Michael Madl

[Madman Maddle]

In terms of passing he may not be bad but surely he's still the worst passer of all our CBs, even Djalo (who actually appears to be fantastic at passing)

Please call the ambulance! Madl is head and shoulders above our other CBs in terms of passing.

Ream used to get the jitters anytime he touched the ball but has settled down a few months ago. Still there are only 3 short passes he plays comfortably (Sess, McDonald, Kalas). It's fine in Jokane's system but still very predictable and easy to prevent - see Reading in the Playoffs

Kalas was never really a great passer, but he knew what his limitations were and played accordingly. At least until this season, where he made some bad mistakes overestimating himself on the ball.

Djalo, since he went to school at Real and Juve, should indeed be a decent passer but he is as unproven as it gets.

Madl has that overview and creativity in him to play a touch pass from the back into the attacking channels or switch to the other side in a blink. Now those passes are not really in Jokane's playbook unfortunately. But given we struggle to put well-created chances away and have so many lightning-fast players up front including fullbacks, Madl's long-range passing good do wonders on the break or when we need a spark.

Hopefully his muscular issues are gone now that he had a few weeks of rehab. Made no sense to trot him out as captain in two meaningless cup games only for his injury to flame up again. My guess is Kalas-Ream are set in stone for Jokane and we can survive a couple of games with Odoi or Djalo. But should one of Kalas-Ream be out long-term, Madl is the only way to go.

Presumably this is based on you watching him in Austria and not the UK

I don't watch Austrian football at all. Of course I knew Madl before he came to Fulham but only by name. Didn't have any positive bias towards him. Actually I hated the signing and was shocked Fulham went after him because I thought he'd be well below our standard. But Madl immediately solidified our historically porous defense under Kit Symons. Without him I think we would've been relegated even though we had McCormack. So Madl became one of my favourite Fulham players for his good defending and cool demeanor on the ball.

His situation right now is obviously difficult, with the team playing so well without him prior to the playoffs and him missing lots of time with minor but nagging injuries. Obviously Kalas is a Czech international from Chelsea and Ream an American international (Hello Mr Khan! 051), both of whom are on much higher wages than Madl. So with all due respect to Madl he probably would have to play more than twice as good as Kalas or Ream to be considered to start. That's just how it works. I'd really like to see him get a run in the starting XI to prove himself again.

[Bassey the warrior]

I second that Madl is a good passer, Kalas and Ream are good too but for me he's the most creative cb with his long balls.

[FulhamStu]

Madl is a perfectly good backup and with Djalo and Odoi give us decent cover.  In some ways these players are all similar.

What I think we miss at the back is a player to really attack the ball from set pieces attacking or defending and a strong leader. 

Happy we still have Madl, who I am sure still has a role to play.

[toshes mate]

There are always two players who make a pass successful - the passer and the receiver.  It has long been recognised that optimistic long passes have a low success rate although the wide diagonal ball between a player who can land a pass on a sixpence, and a runner who knows how to keep onside and find space, can be an exceedingly dangerous weapon.   You do, however, need both the passer and the runner to make it work.

[Woolly Mammoth]

As you say, the longer the pass and the greater the distance the more likely the pass can go astray or be intercepted.
That's why Johnny Haynes was so unique.
Ten yard balls to feet, let the ball do the work, the ball never gets tired.
A good player receiving the ball will make a bad pass look good.
A bad player receiving the ball will turn a good pass into a bad pass.
That's why the lower you go down the football pyramid the more often you see the ball given away, unforced errors etc.
The player on the ball should always have a choice of a minimum of three team mates he can pass to, as the players should always support the man on the ball.

[Bassey the warrior]

Madl is a perfectly good backup and with Djalo and Odoi give us decent cover.  In some ways these players are all similar.

What I think we miss at the back is a player to really attack the ball from set pieces attacking or defending and a strong leader. 

Happy we still have Madl, who I am sure still has a role to play.

Madl attacks the ball in the air, he's surprisingly good in the air for his height. If I remember correctly he's scored a few with his head. Ream has been good in the air of late, especially vs Ipswich.

[hovewhite]

Think hes rated by joka as hes captained the side this year but needs to stay injury free.