Matthew Craig

[andyst79]

Think there are some blinkered views on here Craig was pants his first few games and then found a rhythm.
Quite like Sbarra and Clifton - still think we are missing the end of season Biggins and even more surprised we gave Close and Westbrook new contracts

Doesn't matter how good a player Craig is , if the balance in midfield isn't right they become less effective and can look average at best. Craig & Bailey complimented each other well and as you say I agree about Biggins he's a big miss for us on that 2nd half of season form. Don't underestimate Craig's importance to that team, our midfield has fallen short ever since Whiteman left and has more often than not left out defence & attack looking fragile. We should be pushing the boat out at all costs to get him back for the rest of the season at the very least.

[roversdude]

I really like/d Craig but IF he came back to us it’s likely to take a while to bed in

[andyst79]

No suprise Bailey's form has dropped off at times this season without Craig at the side of him

[danumdon]

No suprise Bailey's form has dropped off at times this season without Craig at the side of him

Always the same for versatile players, they get played all over the place, eventually you forget what was their best position!

[andyst79]

Don't understand the criticism of some of our players in here , Ironside is suddenly shit according to some and Bailey's now not all that good . KDB's hardly running the show at  City without Rodri , doesn't matter how good you are you still  need that combination or catalyst around you to succeed, all great midfields have that perfect balance.

[steve@dcfd]

I don’t understand why you say Baileys been Criticised for me he’s been ok. I prefer him in a deep role unless Broadbent is playing but that’s down to Grant.
Others after those two in order Clifton comes after them hard working and he getting closer to scoring.
Kelly for me has not shown the control in his game if we can get better, which we need then for me he can go back to West Ham.
Close and Westbrooke should never had been re-signed we need better.
So back to Craig when he was with us he played the deeper role and did brilliantly at Barnsley when I’ve seen him he’s been in more attacking role. So we will see what Grant does in January.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I don’t understand why you say Baileys been Criticised for me he’s been ok. I prefer him in a deep role unless Broadbent is playing but that’s down to Grant.
Others after those two in order Clifton comes after them hard working and he getting closer to scoring.
Kelly for me has not shown the control in his game if we can get better, which we need then for me he can go back to West Ham.
Close and Westbrooke should never had been re-signed we need better.
So back to Craig when he was with us he played the deeper role and did brilliantly at Barnsley when I’ve seen him he’s been in more attacking role. So we will see what Grant does in January.

This is very true. GM has kept shuffling the pack with different shapes and personnel. Sometimes his choices work very well. For example, bringing Broadbent back in at Fleetwood and giving Bailey a license to go more further forward. The next game v Cheltenham it wasn't as fluid for various reasons.

As you say, Clifton at times when leading the press from midfield, with two sitters behind him, Bailey and Broadbent or Kelly sometimes works very well.

From what McCann has said, he expects the players to be able to adapt to the different tactical shapes from prematch to during games.

We're used to enforced changes through injury but it seems sometimes harder to fathom when we'd expect a settled midfield trio would gradually improve . The second half of last season saw less chopping and changing as the team pretty much picked itself. Now, nobody has a clue what the starting XI is likely to be.

What's to say IF Craig was to come, that tactical tinkering would stop?

But again, is centre mid really our problem?

[Alan Southstand]

It’s part of the problem, certainly.

Admittedly there are others - wide forwards being one of the others.

When Billy signed we had 3 strikers. It wasn’t long before we were back to only having 2, so that’s an area for concern (injury/suspension).

3 players needed imho.

[andyst79]

I don’t understand why you say Baileys been Criticised for me he’s been ok. I prefer him in a deep role unless Broadbent is playing but that’s down to Grant.
Others after those two in order Clifton comes after them hard working and he getting closer to scoring.
Kelly for me has not shown the control in his game if we can get better, which we need then for me he can go back to West Ham.
Close and Westbrooke should never had been re-signed we need better.
So back to Craig when he was with us he played the deeper role and did brilliantly at Barnsley when I’ve seen him he’s been in more attacking role. So we will see what Grant does in January.

There were a few people on here the other week slating his recent performances Steve. Saying he's not as good as what people think and not capable of stepping up in league 1. Beggars belief really , yeah he might have had a drop off in form at times this season but the guys been pretty much an ever present in our side since he started. Like you say the renewal of Close was a bizarre one , can half understand signing Westbrook as he's more dynamic & did the business when Coventry got promoted, don't think his injury record is that great though ?

[BillyStubbsTears]

Is yet another midfielder needed? Rather get the striker in first and worry about yet another midfielder, no matter how well he did last season, later

COYR

Yes it REALLY is.

We've been awful in the middle of the park all season.

Broadbent, Kelly. Obvious weak spots every week.

[Chris Black come back]

Probably better when we don’t have possession in midfield. That’s not really our gig.

[Copps is Magic]

Bailey and Broadbent are plodders - undynamic, steady-eddy, and uninspiring.

[Campsall rover]

I know Broadbent played well 2nd half last week but he was non descriptive again today
Never laid a finger on them.
Passing abysmal and he cost us the goal.
Clifton needs to start regularly imo.
If we can get Mathew Craig back it’s a no brainer for me.
Bailey is currently doing the work of 2 players

[GazLaz]

Broadbent was horrendous today. Certainly shouldn’t be starting games for us. He’s just not good enough consistently.

[Surrey Rover]

There are numerous players in the squad who are just not good enough consistently.

[mushRTID]

There are numerous players in the squad who are just not good enough consistently.

Hurst is another one.
Has a good performance and earns a start but then is largely anonymous when he starts games.
Has to come off the bench.

Bradford he was unbelievable but it’s not often enough.

[GazLaz]

There are numerous players in the squad who are just not good enough consistently.

Hurst is another one.
Has a good performance and earns a start but then is largely anonymous when he starts games.
Has to come off the bench.

Bradford he was unbelievable but it’s not often enough.

We had a real clear plan at Bradford and could play our suited counter attack style against a team who were bound to hand loads of possession. We struggle when we have to force a game because we can’t string three passes together.

[ncRover]

I know Broadbent played well 2nd half last week but he was non descriptive again today
Never laid a finger on them.
Passing abysmal and he cost us the goal.
Clifton needs to start regularly imo.
If we can get Mathew Craig back it’s a no brainer for me.
Bailey is currently doing the work of 2 players

Clifton was released by Grimsby because he was bad on the ball. That wouldn’t help Bailey.

I’m not sure why Westbrooke has been frozen out. He is a ball player. But then again even when he is fit everyone jumps on his back for some reason.

[Filo]

I know Broadbent played well 2nd half last week but he was non descriptive again today
Never laid a finger on them.
Passing abysmal and he cost us the goal.
Clifton needs to start regularly imo.
If we can get Mathew Craig back it’s a no brainer for me.
Bailey is currently doing the work of 2 players

Clifton was released by Grimsby because he was bad on the ball. That wouldn’t help Bailey.

I’m not sure why Westbrooke has been frozen out. He is a ball player. But then again even when he is fit everyone jumps on his back for some reason.

Clifton wasn’t released, he turned down a contract offer

[Campsall rover]

I know Broadbent played well 2nd half last week but he was non descriptive again today
Never laid a finger on them.
Passing abysmal and he cost us the goal.
Clifton needs to start regularly imo.
If we can get Mathew Craig back it’s a no brainer for me.
Bailey is currently doing the work of 2 players

Clifton was released by Grimsby because he was bad on the ball. That wouldn’t help Bailey.

I’m not sure why Westbrooke has been frozen out. He is a ball player. But then again even when he is fit everyone jumps on his back for some reason.

He hasn’t been frozen out
He has been injured all season and was on the bench today.
Clifton was voted best player at Grimsby for about the last 4 seasons and was not released.
He was offered a better deal at Rovers and turned down Grimsby’s offer of a new contract

Why do people post stuff which is not factual.

[ncRover]

Apologies I got mixed up.

The Grimsby fans did say that about him though.

[Filo]

Apologies I got mixed up.

The Grimsby fans did say that about him though.

The Grimsby fans weren’t the ones offering him a new contract, the Football people were the ones offering him a contract

[ncRover]

Apologies I got mixed up.

The Grimsby fans did say that about him though.

The Grimsby fans weren’t the ones offering him a new contract, the Football people were the ones offering him a contract

Clifton isn’t a playmaker. Campsall wants him next to Bailey to solve the passing problem. That wouldn’t work.

The Grimsby fans have seen a lot more of him than we have, so their opinion on that matter means more than ours.

[tyke1962]

Just to add regarding young Craig at Oakwell we signed free agent Kelechi Nwakali in the summer .

One of those punt signings who seems to have drifted around Europe and not particularly settled anywhere although he did start his career at Arsenal .

I take the point it's relatively early days but if he maintains this form the lad won't be at Oakwell for too much longer , head and shoulders above anything I've seen at this level for some time .

Throw in captain Luca Connell , Adam Philips and Jonny Russell plus Nwakali and it's tough for the lad to start games .

I'm not saying our midfield is the best I've ever seen by any means but it's capable enough at this level .

Defending and scoring goals is why we aren't doing better .

I always believe you don't get to a club of Spurs size without having talent , you just don't and from what I read Spurs rate him highly enough to want to see his development progress hence why they are recalling him in January .

[Campsall rover]

Apologies I got mixed up.

The Grimsby fans did say that about him though.

The Grimsby fans weren’t the ones offering him a new contract, the Football people were the ones offering him a contract

Clifton isn’t a playmaker. Campsall wants him next to Bailey to solve the passing problem. That wouldn’t work.

The Grimsby fans have seen a lot more of him than we have, so their opinion on that matter means more than ours.

Campsall doesn’t want him next to Bailey. See my post on January transfer window.
I would put Westbrooke there now assuming he is match fit.

[Alan Southstand]

Campsall, I have to disagree with Westbrook I’m afraid - I’d rather the wife play and she’s got 2 knackered knees 

The player we need alongside Bailey is not at the Club. GM constantly changing things around him but never finding the right guy. He had him, or at least the blueprint, last half of last season. Whether he can get him back I’m not sure, but he got it spot on last season with Craig and we don’t possess anyone with the same DNA (and are suffering because of it).

The same goes for Adelakun, tore defenders a new one in that glorious run of wins last season. Quite simply, what we’ve seen so far this season has not held a candle to those 2. That’s what we seriously need to address, ASAP in January, before we fall away altogether!

[Campsall rover]

Campsall, I have to disagree with Westbrook I’m afraid - I’d rather the wife play and she’s got 2 knackered knees 

The player we need alongside Bailey is not at the Club. GM constantly changing things around him but never finding the right guy. He had him, or at least the blueprint, last half of last season. Whether he can get him back I’m not sure, but he got it spot on last season with Craig and we don’t possess anyone with the same DNA (and are suffering because of it).

The same goes for Adelakun, tore defenders a new one in that glorious run of wins last season. Quite simply, what we’ve seen so far this season has not held a candle to those 2. That’s what we seriously need to address, ASAP in January, before we fall away altogether!

I have put Westbrooke there because as you say the player we need is not at the club.
But we can only play what we have Alan.
We have got plenty of attacking midfielders but we need a Mathew Craig type player next to Owen Bailey or Mathew Craig himself.
Don’t see us falling away altogether though Alan. We are good enough for top 4/5 as we are but to win the league or possibly top 3 we need 2 more players.
The ones we have will be much better when the missing link is acquired.
Please don’t tell me we don’t have quality players for this level because we have a squad full of them.
Sometimes the sum of all parts don’t function with one missing piece.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Campsall, I have to disagree with Westbrook I’m afraid - I’d rather the wife play and she’s got 2 knackered knees 

The player we need alongside Bailey is not at the Club. GM constantly changing things around him but never finding the right guy. He had him, or at least the blueprint, last half of last season. Whether he can get him back I’m not sure, but he got it spot on last season with Craig and we don’t possess anyone with the same DNA (and are suffering because of it).

The same goes for Adelakun, tore defenders a new one in that glorious run of wins last season. Quite simply, what we’ve seen so far this season has not held a candle to those 2. That’s what we seriously need to address, ASAP in January, before we fall away altogether!

I have put Westbrooke there because as you say the player we need is not at the club.
But we can only play what we have Alan.
We have got plenty of attacking midfielders but we need a Mathew Craig type player next to Owen Bailey or Mathew Craig himself.
Don’t see us falling away altogether though Alan. We are good enough for top 4/5 as we are but to win the league or possibly top 3 we need 2 more players.
The ones we have will be much better when the missing link is acquired.
Please don’t tell me we don’t have quality players for this level because we have a squad full of them.
Sometimes the sum of all parts don’t function with one missing piece.

Sometimes, things don't function with all the parts.

Just a reminder even WITH TLT, Craig, Adelakun, Biggins (ffs) we lost the play off semi 2nd leg at home. We were losing the Barrow game when Craig was subbed.

We all know sh*t happens in football and the players have to dust themselves down, go again and produce what they're capable of.

[wing commander]

   You can only go on what you see, Grant will big players up in public whatever he thinks privately

   Over the years when we get these young lads from Premiership teams you know the ones who will make it at the top level as they stand out. Kelly who seems to be highly rated by everyone just doesn't for me, lightweight and cant impose himself on a game. I will be amazed if he makes it as a premiership footballer.

   Broadbent has good games but then some bad ones, okay if you want to be a survivor in this league but no good if you want to have ambitions. And finally when Gibson signed the Carlisle fans said he could be brilliant and then non descript and so far thats pretty much covers it.

None of them are doing enough for me to take is where we want to go.

[jmt23]

Matty Craig is apparently wanted by the blades on a permanent deal, but Bristol City and Mansfield want to loan him.