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KeelansGlove

Team for Watford ?

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Holt Martin

Hoolahan

Surman Crofts Smith

Smith Askou Ward Martin

Ruddy

Bench Whitbread Drury Lappin Fox Johnson Mcnamee + new striker or Mcdonald

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Can''t see Askou getting a start, would imagine it will be Ward and Nelson with Whitbread on the bench although pre-season form will come into play who is on the pitch at the beginning of the game. Would also imagine Drury will keep his place, for now.

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Pre season training and friendlies will obviously influence the choices but I would expect the central defence partnership to be Whitbread and Ward to be honest, I think he had that in mind when he signed Ward to get two players who are good on the ground as well as the air. Nelson, whilst I appreciate him is not one of our better defenders overall.

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[quote user="Danielt88"]Pre season training and friendlies will obviously influence the choices but I would expect the central defence partnership to be Whitbread and Ward to be honest, I think he had that in mind when he signed Ward to get two players who are good on the ground as well as the air. Nelson, whilst I appreciate him is not one of our better defenders overall.[/quote]Totally agree. I like Nelson, but i cant see him in the team much next year. I really rate Askou, but think it''ll be ward and whitbread, with Jens keeping the bench warm. What ever partnership we play i think will be a very good back pairing though TBH

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Ruddy

Martin

Whitbread

Ward

Smith

Fox

Crofts

Surman

Hoolahan

Holt

Martin/New Striker

I Think we''ll Sign a RB and a RW aswel as a Striker, But I think this Is the team Lambert has in mind. The RB will be as Cover Because I think PL rates Russel Martin, The RW will be So we can switch to 4-4-2 with pacey wingers if Need be

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                          ruddymartin         ward           whitbread      smithsmith          crofts           fox                surman                              hoolahan                            holtan alternative to this i think could be the diamon with hoolahan as the tip, dropping fox for chris martin or new striker upfront.

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Same as KeelansGlove for me.

We played our best football last season with Askou at the back. Nelson''s goals were useful, but I don''t have much faith in him defensively.

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[quote user="Penfold"]Same as KeelansGlove for me. We played our best football last season with Askou at the back. Nelson''s goals were useful, but I don''t have much faith in him defensively.[/quote]

Have to disagree. Thought Nelson showed him to be a better defender than Askou and was a key part of our great run of form.

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Nelson was poor for most of last season, was our third best central defender. The number of times Doherty, Martin or Forster had to come to his rescue. His lack of pace is criminal and will be badly shown up at this level. As soon as he''s turned facing his own goal his usefulness in defending that attack is finished. He also showed the most ineptitude when it came to playing football from the back last year, with countless hoofs coming flying into the stands, and that''s the way that PL wants to play he has said countless times in the pre-season interviews, and also has been the key traits of his new players he''s praised (apart from Ruddy obviously [:)]I will be truly amazed if it''s anything other than Whitbread/Ward.

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I don''t see why lots of people want to keep Nelson in the team but not Drury.  Nelson is almost definately not going to make the step up whereas Drury is more than proven at Championship level but, people would rather play Smith as they think he is better but they havn''t even seen him play.

As Seat0123 said I would be very suprised if it was anything other than Whitbread and Ward as centre backs with R.Martin and Drury as full backs.

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Soccer Saturday viewers will know Paul Mersons lack of quality punditry and ability to mess up any comment/players name. Last season though, even Merson described Michael Nelson as having a turning circle bigger than the QE2.

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I am glad I am not the only one that can see Askou is the best centrehalf at the club. Maybe we haven''t seen the best of Whitbread yet but for me Askou is the first name on the team sheet

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Its all subject to form in pre season but I reckon based on what we have I would go for...

 

-------------------------------Ruddy---------------------------------

R. Martin---------Whitbread----------Ward---------Drury-----------

-------------------------------Crofts---------------------------------

---------------------K.Smith----------Surman------------------------

-----------------------------Hoolahan---------------------------------

---------------------C.Martin----------Holt---------------------------

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Lambert is a manager who seems to like to stick by his players, and the CB position is Nelson''s for now. I think Ward and Whitbread is probably the best on paper but Whitbread will have to prove his form and fitness before getting into the team. Smith vs Drury will be a good battle but again the position is Drury''s at the moment.

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[quote user="KeelansGlove"]I am glad I am not the only one that can see Askou is the best centrehalf at the club. Maybe we haven''t seen the best of Whitbread yet but for me Askou is the first name on the team sheet[/quote]

He is the weakest for me, assuming we haven''t seen Whitbread produce anything like his best form.

If Askou is our best central defender then I think we''re in a bit of trouble.

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[quote user="GJP"]

[quote user="KeelansGlove"]I am glad I am not the only one that can see Askou is the best centrehalf at the club. Maybe we haven''t seen the best of Whitbread yet but for me Askou is the first name on the team sheet[/quote]

He is the weakest for me, assuming we haven''t seen Whitbread produce anything like his best form.

If Askou is our best central defender then I think we''re in a bit of trouble.

[/quote]

He is way ahead of Nelson!  Last season everyone was moaning about Nelson saying he is cr*p, then all of a sudden he scores two goals and he is a really good defender who has Championship quality!  Askou isn''t the best centre back at the club but he certainly isn''t the worst because Michael Nelson fills that spot.

By the way.  I''m not saying you think Nelson is really good it''s just that a lot of people think he is and I linked your post to other peoples. [:)]

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[quote user="Boyo"][quote user="GJP"]

[quote user="KeelansGlove"]I am glad I am not the only one that can see Askou is the best centrehalf at the club. Maybe we haven''t seen the best of Whitbread yet but for me Askou is the first name on the team sheet[/quote]

He is the weakest for me, assuming we haven''t seen Whitbread produce anything like his best form.

If Askou is our best central defender then I think we''re in a bit of trouble.

[/quote]

He is way ahead of Nelson!  Last season everyone was moaning about Nelson saying he is cr*p, then all of a sudden he scores two goals and he is a really good defender who has Championship quality!  Askou isn''t the best centre back at the club but he certainly isn''t the worst because Michael Nelson fills that spot.

By the way.  I''m not saying you think Nelson is really good it''s just that a lot of people think he is and I linked your post to other peoples. [:)]

[/quote]

Yup, well as it goes...I wasn''t one of those people. Infact I did try to suggest it might be best not write off Nelson after 1 game.

I do wonder what the perception of Askou would be if he had played in the 7-1. Having said that, there were already signs before the season started that Nelson had been put down as a lower league defender who wouldn''t be good enough for us.

Like I say, defensively Nelson is a better player than Askou, in my opinion. Particularly positionally. And I don''t think either of them are great on the ball, Askou is just as likely to launch it or give it away as Nelson is.

 

 

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Nelson proved me wrong last year, and so deserves his chance, even if he does ultimately prove useless at this level. Askou was class til the injury admittedly, but it''d be harsh to drop Nelson.

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[quote user="GJP"][quote user="Boyo"][quote user="GJP"]

[quote user="KeelansGlove"]I am glad I am not the only one that can see Askou is the best centrehalf at the club. Maybe we haven''t seen the best of Whitbread yet but for me Askou is the first name on the team sheet[/quote]

He is the weakest for me, assuming we haven''t seen Whitbread produce anything like his best form.

If Askou is our best central defender then I think we''re in a bit of trouble.

[/quote]

He is way ahead of Nelson!  Last season everyone was moaning about Nelson saying he is cr*p, then all of a sudden he scores two goals and he is a really good defender who has Championship quality!  Askou isn''t the best centre back at the club but he certainly isn''t the worst because Michael Nelson fills that spot.

By the way.  I''m not saying you think Nelson is really good it''s just that a lot of people think he is and I linked your post to other peoples. [:)]

[/quote]

Yup, well as it goes...I wasn''t one of those people. Infact I did try to suggest it might be best not write off Nelson after 1 game.

I do wonder what the perception of Askou would be if he had played in the 7-1. Having said that, there were already signs before the season started that Nelson had been put down as a lower league defender who wouldn''t be good enough for us.

Like I say, defensively Nelson is a better player than Askou, in my opinion. Particularly positionally. And I don''t think either of them are great on the ball, Askou is just as likely to launch it or give it away as Nelson is.

 

 

[/quote]

I''m not saying I think he wasn''t very good because of the opening day because I wasn''t impressed towards the end of the season either whilst everyone else thought he was Lucio!

I wouldn''t say he is better defensively really.  They are both good in the air, they are both strong tacklers.  Nelson''s positional play is OK but not anything to excited about however, he really does lack pace.  Askou is quicker than Nelson, although not a ''quick'' player himself.  Also he makes a lot more important tackles and just generally makes a lot more tackles, which then does show that his positional play would be just as good as Nelson because he has to be in position to make those tackles because if he wasn''t in position the opposition would just run past him.  Also they are both not great at distribution but at least Askou can kick it straight.

Overall they are fairly similar but Askou is ahead of him because in the stuff they are both good at he is stronger.  Nelson, for me, is a good League 2 defender who can hold his own in League 1.  Askou, for me is a very good League 1 defender who I believe can hold his own in the Championship.  Askou could ''struggle'' agaisn''t very good, pacey opposition whereas I believe Nelson would get torn apart. 

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[quote user="Boyo"][quote user="GJP"][quote user="Boyo"][quote user="GJP"]

[quote user="KeelansGlove"]I am glad I am not the only one that can see Askou is the best centrehalf at the club. Maybe we haven''t seen the best of Whitbread yet but for me Askou is the first name on the team sheet[/quote]

He is the weakest for me, assuming we haven''t seen Whitbread produce anything like his best form.

If Askou is our best central defender then I think we''re in a bit of trouble.

[/quote]

He is way ahead of Nelson!  Last season everyone was moaning about Nelson saying he is cr*p, then all of a sudden he scores two goals and he is a really good defender who has Championship quality!  Askou isn''t the best centre back at the club but he certainly isn''t the worst because Michael Nelson fills that spot.

By the way.  I''m not saying you think Nelson is really good it''s just that a lot of people think he is and I linked your post to other peoples. [:)]

[/quote]

Yup, well as it goes...I wasn''t one of those people. Infact I did try to suggest it might be best not write off Nelson after 1 game.

I do wonder what the perception of Askou would be if he had played in the 7-1. Having said that, there were already signs before the season started that Nelson had been put down as a lower league defender who wouldn''t be good enough for us.

Like I say, defensively Nelson is a better player than Askou, in my opinion. Particularly positionally. And I don''t think either of them are great on the ball, Askou is just as likely to launch it or give it away as Nelson is.

 

 

[/quote]

I''m not saying I think he wasn''t very good because of the opening day because I wasn''t impressed towards the end of the season either whilst everyone else thought he was Lucio!

I wouldn''t say he is better defensively really.  They are both good in the air, they are both strong tacklers.  Nelson''s positional play is OK but not anything to excited about however, he really does lack pace.  Askou is quicker than Nelson, although not a ''quick'' player himself.  Also he makes a lot more important tackles and just generally makes a lot more tackles, which then does show that his positional play would be just as good as Nelson because he has to be in position to make those tackles because if he wasn''t in position the opposition would just run past him.  Also they are both not great at distribution but at least Askou can kick it straight.

Overall they are fairly similar but Askou is ahead of him because in the stuff they are both good at he is stronger.  Nelson, for me, is a good League 2 defender who can hold his own in League 1.  Askou, for me is a very good League 1 defender who I believe can hold his own in the Championship.  Askou could ''struggle'' agaisn''t very good, pacey opposition whereas I believe Nelson would get torn apart. 

[/quote]

Well, as we know, it is all about opinions but I think yo''re off the mark on a lot of those points.

This is a bit like the Russell Martin/Michael Spillane. Plenty of people on here think/thought Spillane was the better option but I always thought he was definitely the weaker of the two. Spillane never did as much for as Martin but yet was held in higher regard. He was overrated.

However, when it came down to it we''ve just seen who the manager rates more highly and, in this case, I suspect when push comes to shove the manager is going to back Nelson ahead of Askou.

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We haven''t seen who Lambert rates higher out of Askou and Nelson because when Nelson was playing all the time Askou was injured.  When Askou was able to be picked again there was about 4 to 6 games left if I remember rightly so as we were pushing for the title it would have been stupid to bring in a player straight off the back of a long term injury who would not be match fit and not quite up to ''scratch''.

If Askou and Spillane didn''t get injured (Spillane because he could have filled in the CB position) Nelson wouldn''t have been anywhere near the first team.  When Askou was in the team for a short space of time he didn''t really have a bad game.  Nelson in my opinion had quite a few.

Isn''t it funny how opinions change!  When Askou was in the team he was great but, because he has had an injury lay off he is all of a sudden not a very good player.  When Nelson first got in the team (not the opening day, the start of his games from about January onwards) he wasn''t a very good player at all but then he has a couple of half decent games, score two goals and he just about as good as Lucio and is a very good defender.

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[quote user="Boyo"]Isn''t it funny how opinions change!  When Askou was in the team he was great but, because he has had an injury lay off he is all of a sudden not a very good player.  When Nelson first got in the team (not the opening day, the start of his games from about January onwards) he wasn''t a very good player at all but then he has a couple of half decent games, score two goals and he just about as good as Lucio and is a very good defender.[/quote]If you actually genuinely believe any of this to be the case then you''re even more stupid than I had you down for.

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Whitbread and Ward will start the season.  These are both Lambert''s signings and he hasn''t signed them to sit on the bench this season.  Obviously we don''t know how they will gel but I have no doubt that they will be our best centre back pairing since Malky and Flem.

Whether any of you prefer Askou or Nelson, it makes no difference - Lambert WILL start with Whitbread and Ward provided they are both fit.  Askou and Nelson will be able reserves but neither will be strong enough to hold down a first team place in the Championship.   

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[quote user="Graham Humphrey"][quote user="Boyo"]Isn''t it funny how opinions change!  When Askou was in the team he was great but, because he has had an injury lay off he is all of a sudden not a very good player.  When Nelson first got in the team (not the opening day, the start of his games from about January onwards) he wasn''t a very good player at all but then he has a couple of half decent games, score two goals and he just about as good as Lucio and is a very good defender.[/quote]
If you actually genuinely believe any of this to be the case then you''re even more stupid than I had you down for.
[/quote]

Well I''m not saying you have done this but people have!

When Nelson first got in the team people did not like him as a player and thought he was poor.  He did not change.  He was still poor right the way through his run of games minus a few good ones e.g. ColU away.  However he scored the goal that won us promotion and understanably he was given hero status but he went from a poor player to a good player overnight and I don''t understand that.

Also when Askou started playing he was doing well and there was a lot of praise for him and rightly so.  Then a couple of months later after and injury and after two goals from another defender he is the weakest centre back at the club and I don''t understand that either.

So if this hasn''t happened, why did Nelson go from a poor player in Febuary to a good player in July?

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[quote user="Flashman"]

Whitbread and Ward will start the season.  These are both Lambert''s signings and he hasn''t signed them to sit on the bench this season.  Obviously we don''t know how they will gel but I have no doubt that they will be our best centre back pairing since Malky and Flem.

Whether any of you prefer Askou or Nelson, it makes no difference - Lambert WILL start with Whitbread and Ward provided they are both fit.  Askou and Nelson will be able reserves but neither will be strong enough to hold down a first team place in the Championship.   

[/quote]

No, I totally agree with this but I don''t see how Nelson is better than Askou.  But yeh, I agree with you and I think we will have a very good centre back pairing if Whitbread lives up to his potential.

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[quote user="Boyo"]When Nelson first got in the team people did not like him as a player and thought he was poor.  He did not change.  He was still poor right the way through his run of games minus a few good ones e.g. ColU away.  However he scored the goal that won us promotion and understanably he was given hero status but he went from a poor player to a good player overnight and I don''t understand that.

Also when Askou started playing he was doing well and there was a lot of praise for him and rightly so.  Then a couple of months later after and injury and after two goals from another defender he is the weakest centre back at the club and I don''t understand that either.

So if this hasn''t happened, why did Nelson go from a poor player in Febuary to a good player in July?

[/quote]You don''t get it, you really don''t.  Maybe if you actually bothered to read other peoples'' posts properly, and recognise that not everybody has the same view on players as you, we may start getting somewhere.  None of what you said happened in reality; only in your own head, more or less.

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