****The Official Lapps Match Thread v Villa (PL) *****

[City 2nd 191]

42 minutes ago, All the Germans said:

Yes, he is (one of) the reason(s) that we got promoted. Twice. Flip flop. Promotion = Webber is the best and will be Barcelona / Man Utd / etc Sporting Director, We're bottom = he's not good enough for us. Which is it?

Really. Are you sure as the man himself has said he ‘wants a job outside of football!’ He isn’t one of the reasons city got promoted at all, and No he isn’t good enough at his job, as two relegations from the premiership will prove. No wonder he wants a job out of football!

[Nuff Said 5,141]

7 minutes ago, Indy said:

Great contribution by the normal suspects. Just quoting his time in the under 18 England side and his time at Sunderland. 🤔

Ooh, am I in the “normal suspects”? 👏 Is the next step up the “inner circle” which finally leads to Nutty’s “elite”?

When he signed for us he was described as a right back. Why would that have happened if he’d been playing permanently in midfield? Even if he did, he has been seen as a wing back by the professionals at the club since he’s been with us. But no, he’s a square peg in a round hole according to posters on here who know better based on their vast experience of watching him play. Not.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

13 minutes ago, Nuff Said said:

He’s a midfielder like Godfrey was a midfielder. As certified by “The PinkUn armchair managers”™️.

I think Godfrey is showing he isn't an EPL full back either. Of course you conveniently forget he was POTS for Shrewsbury playing DM.

[king canary 7,606]

5 minutes ago, City 2nd said:

He isn’t one of the reasons city got promoted at all

Wow, this is probably the ****ing stupidest thing ever posted on here and that takes some doing. 

[Nuff Said 5,141]

10 minutes ago, king canary said:

Wow, this is probably the ****ing stupidest thing ever posted on here and that takes some doing. 

Strong competitor for that one. 99% of Uncle Fred’s posts for a start.

[Nuff Said 5,141]

12 minutes ago, keelansgrandad said:

I think Godfrey is showing he isn't an EPL full back either. Of course you conveniently forget he was POTS for Shrewsbury playing DM.

1) I don’t think anyone was advocating him as a full back?

2) Get back to me when it works out for Everton playing him as a CDM 

[paddycanary 539]

My eyes hurt from that match

[The Great Mass Debater 1,090]

47 minutes ago, All the Germans said:

I thought he was a midfielder at Sunderland but we signed him with the intention of converting him to a fullback (attacking). So, I think you both be right. However, I believe he is (was under Farke at least) considered to be a full back as a part of our squad.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/bali-mumba/profil/spieler/433186

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

3 minutes ago, Nuff Said said:

1) I don’t think anyone was advocating him as a full back?

2) Get back to me when it works out for Everton playing him as a CDM 

Why? Obviously Benitez, top manager, thinks so.

And where did I mention Everton playing him there. I was just offering a fact to counter your unkind remark.

[kirku 1,332]

38 minutes ago, Indy said:

Great contribution by the normal suspects. Just quoting his time in the under 18 England side and his time at Sunderland. 🤔

Sunderland? He barely played there and they'd just shipped him off to Gateshead or something so not sure what you'd be basing it off

[Nuff Said 5,141]

10 hours ago, keelansgrandad said:

Why? Obviously Benitez, top manager, thinks so.

And where did I mention Everton playing him there. I was just offering a fact to counter your unkind remark.

If my post came across as unkind, I apologise (I also acknowledge that apologies beginning with “if” often are nothing of the sort, but I honestly wouldn’t want to upset any genuine poster on here). It was intended to be pitched as lighthearted dialogue.

I think the underlying point still stands though. Criticism of Smith or Farke for playing players out of position, especially in this case, is rarely accurate. We don’t know the full detail behind any decisions, the preferences of the players themselves or how they’ve been performing in training.