Ben Whiteman

[Pne_Gaz]

Of course a lot of his passing is going to be sideways.. He's playing as a single pivot in a style that likes to play through the thirds with the wing backs.
75% of his job with the ball will be taking the ball in that middle of the park are and making space to play it into Earl/RWB or the CBs who then play it into the wing backs. The other 25% is to then either pin or turn his marker and play the ball through the middle whether that is a long pass or a clever through ball. It's literally his job, and if you don't understand how the midfield pivot works then I'm afraid you'll never appreciate a player like Whiteman.

 

[Lee Trundle]

Of course a lot of his passing is going to be sideways.. He's playing as a single pivot in a style that likes to play through the thirds with the wing backs.
75% of his job with the ball will be taking the ball in that middle of the park are and making space to play it into Earl/RWB or the CBs who then play it into the wing backs. The other 25% is to then either pin or turn his marker and play the ball through the middle whether that is a long pass or a clever through ball. It's literally his job, and if you don't understand how the midfield pivot works then I'm afraid you'll never appreciate a player like Whiteman.

Good assessment, not that the “muh pass it forward brigade” will agree.

In my view he is as good as you’re going to get on our budget in the role he plays.

Far better defensively than he’s given credit for (as yesterday’s 10 interception game highlighted), very smart on the ball, chips in with goals, solid set pieces, and can play the more rangy passes when needed.

Overall, I think Ryan Lowe will be very excited to work with him

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Quality player, can see him flourishing under Lowe.

 

[OOOO3]

I think we should get Bayliss back in Jan, and play him the reserves as a wing back, he is only 22 and his natural position is DM so I believe. He is still in contract for another 18mths, never been used, let Lowe look at him and decide before letting him go for nowt.

I’d rather let him develop and sign some wing backs although to be fair I think he will enjoy Barky on the right

 

[outreacher]

I’d rather let him develop and sign some wing backs although to be fair I think he will enjoy Barky on the right

Bayliss had enough experience when he came to us, played regularly for Coventry, even played in the England U19's.

He wasn't used by us, and he never got a chance at Deepdale, I think he needs to be assessed by RL before his contract runs down.

 

[IanBogie9]

I invented the pivot role

 

[Muzza]

I invented the pivot role

 

[Tino]

That was a Mike Marsh training ground routine.

We've been doing / trying it for years.

Nothing to do with Marsh. Lowe even said it was one that Gally had been involved with.

 

[Tino]

Whiteman. Build the team around him.

 

[NG White]

Whiteman has been the nearest “work in progress” replacement for Gally. His range of passing and passing accuracy is excellent and he’s starting to add free kick goals to his repertoire. The work he’s doing with PG is starting to show. We don’t have the funds to buy a ready made replacement for gally so we have to develop our own. I love his calmness and the way like a quarterback he can spray passes accurately. He set up a lot of the moves yesterday and links with the wing backs. He is going to be a really good player but then people slated Pearson when he first arrived!

I don't mean this as anything against Gallagher who was a brilliant player for us, but I think Whiteman has already replaced what we lost when he retired. He's a fantastic footballer and well, well worth the £1.5m we paid for him. Will get better as well.

Those that can't see what he brings to the side don't understand the system. His role is clear and I think he'll thrive under RL and so will DJ and Browne if they're allowed to bomb forward like they did Saturday.

 

[BPIG]

I don't mean this as anything against Gallagher who was a brilliant player for us, but I think Whiteman has already replaced what we lost when he retired. He's a fantastic footballer and well, well worth the £1.5m we paid for him. Will get better as well.

Those that can't see what he brings to the side don't understand the system. His role is clear and I think he'll thrive under RL and so will DJ and Browne if they're allowed to bomb forward like they did Saturday.

Gallagher was pretty wank for the last couple of years anyway

 

[pisaac]

Gallagher was pretty wank for the last couple of years anyway

I don't mean this as anything against Gallagher who was a brilliant player for us, but I think Whiteman has already replaced what we lost when he retired. He's a fantastic footballer and well, well worth the £1.5m we paid for him. Will get better as well.

Those that can't see what he brings to the side don't understand the system. His role is clear and I think he'll thrive under RL and so will DJ and Browne if they're allowed to bomb forward like they did Saturday.

 

[IrishNorthEnder93]

Really don’t see what Whiteman offers tbh so overrated, I’d much rather see McCann and Thordarson in the midfield, I don’t care if he is the captain he needs to be dropped.

And as for his set pieces deary me they are woeful.

 

[Manuel Fawlty]

Big up to those who recognised this in December 2021 😏

 

[wld]

Well I don’t understand what he brings to the team. I’m not an it must be played forward at all costs at all times person either but weight and direction of passing (look how many times the receiver has to stop or move back), movement, tackling, presence, are all things he lacks in.

 

[ChuckD]

Another one suffering from new contractitis. Knows he’ll get picked. Happy to cruise through games at 80-90% never taking a risk.

 

[Yeti]

Could be a good time to sack off having a captain and go with a club one to be the face doing none football engagements and do what most premier league teams do and let the squad pick a captain from the starting 11. Not that we have a lot leaders to pick from

 

[Yoowell]

Well I don’t understand what he brings to the team. I’m not an it must be played forward at all costs at all times person either but weight and direction of passing (look how many times the receiver has to stop or move back), movement, tackling, presence, are all things he lacks in.

I agree with the points you are making about his passing, it’s rarely forward and never seems to encourage the receiver to move in a positive direction.
The majority of time he just seems to pick up a short pass from a defender and then give it to another defender?
Captain or not I don’t think he’s doing enough to keep his place at the moment.

 

[IanBogie9]

Whiteman had a good shot v rovers, but was abysmal up to that.

 

[SF]

Whiteman should be a rotation player at this level, he's as inconsistent as anyone in the squad.

Opposition midfielders run through him without breaking a sweat 9/10.