From watching the first couple of games of the season I hate to admit but for me the weak link seems to be Clarke.
I know he’s our captain but I wouldn’t mind seeing how we look with Scar plus another instead of Clarke just to compare the difference. Maybe Jules in the centre or Saddler but for me Clarke is the weak link getting turned constantly by the opposition, hardly jumping off the floor yesterday for the second goal and just looking devoid of pace
Think Scarr’s got away a little unnoticed here, he was bullied all first half and also looked completely lost.
3 Likes
Both were poor in the first half yesterday and I would certainly bring Nurse in at left back and try Jules in the middle. Clarke does not look fit to me and has certainly not started the season well.
2 Likes
Problem Clarke had yesterday was its usually him that bullies the striker, roles reversed yesterday.
1 Like
Totally agree. For a bloke who’s spent all lockdown in the gym he didn’t put his new found strength to much use yesterday. Only reason he doesn’t give it away in dangerous positions as often as James Clarke is because he decides to hoof it away at every opportunity, usually straight back to the opposition.
3 Likes
, guessing Clarke’s desire to pass out at time’s looks decent in training maybe.
Either way the current pairing will cost us many games.
We don’t know that yet. We haven’t lost yet have we?
I know it’s frustrating but we are only a couple of games in. Clarke is the captain and he’s not going anywhere.
To be honest I worry more about Scarr. If you watch Clarke closely, he knows the dark arts of defending a bit more - whereas scarr’s positional sense and distribution of the ball is very questionable.
3 Likes
It was only because Harrogate had the massive bloke upfront and that’s why we struggled in the first half.
It’s more the fact, when we resort to hoofing the ball up the pitch constantly, we dont look great.
For the first 15 minutes and the whole of the second half yesterday, when we actually played the ball on the floor, we look a much better side and limited Harrogate to just three real attempts all game.
3 Likes
Dark arts are all well and good but you have to get the basics right, especially as a senior player. Aware we’ve had this discussion before!
1 Like
Ye course , time will tell but let’s not forget this was last season central partnership and for me yesterday was a little deja vu.
This is the reason the prospect of the pairing a lot of people are touting- Jules and Scarr- frightens me a little bit. I don’t see where the nouse and leadership in that back 4 is coming from. Scarr really ought to be instructed to play square to (better) ball-players only, unless there really is nothing else on but the hoof.
Much like back in 2001, while Roper was arguably the best overall centre half on the books, neither Roper/Tillson nor Roper/Barras was as effective a pairing as Tillson/Barras, so that’s who played. On that basis, and given that our four senior centre halves have been together for 12 months now, I really believe that Sadler/Scarr ought to be our default pairing.
2 Likes
When conceding a lot of goals people tend to look for someone to blame not just our fans, it’s the way it is. Of course, defenders are the main targets, but football doesn’t always work that way. I haven’t seen yesterdays goals, but often if you analyse goals conceded, mistakes are made further up the pitch. Although I didn’t see the game yesterday it has been mentioned on here about Wes not tracking back first half in particular, and our midfield duo being bullied.
It’s early days and we have kept a couple of clean sheets including the cup games.
1 Like
Jules is the first centre half on the team sheet for me.
I myself would give Clarke one more opportunity to redeem himself as he did have a decent game against Grimsby to be fair. And if he Continues to play poorly bring in the old head Sadler for a few games who I think reads the game better than Clarke and despite his age seems fitter and less sluggish.Also has captain material and respect of the team.Whilst giving Jules another try at left back . Come on skipper sort your fitness out and show your worth. ?
A lot of teams will be bullied by them early in the season until they get found out which wont be long we did it second half and could of won the game for me they are nothing to shout about and will finish bottom half of the table once the surprise factor wears off.
1 Like
Clarke shouldn’t be starting in our first 11. Scarr is definitely a confidence player and looks much better when he has a solid CB next to him. Said this in another thread, Jules isn’t a LB but is probably our best CB so he’s got to replace Clarke. Nurse is our best LB and needs to start there. We’ve got a decent defence imo if the right players are picked and in their right positions.
Midfield wise, we have no balance at all, we’re so static with Bates/Kinsella/Guthrie/Sinclair as a pair - start with one of these sitting deep covering the defence, Osadebe starts and will do the leg work and Holden will do the fancy stuff up top
1 Like
Couldn’t agree more about the defence. I really rate Jules … as a centre back not a left back. James Clarke looks more and more national league every time you see him, old pro with a solid head but athletically way off it. If the depth chart at left back goes CCM then Jules then Nurse then why use up a loan deal on a third choice left back? Get him into the team.
1 Like
when was the last time you saw Jules play as a center back in a serious game?
We were bullied in the first half, the encouraging thing is we figured it out, made the corrections and bossed then the second half to earn a point.
Loyalty aside, DC wouldn’t hesitate to drop Clarke if he continues having bad games resulting in costly mistakes.
1 Like
13 days ago. And then last season.
I don’t think he has the ball control and technique of a left back but all the physical attributes and athleticism of a centre half 