Keogh / Shackell partnership

[Rob_the_Ram]

It's really starting to look a great partnership between Shackell and Keogh.
Shackell looks so solid in defensive duties and Keogh more assured than has been seen for some time.
Their runs out of defence, especially Keogh, can pull opposition lines apart and allow a little more space for the midfielders to exploit. Shackell is reigning in the long passes which often give up possession and looks to get it to Keogh for him to run on.
Cover for these two is there but from Shotton's performance, you wouldn't want to rely on them too much.
Opposition yesterday wasn't great but they still had a few avoidable chances after Shackell and Thorne went off.
It is starting to look encouraging though.

[triz]

Until one of them gets injured in classic derby style

[Oldtimeram]

Shackell is injured isn't he?

[Luckless]

Where is Pearce..........

[AnagRam]

I was wondering about Pearce too. If Shack's has a recurrence of the back problem he allegedly arrived with then hopefully the 'break' has come at the right time, but I would have thought Pearce - or Jake - would be seen as the natural replacement. Maybe, in terms of the bench, Shotton is regarded as more versatile and Pearce more 'specialist'.

[swaledale]

Seeing as Pearce hasn't even had a sniff, it makes you wonder who sanctioned his signing?

[Rob_the_Ram]

I reckon the signings of Pearce and Baird were made pre-MM takeover when it was obvious we needed another CB and cover at FB.
Mel then decided he wanted quicker on field results and was prepared to pay (maybe over the odds) for better players. Hence the previously rumoured Shackell transfer was done for a surprisingly high (allegedly) transfer fee and Pearce dropped down the pecking order. Saying that, I'd still play Pearce before Shotton.

When Hughes and Bryson were injured, who'd have thought we'd have gone out and spent £10M on two replacements.
I just think the standard of our transfer targets since Mel took over has risen in line with the available transfer funds and a few players brought in just before the change have been unlucky.

[Manofpride]

The Keogh / Shackell partnership is looking good, it just seems to have clicked into place.
Would love to see some cover there incase of injury, Shotton is not the answer.
When he came on he put their best ball into the box, that back pass was atrocious he didn't even look up to see who was there, lucky Christie was there to clear off the line, he really got Shotton out of jail!!!