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California_PNE said:
i'm not at all, im saying we cant complain that hes not pipa when hes not at good as pipa; the fullbacks we have have contribute a lot, but when our press or midfield are not bossing the game what do they offer then? im far from having a pop at rafferty
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Oh yeah I completely agree. If AN can get Rafferty putting in that kind of form at home we've got a good player, but we're too passive at home
 
JamieBritt2710 said:
Maybe be I'm being slightly too harsh but I quite honestly don't see what he offers. So many times this season he has been caught out for opposition goals and attacking wise he just boots the ball forward. There was a moment in the game yesterday where he received a ball back from a throw in and just lashed it out. Awful.
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this is what he offers

LancasterRed said:
Brentford #1, Huddersfield #2 and the denied QPR penalty are good counterexamples, great balls in creating panic or finding the flick down.

Going after Rafferty for being limited when he's played a key role in recent goals is counterinuitive
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but at the same time we really suffer in these areas because we dont have players in the position as good as millwall or huddersfield, for example
 
LancasterRed said:
Crossing a ball into the box where it creates an opportunity makes him a good footballer

Do you want your full backs to not attack?
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I want a full back to be able to drive the team forward, not loft a ball in with the hope that someone may win it.

Fisher drives the team forward, he makes good runs. Rafferty receives the ball, passes it backwards or lofts a ball into the box. One cross (where we scored way into the second phase) is not Trent Alexander-Arnold
 
billymac said:
Earl is a much better LB than Hughes but unfortunately for him not one of Neil's favs, Barky has played right wingback many times before (I know with Morecambe) so would understand the requirements, Fisher is very important to our team but I fear he has some issue with Neil or perhaps the other way round.
Whoever plays fullback these days has to cover for the ever slower Bauer though, he might just be the main issue in defense but again one of Neils signings
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I didn’t notice last night but just seen the goals on Sky with a clear picture that isn’t some bloke with a cine camera and Hughes does not appear anywhere at all in the video for the first goal. I know Browne took a ridiculous gamble on the halfway line and was the main issue but Hughes has to be at least busting a gut to get back like Browne was. There might have been a set piece, I honestly can’t remember, but it’s a common theme with our full backs - especially without Pearson covering when they go forward.

Earl is athletic and isn’t afraid of carrying the ball and should be in the team on Saturday and for a spell. He can’t be brought in and then left out if he doesn’t excel, he’ll need a run of games. To be honest, I’m getting sick of seeing a flat footed, reactive left back. Yes, he’s exceptional in the air but that’s not enough.
 
haha think we're all profusely agreeing, im just anti slating rafferty and hughes, i hate it especially when its not warranted or accurate

these two cannot do what people want from them, so whats the point in slating them for something they cannot do

they always do their best, pne bought them and we dont have alternatives because cause we're shit at landing targets - we all know it
 
justinr73 said:
Browne will have to play RB until Fisher is fit.
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You must be joking.

As much as Rafferty is pretty limited going forward he is a far better RB than Browne will ever be.

We massively miss Fisher in an attacking sense when he's not playing.
 
When you look at the players in those positions that we have missed out on over the last 18 months you can't help but wonder what might have been
 
California_PNE said:
haha think we're all profusely agreeing, im just anti slating rafferty and hughes, i hate it especially when its not warranted or accurate

these two cannot do what people want from them, so whats the point in slating them for something they cannot do

they always do their best, pne bought them and we dont have alternatives because cause we're shit at landing targets - we all know it
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It isnt a lack of effort their ceiling just isn't very high
 
I’ve said this for a long time now. The full backs are the weakest position in our team. Only Fisher comes close to being good enough if we are a team looking for promotion. The rest, quite frankly aren’t good enough. Hughes, Earl and Rafferty are all very limited and I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up in league 1 before long. Like others have alluded to, just because Rafferty throws a ball into the box every now and then doesn’t mean it is happening with any quality. It’s usually just a hopeful lump let’s face it. He panics in possession and the amount of times he takes the negative backwards pass rather than being positive and going forward is ridiculous. I only remember one time last night when he over lapped Sinclair and this just isn’t enough, playing at home especially. This in comparison to the threat Romeo was giving for Millwall just shows he’s not up to it.
 
The chances Rafferty has created from balls into the box have come from poor defending by the opposition. He puts them too close to the keeper and against well drilled defenses they are bread and butter balls.

We need driven or whipped balls into the box to create real panic with floaters you will get lucky sometimes but unless they are right on the attackers head you have to rely on mistakes
 
California_PNE said:
haha think we're all profusely agreeing, im just anti slating rafferty and hughes, i hate it especially when its not warranted or accurate

these two cannot do what people want from them, so whats the point in slating them for something they cannot do

they always do their best, pne bought them and we dont have alternatives because cause we're shit at landing targets - we all know it
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They are what they are - but what they are isn’t quite good enough. If people were saying they weren’t trying or the criticism was abusive or personal, I’d say it was wrong to say so but I don’t think that’s been the case. I will say though that criticism of Rafferty’s crossing is unfair, his set pieces on the whole are at least on a par with those of our more creative players.
 
wld said:
They are what they are - but what they are isn’t quite good enough. If people were saying they weren’t trying or the criticism was abusive or personal, I’d say it was wrong to say so but I don’t think that’s been the case. I will say though that criticism of Rafferty’s crossing is unfair, his set pieces on the whole are at least on a par with those of our more creative players.
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i dont think theres a case to criticise rafferty for not being able to drive up the field with the ball, or have lightening pace, or play like romeo; these are not abilities he has, so how can you criticise him for it?
we dont have the players we need to unlock this areas as an attacking threat in our side, thats not the fault of rafferty or hughes, is it.
 
billymac said:
Earl is a much better LB than Hughes but unfortunately for him not one of Neil's favs, Barky has played right wingback many times before (I know with Morecambe) so would understand the requirements, Fisher is very important to our team but I fear he has some issue with Neil or perhaps the other way round.
Whoever plays fullback these days has to cover for the ever slower Bauer though, he might just be the main issue in defense but again one of Neils signings
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Bauer is fine when there's protection around him, but he does seem to get dragged out to the right flank a lot. This is bound to happen if the full backs are pushing up and we get caught on the break, but if our FB doesn't have the athleticism to get back into position, or we have a general lack of pace to cover, then it's no surprise Bauer gets stuck out there looking clumsy and isolated.
 
We really need to be looking at Harry Pickering at Crewe. I know highlights aren’t everything but you just need to watch Crewes 2 minute match highlights videos this season to see how instrumental he is to their attacking play and how often he gets to the byline. Exactly what Neil wants from a fullback. Crewe fans can’t believe they still have him and they never demand too high of a fee.
 
ribox said:
We really need to be looking at Harry Pickering at Crewe. I know highlights aren’t everything but you just need to watch Crewes 2 minute match highlights videos this season to see how instrumental he is to their attacking play and how often he gets to the byline. Exactly what Neil wants from a fullback. Crewe fans can’t believe they still have him and they never demand too high of a fee.
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Highly rated this lad. He will make the step up to the championship soon i believe. Be interesting to see where he ends up.
 
California_PNE said:
i dont think theres a case to criticise rafferty for not being able to drive up the field with the ball, or have lightening pace, or play like romeo; these are not abilities he has, so how can you criticise him for it?
we dont have the players we need to unlock this areas as an attacking threat in our side, thats not the fault of rafferty or hughes, is it.
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I think that’s what I was saying - I have no issue with Rafferty incidentally, he is what he is and what he is is an average full back who has very good games and sometimes makes errors.
 
Doubt we're even looking for a LB seeing as just given Hughes a new contract. Should have said thank's for your service but it's time for an upgrade.
 
JamieBritt2710 said:
I want a full back to be able to drive the team forward, not loft a ball in with the hope that someone may win it.

Fisher drives the team forward, he makes good runs. Rafferty receives the ball, passes it backwards or lofts a ball into the box. One cross (where we scored way into the second phase) is not Trent Alexander-Arnold
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Fisher has certainly shown he is capable of getting further forward but even he often opts for a backwards or sideways pass, despite having space to drive into. It's almost as though he's playing to instructions.....and maybe that's the problem.
 
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