Mawson

[Whitesideup]

1st goal is down to Le Marchand.
Dreadful position. I think he thought he was playing CB instead of Left back.

Mawson shouts at him as he is getting back into the box to move back and cover the guy completely free on the back stick.
But he doesn't.

He is simply not a Championship, let alone EPL qualityy player.
On that performance he is also not good enough as a substitute.

I agree Mawson was rash in the center of the park diving in.
But he was back in the box way before the cross to the back stick.

Down to both imo. Poor initial decision from Mawson and then Le Marchand beaten too easily. Also not sure if Le Marchand wasn't given a discreet little shove just as the ball was being crossed. But he has to be stronger and as a centre half should have covered it.

[ScalleysDad]

1st goal is down to Le Marchand.
Dreadful position. I think he thought he was playing CB instead of Left back.

Mawson shouts at him as he is getting back into the box to move back and cover the guy completely free on the back stick.
But he doesn't.

He is simply not a Championship, let alone EPL qualityy player.
On that performance he is also not good enough as a substitute.

I agree Mawson was rash in the center of the park diving in.
But he was back in the box way before the cross to the back stick.

So by that I am guessing Le Marchand is not one of the squad who would walk into any other Championship side? If I might expand on that point Christie has rarely been deemed good enough, Sess needed to develop and might take a while to nail down a role in our defence and Ream and Kmac have been deemed too slow at key moments. That leaves Odoi and Bryan who have their own jitters, although Bryan contributes going forward, and a keeper who many want to replace.
No wonder Mawson looks average. He is not blameless of course but the fact that he went for the challenge, attempted to rectify the situation and tried to command the area still puts him ahead of the rest of the defensive unit. I wonder if a new partner and a defensive midfielder in front of this new pairing will bring back the fine form he showed at Swansea and the flirtation with the England set up.
Rubbish result yesterday but contrary to the opinions of many on here this is not a great team Parker and co are working with.

[Statto]

So by that I am guessing Le Marchand is not one of the squad who would walk into any other Championship side?

Quite right.
But Le Marchand should be our 4th choice CB (5th when Hector arrives) and 3rd choice LB.
It would be quite something if even our 3rd and 4th string players would walk into any other Championship side.
But no doubt even then, some would defend Parker if we were mid-table. 

[ScalleysDad]

So by that I am guessing Le Marchand is not one of the squad who would walk into any other Championship side?

Quite right.
But Le Marchand should be our 4th choice CB (5th when Hector arrives) and 3rd choice LB.
It would be quite something if even our 3rd and 4th string players would walk into any other Championship side.
But no doubt even then, some would defend Parker if we were mid-table.

I'll not defend Parkers tactical naivety or his stubbornness if he fails to learn from his mistakes, same as I did'nt support JOka, but the materials he has to work with are not great if the third choice has to be used in this vital position.

[Skatzoffc]

1st goal is down to Le Marchand.
Dreadful position. I think he thought he was playing CB instead of Left back.

Mawson shouts at him as he is getting back into the box to move back and cover the guy completely free on the back stick.
But he doesn't.

He is simply not a Championship, let alone EPL qualityy player.
On that performance he is also not good enough as a substitute.

I agree Mawson was rash in the center of the park diving in.
But he was back in the box way before the cross to the back stick.

So by that I am guessing Le Marchand is not one of the squad who would walk into any other Championship side? If I might expand on that point Christie has rarely been deemed good enough, Sess needed to develop and might take a while to nail down a role in our defence and Ream and Kmac have been deemed too slow at key moments. That leaves Odoi and Bryan who have their own jitters, although Bryan contributes going forward, and a keeper who many want to replace.
No wonder Mawson looks average. He is not blameless of course but the fact that he went for the challenge, attempted to rectify the situation and tried to command the area still puts him ahead of the rest of the defensive unit. I wonder if a new partner and a defensive midfielder in front of this new pairing will bring back the fine form he showed at Swansea and the flirtation with the England set up.
Rubbish result yesterday but contrary to the opinions of many on here this is not a great team Parker and co are working with.

Personally, I believe Mawson to be ok.
I tend to judge CB pairings rather than in the singular. As it is the way a CB pair work together that matters most imo.
The fact he made the decision to stop the attack early was good. But once it transpired he missed the interception, he still had the gumption to race back into position and try to correct LeMarchand's inadequacy shows promise.

Tbh, I don't agree with a lot of the criticism Mawson receives on here. He has leadership qualities imo.

[The Rational Fan]

Have we not got a kid better than LeMarchand ? I don't believe we don't ....

So we do then? Who is it?
049:gif

Which one of the u23 backs that conceded more than three goals each against West Ham, West Brom, Reading and Middlesbough do you recommend?

[love4ffc]

Just rewatched the Hull match.  Agree Mawson has been having some really bad games.  Didn't think Ream was that bad.  MLM had no clue and was out of his depth which is a shame as I do like him.  Betts....I still support him when he is in the starting X1 but he does look shaky and perhaps has lost some of his confidence. 

[ScalleysDad]

Have we not got a kid better than LeMarchand ? I don't believe we don't ....

So we do then? Who is it?
049:gif

Which one of the u23 backs that conceded more than three goals each against West Ham, West Brom, Reading and Middlesbough do you recommend?

And there lies a further dilemma adding to the debate that we have some depth in some areas and absolutely b#gger all in others. Premier ready? Not really.

[toshes mate]

I am sure that Mawson, and indeed any other player heavily criticised on this forum, would perform better in a well balanced, side to side and back to front, team enjoying a successful two points per game average take.  I look forward to seeing him play in such a side in the very near future ... in the meantime squabbling about his comparative worth or value gets us nowhere and what if Hector isn't the answer ...

[Carborundum]

I like Mawson.  He has the tools and attitude to be a strong player for us.  Football is a game of mistakes and inevitably he makes them from time to time.  On Saturday he retreated far too far allowing Hull to get a shot off.  Basic rule of thumb is that the penalty area line is where it's simply better to stand ground and show the attacker to outside.  Much after that and the centre back is mostly just getting in the keepers way.

Not great, but frankly not nearly as bad as Tim Ream playing musical statues for Hulls third goal.  Or Le Marchand failing to challenge for the first. 

Even Joe Bryan made a horrible mess in his minute on the pitch.  We might as well pick Sessegnon until the New Year.  He will get better.

[HV71]

I like Mawson.  He has the tools and attitude to be a strong player for us.  Football is a game of mistakes and inevitably he makes them from time to time.  On Saturday he retreated far too far allowing Hull to get a shot off.  Basic rule of thumb is that the penalty area line is where it's simply better to stand ground and show the attacker to outside.  Much after that and the centre back is mostly just getting in the keepers way.

Not great, but frankly not nearly as bad as Tim Ream playing musical statues for Hulls third goal.  Or Le Marchand failing to challenge for the first. 

Even Joe Bryan made a horrible mess in his minute on the pitch.  We might as well pick Sessegnon until the New Year.  He will get better.


+ 1 good post

[The Rational Fan]

So by that I am guessing Le Marchand is not one of the squad who would walk into any other Championship side?

Quite right.
But Le Marchand should be our 4th choice CB (5th when Hector arrives) and 3rd choice LB.
It would be quite something if even our 3rd and 4th string players would walk into any other Championship side.
But no doubt even then, some would defend Parker if we were mid-table.

If TK recruits Van Dyke, De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane for our Championship Promotion Campaign, then they all play poorly and we get relegated from the championship into League One would we consider TK has recruited poorly and Parker is hence blameless as "the table doesn't lie"?

If TK recruits a Champions League Goalkeeper, who was also voted the best goalkeeper in the Turkish Super Lig for both 16/17 and 17/18. Has TK really failed to recruit a decent keeper? If Betts is poor, but Parker considers Fabri to be worse. Does that prove that TK overrated Fabri and he is not a decent recruitment? Or could Parker be overating Betts and underated Fabri?

Fabri made 16 saves last season in his first two games and Betts has only made 21 saves this season so far, and who really has made the worse mistakes.

Maybe we should be blamed Tony Khan for recruiting players with great statistics when playing for very good managers (Houghton, Nuno Espírito Santo and Warnock), then finding that the same players have very bad statistics when playing for another manager like Slavisa, Raneri and Parker. Tony Khan's recruitment problem is not "he is using statistics to recruit players",  it's that as soon as his recruits join Fulham their statistics nosedive. Whose fault is that?

[ByTheRiver]

So by that I am guessing Le Marchand is not one of the squad who would walk into any other Championship side?

Quite right.
But Le Marchand should be our 4th choice CB (5th when Hector arrives) and 3rd choice LB.
It would be quite something if even our 3rd and 4th string players would walk into any other Championship side.
But no doubt even then, some would defend Parker if we were mid-table.

If TK recruits Van Dyke, De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane for our Championship Promotion Campaign, then they all play poorly and we get relegated from the championship into League One would we consider TK has recruited poorly and Parker is hence blameless as "the table doesn't lie"?

If TK recruits a Champions League Goalkeeper, who was also voted the best goalkeeper in the Turkish Super Lig for both 16/17 and 17/18. Has TK really failed to recruit a decent keeper? If Betts is poor, but Parker considers Fabri to be worse. Does that prove that TK overrated Fabri and he is not a decent recruitment? Or could Parker be overating Betts and underated Fabri?

Fabri made 16 saves last season in his first two games and Betts has only made 21 saves this season so far, and who really has made the worse mistakes.

Maybe we should be blamed Tony Khan for recruiting players with great statistics when playing for very good managers (Houghton, Nuno Espírito Santo and Warnock), then finding that the same players have very bad statistics when playing for another manager like Slavisa, Raneri and Parker. Tony Khan's recruitment problem is not "he is using statistics to recruit players",  it's that as soon as his recruits join Fulham their statistics nosedive. Whose fault is that?

Hi, Tony! :)




I jest. I actually agree with a lot of the above (other than including SJ, I think he got the promotion squad playing above the sum of their parts or at least equal to) which surely means its time to pull the trigger on Parker whilst the season is still young enough to give a 'very good' manager a proper shot at promotion.

[One Martin Thomas]

Have we not got a kid better than LeMarchand ? I don't believe we don't ....

So we do then? Who is it?
049:gif

We must have a good left back coming through ???

Why not put Reed at right back on Saturday, Odoi as left back and replace Reed with KMac ! It did not have to be a kid, but there must be something better out there than LeMarchand.

[We Are Premier League]

Without Bryan, i would go for a back 3.

Cava Mitro

Onomah Johansen Reed Cairney Knockert

Mawson Ream Odoi

[Penfold]

So by that I am guessing Le Marchand is not one of the squad who would walk into any other Championship side?

Quite right.
But Le Marchand should be our 4th choice CB (5th when Hector arrives) and 3rd choice LB.
It would be quite something if even our 3rd and 4th string players would walk into any other Championship side.
But no doubt even then, some would defend Parker if we were mid-table.

If TK recruits Van Dyke, De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane for our Championship Promotion Campaign, then they all play poorly and we get relegated from the championship into League One would we consider TK has recruited poorly and Parker is hence blameless as "the table doesn't lie"?

If TK recruits a Champions League Goalkeeper, who was also voted the best goalkeeper in the Turkish Super Lig for both 16/17 and 17/18. Has TK really failed to recruit a decent keeper? If Betts is poor, but Parker considers Fabri to be worse. Does that prove that TK overrated Fabri and he is not a decent recruitment? Or could Parker be overating Betts and underated Fabri?

Fabri made 16 saves last season in his first two games and Betts has only made 21 saves this season so far, and who really has made the worse mistakes.

Maybe we should be blamed Tony Khan for recruiting players with great statistics when playing for very good managers (Houghton, Nuno Espírito Santo and Warnock), then finding that the same players have very bad statistics when playing for another manager like Slavisa, Raneri and Parker. Tony Khan's recruitment problem is not "he is using statistics to recruit players",  it's that as soon as his recruits join Fulham their statistics nosedive. Whose fault is that?

If Fabri is so great why can't he get in the RCD Mallorca starting line up?

[Chutney]

So by that I am guessing Le Marchand is not one of the squad who would walk into any other Championship side?

Quite right.
But Le Marchand should be our 4th choice CB (5th when Hector arrives) and 3rd choice LB.
It would be quite something if even our 3rd and 4th string players would walk into any other Championship side.
But no doubt even then, some would defend Parker if we were mid-table.

If TK recruits Van Dyke, De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane for our Championship Promotion Campaign, then they all play poorly and we get relegated from the championship into League One would we consider TK has recruited poorly and Parker is hence blameless as "the table doesn't lie"?

If TK recruits a Champions League Goalkeeper, who was also voted the best goalkeeper in the Turkish Super Lig for both 16/17 and 17/18. Has TK really failed to recruit a decent keeper? If Betts is poor, but Parker considers Fabri to be worse. Does that prove that TK overrated Fabri and he is not a decent recruitment? Or could Parker be overating Betts and underated Fabri?

Fabri made 16 saves last season in his first two games and Betts has only made 21 saves this season so far, and who really has made the worse mistakes.

Maybe we should be blamed Tony Khan for recruiting players with great statistics when playing for very good managers (Houghton, Nuno Espírito Santo and Warnock), then finding that the same players have very bad statistics when playing for another manager like Slavisa, Raneri and Parker. Tony Khan's recruitment problem is not "he is using statistics to recruit players",  it's that as soon as his recruits join Fulham their statistics nosedive. Whose fault is that?

If Fabri is so great why can't he get in the RCD Mallorca starting line up?

Because he isn't, Being decent in the Turkish league doesn't make you a good player. He was clearly out of his depth, in fairness, most of our defenders were/are also.

[Chutney]

So by that I am guessing Le Marchand is not one of the squad who would walk into any other Championship side?

Quite right.
But Le Marchand should be our 4th choice CB (5th when Hector arrives) and 3rd choice LB.
It would be quite something if even our 3rd and 4th string players would walk into any other Championship side.
But no doubt even then, some would defend Parker if we were mid-table.

If TK recruits Van Dyke, De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane for our Championship Promotion Campaign, then they all play poorly and we get relegated from the championship into League One would we consider TK has recruited poorly and Parker is hence blameless as "the table doesn't lie"?

If TK recruits a Champions League Goalkeeper, who was also voted the best goalkeeper in the Turkish Super Lig for both 16/17 and 17/18. Has TK really failed to recruit a decent keeper? If Betts is poor, but Parker considers Fabri to be worse. Does that prove that TK overrated Fabri and he is not a decent recruitment? Or could Parker be overating Betts and underated Fabri?

Fabri made 16 saves last season in his first two games and Betts has only made 21 saves this season so far, and who really has made the worse mistakes.

Maybe we should be blamed Tony Khan for recruiting players with great statistics when playing for very good managers (Houghton, Nuno Espírito Santo and Warnock), then finding that the same players have very bad statistics when playing for another manager like Slavisa, Raneri and Parker. Tony Khan's recruitment problem is not "he is using statistics to recruit players",  it's that as soon as his recruits join Fulham their statistics nosedive. Whose fault is that?

His.

We've needed defenders since January, we brought in one, Havard Nordveit, he was awful. That is 100% on the recruitment team. No manager can be fairly asked to achieve promotion without being given a team capable of promotion. 5-10th is probably about right for this squad, and probably over achieving when considering our defence.

[Penfold]

So by that I am guessing Le Marchand is not one of the squad who would walk into any other Championship side?

Quite right.
But Le Marchand should be our 4th choice CB (5th when Hector arrives) and 3rd choice LB.
It would be quite something if even our 3rd and 4th string players would walk into any other Championship side.
But no doubt even then, some would defend Parker if we were mid-table.

If TK recruits Van Dyke, De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane for our Championship Promotion Campaign, then they all play poorly and we get relegated from the championship into League One would we consider TK has recruited poorly and Parker is hence blameless as "the table doesn't lie"?

If TK recruits a Champions League Goalkeeper, who was also voted the best goalkeeper in the Turkish Super Lig for both 16/17 and 17/18. Has TK really failed to recruit a decent keeper? If Betts is poor, but Parker considers Fabri to be worse. Does that prove that TK overrated Fabri and he is not a decent recruitment? Or could Parker be overating Betts and underated Fabri?

Fabri made 16 saves last season in his first two games and Betts has only made 21 saves this season so far, and who really has made the worse mistakes.

Maybe we should be blamed Tony Khan for recruiting players with great statistics when playing for very good managers (Houghton, Nuno Espírito Santo and Warnock), then finding that the same players have very bad statistics when playing for another manager like Slavisa, Raneri and Parker. Tony Khan's recruitment problem is not "he is using statistics to recruit players",  it's that as soon as his recruits join Fulham their statistics nosedive. Whose fault is that?

If Fabri is so great why can't he get in the RCD Mallorca starting line up?

Because he isn't, Being decent in the Turkish league doesn't make you a good player. He was clearly out of his depth, in fairness, most of our defenders were/are also.

I also had a quick look at the Besitkas squad in 2016/17 and 2017/18. Lots of experience in the defence. Must have made him feel comfortable. I would also reckon that majority of teams in the league are not that strong. Big three in Istanbul and another club from there with money behind them. Can't recall any of the provincial teams being much cop.

[toshes mate]

Tony Khan's recruitment problem is not "he is using statistics to recruit players",  it's that as soon as his recruits join Fulham their statistics nosedive. Whose fault is that?

I am guessing, of course, but perhaps the currently available statistics are not without major fault. Therefore by extrapolation TK may also be at fault if he has an over reliance upon them.  As Mark Twain reflected upon "Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are pliable." .