Kolin Kob 0 Posted September 19, 2011 What''s been your best XI so far?I''d go for: Ruddy Naughton De Laet Tierney Crofts JohnsonBennett Pilkington Hoolahan Morison C MartinI think De Laet has been our best centre back if you take the big errors out of the equation, and Morison and C Martin haven''t really put a foot wrong.That said, I think our best-balanced team in the longer term this season is likely to be: RuddyNaughton Barnett Ayala Tierney Fox Johnson Bennett Pilkington Hoolahan VaughanThoughts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJP 79 Posted September 19, 2011 [quote user="Kolin Kob"]What''s been your best XI so far?I''d go for: Ruddy Naughton De Laet Tierney Crofts JohnsonBennett Pilkington Hoolahan Morison C MartinI think De Laet has been our best centre back if you take the big errors out of the equation, and Morison and C Martin haven''t really put a foot wrong.That said, I think our best-balanced team in the longer term this season is likely to be: RuddyNaughton Barnett Ayala Tierney Fox Johnson Bennett Pilkington Hoolahan VaughanThoughts?[/quote]My thoughts are that Ayala won''t be a regular first team fixture this season and that Grant Holt will be. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Morisons Prozac 0 Posted September 19, 2011 RuddyNaughton Ward Barnett Tierney Fox JohnsonBennett Hoolahan Vaughan Morison Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrs miggins 0 Posted September 20, 2011 why would ward be in your team so far? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Morisons Prozac 0 Posted September 20, 2011 [quote user="mrs miggins"]why would ward be in your team so far?[/quote]Judging by the performances of De Laet and Whitbread I thought it would be obvious. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrs miggins 0 Posted September 20, 2011 but ward was worse than whitbread and barnett last season. (plus the fact that he hasn''t played yet)? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BW 0 Posted September 20, 2011 what planet are you on crofts looooooool Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hogesar 9,760 Posted September 20, 2011 [quote user="mrs miggins"]but ward was worse than whitbread and barnett last season. (plus the fact that he hasn''t played yet)?[/quote]Disagree. Ward was the most consistent last season Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TIL 1010 4,798 Posted September 20, 2011 Why are some posters obsessed with finding our "best" eleven and sticking with it for the season? Jeezzuuss we have a 25 man squad to give flexibilty against who we play and what style and tactics opposition teams use. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Robert N. LiM 4,509 Posted September 20, 2011 Not sure your ''best XI'' can really be set out with three at the back and only one centre-half. We''re never going to play that team.I''ve been banging on about 4-2-3-1 all season, and fortunately Lambert has finally listened to me. Hopefully we''ll stick with that.As the copper says, it''s a squad game and we should switch the personnel depending on the opposition, but I think that we should try and get a consistent system going. It''s asking a lot of these players to work to a different formation every week. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chicken 0 Posted September 20, 2011 [quote user="hogesar"][quote user="mrs miggins"]but ward was worse than whitbread and barnett last season. (plus the fact that he hasn''t played yet)?[/quote]Disagree. Ward was the most consistent last season[/quote]This. To me Ward is a massive player for us. He is able to put the bustling target man in his pocket and he is also a very good player with the ball at his feet. I think he is a bit of a leader as well, which is what we are missing in the centre back area right now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chelmsford Canary 0 Posted September 20, 2011 [quote user="hogesar"][quote user="mrs miggins"]but ward was worse than whitbread and barnett last season. (plus the fact that he hasn''t played yet)?[/quote]Disagree. Ward was the most consistent last season[/quote]Consistently poo? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chelmsford Canary 0 Posted September 20, 2011 [quote user="TIL 1010"]Why are some posters obsessed with finding our "best" eleven and sticking with it for the season? Jeezzuuss we have a 25 man squad to give flexibilty against who we play and what style and tactics opposition teams use.[/quote]Yes!! Agreed.Were the opposition have no pace at back use the pace of Pilk and Bennett etc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrs miggins 0 Posted September 20, 2011 [quote user="hogesar"][quote user="mrs miggins"]but ward was worse than whitbread and barnett last season. (plus the fact that he hasn''t played yet)?[/quote]Disagree. Ward was the most consistent last season[/quote] consistant. yes he was consistant. consistantly average. I was pleased that we have ward (are you listening NCFC4LIFE) as he was on a free, but you know what your gonna get from him as he''s done it when he was at Coventry as well. - play very averagely* making clumsy mistakes until the last 10 games of the season where he suddenly terrific so people can rember him as being a good player. (i''m sure he doesn''t do it intentionally) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Robert N. LiM 4,509 Posted September 20, 2011 So it''s agreed is it, Ward is rubbish.Strange that that football ignoramus Paul Lambert rates him so highly, then... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Norfolk Mustard 94 Posted September 20, 2011 [quote user="Kolin Kob"]What''s been your best XI so far?I''d go for: Ruddy Naughton De Laet Tierney Crofts JohnsonBennett Pilkington Hoolahan Morison C MartinI think De Laet has been our best centre back if you take the big errors out of the equation, and Morison and C Martin haven''t really put a foot wrong.That said, I think our best-balanced team in the longer term this season is likely to be: RuddyNaughton Barnett Ayala Tierney Fox Johnson Bennett Pilkington Hoolahan VaughanThoughts?[/quote] Isn''t that a bit like saying a certain striker has been our top scorer providing you add the opportunities he missed into the equation? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chicken 0 Posted September 20, 2011 Some people on this thread have said some pretty daft stuff if you ask me.Ward is an incredibly focused player. His one failing is not being the fastest ever defender otherwise he likes to play it out of defence and is incredibly strong.The two penalties that happened outside of the box would never have happened if it was him because he would have edged them off the ball before the box. And like R.Martin he does the simple things first rather than try and do silly little tricks that can get you into trouble.He is also a bit more of a leader.Whilst De Laet and Barnett have proven they can perform at this level I do think that at times they lack the decision making that you sometimes need at the back. Having someone with a good command telling you what to do at the back can be important. Whether its to hack it out and let the team re-group or where a pass is.As others have said though. Got to play the best team for the situation being taken on. So far I think Lambert has got it pretty spot on. And if not for some random ref decisions we may have more points on the board. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJP 79 Posted September 20, 2011 [quote user="Robert N. LiM"]So it''s agreed is it, Ward is rubbish. Strange that that football ignoramus Paul Lambert rates him so highly, then...[/quote]Exactly. Ward was probably the most underrated player in our glorious promotion campaign. If we''d had such an average/below average guy at centreback playing the number of games that he did I don''t think we''d have finished 2nd or even close to it. As Lambert said he was "massive" for us last season. I''m sure he''ll be very much in contention to reclaim his place in the team once he has returned to full fitness. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary_on_the Trent 0 Posted September 20, 2011 I find it a little odd that we won promotion with such a poor centre back starting 39 of 46 games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chicken 0 Posted September 20, 2011 @Canary on the trent:And on top of that how many centre back partners?Askou, Nelson, Barnett, Whitbread, R.Martin . . . . any more?And in his first season at the club. Mind you the same people moaning are the ones that probably got on the case of R.Martin who is now seen as one of our better players. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
