Wilkins Out

[London Irish]

Fraser and Hammond are quite different players. It is like comparing Paul Ince and David Platt. Hammond has been asked/attempted to play in the midfield role that Fraser does so well and has found it is not his natural game. The main difference I would say is that although they are 2 dynamic players, one is defensively dynamic (Fraser) while one is offensively dynamic (Hammond).

Yet interestingly Hammond was picked in central midfield, and a deeper lying one to Cox, and Fraser on the right wing. Go figure.

 

[London Irish]

With Fraser he seems to do the simple things well. I would say that Wilkins using him as a centre back in the youth games has been good for his learning of the game, as his positional awarness and reading of the ball in the air was actually quite impressive.

My take on why Wilkins took the surprising decision to play Fraser on the flank is that obviously it's a position that carries slightly less pressure than the central midfield one. It was a calculated move to ease Fraser into the first team and hence understandable. McGhee has done this type of thing in the past and been flamed for it, hopefully Wilkins will be given more leeway by the hotheads.

 

[Les Biehn]

Yet interestingly Hammond was picked in central midfield, and a deeper lying one to Cox, and Fraser on the right wing. Go figure.

Well if it worked then well done to Wilkins. But with Hammond I certainly do think it is a mind set thing with him. If he feels like he has a player who will do the donkey work, which Fraser can do even if he is on the right and drifts in, then he tends to play better. Witness his better performances last year usually came next to Oatway and Mayo.

Did Fraser get moved into the middle during the game?

 

[London Irish]

No, just pointing out to the journalist the virtues of using the correct verb.

Correct maybe in the sepia-tinted era of Charles Charlie-Charles and the Arsenal Stadium Mystery

Professional football is a bit more calculating these days and I would definitely say Stokes "won" that penalty.

 

[Les Biehn]

My take on why Wilkins took the surprising decision to play Fraser on the flank is that obviously it's a position that carries slightly less pressure than the central midfield one. It was a calculated move to ease Fraser into the first team and hence understandable. McGhee has done this type of thing in the past and been flamed for it, hopefully Wilkins will be given more leeway by the hotheads.

I think you have made a decent point there, in the way a CB is eased in at FB so as to give them less responsibility.

Also with Reid being so good at playing practically as a wing back it allows Fraser the licence to drop inside to his more natural role when the game allows.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

I think you have made a decent point there, in the way a CB is eased in at FB so as to give them less responsibility.

Also with Reid being so good at playing practically as a wing back it allows Fraser the licence to drop inside to his more natural role when the game allows.

Do you think a CB has more responsiblity than a FB, I always thought it was the other way round.

 

[London Irish]

Well if it worked then well done to Wilkins.

Worked modestly well - it eased Fraser into the team, his workrate was exemplary and he made some good tackles and almost got his foot on the end of a great cross (although his most significant act was to be trod on while prone ). Only downside I saw was that at times you would have wanted a more natural winger on the ball when he was high up the pitch.

Did Fraser get moved into the middle during the game?

Not that I saw.

 

[Les Biehn]

Do you think a CB has more responsiblity than a FB, I always thought it was the other way round.

Definately. Centre halves are the ones that usually do the communicating to the defence and midfield as they have the best view of play overall, they are the last line before the keeper, they are constantly occupied throughout the whole match by a centre forward and their mistakes are more likely to result in a goal.

A full back has more attacking licence which implies less defensive responsibility as an opposition winger is not pushed up as much as a striker, if someone gets past them they can rely on the centre backs and also the opponent may not be heading directly towards the goal but to the corner.