Number 3 Zak Jules

Disappointed that we re signed Guthrie. Seems to have gone AWOL again no doubt injured. Could have paid for a decent goal poacher could his wages. I can’t see us getting much game time from him this season.

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Ultimately he has the trust of DC though, same with Sinclair.

Worked with both for years at Bristol and they helped drag tem out of non league into mid table league 1.

Then both dropped down a division when they were still regulars to help him out here.

I think that’s why Clarke stays in the team even when he has a poor game or two as DC knows him more than say Jules. Let’s also remember McDonald was taken out of the team around October/November, now he’s an automatic pick. I’d be surprised if Jules dosen’t get to that status this season.

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Has all the attributes to be the best centre back at the club.

Never a left back in a million years!

He was poor the other night, positioning was poor and turn of pace worse.

He’s lost if he can’t get into a physical battle.

There were a couple of times where James Clarke was really too far forward and caught out for pace, fortunately, Rovers didn’t capitalize on it so it didn’t cost us.
Whilst I appreciate DC rewarding him for his loyalty, surely as a manager, you have to pick the best 11 available.
As stated, Clarke would not be in my back four.

I have same thoughts on Clarke as whenever I see him, he appears a bit off pace and slow to react. I don’t know how much his asthma affects him as last season, whenever I was at a game, he’d chuck his inhaler on the sideline before the start / re-start. He often has hands on knees so wonder if he can have bad spells of it in a game.
As for right back, he looked anything but convincing in the game at crewe. Maybe solid enough defensively there (without the pace) but nothing more.

You have to be a good footballer these days to play full back, the ‘role’ has changed from what it was years ago. You don’t really see big or tall full backs - you have to be agile and quick off the mark e.g. playing 1-2s down the line so sticking a centre back there only limits what you can do. Jules looks a touch better at FB but is certainly a CB first and foremost.

I’d go with Scarr and Jules but not sure if we have an imbalance of centre backs who prefer the ‘left of the two’ position hence why clarke plays so much.

He didn’t look solid defensively in the game at Chelthenam, he got tore a new one. He wasn’t the only poor player, but he looked dead on his feet after 15 minutes. Certainly not the player DC described when he signed him. Managers will have their favourites though.

Yes, I don’t think you’ll see too many like Geoff Palmer or Garry Pendrey playing hundreds of games in the top division these days. Like you say, they have to be able to play the game, as well as have engines that will get them up and down the flanks. For us, Demetriou and Henry played the role superbly, the ideal modern full backs.

Totally agree with Demetriou and Henry… they were fantastic all rounders in that position and had great engines.

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I’m not sure where I set on the Jules at fullback debate. Like many have already said, he’s not really the build to play as a modern full back. If you think back to his best performances last year though, they all came at full back where he combined really well with McDonald offensively as well as managing to do the dirty work at the back too

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Jules really struggled against their right winger that day aswell, simply a poor team performance.

If I were Jules I would be asking for a transfer, not included again today despite some cracking performances. It’s clear DC don’t rate him so he’s wasting his time with us.

Well we have kept a clean sheet today but I think it is very harsh to leave Jules out today.

He’ll start the next game with the CCM injury.

Could not understand why he didnt start today tbh.

I didn’t think CCM played well yesterday, he did put in some crunching tackles, a couple were reckless, and was fortunate (imho) not to be sent off.
He didn’t support McDonald at all on the left flank and generally had a poor game.
I don’t understand why DC did not include him in the starting eleven, though it seems he will get his chance now as CCM may be out for a while.

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A few people seem to be confident that Jules will play in place of CCM if he’s kept out by injury. But since many others have noted that he is better as a left sided CH than LB (or LWB) why would DC turn to him to do that job rather than Nurse? Unless of course we switch to 3/5 at the back …

It will be Nurse at LB in my opinion. I also thought CCM did ok yesterday except for a couple of occasions when his concentration let him down but he is still on a learning curve.

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I hope Clarke does mix it up formation wise time to time, it keeps the opposition guessing. Just felt a bit sorry for Jules yesterday as he has had 2 solid first games this season. In my opinion Norman and Jules have been stand out in first 3 games.

It’s not a knock on CCM, but Zack is in a rich vein of form at the moment it’s difficult leaving him out.
I like his diversity, LB, CB or LWB he can play any of those positions well. Put him up front, he would give it a go.
Jules only problem seems to be the chip on his shoulder giving him a sense of entitlement to play, we all know what DC thinks about that!