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Whiteman

Whiteman

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Holdy_ said:
For me Whiteman has had a good season, I think he had a dip when Armstrong left but has come good again the last 2-3 games after a strong start. Just wish we had someone better on set pieces!
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I think you’ve made the point for a change, he’s done ok, but we need someone who can win the ball, but has much better ball distribution when they have the ball if we want to get to the next level.
 
You have to have a serious agenda to not acknowledge that Whiteman has had a good season, both defensively and in terms of creating.

He was gash last season though, so I can only assume he was carrying an injury for most of it. Having more runners in the team has certainly helped this season though.
 
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Holdy_ said:
For me Whiteman has had a good season, I think he had a dip when Armstrong left but has come good again the last 2-3 games after a strong start. Just wish we had someone better on set pieces!
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Our fans are never happy with our set piece takers. I remember, as if it were yesterday, Gallagher being absolutely slated for his set pieces.

It’s only in retrospect people talk about how good Gally’s delivery was. It won’t be the same with Whiteman, because I agree his set pieces aren’t great, but they’re not as horrible as people make out.
 
Doyler said:
Our fans are never happy with our set piece takers. I remember, as if it were yesterday, Gallagher being absolutely slated for his set pieces.

It’s only in retrospect people talk about how good Gally’s delivery was. It won’t be the same with Whiteman, because I agree his set pieces aren’t great, but they’re not as horrible as people make out.
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Agreed they aren't great and can be rather predictable, but the lack of goals from them is less to do with the delivery and more to do with the people getting on the other end of them.

Thompson's corners have been decent when he's taken them imo.
 
Think the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, to be honest, a capable Championship footballer on his day.

More often than not in his time here he's been massively underwhelming and failed to contribute enough, especially considering the quality and standards left by his predecessors. I definitely don't buy into this "If you don't rate him, you obviously don't have a footballing brain" narrative. I know what I've watched for the majority of his time here, and overall its not been great. No denying this season he's been decent and he's useful when he's on it (which unfortunately hasn't been often enough in his time here, not just last season where he was exceptionally shite.)

There's bigger problems here than Ben Whiteman though. Hope he kicks on again next season.
 
He ain’t going to change much now. He’s decent enough.

The pass through to Devine for the goal v QPR is an example of what he is capable of - be great to see that sort of play more often.
 
simo said:
He ain’t going to change much now. He’s decent enough.

The pass through to Devine for the goal v QPR is an example of what he is capable of - be great to see that sort of play more often.
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He does those passes a lot. It’s just obviously less noticeable when it doesn’t lead to a goal.

I don’t think Ali McCann will have wrapped a ball through the lines like that in his entire life.
 
simo said:
Agreed. McCann seems to be held to a different lesser standard for some reason.
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Yeah because he wins the ball a lot.

Great trait and player to have for a team that wants to stay in the division, which let's be honest, that's what we've truly been doing.

But teams challenging for top 6 don't really carry players like that, who are so limited on the ball in midfield.
 
simo said:
Agreed. McCann seems to be held to a different lesser standard for some reason.
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A challenge to anybody the next time they play together (might be waiting a while)... Watch how many times Whiteman starts an attack with a decent pass and how many times an attack breaks down via McCann.

McCann gets an easy ride because he wins a few tackles that other people wouldn't.

Whiteman has been streets ahead of him this season in just about every way.
 
Heck Tuah said:
A challenge to anybody the next time they play together (might be waiting a while)... Watch how many times Whiteman starts an attack with a decent pass and how many times an attack breaks down via McCann.

McCann gets an easy ride because he wins a few tackles that other people wouldn't.

Whiteman has been streets ahead of him this season in just about every way.
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It's been the same shit as ever. Whiteman decent on the ball, but nowhere near elite, and without the dynamism to do much out of possession.
McCann great off the ball, but crap in possession.

Theres a reason we got so much better with Armstrong available.

BW is still extremely replaceable for me, given how highly paid he is. But so is McCann, as sadly he's never really kicked on from the player he was when we signed him.
 
HunterLionheart said:
It's been the same shit as ever. Whiteman decent on the ball, but nowhere near elite, and without the dynamism to do much out of possession.
McCann great off the ball, but crap in possession.

Theres a reason we got so much better with Armstrong available.

BW is still extremely replaceable for me, given how highly paid he is. But so is McCann, as sadly he's never really kicked on from the player he was when we signed him.
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Yep. Armstrong showed the mobility and ability on the ball you need for top six. When it comes down to it, we get out passed by anyone in this league bar about 4 teams. Blackburn embarrassed us on the ball.
 
SF said:
Yep. Armstrong showed the mobility and ability on the ball you need for top six. When it comes down to it, we get out passed by anyone in this league bar about 4 teams. Blackburn embarrassed us on the ball.
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The fucking dog and duck Over 70s reserves would have embarrassed us that night in all aspect.

Never been fully convinced by the Armstrong hype TBH. Certainly a good player and better than most of what we already had but I’m not sure he was the difference maker to the extent many believe. Yep, results were better in the autumn but not sure performances lived up to that a lot of the time. The January drop off could equally be attributed to fortune eventually evening out and even more so to the loss of Iversen.
 
simo said:
Never been fully convinced by the Armstrong hype TBH. Certainly a good player and better than most of what we already had but I’m not sure he was the difference maker to the extent many believe. Yep, results were better in the autumn but not sure performances lived up to that a lot of the time. The January drop off could equally be attributed to fortune eventually evening out and even more so to the loss of Iversen.
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We lost a lot in midfield when Armstrong left. He does both sides of the game, we lost that with McCann having to come back in.

I can't remember many times Armstrong lost the ball, he drove with it really well and is one of the best receivers on the half turn I've seen at North end.

Yes he didn't score a lot but you can be a lot more on the front foot when you have a player like Armstrong with you, which helps players like Small, Devine, Dobbin and he was a huge help for less of the onus being on Whiteman.

Agree regarding the performances however, Swansea at home lives in the memory, even Oxford away for that matter.
 
Wasn't just Armstrong's individual quality that we lost either.

We completely lost the balance in midfield for a while - either being wide open defensively or creating nothing or both. It's something we only recently seem to have got back with the introduction of Moran into the team.

Whiteman, Armstrong, Devine had absolutely everything.
 
Heck Tuah said:
Wasn't just Armstrong's individual quality that we lost either.

We completely lost the balance in midfield for a while - either being wide open defensively or creating nothing or both. It's something we only recently seem to have got back with the introduction of Moran into the team.

Whiteman, Armstrong, Devine had absolutely everything.
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Not saying Moran in any way is the same level as Armstrong. But it's no surprise Devine's best game for a while against Stoke came when there was less pressure on him to be sole creator.
 
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