Steven Whittaker

[Martinlee11 0]

So Whittaker seems to be this years fall guy.... Yes he''s not the best right back we''ve seen, but I''ve seen people say he''s the worst! Don''t people remember john otsemobor???

[GJP 79]

He''s one of those players that, as far as some people are concerned, will never be able to do anything right.

 

 

[mrs miggins 0]

I think its because he''s the odd one out for Norwich atm. Everyone we have at the club is high end championship/lower level premiership standard, whereas atm, Whiits looks like he could slot into theipswich team (or any mid-table championship side), its not because he''s bad for this league, it''s more that he''s not as good as everyone else

[York Canary 28]

[quote user="mrs miggins"]I think its because he''s the odd one out for Norwich atm. Everyone we have at the club is high end championship/lower level premiership standard, whereas atm, Whiits looks like he could slot into theipswich team (or any mid-table championship side), its not because he''s bad for this league, it''s more that he''s not as good as everyone else[/quote]

Exactly this^

[kingsway 94]

I thought Whittaker was our weak link yesterday!

His major fault is his lack of pace which gets him into sticky situations particularly if his normally decent ball control deserts him!

That said he has his good points like good positional sense, good ball control, can play in more than one position, has a good shot on him and can attack!

In this Division he''s a good squad player at least!

[Herman 9,710]

Gary Holt had a good chat with him at the end of the match, so i hope he is pointing out his shortcomings.[url]http://youtu.be/1rZmpvot6to[/url] 2 minute mark.

[grefstad 0]

For me it is the combination of Whittaker and Martin which is a liability. We can afford to carry one of them, but not both.

With Martin playing mostly in the right CB, and Whitts on RB, we got a very poor combination of a CB with poor heading ability and less than adequate pace, and with Whitts we have slow pace and poor passing.

I think maybe Cuellar can play RB as well, but imho we need to address the RB position quickly, and likely also bring in another CB if R.Bennett is out for some time.

One solution could be to "convert" E.Bennett to a rightback. What I have seen of him this season is not the best of him. He seems a bit "restricted" in his play, not so strange given the time he has been out.

I think he started as a RB at Wolves as a youngster, correct me if I´m wrong.

[Molly Windley 76]

[quote user="mrs miggins"]I think its because he''s the odd one out for Norwich atm. Everyone we have at the club is high end championship/lower level premiership standard, whereas atm, Whiits looks like he could slot into theipswich team (or any mid-table championship side), its not because he''s bad for this league, it''s more that he''s not as good as everyone else[/quote]Cannot disagree with this comment.A decent utility player to come on from the bench in times of need but should never be a starter.NA would never come out and criticize individual players but he must be aware of our weakness at RB and Im confident that he will plug that one only gap we have left in the squad before the window shuts.Rumours of Ake on loan from Chelsea, could he be converted to that position?

[ref89 0]

He was played out of position yesterday.Morons.

[Rolf Harris 31]

[quote user="ref89"]He was played out of position yesterday.Morons.[/quote]

He played rb for 85 mins

[Katie Borkins 1]

Positionally poor, weak at tackling and not the best header, not a fan.

[ZLF 271]

However whittaker and martin are less the fall guys but more the clear weakest links in the team; Its impossible to argue against just two goals conceded in 4 games, but we have been weakest down the right side, which is a combination of martin at cb and whits at full back.

RB was a problem last year and does not appear to be resolved by a drop down in level (and I dont think it will be resolved with russ going there either - simply too little difference between the two players; although moving Russ out our of cb will probably improve things)

I would say redmond feels like the fall guy.

[STAN 29]

Alright Whittaker might not be the worlds best defender but his diversity has got us out of the sh*t more than once.

We''ve seen him do a reasonable job at right back, left back, right mid, left mid and even centre back. That trait alone means he''s a handy player to have around the squad.

[ZLF 271]

agreed stan - a good squad player - but better needed as a starting rb

[Bury Green 0]

When he first arrived he looked the ''Real Deal'', particularly away to Swansea where no only did he score but had an around great game.

So he can do it, he certainly did at Rangers but I wonder if it''s taken him slightly longer to recover from the horrors of last season than some of the others?

Confidence I suspect or the lack of it, he will be fine but as for the worst right back ever, do me a ------- favour, to suggest this means you never had the misfortune of watching Sutch play.

[GJP 79]

Just no way near as bad as people make out.

I think a choice of Martin/Whittaker at RB is plenty good enough for this league.

Martin at CB is the biggest worry in defence.

[BroadstairsR 2,138]

Exactly, I realise some people always need a scapegoat and that Nathan''s performance yesterday temporarily eliminated him, but Whittaker is a more than decent operator to have around.

 

A couple of comments about him have been rank nonsense.

 

An established Scottish international who cost us nowt, he is a more than decent, and versatile, character to have in our squad. Not quite at his best yesterday he nevertheless contributed to another clean sheet, as he did often in Hughton''s famous run.

 

I quite like Whitts and see him as a canny footballer who makes far more good decisions than bad, especially when coming forward.

 

He only lacks pace when confronted with the occasional greyhound, like most full-backs, ands that apart is no slouch who tackles cleanly and well.

 

We''ve had a lot worse.