One very interesting line from Jones there which alludes to what a lot of us have been saying - 'There are a lot of things that people think he is good at that I want to actually take out of his game'. I would bet anything that that's his tendency to hare around after the ball regardless of where he should be and his usual decision to react to danger rather than read and predict it before it arrives. Dobson is technically better than he's given credit for but the crunching tackles and big-hearted effort that gets him applause is beneath a player like him if he and the team want to progress higher up the table. Better positioning and reading of the game would make Dobson ready to be a Championship player without too much worry
Well exactly, fans see Dobson chasing across towards the full back position and often missing a big sliding challenge yet praise his endeavour and passion and believe that he 'is the only one doing anything in midfield'. Yet fail to realise the reason we were often exposed and overrun in the midfield was because of that lack of positional discipline meaning there would be gaps to exploit everywhere.
In my opinion the more refined Dobson of the last couple of games has been very good, and I hope he continues to play and develop that way.
A more refined Dobson or does the presence of someone like Coventry, who is covering areas of the pitch that Dobson used to have to because players like Fraser would be simply AWOL, mean Dobson doesn't have to "hare around" trying to cover too much of the pitch himself?
It was never really Fraser’s job to play the position Coventry is though. Dobson has been playing Dobson’s position, as the DM, almost exclusively.
Whether we like it or not the club have clearly identified that position (I’m not saying Dobson) as an issue - which is why we tried to bring in McGrandles, and Taylor (who were always injured) and then Coventry.
It was under MA when he played Dobson and Fraser as two holding CMs in a 4-2-3-1.
And more importantly the role and requirements of a double pivot is much more different that of a single pivot. If Fraser was playing as the single pivot in a 4-3-3 then fine, but he has not so it is not a valid criticism.
It’s always debatable whether a team is playing 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-2 as they’re so similar. There was a period when Fraser was regularly starting and it was often commented on how deep he was playing. May, the two Campbell’s and probably a few others played ahead of Fraser and Dobson.
Exactly how they lined up can be argued but either way it left Dobson with a lot of running to do. Now Coventry is in the team he doesn’t have to do so much as he’s more suited to the role than Fraser was, and the team as a whole are playing with more aggression and intensity.
There is probably truth in both sides, one that Jones has helped Dobson tweak his game, and two that the wider changes and improvements have also helped Dobson.
Pretty sure George will be off but it’s a mark of the bloke that he is still our captain and putting in 100% every game. If a certain ex striker of ours had that attitude we wouldn’t be in league one now ! Sorry to see him go personally and I think it’s a big mistake by the club to have let this happen
It’s always debatable whether a team is playing 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-2 as they’re so similar. There was a period when Fraser was regularly starting and it was often commented on how deep he was playing. May, the two Campbell’s and probably a few others played ahead of Fraser and Dobson.
If Nathan Jones can find a way to sneak 12 players on the pitch, we could be on to something next season.
Pretty sure George will be off but it’s a mark of the bloke that he is still our captain and putting in 100% every game. If a certain ex striker of ours had that attitude we wouldn’t be in league one now ! Sorry to see him go personally and I think it’s a big mistake by the club to have let this happen
Think it's a bit disingenuous to be saying the club "let" anything happen. They made an offer, he rejected it, that's often how it goes. But they didn't "let" him sign a binding agreement with a Hungarian team - that was all him. If anything he was apparently going to be off in January but the club (possibly at Jones' insistence) made sure he served out the last few months.
For better or worse you can't say they could make him do anything else, so it's not a case of "letting it happen."
Pretty sure George will be off but it’s a mark of the bloke that he is still our captain and putting in 100% every game. If a certain ex striker of ours had that attitude we wouldn’t be in league one now ! Sorry to see him go personally and I think it’s a big mistake by the club to have let this happen
Think it's a bit disingenuous to be saying the club "let" anything happen. They made an offer, he rejected it, that's often how it goes. But they didn't "let" him sign a binding agreement with a Hungarian team - that was all him. If anything he was apparently going to be off in January but the club (possibly at Jones' insistence) made sure he served out the last few months.
For better or worse you can't say they could make him do anything else, so it's not a case of "letting it happen."
That’s true , but they are 100% guilty of not making it easy for him to stay. Scott was delighted to show him where the door was.
Pretty sure George will be off but it’s a mark of the bloke that he is still our captain and putting in 100% every game. If a certain ex striker of ours had that attitude we wouldn’t be in league one now ! Sorry to see him go personally and I think it’s a big mistake by the club to have let this happen
Think it's a bit disingenuous to be saying the club "let" anything happen. They made an offer, he rejected it, that's often how it goes. But they didn't "let" him sign a binding agreement with a Hungarian team - that was all him. If anything he was apparently going to be off in January but the club (possibly at Jones' insistence) made sure he served out the last few months.
For better or worse you can't say they could make him do anything else, so it's not a case of "letting it happen."
That’s true , but they are 100% guilty of not making it easy for him to stay. Scott was delighted to show him where the door was.
Been a massive Dobbo fan since he first came in, but moved on from this now. Would love him to stay but, under Sir Nathan, can see bigger things to be looking forward to than the future of one player, as important. As he might've been in the past.
Pretty sure George will be off but it’s a mark of the bloke that he is still our captain and putting in 100% every game. If a certain ex striker of ours had that attitude we wouldn’t be in league one now ! Sorry to see him go personally and I think it’s a big mistake by the club to have let this happen
Think it's a bit disingenuous to be saying the club "let" anything happen. They made an offer, he rejected it, that's often how it goes. But they didn't "let" him sign a binding agreement with a Hungarian team - that was all him. If anything he was apparently going to be off in January but the club (possibly at Jones' insistence) made sure he served out the last few months.
For better or worse you can't say they could make him do anything else, so it's not a case of "letting it happen."
I think “let it happen” is correct in as much that we didn’t come up with a good enough package to encourage him to stay…..so yes, they did ‘let it happen’ because it could have been prevented.
There must be so many leaks of private information from Charlton/players/agents because it is unbelievable how many people know all the exact details of the contract offers/negotiations that have gone on between the club and George Dobson and his agent.
I love Dobbo but for me I just sense he hasn’t quite been the same player as before this episode! We should let him move on to pastures new, good luck to the lad and his young family!
Don’t let him go. He was only going because of Appleton being so crap. He didn’t know about Jones Jones has probably convinced him that we’re going to get to the premiership and he wants him with him, so there must be some kind of clause where you can change your mind. Let’s hope so anyway
It could be cheaper to buy Dobson back than get a new player in.
At least we know what we're getting.
Why buy back a player who we already decided is not good enough for the championship hence the length of contract we offered him .. if he wants 3 years and 10k a week then go abroad .. there a reason not one club in this country made an offer for him .. he a very limited player . We can do a lot better.
A lot of bold calls not bothered about the most committed midfielder we have had for years leaving. We will be a worse side without him, I'll be happy to be proven wrong but there are not many players in our pond we will be fishing in with as much to give as George Dobson
Pretty sure George will be off but it’s a mark of the bloke that he is still our captain and putting in 100% every game. If a certain ex striker of ours had that attitude we wouldn’t be in league one now ! Sorry to see him go personally and I think it’s a big mistake by the club to have let this happen
Think it's a bit disingenuous to be saying the club "let" anything happen. They made an offer, he rejected it, that's often how it goes. But they didn't "let" him sign a binding agreement with a Hungarian team - that was all him. If anything he was apparently going to be off in January but the club (possibly at Jones' insistence) made sure he served out the last few months.
For better or worse you can't say they could make him do anything else, so it's not a case of "letting it happen."
That’s true , but they are 100% guilty of not making it easy for him to stay. Scott was delighted to show him where the door was.
By offering him a contract on more money?
My understanding is that Methven got involved with an apparent increase.
Pretty sure George will be off but it’s a mark of the bloke that he is still our captain and putting in 100% every game. If a certain ex striker of ours had that attitude we wouldn’t be in league one now ! Sorry to see him go personally and I think it’s a big mistake by the club to have let this happen
Think it's a bit disingenuous to be saying the club "let" anything happen. They made an offer, he rejected it, that's often how it goes. But they didn't "let" him sign a binding agreement with a Hungarian team - that was all him. If anything he was apparently going to be off in January but the club (possibly at Jones' insistence) made sure he served out the last few months.
For better or worse you can't say they could make him do anything else, so it's not a case of "letting it happen."
That’s true , but they are 100% guilty of not making it easy for him to stay. Scott was delighted to show him where the door was.
By offering him a contract on more money?
My understanding is that Methven got involved with an apparent increase.
I asked him about it via LinkedIn and he said the opposite; he wrote “i have no actual knowledge of the situation”, and a few other things which added up to him saying he is not involved with this aspect of the club’s operation. He was also referring to CBT in this respect. I am only passing on what he has written. I don’t have any reason to disbelieve him, though.
Pretty sure George will be off but it’s a mark of the bloke that he is still our captain and putting in 100% every game. If a certain ex striker of ours had that attitude we wouldn’t be in league one now ! Sorry to see him go personally and I think it’s a big mistake by the club to have let this happen
Think it's a bit disingenuous to be saying the club "let" anything happen. They made an offer, he rejected it, that's often how it goes. But they didn't "let" him sign a binding agreement with a Hungarian team - that was all him. If anything he was apparently going to be off in January but the club (possibly at Jones' insistence) made sure he served out the last few months.
For better or worse you can't say they could make him do anything else, so it's not a case of "letting it happen."
That’s true , but they are 100% guilty of not making it easy for him to stay. Scott was delighted to show him where the door was.
I suppose, if we do lose Dobbo, and I will be sad to see him go, but if we do, we need t replace him with a player who puts himself about but who also has some goals in him. I think we are short of goals from the centre halves and midfield.
He's made a massive improvement under Jones, particularly positionally which was always my concern with him. Would be interested to see how much the Hungarians want for him.
He's made a massive improvement under Jones, particularly positionally which was always my concern with him. Would be interested to see how much the Hungarians want for him.
Helps having some decent midfielders around him so he doesn’t have to charge around making up for other people’s mistakes
Comments
There is probably truth in both sides, one that Jones has helped Dobson tweak his game, and two that the wider changes and improvements have also helped Dobson.
At least we know what we're getting.
For better or worse you can't say they could make him do anything else, so it's not a case of "letting it happen."
The right thing would be to mount a promotion challenge next season with him as captain.