Woodyard, do we miss him on the pitch? | Page 3 | Vital Football

Woodyard, do we miss him on the pitch?

My only worry with our current squad is the age of some of our key players, over 30.
Bostwick, Shackell, Eardley, Frecklington and O'Connor. Plus Rhead and Green. (Akinde is 29)
Sure the Cowleys will have this covered as I don't want us falling off a cliff like Notts did last season after xmas because of their reliance on their senior pros.
 
Davidimp said:
My only worry with our current squad is the age of some of our key players, over 30.
Bostwick, Shackell, Eardley, Frecklington and O'Connor. Plus Rhead and Green. (Akinde is 29)
Sure the Cowleys will have this covered as I don't want us falling off a cliff like Notts did last season after xmas because of their reliance on their senior pros.
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That is my concern as well. When drawn forward during the game, there will be one or two balls either over the top or between Bossie and Shackell which see them both rapidly lose ground to the sprinting opposition player. Positionally they, and Eardley, can use their experience but in a straight race they stand little chance.
 
do we miss him on the pitch. not a lot at the moment - although we could have used his bite in midfield at grimsby. would we be better off with him in the squad, yes.
 
Would it be a stretch to say Woodyard was our best CM in the past decade?

Bostwick would be up there. Perhaps Power for his length of service. Frecklington maybe?

I’m sure i’m forgetting some that some of you will delight in reminding me about but for me he potentially could be.
 
I think this magical '30' number in football is a myth now, tbh.

Maybe 20 or 30 years ago, the age of 30 saw careers nosedive and physical capabilities dwindle but not so much anymore IMO.
 
I know every good side needs a Fernandinho type player, who sits and breaks things up and gives it to more skilful players to do the real damage .... but give me a Pett or back to his best Freck any day of the week. Woodyard’s assists and goal ratio was dismal but he did a job of sorts I suppose?

Hope we get Posh at home in the FA Cup, he won’t get a welcome return from me I can tell you.
 
Norfolk Imp said:
I know every good side needs a Fernandinho type player, who sits and breaks things up and gives it to more skilful players to do the real damage .... but give me a Pett or back to his best Freck any day of the week. Woodyard’s assists and goal ratio was dismal but he did a job of sorts I suppose?

Hope we get Posh at home in the FA Cup, he won’t get a welcome return from me I can tell you.
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Josh Vickers goals and assist ratio is also poor but like Woodyard that isn't his role. Pett and Freck play a different role. O'Connor is the Woodyard replacement in holding midfield albeit with a greater focus on moving forward rather than winning and recycling possession in a safer manner.

He was instrumental in two of the best seasons our club have ever had. I don't understand why furthering his career should tarnish his work at Lincoln.
 
Imp13 said:
Josh Vickers goals and assist ratio is also poor but like Woodyard that isn't his role. Pett and Freck play a different role. O'Connor is the Woodyard replacement in holding midfield albeit with a greater focus on moving forward rather than winning and recycling possession in a safer manner.

He was instrumental in two of the best seasons our club have ever had. I don't understand why furthering his career should tarnish his work at Lincoln.
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If you listen to some of the opposition managers last year all our assists came from Vickers/Alsop/Farman.
 
Norfolk Imp said:
I know every good side needs a Fernandinho type player, who sits and breaks things up and gives it to more skilful players to do the real damage .... but give me a Pett or back to his best Freck any day of the week. Woodyard’s assists and goal ratio was dismal but he did a job of sorts I suppose?

Hope we get Posh at home in the FA Cup, he won’t get a welcome return from me I can tell you.
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And so the revisionist history of Alex Woodyard's ability begins...
 
Norfolk Imp said:
Hope we get Posh at home in the FA Cup, he won’t get a welcome return from me I can tell you.
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I really don't understand that approach. I realise it's common with football fans but I wish you'd explain it to me.

A player was a regular in a side that regained the club's league place and more besides. He certainly couldn't be faulted for effort. After two seasons he went to a team in a higher division (after turning an offer down last season), and the club made a tidy profit on his transfer, which has allowed new players to be signed.

You prefer the players currently in his position so are pleased he left, but he won''t get a welcome return?
 
Checkatrade trophy game v Mansfield. We are 1-0 down and have a corner. It breaks down and Mansfield launch a quick counter with a 3 on 2.

Image 1 is Alex Woodyard *falling over* as their break begins.

Image 2 is just before the ball is played out to their 3rd player, wide right and is around 7 seconds later

Look who's the only player who has busted a lung to get back to help out the 2 defenders. I'm pretty sure there is no other midfielder we currently have with that pace and determination to work for the team.

AW1.jpgAW2.jpg
 
Towards the end of the Conference season, we were dead on out feet. Woodyard drove us on and on and played a phenomenal number of games that season. I genuinely believe that without him we would not have got out of the Conference that season.
 
Very good player and he decided the time was right from him to move on, just a shame he went and joined tubby who's already have a go at him a couple of goes at him after games when they haven't won.
Hopefully he'll get another move somewhere better soon.
Do we miss him? Not at the mo clearly as we're top and the players we've added are doing very well, see what happens if we hit a sticky patch and need to change things.
 
Brendan Bradley said:
I really don't understand that approach. I realise it's common with football fans but I wish you'd explain it to me.

A player was a regular in a side that regained the club's league place and more besides. He certainly couldn't be faulted for effort. After two seasons he went to a team in a higher division (after turning an offer down last season), and the club made a tidy profit on his transfer, which has allowed new players to be signed.

You prefer the players currently in his position so are pleased he left, but he won''t get a welcome return?
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It's clearly who he's signed for and which manager he's playing for, that is the issue here.
 
syimp said:
It's clearly who he's signed for and which manager he's playing for, that is the issue here.
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Keith Alexander played for a number of our rivals before moving on to manage Peterborough.

Is that an issue?

EDIT: Lee Frecklington signed for Steve Evans at Rotherham.

Is that an issue too?
 
Imp13 said:
Keith Alexander played for a number of our rivals before moving on to manage Peterborough.

Is that an issue?

EDIT: Lee Frecklington signed for Steve Evans at Rotherham.


Is that an issue too?
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Peterborough isn't for me personally, but I loathe Evans.

Frecks didn't go directly to Evans, so he's excused ?.

Norfolkimp may think otherwise.
 
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