Is Bannan the problem?

[davetherivelinowl]

OK, it's a controversial click-bait title but bear me out.

 

First I'd like to say I'm a massive fan of Barry Bannan. He's probably been the best player we've had in the last 10 years at least and one of the few players who can do things that make SWFC worth watching. He has wonderful skills on the ball and runs his little heart out. What's not to love.

 

BUT... I have a theory that the reason we have struggled so much this season, and for most of last season, is that, as a team, we are just not fit enough to play 90 minutes. When we played Monk-ball we looked awesome for 45-60 minutes but to do so we had to run like mad and after an hour we were spent. And, with games coming thick and fast this season, by the time we played the next match we were already knackered after 30-45 mins. It's been the same all season. In almost every game our midfield in particular has just evaporated in the second half and teams have just waltzed through us. And we haven't had the energy to come back from being a goal behind or hang on to a lead. How many goals have we scored 1st half v 2nd half? Friday's match was a classic example. Bannan was awesome in the first half but went really quiet in the 2nd. I think that's been happening all season. Loads of times he's been slagged off on here for uncharacteristic misplaced passes. I think that's because he's knackered half the time, except perhaps for the first 20 minutes or so. 

 

It's not his fault. You can't fault his enthusiasm. He always runs around a lot. I suspect he runs too much! All those silly sprints from the halfway line to (nearly) close down the keeper. As captain he might think he has to set an example of how to work hard but he's just wearing himself out. He's in his 30's now and needs to find a way to manage his game-time. 

 

In summary, we are struggling because we don't have the energy in midfield to last 90 minutes - and our almost inevitable  2nd half drop-off in performance has much to do with Bannan's fallibility.

 

Does that make sense to anyone else? Or am I talking rubbish again?

[Owls2k]

No

[SwellOwl]

1 minute ago, Owls2k said:

No

End of thread. 

[Owls-Fan]

Bannan was one of the best players on the pitch on Friday and that includes the premier league players we were facing.  We can’t be blaming our best player,  it’s the lack of pace and attacking threat ahead of him that’s always been the problem 

[pingybop]

2 minutes ago, davetherivelinowl said:

OK, it's a controversial click-bait title but bear me out.

 

First I'd like to say I'm a massive fan of Barry Bannan. He's probably been the best player we've had in the last 10 years at least and one of the few players who can do things that make SWFC worth watching. He has wonderful skills on the ball and runs his little heart out. What's not to love.

 

BUT... I have a theory that the reason we have struggled so much this season, and for most of last season, is that, as a team, we are just not fit enough to play 90 minutes. When we played Monk-ball we looked awesome for 45-60 minutes but to do so we had to run like mad and after an hour we were spent. And, with games coming thick and fast this season, by the time we played the next match we were already knackered after 30-45 mins. It's been the same all season. In almost every game our midfield in particular has just evaporated in the second half and teams have just waltzed through us. And we haven't had the energy to come back from being a goal behind or hang on to a lead. How many goals have we scored 1st half v 2nd half? Friday's match was a classic example. Bannan was awesome in the first half but went really quiet in the 2nd. I think that's been happening all season. Loads of times he's been slagged off on here for uncharacteristic misplaced passes. I think that's because he's knackered half the time, except perhaps for the first 20 minutes or so. 

 

It's not his fault. You can't fault his enthusiasm. He always runs around a lot. I suspect he runs too much! All those silly sprints from the halfway line to (nearly) close down the keeper. As captain he might think he has to set an example of how to work hard but he's just wearing himself out. He's in his 30's now and needs to find a way to manage his game-time. 

 

In summary, we are struggling because we don't have the energy in midfield to last 90 minutes - and our almost inevitable  2nd half drop-off in performance has much to do with Bannan's fallibility.

 

Does that make sense to anyone else? Or am I talking rubbish again?

Just accept that we’re rubbish mate. Sure, Bannan hasn’t been great himself, I’m sure he would be the first the admit that - but he really isn’t the issue in isolation. 

[Dutch McLovin]

Barry Bannan is not the problem. How and where he plays is. And now although this is because he has a load of carp around him, in the past it has been down to either tactics or his insistence that all goes through him.

 

As a CM player in a 2 Bannan is a problem. He had his best spell playing out left in an attacking side. If we played a attacking possession based style which i believe we are trying to under Moore and had players other than Bannan we could see the best of him in the right areas. As it currently is his best action comes in front of the back 4, but unfortunately so does his worst.

 

So in short No. But we need to change to get the best out of him.

[Mystic Neg]

Bannan is a good player and effective when part of a strong good team but our main problem is we haven't got enough quality around him. He is forced to do too much to compensate for our weaknesses all around the pitch making him less effective.

 

Unfortunately I now associate him mainly with a terrible period at SWFC and will always remember him as being part of and captain of our demise. Cant fault his effort or talent but its wasted on us. It's also why part of me is looking forward to seeing the back of him. We need a team packed full of units in League One and that he is not.

 

 

[Ellis Rimmer]

Bannan doesn't work as much as when we first signed him, not as industrious, but I think that's purposeful. I don't think he's the problem but his lack of form is part of our problem. We would be worse without him but it seems over the last couple of years he is all we have rather than one of our outlets when we first got him. I think he's stepped up because the others are lesser quality but the likes of Reach should have stepped up too.

[Guest wilyfox]

Nope

[Emilianenko]

Yes

End of thread.

[Dronfield Blue]

BB divided by DC = FC

[Freshfish]

4 seasons of not having a strong enough centre midfield enforcer that can support Bannan. The problem has been recruitment not Bannan. 

[JOCOWl]

Can't understand how people think bannan is the problem...and the fact it's because he's tired after the 1st half. He has more energy than most. If we had a few more bannans we'd be safe. 

[FreshOwl]

No, the problem is he’s the only one comfortable on the ball 

[Bluesteel]

If we want to play football and keep possession there are few better than him. But compared to when we had him, Wallace, FF, Lee and Hooper all of whom could keep the ball and were on a similar wavelength, he can’t make that kind of match winning impact on his own. He is good at what he does, was the Bannan show at Watford, but we need others in there with him or at least players who add what he doesn’t in terms of box to box.

 

If/when he leaves though and we just have runners in the midfield we will notice a hell of a difference and not in a good way.

[WalworthOwl]

I'm looking forward to him getting loads of assists in League One.

[Green Calx]

Yes he's been poor over the last few seasons and doesn't get enough assists or goals but he's our only creative player and as soon as we get the ball every single player looks to pass to him because nobody else is capable of creating anything. If we had another 2 or 3 players around him that would chip in with assists there wouldn't be as much pressure on him to constantly create chances. 

[DSandersonOWL]

13 minutes ago, JOCOWl said:

Can't understand how people think bannan is the problem...and the fact it's because he's tired after the 1st half. He has more energy than most. If we had a few more bannans we'd be safe. 

I agree!

Having a few more bananas is good for having more energy!

[Daniele Giovanni]

It took you 440 words to say this? It's like buying a girl 10 drinks,slap up meal and ending up walking home on your own with a packet full of unused condoms in your pocket

[CircleSeven]

I kind of see the logic of the OP but even if it’s 100% correct it isn’t actually Bannans ‘fault’. If you are the only creative player in the whole team then of course you aren’t going to be ‘on it’ for a whole game. The issue is we have no other creative outlet. Even our less skilful players are not particularly energetic. Bannan is the creative and energetic player. No wonder it doesn’t work out very well.