Pratley was given constant credit by a majority of our fans. He was at the centre of our previous one-and-a-half seasons of midfield drudgery, he lost the ball all the time, he was so immense Doncaster kept cutting through us and should have won until their keeper decided to hand him a tap-in, he was particularly instrumental in that dreadful run preceding Bowyer's departure, he committed constant fouls, handing away possession that way too, and his only forward contributions were his one set-piece goal a season and the occasional hoof.
Just for balance, like. I mean, sometimes he played well. Even I can admit that. He just wasn't a long-term solution and he's certainly not someone we should have looked to this or last season to get us promoted.
Pearce, on the other hand, is a centre-back. There's no good comparison. (I also rated Pratley as a centre-back, where he couldn't do so much damage.)
Game management isn't all about kicking the opposition and starting barneys, even if Pratley did a fine job of that at Wembley, yes we all remember
This is a very ungenerous reimagining of Pratley's time at Charlton; it's not quite balance you're offering. To be fair, you've been consistent in your disdain for him, but it's not always been fair on him. I'd say when he joined he was a bit of a mess. Bowyer brought him on to close out games and it tended to just invite more pressure onto us because he hadn't found his feet with us yet. He became instrumental during the Play-Offs (might have been a tap in but he was the one who knew that straight after Doncaster took the lead it was time to make sure we put them under pressure and it's Pratley who's bang in the centre of the box when that ball comes across. He even reads it better than the others; Williams, Cullen and the Donny players are still running forward when the keeper pushes it out but Pratley's watching the keeper. That's game management). Like you say, he was great at Wembley and we all remember it (just as we remember Naby's own goal and his missed penalty against Donny winky face etc) but it shouldn't be forgotten that he was absolutely immense for us at the start of the Championship season. He was meant to be eased out by Field but he kept his place for a fair while based on his performances, and the only reason we were even still in the conversation at the end was because of the ridiculously good start we made. Then when Field exploded Pratley was one of our better performers amongst some terrible results and had the decency to not get crippled like everyone else in our squad despite being a thousand years old. For a look at just how bad a player can be in that position, and how they can still stand out as bad despite everything else around them being terrible, see David Davis. Pratley is a player who weirdly did far better for us at Championship level than League One either time. I agree, definitely not the one to get us promoted and I don't mourn him going now, just that we didn't replace him with a suitable player.
Oh yeah, Davis was absolutely shocking and had no presence. Pratley at least had that, but he was always a reactive player whose undoubted presence was destructive, interrupting the opposition but not creating any influence on our own play. The best DMs do both, even in League One, which is why Bielik and Cullen were a promotion midfield. (Also, Field was starting to show he could do that, which is why his injury was so devastating for us)
Field would have been so good if he'd stayed fit. If we'd actually been able to have a midfield of Field, Cullen, Gallagher and Williams with Kayal to rotate in, with Leko and Taylor up front all season we wouldn't even know who George Dobson was
Field would have been so good if he'd stayed fit. If we'd actually been able to have a midfield of Field, Cullen, Gallagher and Williams with Kayal to rotate in, with Leko and Taylor up front all season we wouldn't even know who George Dobson was
Pratley was given constant credit by a majority of our fans. He was at the centre of our previous one-and-a-half seasons of midfield drudgery, he lost the ball all the time, he was so immense Doncaster kept cutting through us and should have won until their keeper decided to hand him a tap-in, he was particularly instrumental in that dreadful run preceding Bowyer's departure, he committed constant fouls, handing away possession that way too, and his only forward contributions were his one set-piece goal a season and the occasional hoof.
Just for balance, like. I mean, sometimes he played well. Even I can admit that. He just wasn't a long-term solution and he's certainly not someone we should have looked to this or last season to get us promoted.
Pearce, on the other hand, is a centre-back. There's no good comparison. (I also rated Pratley as a centre-back, where he couldn't do so much damage.)
Game management isn't all about kicking the opposition and starting barneys, even if Pratley did a fine job of that at Wembley, yes we all remember.
Enlightenning 'journalistic' balance. Especially as the majority of the blowhard section of our fanbase love to criticise Pearce and Pratley with virtually no analysis on the glaring inadequacies of our other players. Yes at times Pratley doesn't move the ball forward quickly, but unlike Watson he breaks tackles and brings the team up with him. Whilst Watson's geriatric turn and pass works once every few matches. Is Pratley better than Bielik on the ball? No, but he reads the game better and is a much better organiser. Bielik has the potential to be a hugely superior player if he improves on his in game organistion: Proved at Derby before his injury, when he helped transform a possesion based side from pretty average to dog shit. Wonderful footballer to watch, but doesn't magically transform a match when it's going against you just like Pratley: He'd have looked worse than Pratley last season when Pratley had to cover the defensive holes of three players. As for Doncaster was that where he came on in the second half? Where they dominated the first half, then in the second when they went on top most of their threat was with Wilks. Who was on that side? Oh yeah Cullen and Djikstel, who didn't cope. Personally I think Cullen's the best player we've had the last few years, so I'm in no way attempting to destroy Cullen, but both he and Djikstel were poor. The simplest thing was to drop Aribo deeper, as he barely threatened second half, so Cullen could properly double up on Wilks. Clearly Bowyer would not change this. But yeah 'journalistic' balance, just totally misses the actual reality of where we lost the tactical battle, whilst you imply Pratley as a main factor. Cullen, Bielik and Aribo were poor that season at adapting when teams overlapped or found their wingers quickly. Pretty myopic to blame it all on Pratley, especially when he actually came on and they had fewer shots, until where they eventually turned the screw wasn't even his side. Now thats what I call no informed balance.
I thought Famewo was very uneven. Some real class moments, combined with some ropey ones. This time last year, he was consistently good, but he isn't now
You might not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but that doesn't mean the dog doesn't know some good old tricks. He's looking rejuvenated with the pace and ball playing of Famewo and Clare either side of him. They allow him to just focus on organizing, heading everything that goes above knee level, and some good old-fashioned shithousery. Hasn't put a foot wrong since coming off the bench to replace Lavelle. Plenty of life left in him, at this level at least.
Following in Jacko's footsteps as an unsung club legend. And to think some people wanted rid of him in the summer.
He was our worst outfield player today (barring Lee, yes), but he was still really good, and I agree he's perfect at the centre of a back 3. Very much a club legend with the potential for more as a coach
He was our worst outfield player today, but he was still really good, and I agree he's perfect at the centre of a back 3. Very much a club legend with the potential for more as a coach
Hilarious tackle when he got booked but we're definitely a more solid side (currently) with him in the defence. Whether that remains the case when Inniss and Lavelle are back is another matter though.
I thought Clare had a stormer tbh! He had one bad moment but was saved by the offside flag so it doesn't count
No he didn't. Far from a stormer. His distribution was poor and he got caught positionally more than once but he never hid. Pearce, coming back from an absence, was immense.
In the last six games Pearce has played we've picked up 16/18 points and conceded just one goal and that was in the 1-1 draw with the top of the table side, Rotherham.
I thought Clare had a stormer tbh! He had one bad moment but was saved by the offside flag so it doesn't count
No he didn't. Far from a stormer. His distribution was poor and he got caught positionally more than once but he never hid. Pearce, coming back from an absence, was immense.
Criticising Clare for poor distribution is a little like suggesting that Jason doesn’t look very quick - it’s not in his locker . Clare has good attributes in that position and he’s having a good run but the main reason he hasn’t played more in midfield is his poor passing quality.
He was our worst outfield player today (barring Lee, yes), but he was still really good, and I agree he's perfect at the centre of a back 3. Very much a club legend with the potential for more as a coach
You joking??? purrington wasn’t great, prob his worst performance over the last month. But even that, he was still half decent. JP was very good again
That central role in the middle of a back 3 really suits him. It’ll be interesting to see who plays instead of Famewo in the cup, Pearce being a left footer seems the natural choice but JJ may prefer a quicker player in that position.
Not only does this setup bring out the best in the skipper bit it also helps Mac in goal too. He doesn't come for anything ever and that's an issue in a back 4. But now we have Pearcey as an extra man with the freedom to attack those with his head that other keepers would come for.
Breaking news.... Jason Pearce has been called up for England..........By Eddie Jones.
Pearce is a warrior with obvious short comings ( why Wigan didn't think he was good enough for Championship many years ago)but he was great entertainment last night and his antics in front of the Ipswich fans and his Rugby tackle was vintage Jason. He loves a big crowd and an audience ( just like the Pope) and at 34 is loving playing under the gaffer Johnnie Jackson.
Am definitely eating humble pie over this one as I didn't want him getting a new contract in the summer.
Superb last night and some Pratley levels of shithousery in front of the Ipswich fans when Bonne 'pushed' him over which was thoroughly enjoyable.
I think that Pearce really enjoys that side of the game, the roughhousing/physical side and the general winding up of other players and fans ( as Pratley did.)
It probably wouldn't be viable in higher divisions but a proper old school shithouse of a defender still has a place in the team of right now.
Comments
Dijksteel, Bauer, Sarr, Purrington
Field
Cullen, Aribo
Gallagher
Taylor, Leko
This is why we still hate Roland, we could have had a crack at the championship with this side with a little faith and investment. Off to cry now..
Yes at times Pratley doesn't move the ball forward quickly, but unlike Watson he breaks tackles and brings the team up with him. Whilst Watson's geriatric turn and pass works once every few matches. Is Pratley better than Bielik on the ball? No, but he reads the game better and is a much better organiser. Bielik has the potential to be a hugely superior player if he improves on his in game organistion: Proved at Derby before his injury, when he helped transform a possesion based side from pretty average to dog shit. Wonderful footballer to watch, but doesn't magically transform a match when it's going against you just like Pratley: He'd have looked worse than Pratley last season when Pratley had to cover the defensive holes of three players.
As for Doncaster was that where he came on in the second half? Where they dominated the first half, then in the second when they went on top most of their threat was with Wilks. Who was on that side? Oh yeah Cullen and Djikstel, who didn't cope. Personally I think Cullen's the best player we've had the last few years, so I'm in no way attempting to destroy Cullen, but both he and Djikstel were poor.
The simplest thing was to drop Aribo deeper, as he barely threatened second half, so Cullen could properly double up on Wilks. Clearly Bowyer would not change this. But yeah 'journalistic' balance, just totally misses the actual reality of where we lost the tactical battle, whilst you imply Pratley as a main factor. Cullen, Bielik and Aribo were poor that season at adapting when teams overlapped or found their wingers quickly. Pretty myopic to blame it all on Pratley, especially when he actually came on and they had fewer shots, until where they eventually turned the screw wasn't even his side. Now thats what I call no informed balance.
Pearcey didn't put a foot wrong last night.
But as for the rest of 'em .......
His distribution was poor and he got caught positionally more than once but he never hid.
Pearce, coming back from an absence, was immense.
purrington wasn’t great, prob his worst performance over the last month. But even that, he was still half decent.
JP was very good again
Brings out the best in both
Loved the Rugby tackle from him.
Pearce is a warrior with obvious short comings ( why Wigan didn't think he was good enough for Championship many years ago)but he was great entertainment last night and his antics in front of the Ipswich fans and his Rugby tackle was vintage Jason. He loves a big crowd and an audience ( just like the Pope) and at 34 is loving playing under the gaffer Johnnie Jackson.
Superb last night and some Pratley levels of shithousery in front of the Ipswich fans when Bonne 'pushed' him over which was thoroughly enjoyable.
It probably wouldn't be viable in higher divisions but a proper old school shithouse of a defender still has a place in the team of right now.