Strongest starting 11?

[adamtherover]

Can anyone make a case that if everyone is fit, Tuesdays line up isn't our best 11? Maybe broady for harry, everyone else seems a shoe in?

[Filo]

Can anyone make a case that if everyone is fit, Tuesdays line up isn't our best 11? Maybe broady for harry, everyone else seems a shoe in?

Clifton and Broadbent are totally different type of players

[sedwardsdrfc]

Still think Maxwell is a better left back than Senior.

Also don’t think we’ve seen enough of Bryne against teams with some threat. Orient were poor by all accounts.

It’s completely counter to the way the Orient game went but I’m convinced we’d be a stronger team with fewer weak links with Bailey at centre half ahead of McGarth. We’ve depth in midfield to allow it. Baileys goal record does make that move a lot harder so understand it’s not been done.

[ncRover]

Next 4 games are Saturday Tuesday Saturday Tuesday.

The subs will be important and you’d think the starting XI would rotate a little bit.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Can anyone make a case that if everyone is fit, Tuesdays line up isn't our best 11? Maybe broady for harry, everyone else seems a shoe in?

All things considered, I think it probably was including Clifton, who was also excellent on the night imo.

The other good thing, maybe learning from Saturday, there didn't seem to be a rush to make subs.  I think it gives the players a bit more assurance they'll stay on if they're playing well.

[Move DRFC]

Maxwell for Senior definitley when he's on song he's one of our best players. So underrated with our fanbase.

McGrath's horror season means that he can't be in there either although I'm not sure there's anyone better which is still a worry.

I think we have a good midfield and attack now though thankfully! Gotts has been a revelation and Bailey's new attacking mid role will make him even more effective. Then our wingers are brilliant.

[bpoolrover]

I think senior has been brilliant since coming in for maxwell

[anton123]

On the maxwell situation I believe he is the more talented left back but senior had the greater work rate and desire/ determination which in a relegation battle he gets the nod

[5minstogo]

Did a bit of analysis of our left backs. Maxwell streets ahead of Senior in every way except shots on target. Senior shows effort and endeavour but Maxwell creates and defends better than Jack. I like them both but it shouldn't be a tough decision when talking about first choice.

[i_ateallthepies]

Maxwell looks good only against weaker opposition.  In L1 he's been a total passenger.

[5minstogo]

Maxwell looks good only against weaker opposition.  In L1 he's been a total passenger.

Stats don't suggest that. He's been one of our best players!

[Reg of the Rovers]

Definite starters: Clark, Sterry, Bailey, Gotts, Haks, Okoronkwo, Moly

I like Clifton and Robinson. Broadbent is still a bit of an enigma for me, sometimes he's decent but other times he genuinely looks like he's never kicked a ball in his life. A bit like Close,  I think Broadbent technically good but has the heart of a mouse. Wigan game being case in point, Broadbent looked like he'd been twelve rounds with Mike Tyson, one of the most disorientated and lost second half displays I've seen.

I prefer Senior to Maxwell, I know there's stats to support Maxwell, but to my untrained eye Maxwell seems slow and a bit off it since his injury. Senior is a little pocket rocket.

I don't mind Hanlan off the bench, I know he's not everyone's cuppa but he's athletic and busy and some of his goals have been good. I love Sharp, but he's third choice to come on now, in my opinion.

Middleton and Gibson both show signs of quality, but both too hit and miss to be starters for me.

On one showing Byrne looks decent, steady and dependable. McGrath has looked better last couple, but overall not had a great season and looks a liability quite often. 

Overall though reasons to be positive, that core of seven or so are quality, and if we can get the best from the rest we should be well off the bottom come May.

[GazLaz]

The Senior vs Maxwell debate is an interesting one. Maxwell outperforms Senior on pretty much every metric.

The only thing that may be swaying Grant is the fact that Senior can sit in a bit more as a third centre half when we are defending and drifts out of position less. With Sterry having plenty of license to do what he does on the right perhaps Grant sees Senior as more defensive balance on the left. Especially now Haks is playing on the left and he drifts all over the place.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I'm in the Senior over Maxwell camp with Senior becoming more consistent and playing with more intensity for me. I like Maxwell but recalling a spell when he was  on song, is quite difficult.

[Usher wide.]

I'm in the Senior over Maxwell camp with Senior becoming more consistent and playing with more intensity for me. I like Maxwell but recalling a spell when he was  on song, is quite difficult.

Absolutely in agreement DBR.

Maxwell may look better on ‘every metric’ but not on the pitch.

[BillyStubbsTears]

The Senior vs Maxwell debate is an interesting one. Maxwell outperforms Senior on pretty much every metric.

The only thing that may be swaying Grant is the fact that Senior can sit in a bit more as a third centre half when we are defending and drifts out of position less. With Sterry having plenty of license to do what he does on the right perhaps Grant sees Senior as more defensive balance on the left. Especially now Haks is playing on the left and he drifts all over the place.

I'd be interested to see the stats on pace. I'm a big fan of Maxwell and think he's a better player overall, but my gut feeling from watching matches is that Senior is the quickest player in the squad over 40 yards. As a result, he looks to my eye to be the more dangerous of ther two on the overlap. Is there any data to prove/disprove that?

[5minstogo]

Just because a player runs around and looks busy doesn't mean they are the better player. Gotts for instance now looks far better in his new role, stats prove that and the untrained eye see's that. Senior looks busy but isn't really contributing much either defensively or in attack. He has had more shots but they've been of poor quality.  I like his endeavour but he's not the better player.

[Blue Green Algae]

I'm in the Senior over Maxwell camp with Senior becoming more consistent and playing with more intensity for me. I like Maxwell but recalling a spell when he was  on song, is quite difficult.

Absolutely in agreement DBR.

Maxwell may look better on ‘every metric’ but not on the pitch.

What do you judge his level of performance 'on the pitch' by?

[NickDRFC]

I'm in the Senior over Maxwell camp with Senior becoming more consistent and playing with more intensity for me. I like Maxwell but recalling a spell when he was  on song, is quite difficult.

Absolutely in agreement DBR.

Maxwell may look better on ‘every metric’ but not on the pitch.

What do you judge his level of performance 'on the pitch' by?

Anything that’s contrary to Gazlaz’s opinion.

[ncRover]

The Senior v Maxwell debate shows that the club needs to let one of them go in the summer and get a new first choice left back.
Not knocking either of them, both have pros and cons.
I can’t really see Maxwell having a consistent and injury free season enough for him to be a considerable saleable asset.

[Ho]

The Senior vs Maxwell debate is an interesting one. Maxwell outperforms Senior on pretty much every metric.

The only thing that may be swaying Grant is the fact that Senior can sit in a bit more as a third centre half when we are defending and drifts out of position less. With Sterry having plenty of license to do what he does on the right perhaps Grant sees Senior as more defensive balance on the left. Especially now Haks is playing on the left and he drifts all over the place.

Could well be horses for courses given we've also not performed consistently at CB

[GazLaz]

The Senior v Maxwell debate shows that the club needs to let one of them go in the summer and get a new first choice left back.
Not knocking either of them, both have pros and cons.
I can’t really see Maxwell having a consistent and injury free season enough for him to be a considerable saleable asset.

A lot comes down to how you want to approach a game tactically and the roles you give to fullbacks. Is Senior more tactically disciplined than Maxwell, possibly. We are often quite lop sided in games. Our primary route up the pitch is right sided centre half to Sterry then triangles between the Sterry, Mols and the holding midfielder or the no8 on that side.

On the left it just doesn’t join up as well. Jays distribution is poor and then further up the pitch Clifton is generally that side as an 8 and he can’t knit things together like (generally) Bailey can on the other side. We have Haks on that side now who can link play as well as Mols can on the right, we just need better distributors at LCH and LB, and someone a bit more technically up to it in midfield on that side. It would improve us so much.

Any half decent team would just filter us down that side when pressing and negate a decent proportion of our threat.

[ncRover]

The Senior v Maxwell debate shows that the club needs to let one of them go in the summer and get a new first choice left back.
Not knocking either of them, both have pros and cons.
I can’t really see Maxwell having a consistent and injury free season enough for him to be a considerable saleable asset.

A lot comes down to how you want to approach a game tactically and the roles you give to fullbacks. Is Senior more tactically disciplined than Maxwell, possibly. We are often quite lop sided in games. Our primary route up the pitch is right sided centre half to Sterry then triangles between the Sterry, Mols and the holding midfielder or the no8 on that side.

On the left it just doesn’t join up as well. Jays distribution is poor and then further up the pitch Clifton is generally that side as an 8 and he can’t knit things together like (generally) Bailey can on the other side. We have Haks on that side now who can’t link play as well as Mols can on the right, we just need better distributors at LCH and LB, and someone a bit more technically up to it in midfield on that side. It would improve us so much.

Any half decent team would just filter us down that side when pressing and negate a decent proportion of our threat.

Did you mean to say Haks *can* link play as well as Mols?

Interesting insight, thanks. I know you’d say keep Maxwell and let Senior go but even then, you’d have to admit that Maxwell wouldn’t be a reliable enough 1st choice (in L1).

[5minstogo]

Falling into the Olowu trap as well at the moment. Deeming him not good enough just as he enters the last 6 months of his contract. He'll come back in at some point , Rovers will offer him a new deal and he'll go elsewhere.

[GazLaz]

The Senior v Maxwell debate shows that the club needs to let one of them go in the summer and get a new first choice left back.
Not knocking either of them, both have pros and cons.
I can’t really see Maxwell having a consistent and injury free season enough for him to be a considerable saleable asset.

A lot comes down to how you want to approach a game tactically and the roles you give to fullbacks. Is Senior more tactically disciplined than Maxwell, possibly. We are often quite lop sided in games. Our primary route up the pitch is right sided centre half to Sterry then triangles between the Sterry, Mols and the holding midfielder or the no8 on that side.

On the left it just doesn’t join up as well. Jays distribution is poor and then further up the pitch Clifton is generally that side as an 8 and he can’t knit things together like (generally) Bailey can on the other side. We have Haks on that side now who can’t link play as well as Mols can on the right, we just need better distributors at LCH and LB, and someone a bit more technically up to it in midfield on that side. It would improve us so much.

Any half decent team would just filter us down that side when pressing and negate a decent proportion of our threat.

Did you mean to say Haks *can* link play as well as Mols?

Interesting insight, thanks. I know you’d say keep Maxwell and let Senior go but even then, you’d have to admit that Maxwell wouldn’t be a reliable enough 1st choice (in L1).

Yes, corrected.

I think if we had two functioning centre halves for the level the Senior Maxwell wouldn’t even be a debate. Maxwell bombing into the space Haks leaves on that side would be a thing of beauty. The fact Haks comes inside A LOT does mean that an overlapping runner would be beneficial there. Senior does it, I’m not saying he never gets forward, because he does, just think Maxwell is better at it.

Football teams are only as strong as their weakest few players, it’s fairly easy to see where our improvements can potentially come from. We rectified one with the goalkeeper, couple of more simple ones.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I'm very surprised you're saying Maxwell is better at the forward runs. Maybe in the past tense as my recent memory for this season says he hasn't made anywhere near the number of driving runs we came to expect. He seemed to hold back and play too safe. In addition, too few of his whipped in crosses. Maybe just a victim of never quite being 100% match fit?

I think Senior has improved defensively and as others have said, he's adaptable at the back. Going forward, he gets on his bike, never stops, and I'll be surprised if Maxwell is ahead on goals and assists this season but happy to see if stats show otherwise.

[5minstogo]

I'm very surprised you're saying Maxwell is better at the forward runs. Maybe in the past tense as my recent memory for this season says he hasn't made anywhere near the number of driving runs we came to expect. He seemed to hold back and play too safe. In addition, too few of his whipped in crosses. Maybe just a victim of never quite being 100% match fit?

I think Senior has improved defensively and as others have said, he's adaptable at the back. Going forward, he gets on his bike, never stops, and I'll be surprised if Maxwell is ahead on goals and assists this season but happy to see if stats show otherwise.

League wise Maxwell has 2 assists and 0 goals. Nothing for Senior. In cups Senior has 2 goals, both of which came in the same week.

[bpoolrover]

I'm very surprised you're saying Maxwell is better at the forward runs. Maybe in the past tense as my recent memory for this season says he hasn't made anywhere near the number of driving runs we came to expect. He seemed to hold back and play too safe. In addition, too few of his whipped in crosses. Maybe just a victim of never quite being 100% match fit?

I think Senior has improved defensively and as others have said, he's adaptable at the back. Going forward, he gets on his bike, never stops, and I'll be surprised if Maxwell is ahead on goals and assists this season but happy to see if stats show otherwise.

League wise Maxwell has 2 assists and 0 goals. Nothing for Senior. In cups Senior has 2 goals, both of which came in the same week.

maxwell will have played more minutes thou

[5minstogo]

I'm very surprised you're saying Maxwell is better at the forward runs. Maybe in the past tense as my recent memory for this season says he hasn't made anywhere near the number of driving runs we came to expect. He seemed to hold back and play too safe. In addition, too few of his whipped in crosses. Maybe just a victim of never quite being 100% match fit?

I think Senior has improved defensively and as others have said, he's adaptable at the back. Going forward, he gets on his bike, never stops, and I'll be surprised if Maxwell is ahead on goals and assists this season but happy to see if stats show otherwise.

League wise Maxwell has 2 assists and 0 goals. Nothing for Senior. In cups Senior has 2 goals, both of which came in the same week.

maxwell will have played more minutes thou

Yep 330 minutes more.

[DearneValleyRover]

The Senior v Maxwell debate shows that the club needs to let one of them go in the summer and get a new first choice left back.
Not knocking either of them, both have pros and cons.
I can’t really see Maxwell having a consistent and injury free season enough for him to be a considerable saleable asset.

I’ve a feeling young McCann will be the back up left back next season so the question is do we let both go and fetch a new one in?