Match ratings v Sutton (home)

[the_anticlough]

If we took all 4 back positions over the season and put them on a scale of +10 to -10, where 0 is the L2 average performance...this is what I'd say we have

GK -7
RCB -10
CB -1
LCB -4

The best we've had at RCB (playing more than a couple of games) has been Macari IMO, for his games there I'd put it at -1
Nobody's saying any of our defenders have been great, but GK and RCB have been the biggest problems.

[drillerpie]

If we took all 4 back positions over the season and put them on a scale of +10 to -10, where 0 is the L2 average performance...this is what I'd say we have

GK -7
RCB -10
CB -1
LCB -4

The best we've had at RCB (playing more than a couple of games) has been Macari IMO, for his games there I'd put it at -1
Nobody's saying any of our defenders have been great, but GK and RCB have been the biggest problems.

If that means that our right sided centre back has been as bad as a L2 footballer can possibly be while Baldwin has been very slightly below L2 average, then I have to disagree.

Baldwin is great to watch - I love the controlling balls on his thigh while running, the balance, the poise, the interceptions, the long raking passes, the (all too rare now) runs out of defence.

But when it goes wrong for him, it goes very wrong, and I have lost count of the times it has gone wrong for him this season.

[nw6pie]

If that means that our right sided centre back has been as bad as a L2 footballer can possibly be while Baldwin has been very slightly below L2 average, then I have to disagree.

Baldwin is great to watch - I love the controlling balls on his thigh while running, the balance, the poise, the interceptions, the long raking passes, the (all too rare now) runs out of defence.

But when it goes wrong for him, it goes very wrong, and I have lost count of the times it has gone wrong for him this season.

It would definitely be too painful to sit through all of the goals we’ve conceded this season, but I’m guessing we must top the league when it comes to unforced errors leading to goals against - and Baldwin is invariably good for one completely inexplicable error per game. There’s so much of his game that’s great to watch, but if you’re the best defender and keep gifting the opposition chances, you’re a big part of the problem.

Be interesting to see if the club offer him a new contract this summer or if he moves on. If it’s the latter, I just hope he can do so without slipping or bumping into John Bostock on the way out.

[the_anticlough]

If that means that our right sided centre back has been as bad as a L2 footballer can possibly be while Baldwin has been very slightly below L2 average, then I have to disagree.

Baldwin is great to watch - I love the controlling balls on his thigh while running, the balance, the poise, the interceptions, the long raking passes, the (all too rare now) runs out of defence.

But when it goes wrong for him, it goes very wrong, and I have lost count of the times it has gone wrong for him this season.

That is what this scale would translate into, 21 rungs so each covering 1 league place or thereabouts.
Yes, I'd say our RCB play has been relegation standard. Imagine if every other position on the pitch was at that low level?! We'd be looking up at Sutton from below.

Baldwin coming in at about 12th/13th? Yes, maybe on the mean side. But for him alone (not CB in general), if you factor in the poor start and the mistakes and say +3 to +1 range and translate that to 9th place, edge of play-offs then that's a respectable effort for a player coming up from non-league football. And we know the ceiling would be a lot higher than that.

[SmiffyPie]

If Baldwin had a growler playing next to him who shouldered all the pressure he (Baldwin) would be a good pressing CB. He carries the ball well, passes a decent ball and always looks for a pass (for too long sometimes, well most of the time, but that's not his fault if the middle are static). It's his under pressure decision making that is his downfall.

[Togtastic]

GK -7
RCB -10
CB -1
LCB -4

I think -7 is very generous for our keepers

RCB is about right if you exclude Macari
CB is spot on
LCB has to be the same as RCB -10. Just because he is always selected it doesn't mean Cameron is any good. He has as many errors in him as Baldwin, is as terrified of contact as Brindley, has the concentration level of a goldfish, the fist touch of a hippo and arguably has better supporting cover from Jones than the RCB gets from Nemane.

[jacobncfc]

If Baldwin had a growler playing next to him who shouldered all the pressure he (Baldwin) would be a good pressing CB. He carries the ball well, passes a decent ball and always looks for a pass (for too long sometimes, well most of the time, but that's not his fault if the middle are static). It's his under pressure decision making that is his downfall.

This has been our biggest problem recruitment wise for me - I think Baldwin and Cameron both have the raw ingredients to be good in the back three we've wanted to play, but both have the same fundamental problem in a tendency to just lose their concentration and make inexplicable mistakes. Neither have played at this level for any significant time before and it's just been crying out for a more experienced, battle-hardened centre back to play in the middle and keep things organised with them either side IMO.

[MarcusCole]

This has been our biggest problem recruitment wise for me - I think Baldwin and Cameron both have the raw ingredients to be good in the back three we've wanted to play, but both have the same fundamental problem in a tendency to just lose their concentration and make inexplicable mistakes. Neither have played at this level for any significant time before and it's just been crying out for a more experienced, battle-hardened centre back to play in the middle and keep things organised with them either side IMO.

Both of them are non-league at best.

I don't get why people enthuse of Baldwin when most of his passes are back to the keeper. he is so risk averse that if there is the slightest chance of not being able to make a pass he will stop and pass back to the keeper. His head is also firmly up his backside that he can never accept that he is the cause of the issues he is having. After booting the ball into the stand after Tuesdays match his respose was not to apologise but to say "I meant to kick it at the boardings". No matter how many mistakes he makes and how many times he passes back to the keeper at the first sight that there is a possibility that in the near future there is a chance he might encounter an opposition player he stops the build up and passes back to the keeper, he is never dropped.

Next season he will be back in non-league and someone elses problem. He has demonstrated these issues for almost 2 years now, it's not something that can be fixed because he won't accept it.

[tommopie8]

Both of them are non-league at best.

I don't get why people enthuse of Baldwin when most of his passes are back to the keeper. he is so risk averse that if there is the slightest chance of not being able to make a pass he will stop and pass back to the keeper. His head is also firmly up his backside that he can never accept that he is the cause of the issues he is having. After booting the ball into the stand after Tuesdays match his respose was not to apologise but to say "I meant to kick it at the boardings". No matter how many mistakes he makes and how many times he passes back to the keeper at the first sight that there is a possibility that in the near future there is a chance he might encounter an opposition player he stops the build up and passes back to the keeper, he is never dropped.

Next season he will be back in non-league and someone elses problem. He has demonstrated these issues for almost 2 years now, it's not something that can be fixed because he won't accept it.

Baldwin is a difficult one. His ability exceeds that of most defenders we've had over recent years - especially technically. But the lapses are too frequent and under someone like Clough he'd be banished.

I'd like to see us have continuity (player wise) and both Cameron and Baldwin could be good enough to challenge with support. My caveat to this is Cameron isn't captain and we bring in a leader.