.....3 more signings ready for pre season

[Barham's tash]

Crofts was, until his injury, an early player of the season bet.

In addition he adds some much needed fightiness to a lightweight team.

We need more fightiness.

So Ince and Kayal don't do that enough then? I really think good though Crofts was his better days are past him and the type and style of football we need to play are beyond his level of capability. He doesn't have any skills, he will be unlikely to outpace anyone post second cruciate injury and he doesn't appear to be able to move the ball on quickly enough.

Unless we sigh someone considerably better I don't want to see anything other than an Ince/Kayal/Stephens midfield triumvitate. JFC and Crofts can bench warm for when we're 2-0 up in games with ten left to play and you want a steady eddy to come on and close out the game but that's it.

 

[Codner pharmaceuticals]

So Ince and Kayal don't do that enough then? I really think good though Crofts was his better days are past him and the type and style of football we need to play are beyond his level of capability. He doesn't have any skills, he will be unlikely to outpace anyone post second cruciate injury and he doesn't appear to be able to move the ball on quickly enough.

Unless we sigh someone considerably better I don't want to see anything other than an Ince/Kayal/Stephens midfield triumvitate. JFC and Crofts can bench warm for when we're 2-0 up in games with ten left to play and you want a steady eddy to come on and close out the game but that's it.

Ince is a very good player who I would start every week but not a fighter. I want some fighters - I can only think of Kayal and possibly Baldock who have some aggression in them.

 

[Diego Napier]

So Ince and Kayal don't do that enough then? I really think good though Crofts was his better days are past him and the type and style of football we need to play are beyond his level of capability. He doesn't have any skills, he will be unlikely to outpace anyone post second cruciate injury and he doesn't appear to be able to move the ball on quickly enough.

Oh how soon we forget!

 

[Kevlar]

Of the three crofts plays in the position we have the most cover for.
Solly is the one we need to work out if not we need 2 wide players still.

 

[Barham's tash]

Oh how soon we forget!

Ok i'll take the bait. That was a LONG time ago since which he's left the club, played well in this division and been released/sold back to us as he wasn't considered good enough for the Prem and suffered two career threatening knee injuries.

The pedants on this site will always go back and find such a clip to articulate their point but my point was simply in the here and now we have better options and Crofts shouldnt be seen as a progressive change to our midfield.

 

[Hyperion]

The game Crofts got injured, he was having an absolute barnstorming game. He was light years ahead of being the best player on the pitch that day. I remember being really gutted for him.

 

[Icy Gull]

If he stays fit, Crofts will prove the naysayers wrong

 

[Diego Napier]

Ok i'll take the bait. That was a LONG time ago since which he's left the club, played well in this division and been released/sold back to us as he wasn't considered good enough for the Prem and suffered two career threatening knee injuries.

The pedants on this site will always go back and find such a clip to articulate their point but my point was simply in the here and now we have better options and Crofts shouldnt be seen as a progressive change to our midfield.

I'm simply pointing out that your statement "he doesn't have any skills" largely invalidates any opinion you have on his capabilities.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I'm simply pointing out that your statement "he doesn't have any skills" largely invalidates any opinion you have on his capabilities.

Why, because you posted one clip from several years ago? Utter nonsense. Crofts is a willing player but he's too slow on the ball, I suspect this second injury will further reduce his impact as a player. As BT says, he doesn't possess great skill, has little pass and doesn't really have a great range of passing, he does get some vital goals though. I'd be more than happy if he comes back in and runs the show but I can't see it happening.

 

[Barham's tash]

I'm simply pointing out that your statement "he doesn't have any skills" largely invalidates any opinion you have on his capabilities.

Why because you posted a clip from five seasons ago? Can he outwit players with guile? No. Is he fast and can therefore beat players? No - possibly more so both in league one and prior to the injuries. Is he the best passer of the ball out of the three other players I mentioned? No.

Other than, again way in the past, arriving late into the box with good effect for us in League One and Norwich in the Championship five and four seasons ago respectively what does he have? Kayal and Ince are more than combative enough and are better at all of the above 'skills'. So prey tell where am I wide of the mark?

 

[Diego Napier]

Why because you posted a clip from five seasons ago? Can he outwit players with guile? No. Is he fast and can therefore beat players? No - possibly more so both in league one and prior to the injuries. Is he the best passer of the ball out of the three other players I mentioned? No.

Other than, again way in the past, arriving late into the box with good effect for us in League One and Norwich in the Championship five and four seasons ago respectively what does he have? Kayal and Ince are more than combative enough and are better at all of the above 'skills'. So prey tell where am I wide of the mark?

No, not because I've posted a clip from five seasons ago as a single instance of his skill to refute the crassness of your statement but, and I'll repeat because you seem to be having difficulty grasping this, your statement "he doesn't have any skills" largely invalidates any opinion you have on his capabilities.

He patently does have enough skills to be a successful, dynamic and aggressive Championship ball winner because that's what he's delivered for us. Before his injury in 2013/14 he was also weighing in with goals from midfield, as many as Kayal, Ince & Stephens managed between them last year. I recognise the qualities and potential of Kayal, Ince & Stephens and I'm a fan of all three. I also recognise the fact that at 31, Crofts may not come back successfully from injury but given his track record, I'm not ready to write him off yet, let alone agree with your glib "he doesn't have any skills" dismissal of his capabilities.

You also state that he wasn't considered good enough for the Premier League. So what? He's playing in the Championship and he's delivered in the Championship.

You've selected facts to suit your argument and ignored others that contradict, that's commonplace, but when you state that he has no skill then you are wrong. Attempting to justify your statement really just makes you look rather silly.

 

[Diego Napier]

Why, because you posted one clip from several years ago? Utter nonsense. Crofts is a willing player but he's too slow on the ball, I suspect this second injury will further reduce his impact as a player. As BT says, he doesn't possess great skill, has little pass and doesn't really have a great range of passing, he does get some vital goals though. I'd be more than happy if he comes back in and runs the show but I can't see it happening.

Sigh....

My objection was to the OP's dismissive "he doesn't have any skills". He didn't post "he doesn't possess great skill", did he?

Keep up at the back there please there's a good fellow.

 

[Marshy]

Crofts skills are determination, passion and drive as far as I can tell, he does however lack in footballing ability in my opinion, certainly has considerably less than, kayal, Stephens and Ince for starters and I would rather see JFC and Holla start ahead of him, he will however be a very handy squad player. As I have said before if crofts is a starter we are not really moving forwards, more backwards, especially after 2 massive injuries.

 

[Machiavelli]

Why because you posted a clip from five seasons ago? Can he outwit players with guile? No. Is he fast and can therefore beat players? No - possibly more so both in league one and prior to the injuries. Is he the best passer of the ball out of the three other players I mentioned? No.

Other than, again way in the past, arriving late into the box with good effect for us in League One and Norwich in the Championship five and four seasons ago respectively what does he have? Kayal and Ince are more than combative enough and are better at all of the above 'skills'. So prey tell where am I wide of the mark?

Like you, I'm looking forward (perhaps in hope rather than expectation) to seeing Ince, Kayal and Stephens boss the midfield this season, but there's not much in the way of goals there. Really puts the onus on the front three.

 

[andy1980]

There's a picture of Billy sharp in Brighton Town Centre about an hour ago taken by a fella called ITK agent dennis.

 

[Sheebo]

There's a picture of Billy sharp in Brighton Town Centre about an hour ago taken by a fella called ITK agent dennis.

If you read the Leeds fans comments on there he was apparently hosting a football tourno up North today - dunno where these accounts get off tbh! Although that account seems to be an attempt at a piss take...!?

 

[andy1980]

If you read the Leeds fans comments on there he was apparently hosting a football tourno up North today - dunno where these accounts get off tbh!

Ah, ok put that one to bed then.

 

[Colossal Squid]

I actually think we've got a lot more to see from Baldock and if he's given a chance up top as part of a TWO MAN ATTACK then there's no reason he can't get in the goals. Just needs a run of games in his favoured position, some decent service and a bit of confidence that comes from scoring - none of which he had last season.

As much as I like Crofty and agree he was looking one of our best players last season before getting injured, you've got to bear in mind he's 31 now and has suffered two very serious injuries in a relatively short space of time. Will be happy to have him back in the squad but I don't expect to see him starting every game as the midfield lynchpin he may have been in his heyday.

March I feel really could go either way. He'll either turn it on and prove to be a real prospect or he'll drift along as a bit part player before eventually being released and turning up somewhere like Swindon or Orient. I hope it's the former obviously.

 

[T soprano]

Be warned Championship
BALDOCK & HEMED are gonna rip yer to shreds ( Blondie song)
The new WARDY & MELLOR