Clarification: Misses the Derby cup match. So will be back for the Wrexham match 👍
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Clarification: Misses the Derby cup match. So will be back for the Wrexham match 👍
Judging by social media many were hoping Campbell would come in. Furlong is like Bartley was and divides opinion. Apart from the end of last season I thought Bartley was solid but hey that?s my view. After CC left I feel on the whole Furlong has been poor and a few times Saturday he was beaten for pace and should have been sent off prior to the harsh second yellow. Nothing dirty but mistimed challenges due to being off the pace and clumsy.
Heggem and Phillips are immense together so long may that continue. No place for any petulance at Wrexham for sure! Love Price!
For me it does not work with Mowatt and Molumby as there?s no pace or creativity so need someone new to come in.
A lot will be glad Furlong is with us next week. Id be surprised if Campbell comes close to the service and consistency Darnell has given us. At least we have a stand in though. I get what you mean about Mowatt, he isnt the fastest but he did well on Saturday. Molumby is a powerhouse we cant do without. A midfield of ?ballers? gives us no grit. The championship needs players that square up.
As mentioned Boing - the comments on Furlong are very mixed both on match day and social media but hey good to have differing opinions.
The biggest weakness is midfield and almost everyone and I mean almost everyone can see the lack of pace and creativity. Oh for a Jude Bellingham which Sunderland had. The midfield should be the engine and why we are suppressed in our area for long spells is due to the midfield. Why the front guys don?t get the quick through balls and creativity is due to the midfield.
Mowatt and Molumby ( yes he has grit ) are both not fit to lace Mulumbu?s boots or Pereira.
Diakite is raw but shown potential. Mowatt did nothing really wrong on Saturday but if you blinked you wouldn?t have known he was on the pitch at times.
Furlong has fallen into the habit of leading with his hands and elbows. I don?t know if it?s deliberate or if it?s just careless or maybe he doesn?t realize he?s doing it. I suspect someone would have told him by now if he was not doing it deliberately.
In the Blackburn game there were two Blackburn players who got cuts on their heads that needed prolonged attention and, correct me if I?m wrong, but weren?t both after challenges by Furlong? I think the ref probably realized that and when Furlong again went in with his arms up, even though it was one of the more innocuous challenges he made, the ref had had enough and booked him and had to send him off for a second yellow.
I like Furlong - I think his pluses outweigh his minuses - but he?s got to control his arms a lot better.
Furlong does indeed divide opinions and after being a key player for us in the 2023/24 season, his performances after Corberan's exit last season certainly died off. That said, he wasn't the only one!
Against Blackburn, however, he was back at it and tbh I felt that all the back four did a sterling job. It is no secret that both he and Styles are better going forward than defending but then the role of left or right back is more of a hybrid one now and is as much about playing as a wing back as a defender. Maybe difficult to be good at both?
Yes, Furlong lacks pace against quicker opposition and I'm sure this is behind his use of the "dark arts" at times but -as I'm sure Boingy would point out-the stats can't be ignored either. In addition to his prowess with the long throw, he is also instrumental in many of our attacking movements.
Provided he re-discovers his previous form and attitude, I'm not too unhappy with him starting -not that we have too much choice as neither Caleb nor Campbell are Championship proven yet.