Advanced centre mid, playing in the hole behind the strikers is where he mainly played for Ipswich & at Newcastle.
Remember, when we bought him (£1.1m?), he'd broken into the Newcastle squad for the last dozen or so matches and the Geordies were raving about him. He played in the hole. They were stunned when Graeme Sourness let him go to us.
When he was a regular for the under 21s he played in the hole behind the front 2 and looked a great player.In pre season he played in the hole and looked good and scored goas.Was it curbs who started playing him on the wing?
Ambrose has NEVER been a winger. I have never understood how he got labelled as one or why Curbs thought it was a good idea to play him there. The boy has class but has to be played in his proper position, which is central midfield supporting the striker(s). I get sick of saying it, but he is still only 23 & will hopefully develop into a very good player for us.
Looking back, Curbs always liked to sign a player who could play in more than one position - he saw that as flexibility and a strength with team tactics if he needed to change things - without disruptive changes in personel during the course of a match.
And if a player only had just the one favoured position he would attempt to use that player's abilities elsewhere at times.
Konchesky moved from left back to left mid would be an example where Curbs was proved right.
He wasn't always right though - and maybe Ambrose was played wide because Curbs didn't see where else he could fit him into the team. With the exception of perhaps Murphy/Jensen, Curbs liked centre mids who were hard running, ball winning 'in your face' players and, with the best will in the world, you can't really fit Ambrose into that category.
Pards seems to believe that a player plays best, of course, in his specialist position - but even he's been determined to often fit Ambrose in the team on the wing, possibly because Ambrose is capable of sublime skills at times and it's better overall to use him then leave him out.
If Ambrose had say Varney's pace, perhaps his best position would never had been in question.
[cite]Posted By: AFKA Bartram[/cite]makes me even more annoyed after that.
If he played HALF that well every game......
Well done Darren, you've showed what you're capable of, not lets see it a bit more regularly eh ??
I was singing his praises as a sub a week or so ago. He was great in the first half, but apart from one shot that he blazed over in the second, we didn't see much of him. If he could only give a consistent performance during the game.......
Apart from two decent goals, ol Darren contributed enormously to my afternoon's enjoyment by silencing the bloke a couple of rows back.He no doubt went home unhappy that he could not complain with the vigour to which he has recently become accustomed :) Thought Matt Holland played well today, he was always available as an option and great overlap and cross for the first goal. Bit of everything yesterday.A lot of niggles going on all over the place but Idid laugh when Mills chucked that bloke on the floor.
Darren's totally white shorts at the end of the game says it all really..... and some people on here said with Reid being out maybe a blessing in disguise dont think so looking at yesterday.
I dont think you can really single any one player yesterday - it was the whole team! I have seen better football on a sunday morning on Hackney Marshes. How they can call themselves professional footballers after that display in beyond me.
Pards had said a day or two earlier on the OS that Ambrose was definitely out.
I guess they gave him an injection and promised to get him subbed early 2nd half.
But with flu victim Sodje & Sam getting crocked in that bad tackle just before half time, then Mills gobbing off the ref, he stayed on.
I really don't see the point of playing a player who's carrying an injury. An injection doesn't make a player fit, it just numbs the pain - and there's always the chance of aggravating the injury further.
Still, I suppose we're down to bare bones at the moment, so Pards thought it worth the gamble.
Barmen adorers can be an enigma - a dreamers born, you might say. A sombre errand is the problem - or red man bares his soul. He, of course, rears doberman, but barred moaners, he should be in the team.
Comments
spot on, it's the centre or not at all for ambrose
Remember, when we bought him (£1.1m?), he'd broken into the Newcastle squad for the last dozen or so matches and the Geordies were raving about him. He played in the hole. They were stunned when Graeme Sourness let him go to us.
exactly, play him there & he'll do the business.
well done Darren!!!!!
More please Darren. You've shown you CAN PLAY.
And if a player only had just the one favoured position he would attempt to use that player's abilities elsewhere at times.
Konchesky moved from left back to left mid would be an example where Curbs was proved right.
He wasn't always right though - and maybe Ambrose was played wide because Curbs didn't see where else he could fit him into the team. With the exception of perhaps Murphy/Jensen, Curbs liked centre mids who were hard running, ball winning 'in your face' players and, with the best will in the world, you can't really fit Ambrose into that category.
Pards seems to believe that a player plays best, of course, in his specialist position - but even he's been determined to often fit Ambrose in the team on the wing, possibly because Ambrose is capable of sublime skills at times and it's better overall to use him then leave him out.
If Ambrose had say Varney's pace, perhaps his best position would never had been in question.
Perhaps since Toddy's been injured, Pards has had Ambrose playing in the hole in training - to play that Toddy role?
We've certainly missed the composed, unflappable & unrushed Toddy until today.
Ambrose is the new Toddy. ;o)
I was singing his praises as a sub a week or so ago. He was great in the first half, but apart from one shot that he blazed over in the second, we didn't see much of him. If he could only give a consistent performance during the game.......
I thought all the rumors had been scotched now!!
Thought Matt Holland played well today, he was always available as an option and great overlap and cross for the first goal.
Bit of everything yesterday.A lot of niggles going on all over the place but Idid laugh when Mills chucked that bloke on the floor.
Agreed. What a frustrating player! He has the talent, why can't he apply it consistently?
The same can be said of Jerome and could be said of Rommedahl though.
Kish was consistent :-)
Pards had said a day or two earlier on the OS that Ambrose was definitely out.
I guess they gave him an injection and promised to get him subbed early 2nd half.
But with flu victim Sodje & Sam getting crocked in that bad tackle just before half time, then Mills gobbing off the ref, he stayed on.
I really don't see the point of playing a player who's carrying an injury. An injection doesn't make a player fit, it just numbs the pain - and there's always the chance of aggravating the injury further.
Still, I suppose we're down to bare bones at the moment, so Pards thought it worth the gamble.
Thai M, nice one.