Sterry

[andyst79]

Over the last three years we have had four or five right backs the same number of left backs and about eight central defenders , all at different times maligned as poor at one time or another.
  We have got off to a decent start and just the Saturday before the Harrogate game had a hard fought clean sheet against a better side than Harrogate,
   Up to the Bradford game last season we shipped goals and were in danger of losing a battle against relegation after just endured two terrible seasons before last season and a relegation from  division one, and Close picked up another injury keeping him out the rest of the season.
  We then went on a fabulous winning streak and have largely apart from the Newport game carried on that sequence of results  this season until the Harrogate  our back four as a whole playing poorly.
  Then it was back to type, and I will leave you to work out the common denominator.

I'm thick as a plank ..... what is the common denominator?

It's Ben Close , at present he divides the fan base. Some of us believe he's massively overrated and whenever he's in midfield we're powderpuff & the others think he's a Rolls Royce of a midfielder who is too good for this division and when we get promoted to L1 he'll finally prove his worth

[ravenrover]

And when Selby gets it in for a player there's no stopping him

[rich1471]

Over the last three years we have had four or five right backs the same number of left backs and about eight central defenders , all at different times maligned as poor at one time or another.
  We have got off to a decent start and just the Saturday before the Harrogate game had a hard fought clean sheet against a better side than Harrogate,
   Up to the Bradford game last season we shipped goals and were in danger of losing a battle against relegation after just endured two terrible seasons before last season and a relegation from  division one, and Close picked up another injury keeping him out the rest of the season.
  We then went on a fabulous winning streak and have largely apart from the Newport game carried on that sequence of results  this season until the Harrogate  our back four as a whole playing poorly.
  Then it was back to type, and I will leave you to work out the common denominator.

I'm thick as a plank ..... what is the common denominator?

It's Ben Close , at present he divides the fan base. Some of us believe he's massively overrated and whenever he's in midfield we're powderpuff & the others think he's a Rolls Royce of a midfielder who is too good for this division and when we get promoted to L1 he'll finally prove his worth

I think close slows the play down and never puts in a good tackle or block and anyone running at him with pace just goes past him and he does not have the pace to get back ,his passing is good but would use him when we are defending a lead in the last 10 minutes, definitely would not start him think we have better options

[danumdon]

GM saw a role for BC, so much so he gave him an extended contract. Ive always thought of Close as a luxury type of player, especially at this level.

If we are to build a team around him then he needs the armchair and the two willing workhorses to do his legwork, is BC good enough to deserve this type of preference? 

I would keep him wrapped in cotton wool for the big games where we have done the hard work already and can then use him to keep possession late on, away from home, forget it.