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Eaton Yellow

Russell Martin

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Not taking anything away from the win yesterday. Thoroughly enjoyed it after so much dull football in recent years. But I don''t think martin will prevail as a cb through the season. I understand he''s played there times before, as cover. IMO he looks suspect and I think Ruddy and Turner bailed him out a few occasions. I much prefer Bennett. Worrying thing to me seems he''s Adams ''yes man'' as he''s just jumped above two better cb''s in the pecking order.

Apologies if there''s another thread on this

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Yeah I think everyone agrees Eaton. I think the main issue is that Whittaker is just so poor defensively and can''t cross when he does get forward either.

Adams has said he wants a CB so hopefully this means Martin will go back to RB, fingers crossed

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Yes I agree, Whittaker has been poor thus far. Shame as I thought he was talented but just had few injuries and in and out too much. I hope we can reinvest in a better cb. Watch this space I guess.

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I don''t know if there''s a lot of difference between Martin and Whittaker at full back, Whittaker was the right back during the ten game run after all and that was In the prem.

whereas Martin is at best 4th best centre back at the club( that''s being generous to him.) the real problem is that he''s been made captain so will effectively play wether he deserves to or not. He''s either got to play at rb or not at all

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I think the understanding between centre backs will grow and I think Martin has what it takes to play centre back.

I think people are just wanting Martin to go back at rb because Whittaker has looked shakey.

IMO the full backs are our weakness atm but it was encouraging to see garrido grow into the game yesterday he had a few shakey moments but I think his confidence is improving with game time.

It may be time to investigate the potential of Elliot Bennett at rb as I believe he''d do a very good job there and add a dimension to his play. Bennett and Redmond down the right has got to be the fastest wing in the league surely.

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I would love that Buh

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

-----Martin--Turner--Bennett-----

Bennett----------------------Olsson

--------Howson----Tettey-----------

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

-----Grabban--------Lafferty-------

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Perhaps he will play better with occupancy of the CB position, and perhaps in the Championship he will get away with it, but I think that Bennett is better, certainly in the air.

I think that with Whittaker our only other senior RB, we need to sign someone for RB and also CB. I''ve thought this right from the end of last season, and even earlier. We didn''t ship goals yesterday, but I suspect that this was largely because we were playing against 10 men, and only one of them up front. Whenever we play a team with pacey wingers, I fear the worst.

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The reason I don''t fancy Martin at CH is that I find it difficult to remember him winning a single aerial challenge yesterday.

Similarly to when we conceded last week, he has a tendency to get dominated in the air; this matters less at RB but will hurt us at CH.

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I really think we need a new right back as while Martin is better than Whittaker but I''m not overly confident in either of them.

The other point of interest with the back 4 is what do we do if come September Bassong is still on the books? Surely we won''t be paying him to sit in the reserves?

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Chris Gunter at RB i''ve always thought could do a good job. CB, well there''s a lot out there. We got promoted with Zak Whitbread and Leon Barnett; they''re not even in the starting team they''re now playing for.

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Must say I agree with all points, I think Whittaker has more about him than martin at rb. But yes he looks Shakey. Ideally both being replaced I''d prefer. Something I hope will be addressed soon. But I''m glad I''m not the only one that thinks this

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Jesus Christ we have another good CB and he''s called Ryan Bennett. Let Russ play RB or stay on the bench. Ideally we''d buy someone half-decent at RB to match Olsson on the other side. Why have all that money coming in if we''re not going to use it in a key position? I would still buy another CB too as we need 4 at least really (Gafaiti as cover)

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Correct me if I am wrong but doesn''t he play centre back for Scotland? Strachan rates him there & he does bring a bit of mobility to our CB''s. The ideal would be some fella called Bassong remembering he is a top class CB.

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I agree with mickdundee that there is not much between russ and whit at rb; but with russ captain he is going to play, so my logic is bennett or a new cb will strengthen the defence by moving russ out wide again...

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imo there''s quite a noticeable difference in ability between martin and whits at RB. The only thing whits has over martin is that he gets forward more, but he can''t defend, pass, cross, tackle, header as well. His movement when tracking back is terrible compared to martin''s.

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Whittaker can play RB or LB - when he arrived he played LB at first. Just looked at the player profiles on the NCFC website and Martin is actually taller than R Bennett - M 6''1", B 5''11"

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If you watch the interview with him on the clubs youtube channel it''s pretty clear he will be a starting CB this season.

He''s kept the Captaincy, he''s been given the No. 5, he''s stated in that interview that Adams and Strachan think it''s his best position and it''s where he enjoys playing.

It can get debated to death whether people on here think he''s good enough or not (personally I think he is a more than adequate Championship CB and will only get better as he plays there regularly), but I will eat my hat if, other than injury, he doesn''t play the majority of games there for us this season.

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Evesham Canary says "Correct me if I am wrong but doesn''t he play centre back for Scotland?"

No correction necessary but not too relevant. After all, Whittaker often gets in that team as well.

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[quote user="mrs miggins"]imo there''s quite a noticeable difference in ability between martin and whits at RB. The only thing whits has over martin is that he gets forward more, but he can''t defend, pass, cross, tackle, header as well. His movement when tracking back is terrible compared to martin''s.[/quote]

Spot on.

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The Scotland argument isn''t a good argument as they don''t have a better CB than Martin, whereas we do. If they did, i''m sure Martin would play at RB, even if it''s Strachan in charge

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