⚽Match Thread vs. Sutton United FC 27.02.24 [EFL L2]

[legs77]

You dont play square pegs in round holes, it doesn't work. but for some unknown reason both LW and SM still do it.. Is blindingly obvious to everyone , except the coach it seems..

You do understand wing backs have to be good going forward so you can get away with slightly below average defending....there isnt a player on the planet who can attack like Jones but defend like Van Djik not going to happen its a very demanding role.

We have THREE CBs what are they doing ???

I keep seeing people say Baldwin us best CB at the club but his howlers are worse than anyone CB ive seen at this club ever.

LW got way more right than wrong we are now seeing this as I pointed out to you when you were putting boot in a month ago.

[jackal2]

You do understand wing backs have to be good going forward so you can get away with slightly below average defending....there isnt a player on the planet who can attack like Jones but defend like Van Djik not going to happen its a very demanding role.

To be a good wing-back you pretty much have to be the complete footballer - attacking and defensive instincts, great engine, pace, aggression, ability to take on an opponent and beat them etc. etc.

With all due respect to lower league footballers I think players that complete are only generally be found at the higher levels, so it's system that's only likely to work at the higher levels OR in a league where your resources throughout the team are considerably greater than most opponents and your dominance is such that it hides your weaknesses, as was generally the case for us in the National League. We don't have that same dominance in League Two, ergo our weakness at wing-back is being exposed far more. That's why I believe we need some orthodox full-backs who can achieve the primary aim of preventing so many balls going into our box.

[durhampie]

You do understand wing backs have to be good going forward so you can get away with slightly below average defending....there isnt a player on the planet who can attack like Jones but defend like Van Djik not going to happen its a very demanding role.

We have THREE CBs what are they doing ???

I keep seeing people say Baldwin us best CB at the club but his howlers are worse than anyone CB ive seen at this club ever.

LW got way more right than wrong we are now seeing this as I pointed out to you when you were putting boot in a month ago.

It worked to start with as we were an unknown entity, then after a while most clubs sussed us out and he was clueless in how to react. His answer was to keep doing the same and thats when the rot set in..

[MarcusCole]

Balwin should never play for the club again, every match we have him it's like we are 10 v 12. Showed the goal he gave away yesterday and those that saw it could not stop laughing.

The club should produce a highlights reel of all his mistakes in the same way that we get them for macca and JJ.

[matt_magpie]

Balwin should never play for the club again, every match we have him it's like we are 10 v 12. Showed the goal he gave away yesterday and those that saw it could not stop laughing.

The club should produce a highlights reel of all his mistakes in the same way that we get them for macca and JJ.

And yet in my opinion he’s the best defender we have.

[jackal2]

And yet in my opinion he’s the best defender we have.

The most authentic defender we have, in my opinion, is Connell Rawlinson, who pretty much is a head it, kick it, old school centre-half.
Whether he's good enough for this level I'm no so sure, having seen him completely bamboozled by Harry Smith last night, but at least he understands that his primary role is to defend. I'd say Chicksen and Macari are our other two 'defenders' in terms of having genuine defensive instincts and reasonable concentration levels. Baldwin does something great one moment, and then commits a howler the next. You can't have that sort of inconsistency and lack of focus in that part of the pitch.

[Notts78]

And yet in my opinion he’s the best defender we have.

On his day he is.

Prone to drop absolute clangers, made worse by a lack of desire to rectify it. Look at last nights howler, head goes down and ambles back. Or the absolute u5 defending v Shrewsbury.

I have seen St Mirren v Ross County last night… the defender dropped a clanger and did his utmost to atone, failed, but at least tried.

Aden Balwin is a bell end… his arrogance doesn’t match his football ability. I get he’s frustrated, I get that someone may have said something, but to do what he did last night (accident or not) is unforgivable.

[jackal2]

Aden Balwin is a bell end… his arrogance doesn’t match his football ability. I get he’s frustrated, I get that someone may have said something, but to do what he did last night (accident or not) is unforgivable.

As with Crowley it's pure frustration, just not channeled in the right way at this moment. In a sense I welcome it as a sign that they do care about the criticism, because it would be even more worrying if they were impassive.

Luke Williams was spot on in his early days when he interpreted the booing of fans as a stimulus to try harder and do better, if not for the fans, then for yourselves as professional footballers seeking to reach the highest level you can.

The fans are essentially right that defensive performances haven't been good enough, and that's the way they communicate it to the players at the end of a match. If Cameron, Baldwin et al want to stay at this level or progress higher, they've got to suck up that criticism and use it as a driver to improve. Use it to develop the mental toughness you need.

[matt_magpie]

On his day he is.

Prone to drop absolute clangers, made worse by a lack of desire to rectify it. Look at last nights howler, head goes down and ambles back. Or the absolute u5 defending v Shrewsbury.

I have seen St Mirren v Ross County last night… the defender dropped a clanger and did his utmost to atone, failed, but at least tried.

Aden Balwin is a bell end… his arrogance doesn’t match his football ability. I get he’s frustrated, I get that someone may have said something, but to do what he did last night (accident or not) is unforgivable.

I agree I think he has all the attributes to be very good but he’s got a massive mistake in him but then again how much is he put on him to have the ball all the time. I imagine he probably does the most passes in the team, so for example if you’re doing nearly 70 plus a game (that’s a guess) probably 1 is going to go horribly wrong now and again. My main point is I think he’s streets ahead of what else we have and there lies the problem for me.

[pjace]

I agree I think he has all the attributes to be very good but he’s got a massive mistake in him but then again how much is he put on him to have the ball all the time. I imagine he probably does the most passes in the team, so for example if you’re doing nearly 70 plus a game (that’s a guess) probably 1 is going to go horribly wrong now and again. My main point is I think he’s streets ahead of what else we have and there lies the problem for me.

Don't think he had made many passes last night when after 16 minutes he had his latest brainfart