Match Thread: Lincoln City v Hull City

[Rasenimp]

You're right, he was. There's no memory as short as that of a football fan.

Here are a selection of opinions from as recently as last December about Edun at left back (the position everyone now says he should be playing):

"Tayo should never be considered as a defender."
" His failures are far more frequent than his successes"
"Edun, in whatever position he plays, is a weak link...an accident waiting to happen"
"I really hope that MA doesn’t play Edun at LB again"
"Dreadful defensively and I'm not sure his ball-playing ability is good enough to justify why he starts"
"He's not league one standard, unfortunately"
and finally
"he's an emergency left back rather than a natural one"

I put the last one in because I said that. In the last few months I have no problem if he has to play left back, though he is obviously best in midfield.

The point is, these snap judgements on players who have only just started, or recently moved position, are frequently wrong.

It turned out that Appleton was right about Edun. The chances are he could also end up being right about Poole and/or Bramall

I was definitely negative about Edun in a couple of games, for full disclosure. I think there was one game where a few of the goals came down our left and he got the run around. Was looking at the fixtures and not sure, maybe Bristol Rovers home.

Fair to say he's been very much in credit since then and I among others was wrong.

 

[Chesterimp]

You're right, he was. There's no memory as short as that of a football fan.

Here are a selection of opinions from as recently as last December about Edun at left back (the position everyone now says he should be playing):

"Tayo should never be considered as a defender."
" His failures are far more frequent than his successes"
"Edun, in whatever position he plays, is a weak link...an accident waiting to happen"
"I really hope that MA doesn’t play Edun at LB again"
"Dreadful defensively and I'm not sure his ball-playing ability is good enough to justify why he starts"
"He's not league one standard, unfortunately"
and finally
"he's an emergency left back rather than a natural one"

I put the last one in because I said that. In the last few months I have no problem if he has to play left back, though he is obviously best in midfield.

The point is, these snap judgements on players who have only just started, or recently moved position, are frequently wrong.

It turned out that Appleton was right about Edun. The chances are he could also end up being right about Poole and/or Bramall

A few of us can post similar mea culpas. I spent quite a bit of last autumn defending Edun as left back, then finally relented after one bad game - might have been Sunderland - and suggested his future was in midfield, not left back. Again. Ever.

It worked! His improvement in the defensive aspects of playing left back started from then.

So to those dismissing Poole and Bramall, we're all entitled to our opinions but be prepared to admit it if they turn out to be wrong, the time to judge will be next season.

 

[Red Wimp]

There’s probably an interesting debate about the cause or effect of the arrival of Poole & Bramall and our relative form. The fact that it’s coincided with the absence of Grant, Bridcutt etc. and maybe they arrived at a time when our form was due to dip and therefore is difficult for new players to bed in, or as some would have it their arrival was the cause of this drop off.
On the Eyoma front, I would be choosing him as 1st choice right back, all things being equal. However, the comment is often made about seeing the player’s in training, and MA is on record as saying TJ stats dropped off (presumably that’s why they wear these vest things) but now he seems to have recovered his mojo, so remains to be seen if and when we have a fully fit squad what our first XI will be.

 

[Scotimp]

Here are a selection of opinions from as recently as last December about Edun at left back (the position everyone now says he should be playing):

I am certainly not saying he should be at left-back, he is an attacking midfielder every day of the week. If he can cover in defence, great, but his obvious attributes of skill and vision would be wasted at the back. The fact MA went shopping for a permanent left-back in January and has fairly much played him in every game since suggests he thinks the same.

 

[Skip155]

I am certainly not saying he should be at left-back, he is an attacking midfielder every day of the week. If he can cover in defence, great, but his obvious attributes of skill and vision would be wasted at the back. The fact MA went shopping for a permanent left-back in January and has fairly much played him in every game since suggests he thinks the same.

I see him as more of a defensive midfielder / box to box maybe personally, although the view from behind the sofa is somewhat restricted. The issue has been his passing purely in terms of decision making rather than technique.

 

[Scotimp]

There’s probably an interesting debate about the cause or effect of the arrival of Poole & Bramall and our relative form. The fact that it’s coincided with the absence of Grant, Bridcutt etc. and maybe they arrived at a time when our form was due to dip and therefore is difficult for new players to bed in, or as some would have it their arrival was the cause of this drop off.
On the Eyoma front, I would be choosing him as 1st choice right back, all things being equal. However, the comment is often made about seeing the player’s in training, and MA is on record as saying TJ stats dropped off (presumably that’s why they wear these vest things) but now he seems to have recovered his mojo, so remains to be seen if and when we have a fully fit squad what our first XI will be.

That sounds right to me. Poole and Bramall arrived just before we started to lose the entire experienced spine of the team - Walsh, Jackson, Bridcutt, Grant, Hopper, straight down the middle - so it was always going to be a challenge for them to settle when they had a constantly changing selection of replacements around them. Bramall has started to impress me more recently, and we must remember he has only just stepped up to League One for the first time.

You are right about Eyoma's stats. Because he looks so strong physically, it is easy to forget that he has only just turned 21. He has made 46 appearances this season, which is a lot when you consider his age and the fact that this is his first full season in the professional game. I think he has done brilliantly for us.

 

[NottyImp]

I see him as more of a defensive midfielder / box to box maybe personally, although the view from behind the sofa is somewhat restricted. The issue has been his passing purely in terms of decision making rather than technique.

He has an inside pass into the advanced left position that always fails; it's easily read and cut out. Sincilbanks pointed this out yesterday... there's that pass again. Otherwise, I agree.

 

[NottyImp]

We all get it wrong/right sometimes. Quite a few folks didn't rate Rhead at all when he arrived; I saw something in him from the outset and look how that turned out.

But then I got Pett wrong, although I will maintain he never consistently hit the heights he was capable of.

 

[GreenNeedle]

The ref was utter shite, but didn't really affect the score.

You can't say that when Hull should''ve been down to 10. That would've changed the game entirely. He had 2 chances to give Honeyman a second yellow and bottled it both times.

 

[GreenNeedle]

Probably the other point is that their 6 ft 4 striker shouldn't be on his own with the fullback at the back post - if it had been a cross from our right hand side I don't know if we'd be leaving Edun on that?

I haven't watched it back so can't say for sure but Montsma does have a habit of getting sucked into the front post on corners. I daresay that he should be the one in the centre to right of the box instead of Poole.

Then again if we are man marking and not Zonal on corners then of course he is going to follow his man. I'm not a huge fan of man marking by the centre backs on corners.

 

[Luke Imp]

I also think Edun's needed to be in CM since January, which has perhaps meant Bramall has played more than initially thought he would.

With Bridcutt out and wanting to build from the back, the lack of options of that type of midfielder has meant Edun has been in there. Grant's obviously been out as well and despite MA saying he thinks Grant is better further forward, he felt dropping him back prior to his injury was better or the team because of his quality on the ball.

The other options were Jones (out of form since Covid and not that sort of player) or McGrandles (but you'd lose his work-rate in a more central area).

Circumstances have thrust Bramall into LB. Not the case for Poole at RB but it'd be interesting to know what stats they're both benchmarked against.

 

[plumbob]

You're right, he was. There's no memory as short as that of a football fan.

Here are a selection of opinions from as recently as last December about Edun at left back (the position everyone now says he should be playing):

"Tayo should never be considered as a defender."
" His failures are far more frequent than his successes"
"Edun, in whatever position he plays, is a weak link...an accident waiting to happen"
"I really hope that MA doesn’t play Edun at LB again"
"Dreadful defensively and I'm not sure his ball-playing ability is good enough to justify why he starts"
"He's not league one standard, unfortunately"
and finally
"he's an emergency left back rather than a natural one"

I put the last one in because I said that. In the last few months I have no problem if he has to play left back, though he is obviously best in midfield.

The point is, these snap judgements on players who have only just started, or recently moved position, are frequently wrong.

It turned out that Appleton was right about Edun. The chances are he could also end up being right about Poole and/or Bramall

I see Tayo as a midfielder than can play left back, not the opposite. For me, if he plays regularly in midfield we will likely make a few quid out of him at some stage. Whilst he does OK at left back, I couldn't see as positive a financial outcome for us were that to be his full time position.
A potentially well above average L1 midfielder, albeit some way behind Grant at this stage.

 

[GreenNeedle]

Sickening
View attachment 47955

is that the ref in there celebrating?

 

[GreenNeedle]

TJ is streets ahead of Poole and Should be starting at RB if we reach the play offs. Not blaming Poole for us losing today or previously, he‘s just nowhere near the quality of TJ. This is not knee jerk because we lost today, it’s formed based on watching every match both players have pulled on an imps shirt for. Michael Appleton might see it different, Clive Nates might see it different, Clive Ford might see it different... but That’s my opinion and not forcing that on anybody else. Sick of seeing posters get shot down for voicing their opinion. everybody here supports the mighty imps at the end of the day. Never posted before but would be surprised if a lot of other lurkers domt share the same sentiments as me.

How can TJ "start at RB if we reach the play offs" IF he is required at centre back like has been the last 2 games?

 

[Red Wimp]

Also thinking about opinions on players changing I remember last season criticism of Hopper when he signed in January last year.

 

[Sincilbanks]

I was definitely negative about Edun in a couple of games, for full disclosure. I think there was one game where a few of the goals came down our left and he got the run around. Was looking at the fixtures and not sure, maybe Bristol Rovers home.

Fair to say he's been very much in credit since then and I among others was wrong.

Not all of us though...

Feb 22, 2020
#210
Thought we played ok considering the opposition and the conditions. We managed not to offer our usual generosity at the back this week apart from a suicidal square ball from Bossie early on that fortunately wasn't punished. Equally though we failed to capitalise on the errors Gillingham made to try and gift us a goal. Thought we really should have been 1 up at half time considering, but I'll take a clean sheet. A game we would have lost in recent weeks due to an error at the back.

Hesketh put himself about first half, couldn't see the challenge. Hopper has been to the Matt Rhead school of winning free kicks. Thought Scully was largely anonymous but for his missed volley and attempted square ball to Hopper. Thought Bridcutt was excellent, looking forward to seeing him with Joe Morrell. Edun looks a player with a future for sure. Some nice stuff at times was played and we also demonstrated that we're not going to be intimidated in a physical game which is also encouraging.

 

[GreenNeedle]

Any reasonable person will say the jury is out on our new full-backs. Both have improvements to make to be top L1 players.

A pre-season will help. But it's a key position in MA's system so they will need to be knob-on next season from the off.

If they were bought with the future in mind...........and they both have improvements to make to be top L1 players then I'm not sure where they stand if were to actually win a play off final this year!!!

I think it is easy to scapegoat them but we have had problems with the full back areas the whole season and with central defenders getting injured / sick that has not helped with TJ being required in another position.

I seem to remember when Poole & Brammall arrived TJ was either sick, injured or needed a rest anyway.

TBH I'm not in the camp that says they are both terrible. I am in the camp that says TJ and Edun are better. However a team is a team and both Edun and TJ have been required in different positions. We can't field a "best 11" for every game of a season because at points they would need a rest, or rehab from injury or have a poor run of form. Appleton is trying to get the best out of his squad and that means not running the best 11 into the ground. Resting players when possible or at the moment trying to make the best patchwork out of the players currently available......

.....For all the criticism on here he has done an exceptional job in this regard to guide this pub side to the point where we are virtually guaranteed a shot at L1 promotion after 46 games are completed.

So with that in mind and the reality that with a few games to go there might still be injuries/unavailabilities that mean we cannot field our "best 11" in the play offs.

We are 4th in League one (not League 2.) when was the last time we were in that position nearing the end of a season? And did anyone expect that when we started this season? Appleton has done an amazing job and that must include his decision making on who to play where and when.

At the moment posters on this board are sounding like Sunderland or Ipswich fans, slating their players and team selections. That is how far we have come!!! We are moaning about the quality of players at our disposal as being not good enough for our league position............which is 4th in the 3rd tier at the business end of a season. Can I repeat that? 4th in the 3rd tier at the business end of a season...........Are we not all still pinching ourselves?

Trust Appleton's instincts and decisions........It is because of them that we are in the position we are at the moment and that should be remembered. I'm still pinching :D

 

[Wolds imp]

How can TJ "start at RB if we reach the play offs" IF he is required at centre back like has been the last 2 games?

if he is required at CB he plays CB and Poole continues at RB. If Walsh and or Jackson are fit he takes Pooles place at RB. Pretty simple.

Still seeing a lot of comments about Poole and Bramhall being written off. Not the case, have to play your best team in the here and now. Assuming all players are available neither make the starting XI:

Palmer
Eyoma
Monstma
Walsh
Edun
Grant
Mcgrandles
Bridcutt
Johnson
Rodgers
Hopper

 

[GreenNeedle]

That's what this forum is all about, and this thread proves it. Passionate fans with their own opinions, debating, nay even arguing about the rights and wrongs of team selections, player abilities etc.

However can I ask some of the contributors, how you manage to write so many posts during a match? I imagine you would miss half of the action whilst you are venting your spleen over some bad pass or other.

Just saying like.

I guess some people use the ifollow pause button. I personally rarely post on here during the match although yesterday I did at half time.

 

[GreenNeedle]

I see him as more of a defensive midfielder / box to box maybe personally, although the view from behind the sofa is somewhat restricted. The issue has been his passing purely in terms of decision making rather than technique.

He's definitely an attacking midfielder. Grant is more of a deep lying playmaker but Edun's most dangerous with little diagonals and reverse balls around the edge of the box.

It was those kind of passes that had us raging about him as left back earlier in the season. They weren't working as a left back and other team's centre midfielders were intercepting them all and then driving straight at our centre backs.

Those same balls with Edun in midfield recently have been the killer balls creating our chances.