Williams

[Filo]

Williams needs dropping, awful Centre Back, a disaster waiting to happen every game!

[eastender]

Williams needs dropping, awful Centre Back, a disaster waiting to happen every game!

I honestly think he needs an Eye Test , does he wear Contact Lenses.

[selby]

 He made two awful mistakes, and is rightly being called out for them, but, I think overall the game we had worse players on the pitch.

[Ukrairover]

I disagree. He plays well when olowu is there. Doesnt seem t be able t play with the pressure other players put him under by always passing backwards

[5 on Tour]

He made two awful mistakes, and is rightly being called out for them, but, I think overall the game we had worse players on the pitch.

Possibly so on the night but Williams is making these shockers week in and week out. Consistency and reliability are key at the back and he has neither.

[Filo]

He made two awful mistakes, and is rightly being called out for them, but, I think overall the game we had worse players on the pitch.

All our attacking players were like traffic cones, no movement giving no options to create forward momentum, and the management team were no better, not making changes until we were out of the game, the football is dire again and the crowds are dwindling, I even questioned myself last night why I was there watching that crap

[Jimmydee]

Some people having been watching the elite players in the World Cup too much, don’t you realise that we’re in league 2?

[Campsall rover]

Some people having been watching the elite players in the World Cup too much, don’t you realise that we’re in league 2?

But we looked like a team with no confidence in themselves. We looked as though we had just played 3 games in 8 days.
We have had 13 days with no game.

The team selected was 100% flawed.  Rowe at centre back. Woltman simply not good enough. Hurst not in the starting 11.
We played a flat back 4 in last 2 games and although we had a bad 2nd half at Colchester we played much better. Grimsby we looked really good. So why change it and why leave out Hurst who can hurt teams and play a creative player in Tommy Rowe who can score goals and play him at centre back.
Makes no sense whatsoever.

The players looked really uncomfortable out there last night. Played without any conviction or understanding of what they were supposed to be doing.
DS needs to get a grip of what system he wants to play and how to use his players to get the best from them.
Last night was a complete contradiction of the above. 
What were they doing in the last 2 weeks.

[Janso]

Some people having been watching the elite players in the World Cup too much, don’t you realise that we’re in league 2?

Contrast and compare with Donervon Daniels, a defender who we all know is dogger, who had Miller in his back pocket last night.

Williams is awful, consistently so. Which is a shame as he looked like he had something about him early in the season.

[swintonrover]

We've been rotating centre backs for the last 18 months and yet Williams is always picked. What is the danger in benching him and starting Anderson/Olowu/Faulkner/Long?

[roversdude]

It was my fault I had literally just said Williams was having a good game as he fcked up for the first goal.
I remember the feedback from Shrewsbury fans when we signed him - that there is always a mistake waiting to happen. I thought he was over that and has been quite consistent this season. Think we need  Olowu back in the team though.
For me DS messed up last night. Woltman was getting praised for his work in training but personally I would have had Tommy in that position and stuck with Long (or JO) at the back. Don’t think Woltman is strong enough yet for starting. The game just seemed to pass Maxwell by and in the main we never got Knoyle going forward

[keith79]

Every other pass is backwards pass. 

[StocksArmy]

Pretty much every goal we concede comes from that right hand channel inbetween Knoyle & Williams. In my opinion neither of them are any good at doing the basics of defending. Time and time again we either fail to stop the cross or we let the winger come inside and get a shot off. Its clear DS is trying to implement a style of play but, he would need real help from the board in January to turn this lot around. Its not just a couple who need replacing. 90% of the team are squad players for a top table side. Other than that we are bang average and the club is being run in the same way. At any level you need to be paying fees for players to be successful, these are the players other clubs actually want or will dig their heels in to keep. I didnt see any Shrews fans crying over Williams rejecting a new contract or Fleetwood gutted to see Biggins leave, Pompey/ Close etc etc. Basically offering mediocre players a wage and hoping they do something. Utter stupidity. We maybe a stable well run club but im not surprised! We are stuck here until the unlikelyhood of someone with a big pot of cash and a bit of ambition comes and buys the club.

[vaya]

Pretty much every goal we concede comes from that right hand channel inbetween Knoyle & Williams. In my opinion neither of them are any good at doing the basics of defending. Time and time again we either fail to stop the cross or we let the winger come inside and get a shot off. Its clear DS is trying to implement a style of play but, he would need real help from the board in January to turn this lot around. Its not just a couple who need replacing. 90% of the team are squad players for a top table side. Other than that we are bang average and the club is being run in the same way. At any level you need to be paying fees for players to be successful, these are the players other clubs actually want or will dig their heels in to keep. I didnt see any Shrews fans crying over Williams rejecting a new contract or Fleetwood gutted to see Biggins leave, Pompey/ Close etc etc. Basically offering mediocre players a wage and hoping they do something. Utter stupidity. We maybe a stable well run club but im not surprised! We are stuck here until the unlikelyhood of someone with a big pot of cash and a bit of ambition comes and buys the club.

Slight correction in that a lot of Portsmouth fans were unhappy to see Close go.

[karldew]

It was my fault I had literally just said Williams was having a good game as he fcked up for the first goal.
I remember the feedback from Shrewsbury fans when we signed him - that there is always a mistake waiting to happen. I thought he was over that and has been quite consistent this season. Think we need  Olowu back in the team though.
For me DS messed up last night. Woltman was getting praised for his work in training but personally I would have had Tommy in that position and stuck with Long (or JO) at the back. Don’t think Woltman is strong enough yet for starting. The game just seemed to pass Maxwell by and in the main we never got Knoyle going forward

When Knoyle got forward towards the end he had no player within 30 yards of him.

[StocksArmy]

Pretty much every goal we concede comes from that right hand channel inbetween Knoyle & Williams. In my opinion neither of them are any good at doing the basics of defending. Time and time again we either fail to stop the cross or we let the winger come inside and get a shot off. Its clear DS is trying to implement a style of play but, he would need real help from the board in January to turn this lot around. Its not just a couple who need replacing. 90% of the team are squad players for a top table side. Other than that we are bang average and the club is being run in the same way. At any level you need to be paying fees for players to be successful, these are the players other clubs actually want or will dig their heels in to keep. I didnt see any Shrews fans crying over Williams rejecting a new contract or Fleetwood gutted to see Biggins leave, Pompey/ Close etc etc. Basically offering mediocre players a wage and hoping they do something. Utter stupidity. We maybe a stable well run club but im not surprised! We are stuck here until the unlikelyhood of someone with a big pot of cash and a bit of ambition comes and buys the club.

Slight correction in that a lot of Portsmouth fans were unhappy to see Close go.

As i remember it when he signed for us a lot were sad to see him leave but not exactly berating the club for allowing him to leave without a fight.

[Chris Black come back]

We've been rotating centre backs for the last 18 months and yet Williams is always picked. What is the danger in benching him and starting Anderson/Olowu/Faulkner/Long?

That group contains promise, disappointment and failure, but the consistent is how poor they have been collectively as a unit. We concede in almost 9 games out of every 10. This is dreadful. We are in League Two playing in pretty much every case bar maybe 2-3, clubs with far less resources than we have. Talk about turning wine into water. It’s an embarrassment.

[ncRover]

I want him to be good, but I’m failing to see any redeeming qualities in Maxwell’s game at present. Someone name me one.

[Draytonian III]

Williams should play in midfield, not defence

[ncRover]

Williams should play in midfield, not defence

For Armthorpe?

[Draytonian III]

Williams should play in midfield, not defence

IMO

[Filo]

Williams should play in midfield, not defence

For Armthorpe?

You’re being kind I was going to say in the Sunday League

[Thorney]

Williams should play in midfield, not defence

For Armthorpe?

You’re being kind I was going to say in the Sunday League

I was gonna say any other league 2 team, would give us a better chance of 3 points somewhere

[danumdon]

Very frustrating watching that performance last night and Williams was not the only culprit.

I'd be very interested to know what professional coaches see in a player who in all his time at the club has been performing at or around the level we had to endure last night? for someone who has played in every game this season you would imagine they are the best available in the club?

I'm just wondering what Faulkener and Olowu do i training because it seems like they must do nothing.

When you look at the essential requirements for a model center half ie, size, strength,pace, heading, tackling, reliability, just being a proper barn door, i'm positive we have at the club candidates who trump him in just about every department.

Do professional coaches require something different?

I'm at a loss here, i don't blame Williams, i'm sure he gives his all when he steps out, but football professionals!

[albie]

Olowu has to play, because he adds pace to a slow back line.
So someone has to be left out to include him, and that is RSW on current form.

Given DS had made a mess of selection and tactics last night, the obvious change to make at HT was Olowu on at centre back and Tommy moved into attacking midfield....well, obvious to me!

Where is Reo these days?
Has he had a setback, because Rovers are not getting much out of him so far!

[Filo]

I’m amazed that he spent 11 years in Man Utd’s academy and played for England at 3 age levels. What are coaches seeing in him that the rest of us can’t see. He also came with a reputation of being a fast runner, we’ve not seen any of that either

[Chris Black come back]

Williams should play in midfield, not defence

He would be an absolute disaster in midfield. I couldn’t think of a player in our squad including Mitchell who would be a worse option in midfield. Williams has terrible decision making, abysmal distribution and shits himself every time the ball get in the same postcode as him. I can see no case whatsoever for him being any use in midfield.

[Goole Rover]

Pretty much every goal we concede comes from that right hand channel inbetween Knoyle & Williams. In my opinion neither of them are any good at doing the basics of defending. Time and time again we either fail to stop the cross or we let the winger come inside and get a shot off. Its clear DS is trying to implement a style of play but, he would need real help from the board in January to turn this lot around. Its not just a couple who need replacing. 90% of the team are squad players for a top table side. Other than that we are bang average and the club is being run in the same way. At any level you need to be paying fees for players to be successful, these are the players other clubs actually want or will dig their heels in to keep. I didnt see any Shrews fans crying over Williams rejecting a new contract or Fleetwood gutted to see Biggins leave, Pompey/ Close etc etc. Basically offering mediocre players a wage and hoping they do something. Utter stupidity. We maybe a stable well run club but im not
surprised! We are stuck here until the unlikelyhood of someone with a big pot of cash and a bit of ambition comes and buys the club.

You’ve hit it in one. It’s OK blaming Williams but Knoyle has a lot to answer for.
Looking at the whole picture the club culture seems to be wrong we can’t go on blaming the managers.

[RugbyRover]

Some people having been watching the elite players in the World Cup too much, don’t you realise that we’re in league 2?

Is that DS you're talking about? 

[mrfrostsdad]

I was walking in the snow at the Christmas market in Kraków on Friday night.
Having seen the highlights, Williams may as well have been with me