[shaun1866]

jonnythespireite, on 09 November 2012 - 02:09 PM, said:

Big deal.

Did I say it was ? Just a difference of opinions

[jack bauer]

good to see DW getting some praise, he is a quality football player, also shows how mentally tough he must be as he was crucified by many last season,

[Sabreman]

jonnythespireite, on 09 November 2012 - 08:43 AM, said:

In your opinion. I'd be interested to see some substance to the definition of 'class'. He played really well last Saturday and I'll applaud him for that but up until then he's been average at best.

Also my opinion, Whitts has been the stand out player for me but Togwell isn't far behind him, after the first couple of weeks he's been superb, as far as defensive midfielders go you won't find any better in this division. I expect him to shine under Paul Cook especially if he makes him club captain which imo he should.
Togwell is very much a footballer in the Allott mould, he goes about his business quietly and assuredly, doesn't stand out but what he does do he does very well, he also splits opinions of him

[Spireite-Karl]

Spire Power, on 08 November 2012 - 11:57 PM, said:

I think L2 is a factor in Danny showing up so well again.

Not asking Danny repeatedly to do something he isn't comfortable with and NOT part of his game surely makes a huge difference regardless of division.
Sheridan hadn't got a clue! Shame on the fans that turned on Danny last term as he was clearly suffering from the most shocking misuse and mismanagement of a player that I've ever seen! HOW can any player ask a player of Danny's make up to do the role that Sheridan wanted him to do????? I'm so glad he's gone as he was killing our club and many were blind of the fact.

This post has been edited by Spireite-Karl: 09 November 2012 - 04:42 PM

[Sabreman]

Spireite-Karl, on 09 November 2012 - 04:34 PM, said:

Not asking Danny repeatedly to do something he isn't comfortable with and NOT part of his game surely makes a huge difference regardless of division.
Sheridan hadn't got a clue! Shame on the fans that turned on Danny last term as he was clearly suffering from the most shocking misuse and mismanagement of a player that I've ever seen! HOW can any player ask a player of Danny's make up to do the role that Sheridan wanted him to do????? I'm so glad he's gone as he was killing our club and many were blind of the fact.

Couldn't agree more mate !!

[h again]

Sabreman, on 09 November 2012 - 05:15 PM, said:

Couldn't agree more mate !!

Amazing what a couple of decent games can do. Whittaker's problem is that he can't or won't fight for the ball or go for headers, otherwise he's a class act. But in a team of eleven players it's very difficult if one isn't pulling his weight in the tackling and getting stuck in department. JS played him on the left wing with a licence to roam inside as a playmaker - it soon became apparent that this left his full back completely without cover, and every team we played used it. Even when he stayed wide his reluctance to tackle produced the same result. And so the crowd got on his back.
He had a field day against 'Pool, who didn't close down - against quick closing down he struggles. He's good to watch when he can find room - which he's good at, to be fair - but he doesn't handle tight marking and aggression very well, and it's critical at this level. And his corners are still horrible, though slightly improved on previous seasons.

[Guest_freelander2_*]

jack bauer, on 09 November 2012 - 02:28 PM, said:

good to see DW getting some praise, he is a quality football player, also shows how mentally tough he must be as he was crucified by many last season,

He had some stinkers last season, but he was in good company. What I don't understand is the total lack of respect shown by some fans towards Danny.

Whitaker, a player that played in every league game during the 2010/11 championship winning season, scoring 15 goals including a hat-trick and was named in the PFA Team of the Year!

Some of the knuckle draggers would have hounded him out of the door last season if they'd had their way.

Delighted for him.

[Wooden Spoon]

freelander2, on 10 November 2012 - 08:38 AM, said:

He had some stinkers last season, but he was in good company. What I don't understand is the total lack of respect shown by some fans towards Danny.

Whitaker, a player that played in every league game during the 2010/11 championship winning season, scoring 15 goals including a hat-trick and was named in the PFA Team of the Year!

Some of the knuckle draggers would have hounded him out of the door last season if they'd had their way.

Delighted for him.

Last season he was terrible on the left of midfield. Drifting into the centre leaving the LB exposed, not putting in the work to close down etc and I would not have upset to see him released. He has turned things around though this season, and well done for doing so.

[Spireite-Karl]

death, on 10 November 2012 - 09:52 AM, said:

Last season he was terrible on the left of midfield. Drifting into the centre leaving the LB exposed, not putting in the work to close down etc and I would not have upset to see him released. He has turned things around though this season, and well done for doing so.

He was only attempting to do a job that he was asked to do. Would you be any good at knitting jumpers? Would you not feel it a very unfair if you were made to knit jumpers and as hard as you tried you couldn't do it and folks kept having a right go at you for this? And not only that you had to try and do something that you found very difficult whilst being hounded and barracked by dozens (if not hundreds) of irate people.
Blame the idiot that asked Danny to knit and not DW himself. Let's face it DW wasn't Sheridan's only victim of totally stupidity and unfairness of asking someone to do a job that they weren't comfortable with... Remember Smith in the centre midfield anyone??

This post has been edited by Spireite-Karl: 10 November 2012 - 10:46 AM

[GSpire]

Those who think that Whitaker's form is due to both him playing in a more natural role and those who think its down to L2 football are both right IMO. Whatever the reason I'm really pleased to see him shine again.

Although 4-2-3-1 has its critics, it has to be said that it plays to our midfielder's strengths. Randall like Whits similarly can enjoy a more free role & I reackon if perservered with will be allowed to play his "on a sixpence" creative through balls and generally be more effective.

All this relies on having a rock solid duo behind them and of course the other plus point of playing this formation would be to allow Clay to play regularly - I really feel this lad deserves his place in the team. In him and Togwell I see a really successful defensive midfield partnership developing and one which should preotect our defence a bit more.

Overall although its early days there are signs that Cook will allow players to do what they are good at instead of trying to shape them into a formation which does not play to strengths. More of this please !!!!

[Wooden Spoon]

Spireite-Karl, on 10 November 2012 - 10:29 AM, said:

He was only attempting to do a job that he was asked to do. Would you be any good at knitting jumpers? Would you not feel it a very unfair if you were made to knit jumpers and as hard as you tried you couldn't do it and folks kept having a right go at you for this? And not only that you had to try and do something that you found very difficult whilst being hounded and barracked by dozens (if not hundreds) of irate people.
Blame the idiot that asked Danny to knit and not DW himself. Let's face it DW wasn't Sheridan's only victim of totally stupidity and unfairness of asking someone to do a job that they weren't comfortable with... Remember Smith in the centre midfield anyone??

In complete agreement

[EIEIEIO]

Should still have been able to do the basics though. Close down, tackle, break up play, support. He did none though. For me I think he'll be gone when his contract runs out.

[Sammy Spireite]

fishini, on 08 November 2012 - 08:40 PM, said:

I have never been a fan of Whittaker and last season I thought he was just about the worst player at the club. Now that he's playing in his preferred role just behind the front men he looks a different player. I am coming around and am getting to like him more and more. I realize we are a division lower and this may be he level. Taking nothing from him though he is doing well and is impressing me, which I may add is not an easy thing to do. Carry on doing what you are doing Danny. Well done

Fully agree, except for the "last season I thought he was just about the worst player at the club" bit. He iss never gonna be a 'roll your sleeves up and battle' type player, and in the relegation fight we were in last season, he was more a luxury we could ill-afford. Now we have players like Togwell, Atkinson etc who will do that type of stuff, he can do what he does best which is take care of the ball and create play and chances for others.

[Spireite-Karl]

death, on 10 November 2012 - 12:30 PM, said:

In complete agreement

I take it you can't knit then Death

[h again]

I don't think anybody would argue that DW is a class act when he's allowed to play the position that suits him. The problem is that however good he looks when he has the ball, he can't get it for himself - and whilst the formation now enables him to feed off the ball-wining of others to a certain extent, he'll never fulfil his potential until he learns to put in a shift of ball-winning, and learns to head it. It isn't rocket science.
He's obviuosly comfortable just behind the front runners, which is where he usually ended up under JS, but even there he can't be allowed to get away with letting the opposition run past him. Defending starts in your opponents half, as Randall dramatically demonstrated recently.

[Spireite-Karl]

h again, on 10 November 2012 - 05:48 PM, said:

I don't think anybody would argue that DW is a class act when he's allowed to play the position that suits him. The problem is that however good he looks when he has the ball, he can't get it for himself - and whilst the formation now enables him to feed off the ball-wining of others to a certain extent, he'll never fulfil his potential until he learns to put in a shift of ball-winning, and learns to head it. It isn't rocket science.
He's obviuosly comfortable just behind the front runners, which is where he usually ended up under JS, but even there he can't be allowed to get away with letting the opposition run past him. Defending starts in your opponents half, as Randall dramatically demonstrated recently.

Perhaps you should go a bit further and ask him to do a stint in goal I really don't get where you are coming from. I'd much sooner have a player like Danny that you get a good clear end product out of than Talbot who works hard, but isn't that effective.

Glen Hoddle used to get criticised by folks for being lazy; folks that didn't understand football! You didn't see Hoddle making tackles etc. The only downside I can see is playing TWO midfielders that are a little light together in Randall and Whitt's.

[h again]

Spireite-Karl, on 10 November 2012 - 05:53 PM, said:

Perhaps you should go a bit further and ask him to do a stint in goal I really don't get where you are coming from. I'd much sooner have a player like Danny that you get a good clear end product out of than Talbot who works hard, but isn't that effective.

Glen Hoddle used to get criticised by folks for being lazy; folks that didn't understand football! You didn't see Hoddle making tackles etc. The only downside I can see is playing TWO midfielders that are a little light together in Randall and Whitt's.

I'm coming from the point of view that Whittaker would be much more effective if he'd learn to tackle and head. It's a big part of any footballer's game, and we lose a lot if midfielders can't or won't apply themselves to it, no matter what else they bring to the side. He may have others to do some of the grafting in the current set-up, and he may be much more effective as a result, but until he learns to put the foot in, and the head, he's limiting the team's options and his own.
The gaffer seems to have put a bit of steel into Randall - he now needs to use DW's extra training to develop the right approach to tackling. Heading can wait 'til after Christmas if he likes.