainly no Gareth Roberts but I do think there's better out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamNut Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 His first game back without full fitness or confidence? . Roberts had a poor game at watford....will buckley kept getting in behind him.... especially for their 2nd goal....Cost us points v Hull when he froze on the post as they scored off a corner.....Norwich away....over powered by Simeon Jackson for their first....Bristol City terrible error in the box led to their goal.....Portsmouth away....lucky not to concede a pen with a truly bizarre attempt to control the ball this his hand /belly/ b0llox /@arse. Kilbane's better aerial ability might have avoided a couple of them. Just saying.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalley Ram Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Tricky one, maybe to the end of the season if nobody better pops up but I don't think either Roberts or Kilbane is the answer. I think Kilbane is getting better and his experience (100 odd caps) must be having an impact. There is a worry that he gets beaten by true pace but largely I think he's doing a job for the team at the moment and doing it well. The fact that he is or isn't better than Roberts is irrelevant for me the fact that they are both getting on a bit is, however, an issue. I would rather Nigel be looking for someone younger with pace and with a decent skill level rather than giving an old boy a longish contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex W Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Roberts had a poor game at watford....will buckley kept getting in behind him.... especially for their 2nd goal....Cost us points v Hull when he froze on the post as they scored off a corner.....Norwich away....over powered by Simeon Jackson for their first....Bristol City terrible error in the box led to their goal.....Portsmouth away....lucky not to concede a pen with a truly bizarre attempt to control the ball this his hand /belly/ b0llox /@arse. Kilbane's better aerial ability might have avoided a couple of them. Just saying.. Watford was the first half of the season and he'd just come back from injury. To blame him for the goal against Hull at home would be ridiculous, it was the goalkeepers fault. Simeon Jackson is more powerful? Bristol City he was playing well, by all accounts. And he didn't concede the pen though, did he. And i'm sure that Kilbane would have been torn to part by every pacey winger that Roberts had to deal with last season, as that's what has happened every time anyone with pace has come up against Kilbane. You can pick and choose faults all you like, Roberts had a bloody good second half to last season. Decent player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenportram Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Tricky one, maybe to the end of the season if nobody better pops up but I don't think either Roberts or Kilbane is the answer. I think Kilbane is getting better and his experience (100 odd caps) must be having an impact. There is a worry that he gets beaten by true pace but largely I think he's doing a job for the team at the moment and doing it well. The fact that he is or isn't better than Roberts is irrelevant for me the fact that they are both getting on a bit is, however, an issue. I would rather Nigel be looking for someone younger with pace and with a decent skill level rather than giving an old boy a longish contract. Got to agree with the age thing. LB is the only position in the back four not to a have a younger player in the squad, and also to not have players contracted until 2014. I think the Young left back will be targeted in January and full back cover next summer. The slow build process, three quarters of a defence that can stay together for a few years, with OB coming through the ranks. I think Kilbane will stay if the young left back for the future can't be found in January. A case of he's good enough to get us through until the right man us available. I wouldn't be surprised if we go in for Blanchett from Burton if he has a good season for them, and bring Young Jones through from the youth team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSD Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I think we'll extend his loan til the end of the season then we'll sign a long term replacement next summer. Ok he has the pace similar to my grandmothers but we've seen alot worse LB's over the last few seasons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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