George Miller

[EasyforDennis]

Are we being fair on him? We signed the big lad from Birmingham on loan at the start of the season and being 6ft 5 we expected him to be the big man up front? Unfortunately he turned out to be a dud and we didn't replace him and have relied on GM to be our sole striker.
Just an opinion.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Anyone overly critical of him is been harsh. Yes needs to sort himself out to take chances but that he’s getting them is what matters. Also puts in a massive shift and contributes even if not scoring.

[pib]

I can't have been alone in thinking that Griffiths would play a much bigger part post-injury than he has, too?

[KeithMyath]

Think we got a head of our selves when he scored for fun at the start of the season, Since Grimsby I dont recall him scoring, so that 12/13 games without a goal. I like him, even though he makes a lot of wrong decisions, he works hard for the team, often isolated. I was however massively dissapointed with him on Saturday, First by his inability/lack of killer instict with that chance, and secondly his reaction to missing it, he just jogged off like it happens all the time.  I'd be gutted! Lavery hasn't had much game time but from what I have seen his general hold up play is better and looks to be more hungry. time for a change me thinks

[ForsolongaRover]

Much is made of him being “isolated” with the implication that this is the cause of reduced effectiveness. The question must be “Why?” If he persistently plays too far upfield why is it allowed to happen? If he is where he is told to be surely the tactics need adjusting if it is to work.

We seem to have problems with front men. Bogle obviuosly didn’t do what Wellens expected even though he seemed reasonably good at “holding the ball up”. Miller’s game seems more based around picking up and running on to long balls, but I haven’t studied him in detail. He certainly doesn’t seem to be getting the opportunities to get on the ball that he used to, so does that not suggest that something is wrong with the set up? Is he being “wasted”?

Would Lavery, Griffiths or whoever do what he does better?

[Lesonthewest]

I feel for the lad, ploughs a lone furrow, gets battered by big centre halves, but always puts a shift in. Seems to have lost that bit of sharpness he had, the chance he had on Saturday showed that, I think he would benefit from being rested a few games.

Also the way we play does him no favours, he would score more goals if he played off the shoulder with someone just behind him. Lumping balls into him with his back to goal is not his strength & never will be.

[tyke1962]

You'll not get a reight lot out of us Tykes for nowt .

Hope the lad does well for you though .

[ncRover]

He’s not a lone striker, simple.

It’s either change formation to the detriment of our more skilful attacking players or get someone else in summer.

[Goole Rover]

Simply not brave enough for those high balls.

[roversdude]

Reminds me of Marquis but obviously not so clinical (yet) puts a proper shift in

[Lesonthewest]

Reminds me of Marquis but obviously not so clinical (yet) puts a proper shift in

Yes I would wager Marquis would draw fouls 9 times out of 10 with the kind of balls we play up to George.

[DearneValleyRover]

He’d have scored more if he could use his left foot, I find it absolutely criminal that a professional footballer can’t be at least semi-competent at using their weaker foot

[ravenrover]

Simply not brave enough for those high balls.

Define your version of "not brave enough" please

[BillyStubbsTears]

He’d have scored more if he could use his left foot, I find it absolutely criminal that a professional footballer can’t be at least semi-competent at using their weaker foot

Very good point.

He's wasted at least half a dozen very good chances this season by not taking a shot with his left foot. Saturday being the latest example.

[scawsby steve]

He’d have scored more if he could use his left foot, I find it absolutely criminal that a professional footballer can’t be at least semi-competent at using their weaker foot

Very good point.

He's wasted at least half a dozen very good chances this season by not taking a shot with his left foot. Saturday being the latest example.

Absolutely, the worst one being at Rochdale. All he had to do was let the ball run naturally on to his left foot, then it would have been a tap into the empty net with the inside of his foot. Instead, he adjusted his whole body position so that he could get it onto the outside of his right foot, and hit it all wrong.

I can't believe that the coaches aren't working on this in training.

[Goole Rover]

Simply not brave enough for those high balls.

Define your version of "not brave enough" please

  A fine example of a brave centre forward was Laurie Sheffield, he told me that he always made it difficult for the defender, Miller doesn’t.

[ravenrover]

But Laurie was a fine header of the ball be it under pressure from a defender with a ball played up to him or attacking the ball for a scoring chance. Miller is certainly not the 1st. Is it considered not brave enough to constantly try to challenge for a ball and be battered by a 6ft plus centre back but still continue to repeatedly challenge with little chance of winning it?

[Rovers91]

He puts a proper shift in but technically he ain't great and he misses some sitters.

[Sammy Chung was King]

He needs the ball played down the side of defenders. We struggle to have players capable of giving him that type of service. Lump balls upto him and he isn’t going to do well. He also needs to just get his head down, keep working hard as he does and he will score goals.

If he’s not getting the service it’s his job to make something happen. He hasn’t become rubbish just because he’s on a bad run. He’s the same player we signed on a free transfer and was scoring goals for fun early in the season. Support him don’t get on his back.

[BigH]

Needs an Andy Cook type player next to him.

[Surrey Rover]

Miller scoring for Walsall with his left foot v Oldham last season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRjn4_gJ8mg

[Silkscarf]

[quote.....I can't believe that the coaches aren't working on this in training.[/quote]

How does anyone get to be a professional footballer without being able to kick/trap/shoot/tackle to an adequate level with the weaker foot? Isn't that addressed fairly early on? OK if you're Maradona, Arjen Robben etc then it doesn't matter much but for every other player it's basic stuff. Like tying your bootlaces properly. But some can't even do that these days either.

[pib]

More of a Blundell than a Marquis for me.

[ncRover]

More of a Blundell than a Marquis for me.

Who had Fortune-West to play off

[BillyStubbsTears]

He’d have scored more if he could use his left foot, I find it absolutely criminal that a professional footballer can’t be at least semi-competent at using their weaker foot

Very good point.

He's wasted at least half a dozen very good chances this season by not taking a shot with his left foot. Saturday being the latest example.

Absolutely, the worst one being at Rochdale. All he had to do was let the ball run naturally on to his left foot, then it would have been a tap into the empty net with the inside of his foot. Instead, he adjusted his whole body position so that he could get it onto the outside of his right foot, and hit it all wrong.

I can't believe that the coaches aren't working on this in training.

That one at Rochdale was beyond belief. No-one can watch that and not know that there is a massive problem needing attention.

I'd honestly have fancied myself at 55 to have been able to roll that in with my left foot from that position. The fact that he chose to snatch at it with the outside of his right boot is a massive red light.

[pib]

The thing that really fascinates me is how we as a club keep making these mistakes and falling into the same traps.

When he signed in the summer, I couldn't tell you whether Miller was any good or not, because I'm just an ordinary fan and I don't spend my time looking into these things, but people like Gaz called it out immediately as an average signing. If you work for the club in a scouting/recruitment capacity and that is literally your full-time area of expertise, how does this sort of thing so frequently slip through the net?

We can't even really say with confidence it's improved. Lavery is another one who we've now got on an 18 month deal who looks distinctly ordinary and can't even dislodge Miller who hasn't scored for 13 games. And Lavery hasn't even got age on his side like Miller has. He's another one who I fear we'll look at in a year after a handful of appearances and a couple of goals and say "what were we thinking there?" - just like with Agard.

[ForsolongaRover]

[quote.....I can't believe that the coaches aren't working on this in training.

How does anyone get to be a professional footballer without being able to kick/trap/shoot/tackle to an adequate level with the weaker foot? Isn't that addressed fairly early on? OK if you're Maradona, Arjen Robben etc then it doesn't matter much but for every other player it's basic stuff. Like tying your bootlaces properly. But some can't even do that these days either.


[/quote]

I agree, but it is even more amazing that there are a lot of PL players who don’t seem able to use their “other” foot, which
almost seems criminal.

[elmsallrover]

I remember the story of George Best that when he was a kid and told to go to the shops he would kick the ball with his left foot against the walls and garages then on the way back he would do ithe same but with his right foot

[Canadian Rover]

George is the best forward the Rovers have signed since Marquis. He's dealing with a new system and a lack of confidence in front of goal. He needs the support of the fans.

[ncRover]

George is the best forward the Rovers have signed since Marquis. He's dealing with a new system and a lack of confidence in front of goal. He needs the support of the fans.

I’ll always back the players but I’m sceptical that we can make it work.

Fejiri?