van Aken

[Groundhopping Owl]

2 hours ago, Bluesteel said:

 

I think our best formation to suit this squad would be 4231. It might make it dull but it would protect a sub standard defence with both full backs and two cm/cams (if necessary). 

 

A lot of our attackers are more suited to playing slightly wider or behind a bigger striker too. I think joao, FF and Hooper would thrive in that three behind a Fletcher or Nuhiu.

You may be right that 4-2-3-1 is a better fit, and in that formation I might even be tempted to put Van Aken in as a holding midfielder rather than a centre half - greater scope to use his passing range, slightly less defensive responsibility. 

[Sergeant Tibbs]

One game in and it looks like we're out to condemn individual players. 

I didn't go so can't comment on his performance, but I'll trust the comments on here. I saw enough v blades last season to say he's not the finished article. 

I'm worried that due to the disconnect between club and fan base we will start picking out players and slating them. I hear there was booing yesterday aswell; it's not gonna help getting on the players backs. 

The issue lays with one man. Not Jos, or the team. The chairman.

 

[StudentOwl]

The lie has been repeated so many times everyone's believed it... he did not cost £4m. But whatever untruths need to be repeated to continue lambasting a player, I guess it doesn't matter. Let's stick to the facts that mean he's not looking good, there's no need to make up fake facts.

[Badger57]

The header for the first goal is not acceptable at any level. It should have been headed back where it came from , over the bar or even flicked on but never back into the area. From what I’ve seen of him he’s not up to it yet .

[Eightace]

I don't know if it's his age or if he lacks confidence as a rule but he's always looked shaky to me.

He makes simple errors regularly enough to be worrying.

He may well come good but Id really like to see someone else there this season.

 

[trask43]

7 minutes ago, Eightace said:

I don't know if it's his age or if he lacks confidence as a rule but he's always looked shaky to me.

He makes simple errors regularly enough to be worrying.

He may well come good but Id really like to see someone else there this season.

 

 

Id have to go along with this he just seems to make too many errors doing simple things like constantly scuffing, or not getting enough distance on clearances, his reading of the game and anticipation seems poor as well which is essential when your not the quickest. His only attributes seem to be hes very tall and can pick a pass. If he was a right footer he might be worth persisting with but as a left sided defender pudil, thorniley and even fox all better defenders.

 

Will be interesting to see how much faith the manager has in him if hes dropped for the next game as he probably should be you worry for his future here. Jos did him no favours though starting him as the central defender in the three.

[B&W Owl]

If he is going to be on the pitch, he should be playing in right center back.

It's not hard to see that Tom Lees favours that position in the middle of the back 3. 

Edited August 5, 2018 by B&W Owl

[Holmowl]

1 hour ago, StudentOwl said:

The lie has been repeated so many times everyone's believed it... he did not cost £4m. But whatever untruths need to be repeated to continue lambasting a player, I guess it doesn't matter. Let's stick to the facts that mean he's not looking good, there's no need to make up fake facts.

 

Ive never got the need to worry about what we paid for players.

 

We have a squad made up of kids thru to costly signings. Once they have signed they should play if they are good enough, and sit out if they are not.

 

Right now Joost isn’t good enough. Don’t care what he cost. Hopefully he will watch and learn from Lees, Hutch and Pudil.  He could easily come good.

[jacko1992]

W@nk. 

[scram]

 

People can get seduced by the fact he looks technically adept on the ball, can find and deliver a pass

 

Problem is that defenders need to be able to defend - and right from the first game it was evident that he struggles defensively

 

It's a bit like England at the world cup - many people going overboard about how our central defenders were comfortable on the ball and were launching our attacks etc - but defensively we were poor - we were very uncomfortable at dealing with crosses/passes across our backline - this was our achilles heel which caused us many problems

 

Ultimately defenders MUST be able to defend above all else - JVA struggles in this regard and unless he quickly gets up to speed with will always be a real weak link when we don't have the ball

[RUMBELOWS91]

2 minutes ago, scram said:

 

People can get seduced by the fact he looks technically adept on the ball, can find and deliver a pass

 

Problem is that defenders need to be able to defend - and right from the first game it was evident that he struggles defensively

 

It's a bit like England at the world cup - many people going overboard about how our central defenders were comfortable on the ball and were launching our attacks etc - but defensively we were poor - we were very uncomfortable at dealing with crosses/passes across our backline - this was our achilles heel which caused us many problems

 

Ultimately defenders MUST be able to defend above all else - JVA struggles in this regard and unless he quickly gets up to speed with will always be a real weak link when we don't have the ball

Would you agree playing centrally he's more exposed? - the two headers that he didn't deal with for the goals yesterday being a prime example?

 

I have a feeling Lees would have cleared both of those more effectively had he been the central one of the three.

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2018 by RUMBELOWS91

[Guest Xxxxxxxxcxcc]

2 minutes ago, RUMBELOWS91 said:

Would you agree playing centrally he's more exposed? - the two headers that he didn't deal with for the goals yesterday being a prime example?

 

I have a feeling Lees would have cleared both of those more effectively had he been the central one of the three.

 

 

 

Bit scary playing either Pudil or JVA on the right of a central defence trio though.

[RUMBELOWS91]

3 minutes ago, Xxxxxxxxcxcc said:

Bit scary playing either Pudil or JVA on the right of a central defence trio though.

Hutch all day long.

[Guest Xxxxxxxxcxcc]

2 minutes ago, RUMBELOWS91 said:

Hutch all day long.

Yes if playing a 3 he'd give us balance as well as ability given our current paucity of options.

[Guest Jack the Hat]

7 hours ago, StudentOwl said:

The lie has been repeated so many times everyone's believed it... he did not cost £4m. But whatever untruths need to be repeated to continue lambasting a player, I guess it doesn't matter. Let's stick to the facts that mean he's not looking good, there's no need to make up fake facts.

So how much did he cost then. I'd love to know. At the time we could have had Harley Dean from Brentford for 2 million, who seemed a more obvious choice.

[sonofbert2]

 

[sonofbert2]

 

[sonofbert2]

Compared to Stones, Ferdinand and Hansen in the first page of the thread above :-)

[scram]

44 minutes ago, RUMBELOWS91 said:

Would you agree playing centrally he's more exposed? - the two headers that he didn't deal with for the goals yesterday being a prime example?

 

I have a feeling Lees would have cleared both of those more effectively had he been the central one of the three.

 

 

 

 

 

I wouldnt play him at all - he isn't defensively good enough - yet at least

 

No good spraying 60 yarders around if you can't deal with simple movement of a striker and let him in on goal - or miss bread-and-butter headers - mistime tackles etc

[torryowl]

didn't go yesterday so cant really comment on that but from what  I saw of him last season there's no doubt the lads got a mistake in him …….i'll never understand why they don't play hutch at the back .