Clifton

[BillyStubbsTears]

I don't want to keep harping on about this (OK! I do really) but here's the latest with and without Clifton update.

With
P13 W8 D2 L3
Without
P9 W1 D2 L6

[Ldr]

It’s no coincidence that we tend to lose momentum when he goes off and Gotts comes on

[Filo]

It’s no coincidence that we tend to lose momentum when he goes off and Gotts comes on

Gotts is Sbarra 1.1

[Sprotyrover]

It’s no coincidence that we tend to lose momentum when he goes off and Gotts comes on

Gotts is Sbarra 1.1

Sadly I agree, and I don’t like pulling our players down!

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I don't want to keep harping on about this (OK! I do really) but here's the latest with and without Clifton update.

With
P13 W8 D2 L3
Without
P9 W1 D2 L6

Just posted on another thread, Hanlan another who must be similar?

McCann seems to have found his strongest team though that's for sure.

[Nudga]

I don't want to keep harping on about this (OK! I do really) but here's the latest with and without Clifton update.

With
P13 W8 D2 L3
Without
P9 W1 D2 L6

Just posted on another thread, Hanlan another who must be similar?

McCann seems to have found his strongest team though that's for sure.

Also he's stopped making so many changes every match. Not sure how he expected players to reach good form by chopping and changing every match.

Play well, keep the shirt and its yours to lose.

[Padge_DRFC]

It’s no coincidence that we tend to lose momentum when he goes off and Gotts comes on

Gotts is Sbarra 1.1

Not a chance. Gotts miles better on the ball.

If you could blend Clifton and Gotts best attributes together you'd have a great number 10

[GazLaz]

I can understand what BST sees in him and I think the positions he takes up allows others to play but his output is atrocious. He doesn’t win the ball back very often, doesn’t pass to his mastery often or create very often. His biggest strength is arriving in the box and getting on the end of things. Zero league goals though. If we can’t find a player better than him in that position we are in trouble. I don’t think we want a Matt Le Tissier in that position but someone with his energy that wins it back more and can pass better into much to ask.

[Filo]

It’s no coincidence that we tend to lose momentum when he goes off and Gotts comes on

Gotts is Sbarra 1.1

Not a chance. Gotts miles better on the ball.

If you could blend Clifton and Gotts best attributes together you'd have a great number 10

Better but not by miles

[GazLaz]

It’s no coincidence that we tend to lose momentum when he goes off and Gotts comes on

Gotts is Sbarra 1.1

Not a chance. Gotts miles better on the ball.

If you could blend Clifton and Gotts best attributes together you'd have a great number 10

Better but not by miles

He’s started 3 league games and not had a run so hard to judge him properly but another player that come in and in instantly improved that “front 6”.

[scawsby steve]

I don't want to keep harping on about this (OK! I do really) but here's the latest with and without Clifton update.

With
P13 W8 D2 L3
Without
P9 W1 D2 L6

Good post, BST, and I totally agree with the sentiment. However, it wouldn't be me without some pedantry.

I'm assuming you mean all games in all comps so far this season. It's 25, so you're 3 games short.

[drfchound]

I also rate Clifton highly and imo he does make a big difference to how we perform.
He does get into great positions in the box when we are attacking but his finishing needs some serious work.
If he starts to put the ball in the net on a fairly regular basis he will become a massive asset.

[NickDRFC]

I don't want to keep harping on about this (OK! I do really) but here's the latest with and without Clifton update.

With
P13 W8 D2 L3
Without
P9 W1 D2 L6

What were the stats for last year? He feels more important to us this year, maybe due to the pace and physicality from the step up.

[Branton Rover]

If you put both players Close and Clifton side by side and analyse who is the better footballer; people will probably rightly choose Close, his vision, range of passing etc. But in terms of effectiveness it’s Clifton & in terms of the energy he brings to the team he’s a better McCann type player.

[oggycompton]

I don't want to keep harping on about this (OK! I do really) but here's the latest with and without Clifton update.

With
P13 W8 D2 L3
Without
P9 W1 D2 L6

Just posted on another thread, Hanlan another who must be similar?

McCann seems to have found his strongest team though that's for sure.

Also he's stopped making so many changes every match. Not sure how he expected players to reach good form by chopping and changing every match.

Play well, keep the shirt and its yours to lose.

He did this last season . Mucked about with the team week in week out like we were prime Man Cuty with a squad of amazing depth. Settled on an eleven from January onwards.

[Dutch Uncle]

I don't want to keep harping on about this (OK! I do really) but here's the latest with and without Clifton update.

With
P13 W8 D2 L3
Without
P9 W1 D2 L6

Good post, BST, and I totally agree with the sentiment. However, it wouldn't be me without some pedantry.

I'm assuming you mean all games in all comps so far this season. It's 25, so you're 3 games short.

Maybe not including Vertu Trophy where team selection is not normally the strongest team?

[Move DRFC]

I honestly don't really rate Clifton as a player but it's got to a point where you just cannot argue with the stats. As long as we keep winning just keep playing him. It's a strange one because he's a 10 and as Gaz says there's just no output but hey ho. What's working is working.

[steve@dcfd]

Clifton’s workrate is second to none for the team. We haven’t got a better player at the club to do that position. Close is better technically but to slow both going forward and defensively.
We do need a player to play the ten but he’s needs the workrate of Clifton and the pace fitness and technique. To get said player will cost and I don’t think we have the funds to do it .

[Ian Nimmo]

I think you have hit the nail on the head Steve, the player you describe is likely to come at a high financial cost.
Any club willing to part with such a player will likely demand a huge transfer fee, which is not the current strategy of our club at present, and the player is likely to be demanding a salary at the top end for our current L1.
Whilst people are currently suggesting our goalkeeper, defence and midfield are in need of strengthening with the highest quality of (expensive) players, I think we all know that our real problem is the lack of a quality striker. We all know Billy can do a job for us but reality is he can’t play 90 mins starting every game.
I also believe that our problem was evident a lot earlier than a lot of people were willing to accept, I and a few others were expressing concerns regarding our striking force and lack of scoring, but responses were generally there is no issue look at our current position at the time these concerns were raised.
Just look back towards the Huddersfield game, where we were unable to take our chances before they scored.
Clifton is capable of doing a job at this level, we need to concentrate on a main striker who can lead the line, once we sort this I honestly believe a few players will play with more confidence and play to their best abilities.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I can understand what BST sees in him and I think the positions he takes up allows others to play but his output is atrocious. He doesn’t win the ball back very often, doesn’t pass to his mastery often or create very often. His biggest strength is arriving in the box and getting on the end of things. Zero league goals though. If we can’t find a player better than him in that position we are in trouble. I don’t think we want a Matt Le Tissier in that position but someone with his energy that wins it back more and can pass better into much to ask.

Gaz.

I can't compete with your knowledge of the data, but if I may suggest, I think you are missing a big point here.

It's not whether he personally wins the ball or what he does with it.

It's his energy that transforms the entire side. He harries and pressurises opponents and unsettles them into mistakes. I'm not sure there's a metric for that but as a great man once said, "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted".

The difference with and without him in the side is blindingly obvious watching the matches, regardless of what his individual stats are.

Yes I'm sure there are better players available. But we haven't got one in our squad who comes remotely close to being able to do what he brings to the team.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I don't want to keep harping on about this (OK! I do really) but here's the latest with and without Clifton update.

With
P13 W8 D2 L3
Without
P9 W1 D2 L6

Good post, BST, and I totally agree with the sentiment. However, it wouldn't be me without some pedantry.

I'm assuming you mean all games in all comps so far this season. It's 25, so you're 3 games short.

I'm not including the FLT matches because in my opinion, they are a long way off being genuine 1st team games. Certainly in the group stages.