[Albion] Solly March - sings new contract June 2024

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

My take is that the older Solly gets, the more effective he gets. Skillset aside, he's a proper battler now. Which is half the, er, battle, and wasn't always the case with the player. IMHO, like

 

[Stat Brother]

Referring to him as a "boy" is obviously a recurring theme.

For a good reason l suspect.

Because he was, is and always will be 'young Solly March'.

In much the same way GM has always been a slow middle aged man & Bruno will always be a pensioner close to retirement.


Solly has never aged past his late teens, he was born 19 years old and will eventually pass away 19 years old.
I can't even comprehend Solly with grey hair sprouting out of his ears and eye brows requiring a hedge trimmer once a week.

 

[Baldseagull]

aaaagggghhhhhh!! the confidence argument again!

He doesn't lack ****ing confidence.
He's not a shrinking violet who runs scared when the nasty men in the crowd shout at him.

He's a premier league footballer FFS!

Do you think PL footballers don't have emotions?
For one reason or another Solly had one of his best periods of sustained good form since coming through, whilst crowds were not present. I can recall other players saying that the way he performed in training was incredible, when he wasn't producing incredible performances on match days. I hope it was nothing to do with a lack of crowds, and that if it was, it has helped him get over a hump, and that he doesn't lose the benefits when crowds come back, but I don't see how you can rule out any previous performance anxiety that may have been brought on by the crowds presence as a factor.
I still can't pee at the pub urinals sometimes if someone else rocks up at the wrong moment, and I have been practising that for 35 years.

I don't think it is nasty men shouting at him, I think it is that collective sigh that is audible when a promising move breaks down with an over hit cross or loss of posession that gets to him, someone deliberately having a go can fire you up, a tut or a sigh is harder to deal with.

 

[Baldseagull]

As every thread about Solly proves, he's comfortably our most under-rated player by our fan base. The (27 year old) boy is class.

Maybe it's because I over rated him that I have felt disappointed by his performances sometimes. I have never wished we had someone else instead, just wished he fulfilled his potential on a more frequent basis. Every player, and more so wingers it seems to me, has peaks and troughs, at his peak he is as good as anyone, and his troughs are never terrible, I have just wanted what we had from him last season, a consistently high level of performance. Because it has not happened before and has coincided with a lack of fans, I suspect the absence of fans may have been a factor.

 

[banjo]

I thought he was playing some of the best football ever before his injury.

 

[JBizzle]

aaaagggghhhhhh!! the confidence argument again!

He doesn't lack ****ing confidence.
He's not a shrinking violet who runs scared when the nasty men in the crowd shout at him.

He's a premier league footballer FFS!

So, why do Premier League clubs spend so much on psychologists and mental wellbeing experts if they're all bullet-proof & emotionless confidence-meisters?

 

[Badger Boy]

Do you think PL footballers don't have emotions?
For one reason or another Solly had one of his best periods of sustained good form since coming through, whilst crowds were not present. I can recall other players saying that the way he performed in training was incredible, when he wasn't producing incredible performances on match days. I hope it was nothing to do with a lack of crowds, and that if it was, it has helped him get over a hump, and that he doesn't lose the benefits when crowds come back, but I don't see how you can rule out any previous performance anxiety that may have been brought on by the crowds presence as a factor.
I still can't pee at the pub urinals sometimes if someone else rocks up at the wrong moment, and I have been practising that for 35 years.

I don't think it is nasty men shouting at him, I think it is that collective sigh that is audible when a promising move breaks down with an over hit cross or loss of posession that gets to him, someone deliberately having a go can fire you up, a tut or a sigh is harder to deal with.

Did [MENTION=494]Kosh[/MENTION] ever eat that hat?

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Do you think PL footballers don't have emotions?
For one reason or another Solly had one of his best periods of sustained good form since coming through, whilst crowds were not present. I can recall other players saying that the way he performed in training was incredible, when he wasn't producing incredible performances on match days. I hope it was nothing to do with a lack of crowds, and that if it was, it has helped him get over a hump, and that he doesn't lose the benefits when crowds come back, but I don't see how you can rule out any previous performance anxiety that may have been brought on by the crowds presence as a factor.
I still can't pee at the pub urinals sometimes if someone else rocks up at the wrong moment, and I have been practising that for 35 years.

I don't think it is nasty men shouting at him, I think it is that collective sigh that is audible when a promising move breaks down with an over hit cross or loss of posession that gets to him, someone deliberately having a go can fire you up, a tut or a sigh is harder to deal with.

I think that footballers who cannot perform when a crowd get on their backs - don't make it to the Premier League.
That's all.
We aren't some Primary school where we try and get the best out of everyone in the class.

He's been picked consistently by every manager we've had and despite what some of us think, rarely has a bad game.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

So, why do Premier League clubs spend so much on psychologists and mental wellbeing experts if they're all bullet-proof & emotionless confidence-meisters?

for loads of reasons.

My guess is that the least frequent use is to help Premier League footballers overcome their fear of 18 stone know-it-alls telling them they're shit.

I would say Solly is probably one of the least emotional players in the team.
He just about remembers to give a half hearted clap at the North Stand when they sing his name when he takes a corner.

You can tell that he knows he should, but doesn't really give a shit, he'd rather just concentrate on his football.

 

[JBizzle]

for loads of reasons.

My guess is that the least frequent use is to help Premier League footballers overcome their fear of 18 stone know-it-alls telling them they're shit.

I would say Solly is probably one of the least emotional players in the team.
He just about remembers to give a half hearted clap at the North Stand when they sing his name when he takes a corner.

You can tell that he knows he should, but doesn't really give a shit, he'd rather just concentrate on his football.

So.... loads of guesses then but actually no idea?

 

[Uh_huh_him]

So.... loads of guesses then but actually no idea?

Show me some evidence of his mental frailty.

 

[JBizzle]

Show me some evidence of his mental frailty.

His form has noticeably improved since playing without crowds.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

His form has noticeably improved since playing without crowds.

His form has improved since he has been playing as a wingback, which has coincided with no crowds.
The idea that crowds have a noticeable adverse affect on him is laughable.

Who scored judged him at 7.07 last season and 6.59 the season before that.
If he was regularly at 5.9 with crowds, then I might have conceded the point.

 

[Baldseagull]

I think that footballers who cannot perform when a crowd get on their backs - don't make it to the Premier League.
That's all.
We aren't some Primary school where we try and get the best out of everyone in the class.

He's been picked consistently by every manager we've had and despite what some of us think, rarely has a bad game.

I have not said he cannot perform, I am saying he hasn't performed at his best, as often as we all would have liked, and I agree that he rarely has a bad game, but that isn't the same issue.
None of us are surprised at what Solly did last season, we all know he has that ability, but it was the first time we have seen him perform so well, every game.

Are you saying I am wrong on that point, and that he has always been that good consistently?
If not, what is the reason for the sustained period of top form he hasn't had previously, coming to him last season?

 

[Kosh]

Did [MENTION=494]Kosh[/MENTION] ever eat that hat?

I sodding did, all washed down with lashings of stockpiled tinned tomatoes, pasta and just a dash of garlic puree.

Followed by some humble pie, served hot with custard.

mmmmmmmmmmmmm custard.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I have not said he cannot perform, I am saying he hasn't performed at his best, as often as we all would have liked, and I agree that he rarely has a bad game, but that isn't the same issue.
None of us are surprised at what Solly did last season, we all know he has that ability, but it was the first time we have seen him perform so well, every game.

Are you saying I am wrong on that point, and that he has always been that good consistently?
If not, what is the reason for the sustained period of top form he hasn't had previously, coming to him last season?

Seriously, take a look at his game by game ratings on who scored or somewhere similar.
He has always been a very consistent performer. He has rarely (if ever) been given below 6 in a single game.

The perception of his poor form has been down to his versatility.
He has been asked to play just about every position it would be possible for him to play in, over the past 4 seasons.
Until last season he has never fully owned a role.

Part of his perceived inconsistency is one game he was playing as a left winger, whilst another he's playing defensive midfield.
Now he's taken hold of the left wingback role he has started to flourish.

I think people mistake his fairly nerdy reserved persona as weakness and lack of belief.
I could be wrong, He could be affected by the groans of the crowd, I just don't see it.

 

[Icy Gull]

Seriously, take a look at his game by game ratings on who scored or somewhere similar.
He has always been a very consistent performer. He has rarely (if ever) been given below 6 in a single game.

The perception of his poor form has been down to his versatility.
He has been asked to play just about every position it would be possible for him to play in, over the past 4 seasons.
Until last season he has never fully owned a role.

Part of his perceived inconsistency is one game he was playing as a left winger, whilst another he's playing defensive midfield.
Now he's taken hold of the left wingback role he has started to flourish.

I think people mistake his fairly nerdy reserved persona as weakness and lack of belief.
I could be wrong, He could be affected by the groans of the crowd, I just don't see it.

My memory may be failing since the last full house but my recollection is of his name being chanted more than most players by the crowd

 

[Baldseagull]

Did [MENTION=494]Kosh[/MENTION] ever eat that hat?

I think so, I ought to change it soon, I might wait to find someone suggesting it's crazy to think about challenging for a European place this season, to swap it with.

 

[Icy Gull]

I think so, I ought to change it soon, I might wait to find someone suggesting it's crazy to think about challenging for a European place this season, to swap it with.

[MENTION=205]Tom Hark, Preston Park[/MENTION] could be your man

 

[Baldseagull]

Seriously, take a look at his game by game ratings on who scored or somewhere similar.
He has always been a very consistent performer. He has rarely (if ever) been given below 6 in a single game.

The perception of his poor form has been down to his versatility.
He has been asked to play just about every position it would be possible for him to play in, over the past 4 seasons.
Until last season he has never fully owned a role.

Part of his perceived inconsistency is one game he was playing as a left winger, whilst another he's playing defensive midfield.
Now he's taken hold of the left wingback role he has started to flourish.

I think people mistake his fairly nerdy reserved persona as weakness and lack of belief.
I could be wrong, He could be affected by the groans of the crowd, I just don't see it.

OK, fair points concerning roles he has been required to fill. But I will reiterate that I have not accused him of poor form, just not his best form, often enough. Hopefully, when the crowds return, you can stick a big TOLD YOU SO! on the Solly March thread, and I can argue that he was affected but has got over it now.