McCullough

[phil old leake]

I’m not sure how he’s getting on with his loan so this may be a bit premature
I often thought he was a solid nonsense player. I just wonder if he was sat in front of the back 4 whether he could help to solidify them and build from the back
My only problem would be who he would replace.  It would be more tactical than a better player

[selby]

  Phil, Where have you been? and don't go there, you are doing too much thinking.

[since-1969]

He doesn’t fit now into the long term , his injury record with Rovers was too frustrating. Along with others who’s contracts are up soon he will be looking for a new club.

[DD]

An emergency centre half??? Better than Anderson???

[RoversAlias]

An emergency centre half??? Better than Anderson???

He's not better than Anderson at centre half.

And he doesn't fit this system, it's plain to see why. He couldn't get around anywhere near as well as Whiteman does from that set-back midfield position.

[VivaRovers]

I'm not sure its a question over whether he's a better centre-half than Anderson - they're both different types of defenders - but I initially thought there'd have been merit getting him back if possible as he would compliment Butler or Anderson a little better than they do each other. Presumably the acquisition of Cummings means this isn't on the cards though.

[selby]

  Cummings has only signed a short couple of months contract, McCullough has been stopped from playing in the FA cup so as not to be cup tied, he May yet be in the managers thoughts after Christmas.

[bedale rover]

He has got to be a  better passer than butler or Anderson!

[Branton Rover]

Luke has 3 issues as a professional footballer - he’s not big enough to be a centre back, he’s too slow to be a full back & only can really command a position as a holding midfielder but GM doesn’t play a traditional holding role - Whiteman is his only comparable option but Luke isn’t as mobile as BW

[roversdude]

Add to that he can’t read a game well enough - to his credit he can pin some decent long passes

[Dutch Uncle]

If Luke is popular at Tranmere then maybe we can make a player plus cash offer for Norwood

[Chris Black come back]

For me it is the mobility issue. He genuinely appears the slowest player we have had in living memory - he would finish fourth in a race against Jamie McCombe and Carl Alford.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Yep too slow and not good enough in other areas of his game to make up for it. He's not a bad player just limited and wouldn't get in our team at the moment so

[GazLaz]

He’s too slow in midfield. You don’t need pace at the back (please don’t reply saying you do).

[DonnyBazR0ver]

There were reasons why people preferred him when he moved to defensive midfield. Trouble is with Luke is he's a not quite.. Not quite dominant or rugged enough as a centre  half, even though size can be made up for and, perhaps not quite quick enough for midfield to have that ability to change pace and direction.

[sedwardsdrfc]

He’s too slow in midfield. You don’t need pace at the back (please don’t reply saying you do).

For me he was better at centre half too but saying that its been a long time since i've seen him play there. He wouldn't get in ahead of Butler or Wright from what i can remember but probably in front of Anderson

[scawsby steve]

He’s too slow in midfield. You don’t need pace at the back (please don’t reply saying you do).

For me he was better at centre half too but saying that its been a long time since i've seen him play there. He wouldn't get in ahead of Butler or Wright from what i can remember but probably in front of Anderson

No way would he get in front of Anderson; they're both lacking in pace, but Tom has the height and better heading ability.

As I've said before, during our relegation season McCullough and Butler were one of the worst centre back pairings I've seen for Rovers for many years.

[drfchound]

........that could be partly down to the system that Ferguson persisted with when clearly the players we had couldn’t handle it.

[scawsby steve]

........that could be partly down to the system that Ferguson persisted with when clearly the players we had couldn’t handle it.

I agree with that Hound, but another reason was the lack of pace and ability to turn quickly. In some games, opponents were just running straight past them and scoring; a bit like our defending at the moment to be honest.

One thing's for sure, we won't get away with it if we defend like that on Saturday.

[pib]

He can't defend and gives the ball away too cheaply to play at the back.

There's a good reason he's been shipped out.

[drfchound]

Good enough to play for his country.

[roversdude]

I suppose next the recent downturn in Northern Ireland’s form is due to not picking him

[IDM]

I think Luke is a good defensive midfielder.. his passing is let down by the lack of movement from his team mates..

[sedwardsdrfc]

I think Luke is a good defensive midfielder.. his passing is let down by the lack of movement from his team mates..

Funny how players like Kane don't come unstuck by our lack of movement. If there's no movement/easy pass play the ball into an area or run with it LM, imo, takes too long and gets caught, like Eric Dier, a trait of a centre half trying to play further forward.

[dickos1]

I think Luke is a good defensive midfielder.. his passing is let down by the lack of movement from his team mates..

A lack of movement is not something that can describe us. That’s our main strength the interchanging of positions, having players playing between the lines,

[keith79]

I think we all seen the lack of movement on Saturday.

[IDM]

I was more referring to our performances in previous seasons, not now, when Luke got some games in..

Surprised I had to explain that really..