His go-to tackle is the professional foul though.
Anyone faster than Stockley would have a field day.
Whiteman
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His go-to tackle is the professional foul though.
Anyone faster than Stockley would have a field day.
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- Jun 8, 2012
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Weird one is Whiteman.
On the ball, he can look like the dogs bollocks. If you were to ask me to select one player in the team to pick a pass, I would have him. He does small things when he plays the ball which demonstrate a decent level of footballing intelligence - like passing into the space where a teammate can take the ball in stride, a pass to encourage them to move forward into space, or passing to the stronger foot of some players where some would just pass it to/at them. It shouldn't be a noticeable thing amongst a group of professional footballers, but it is - especially in a group as limited as I feel ours is.
But... what else is there to him? I wouldn't classify him as a defensive midfielder as I would McCann, nor an attacking one like Mads or Thordarson. He isn't as quick as Holmes (and he isn't even particularly fast beyond his initial burst). He isn't vocal from what I can see when he has the armband. So his clear strength is meant to be ball retention and keeping it moving.
He just isn't the type of player who will conjure something from nothing, grab a game by the scruff and drag it where he wants... however, I would argue he is the player you want when playing against a low-block or in a team that dominates the ball - I actually think he would look brilliant in those circumstances.
If he was the complete package, he simply wouldn't play for PNE at the moment. The problem is that what he does have is not what PNE normally need.
On the ball, he can look like the dogs bollocks. If you were to ask me to select one player in the team to pick a pass, I would have him. He does small things when he plays the ball which demonstrate a decent level of footballing intelligence - like passing into the space where a teammate can take the ball in stride, a pass to encourage them to move forward into space, or passing to the stronger foot of some players where some would just pass it to/at them. It shouldn't be a noticeable thing amongst a group of professional footballers, but it is - especially in a group as limited as I feel ours is.
But... what else is there to him? I wouldn't classify him as a defensive midfielder as I would McCann, nor an attacking one like Mads or Thordarson. He isn't as quick as Holmes (and he isn't even particularly fast beyond his initial burst). He isn't vocal from what I can see when he has the armband. So his clear strength is meant to be ball retention and keeping it moving.
He just isn't the type of player who will conjure something from nothing, grab a game by the scruff and drag it where he wants... however, I would argue he is the player you want when playing against a low-block or in a team that dominates the ball - I actually think he would look brilliant in those circumstances.
If he was the complete package, he simply wouldn't play for PNE at the moment. The problem is that what he does have is not what PNE normally need.
If people think our defence is bad now, with Whiteman in there it would be even worse. Players just waltz past him with ease and to extent all our midfielders which means they are one on one with the defence who can’t cope
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- Aug 23, 2015
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- 4,622
Whiteman is a good footballer. I’m not sure he’s captaincy material. But he’s certainly a good player.
I always think we have a better chance of winning with him in the side. I can’t say that about many of the current rabble.
His ball retention is excellent. He has a good football brain.
His passing range would be better utilised in a better team.
There are many things wrong with the state of the North End squad at present.
Ben Whiteman isn’t one of them.
I always think we have a better chance of winning with him in the side. I can’t say that about many of the current rabble.
His ball retention is excellent. He has a good football brain.
His passing range would be better utilised in a better team.
There are many things wrong with the state of the North End squad at present.
Ben Whiteman isn’t one of them.
He definitely is.
Protecting slow, shit centrebacks with someone equally as slow, who looks like he's 80yrs old when he attempts to turn.
Makes sense.
Whiteman's ball retention is mostly good because he gets it off the left centre back and plays it back to the central centre back, who then passes it back to him and he passes it to the right centre back under no pressure.
Sometimes this then repeats in the opposite order before Hughes lumps it into the channel.
Agreed he's one of our better players but I think that says more of those around him.
He's been poor lately, and i think both he and Heckingbottom know it, wonder if he'll drop him or stick with him?
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I don't think anyone is advocating putting him right back in? Doyler is just giving some credit where he felt it was due.
Fair enough, i just get frustrated with people thinking players change overnight and all of a sudden become ‘good’ again. Ledson has a good game against Fulham and he should be back in the team, Whiteman makes a tackle… etc . We’ve tried them here for years and got no further. Today’s midfield looked good is what I’m trying to say 😅. Let’s look forward and hope we’ve got the winning formula, some players just need moving on now it’s obvious and I hope the club see it as an opportunity
Simply not good enough, hasn’t pulled any trees since he’s been here, get rid in January and spend the money on a defender.
Might be easier said than done.
Whiteman offers very little. His passing doesn’t break the lines - it’s very often side to side or backwards with the occasional diagonal and his lack of stamina and pace means he doesn’t cover enough ground to influence the game defensively or offensively.
He clearly has technically ability but if you compare his role to what Gallagher’s was in his last few years, he’s absolutely nowhere near it.
The issue we have now is I imagine with his new deal he’s one of our higher earners which with our budget is too much for a squad player.
He clearly has technically ability but if you compare his role to what Gallagher’s was in his last few years, he’s absolutely nowhere near it.
The issue we have now is I imagine with his new deal he’s one of our higher earners which with our budget is too much for a squad player.
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2005
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- 91
Thors improvement gives him the midfield slot for me. Could Ben do a job in the middle of the back five ?
The guy is very average at best. He seems to have a total mental block when it comes to passing the ball forward or trying to find space to receive the ball back once he has off loaded it sideways or backwards.
Can't run, poor tackler and no vision or leadership qualities .... ideal to captain our club ? .... don't think so
Can't run, poor tackler and no vision or leadership qualities .... ideal to captain our club ? .... don't think so
I would say no, doesn’t have any pace so isn’t an improvement on the current defenders and his tackling is probably one off his biggest weaknesses
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