Joe Bennett

[BensGrandad]

Most of the girls seem to like him............but (playing in a crap team with daft tactics aside) he didn't look like much of a defender while he was here. Don't think Calde has done any worse a job playing out of position. Bong is absolutely streets ahead of Bennett.

I would agree Bong is streets ahead of him but similarly he is far better than Chicksen or Calderon.

 

[Jesus Gul]

I though he was OK

 

[perseus]

I thought he was let down by being overly left footed. Even Championship defenders could send him the way they wanted on to his useless right boot when advancing. This inability to do even a simple pass with his right foot held him back.

Quite quick on the overlap and got the one chance in 40 odd matches to do a brilliant touchline cut-back, and he scored one goal as well. Even though we haven't got a left back, I'm not sure we would want him back? (I think our absence of a left back is so crucial that it could cost us promotion.)

 

[perseus]

PS: I don't know if he is any better than Mattocks. At least Mattocks could take a corner.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

A perfectly adequate LB but nothing special.

 

[Eddiespearritt]

I was astonished when Bournemouth took him on loan - and was very happy no-one suggested we should keep him for another season. Actually quite a tidy attacking full back who could make things happen now and again - but balanced against his uncanny ability to make negative things happen when we were defending. Just not good enough for the upper reaches of the Championship and contributed a lot to putting us in trouble last season - but he wasn't alone there.

 

[Stato]

I would agree Bong is streets ahead of him but similarly he is far better than Chicksen or Calderon.

He is younger and quicker than Calderon. This means that he was more likely to catch wingers. However, as he was either incapable or thought it a bad idea to stop anyone from putting a cross in, there wasn't a lot of point in him catching wingers. Defensively, I would rather have Calde playing on his wrong foot.

 

[perseus]

I see Stephen Ward playing for Burnley recently. Got in the team for the Cup match and selected again.

I'd sooner have Helan than Bennett. Bennett's quick feet were an illusion. It was because he could not kick with his right he had to get on his left which was eye catching rather than effective. There are a few other players like that around.

 

[edna krabappel]

Thought he was very skilful when he had the ball in a safe place, i.e. nowhere near our own goal. Had a few tricks in his bag and reasonably pacy.

But got caught out defensively plenty of times by the simplest of moves. If you played him as a winger he might be quite good. Not up to the mark as a full back though. How he's at a Premier League club is astonishing (well, I suppose it is only Villa, a Championship side in all but name)

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

PS: I don't know if he is any better than Mattocks. At least Mattocks could take a corner.

Not sure I would expect Joe Mattock to be taking corners. More the job of a winger than a full back I would of thought.

 

[Peter Grummit]

Now confirmed he has gone to Wednesday for the rest of the season.

PG

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Bennett was quite handy going forward, so agree he could make it as a wide player - I think it was Bennett who provided the superb cross for Bruno to score the opening goal in our 3-3 draw at Norwich?

However defensively Bennett was too lightweight. Didn't Villa fans comment before he came to us that he was beaten far too easily.

His loan spell with us was hardly helped by Hyppia's tactics. Some nightmare defensive situations (Brentford away comes to mind?) where Bennett got horribly exposed. Hyppia failed to adjust the tactics and Dunk was obliged to make several last ditch tackles, just avoiding a potential red card himself. Makes me shudder to recall how painful that was to watch - and thankfully how we've (mostly) moved on this season.

 

[BensGrandad]

Not sure I would expect Joe Mattock to be taking corners. More the job of a winger than a full back I would of thought.

More and more clubs are relying on the full back to take corners in fact in his ladt few matches before injury Leighton Baines was taking the. For England on both right snd left either swinging in or out.

 

[Perkino]

was he a defender.

Shocked, I thought he was our left winger last season

Not a bad idea. We could do with a left winger that isn't injured

 

[Sheebo]

Sheffield Wednesday

 

[saafend_seagull]

Very skilful. Can imagine if played in 3-5-2 style he'd be a decent champ player.

 

[Icy Gull]

Better than Calde, by a margin

 

[Icy Gull]

Sheffield Wednesday

The way they are signing players and the fact that they have closed a 13 point gap to 2 suggests it may soon be Sheffield Wednesday

As I suggested a month a go they are a real threat to our place in the playoffs. Their owners are determined to get to the Premier League and are willing to throw money at it. Their team scores for fun

 

[severnside gull]

Bennett is better than Joe Mattock

 

[BensGrandad]

Bennett is better than Joe Mattock

Who in turn is better than what we have fit at the moment. So perhaps it is Wed strengthening from strength rather than us.