covcity4life
Well-Known Member
Fans like otis alwyas need someone to blame
Willis - ball watching. (6 Viewers)
- Thread starter Esoterica
- Start date
Old Warwickshire lad
Well-Known Member
Think some of you need to share your expertise with Robins and convince him to drop Willis. After all WTF does he know about defending, he was a forward.
covcity4life
Well-Known Member
If willis wasnt in team we would be 1st not 4th
Otis
Well-Known Member
It's not expertise though is it. It's just a spectator view.
People are getting carried away here. Has anyone said he is shit? I just think he is okay. I do think though that he should be outstanding at this level, considering there was talk of Championship interest. I just feel McDonald is really shining and Willis is doing okay.
I find it quite amusing that people get stick for suggesting that Willis is just alright and yet lots of other posters give Stuart Beavon all kinds of shit and it gets pretty much glazed over.
There is no player in this squad that I really don't rate apart from Kyel Reid and that is purely because I think he only plays when he wants to. Previously I would have said Lee Burge, but at the moment he is proving me and many others wrong.
I just think Willis is okay. It's not slating him, it's not saying I know better than Robins. Does everyone calling for Beavon to be dumped and not be picked again know better than Robins?
Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
For what it’s worth, I do rate McDonald higher than Willis. Rod has more experience, and specifically experience in what it takes to win this league (so to do many of our summer signings). However, some of the comments directed are harsh on Willis, attributing blame to him for goals that weren’t really his fault. The Cambridge goal was both Willis and Rod’s mistake - he got inbetween them won a free header.
I respect the lad, could’ve forced a move to clubs in higher divisions than us, but didn’t and I think he’ll crack on carry on the good form.
Co’mon, this a bit of a cynical statement. It takes 2 CBs to make a good partnership. I do believe the whole spine of the team is functioning really well at the moment. In front of Willis and Rod, you have Kelly and Doyle who will get stuck in.
Adge
Well-Known Member
And isn't that what I have just pointed out? You said "in front of Willis and Rod you have Doyle and Kelly who will get stuck in" and "the spine of the team is functioning well"
meaning that it is not down to the individual i.e. Willis.
Otis
Well-Known Member
As I say, I would be interested to see how McDonald and Davies fared together.
Willis for me is doing okay and McDonald is the real star. In Grimmer and Stokes you have fullbacks more than good enough for this league, and like Adge says, great protection from Kelly and Doyle.
Liquid Gold
Well-Known Member
Don't any of you dare say anything bad about Rod. He's like Christmas, Beckenbauer and a nice pair of boobies all at once.
Otis
Well-Known Member
Yep, definitely like Beckenbauer's Christmas boobies.
steve82
Well-Known Member
I agree, I think we may well see Mcdonald and Davies paired together when we go into the winter months when some teams go more route one like the Cambridge's of the league do.
Willis is a good useful player, he's quick strong in the tackle but anything in the air against strong powerful players is where flaws start to appear in his game.
He's currently more than worth his place in the starting 11 given the goals conceded but we've only really faced Cambridge who have had a physical front two who play very direct.
Against these type of teams is when MR may make a change to cope with that direct threat. Davies has shown he's very comfortable and dominant in the air and we will need that quality come late November, December time.
It's a team game and we need all players attributes to counter the opposition at times.
Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
I watched the highlights of the Swindon goal and bloomin eck what a finish. Willis didn't have time to watch the ball as it was volleyed into the corner.
As daft as blaming burge for not getting to i
I think the op is very harsh
As daft as blaming burge for not getting to i
I think the op is very harsh
Esoterica
Well-Known Member
Big Al would never have let it happen.
Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
The only players I've seen score a goal like that are you and max. We didn't ever face anyone who could finish like that!! But I accept big Al would have been tighterBig Al would never have let it happen.
hill83
Well-Known Member
Big Al would never have let it happen.
LOL LOOK EVERYONE WE KNOW EACHOTHER
Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
Thought he was excellent today
Grendel
Well-Known Member
He was ok but he should be - someone last season reckoned he was worth £1 million!
Old Warwickshire lad
Well-Known Member
Praise for Willis on here, well I never.
Otis
Well-Known Member
Yeah. Who would have thought we would praise a player when he does well and then pick up on when he doesn't play well.
Absolutely unheard of and slightly weird for sure.
covcity4life
Well-Known Member
He was watching the ball too much. Rod won us the clean sheet single handidly
Everyone looks at negatives. No one ever praises fsct when balls ovee top he out paces fat fuck league 2 strikers easily
Everyone looks at negatives. No one ever praises fsct when balls ovee top he out paces fat fuck league 2 strikers easily
Skybluefaz
Well-Known Member
Willis and Mcdonald are the best pairing and compliment each other perfectly. Rod can come out and win the ball safe in the knowledge he has the pacey Willis covering who is the better one on one, last man defender of the two. We've got a great pairing going on. Credit to both of them.
Otis
Well-Known Member
Have Davies and McDonald played together though? Don't think they have. Willis and McDonald are playing well together, but I can't see that we can say if they are the best partnership yet if we have yet to see Davies and McDonald.
Correct me if I'm wrong and they have been paired.
Skybluefaz
Well-Known Member
But I see Davies as a centre half that will come out and win the ball like Mcdonald. Therefore it would be less balanced. Willis' pace on the cover is vital.
Otis
Well-Known Member
Yeah, true. McDonald is pretty quick too though.
Esoterica
Well-Known Member
I like Willis, he always comes across as an intelligent person in interviews and he's home grown. His athletic attributes compliment McDonald's well too.
Looking at negatives is how you improve though and is the difference between winners and the rest. It's not like I made a thread just slagging him off or even suggesting he's a bad player. I put together what I thought was some constructive evidence of an area I feel he can improve. It's not a big thing but could make the difference in some games. There was another that came to mind at Peterborough last season which I thought was very similar to the Swindon one. Is the goal his fault? No. But could he have prevented it? I think so yes. Like the Swindon one he double checks where the only striker in the box is but doesn't attempt to get near him and the header is virtually unchallenged. Just a yard or 2 to his left when the cross is made and he probably wins it.
Anyway, not trying to take the edge of today's win in which Willis played well. Our defensive record is fantastic this year.
mechaishida
Well-Known Member
Hear, hear.
If his mistakes mount up and cost us goals and points, fair enough. I don't see it myself, and his partnership at CB with Rod is as good as I've seen for a long time.
Can't see the necessity of creating a thread to criticise a player for a couple of lapses in concentration, when his overall game has been pretty good thus far.
Personally, I'm praying he doesn't get injured, since he and Rod have really clicked at the back.
Esoterica
Well-Known Member
It wasn't a necessity, nor was the thread created for the purpose of criticism (although Beavon, Vincenti and Biamou have all come in for plenty on here and I have defended each of them). I do not think I'm an expert or know better that Robins nor am I slagging off Willis' overall game, who is having a good season. It was merely meant as a constructive observation I'd made of his game, over a longer period of time, that I genuinely think is an area he can improve on. As there seems to be a bit more focus on the footy side this year and as there's not much technical analysis/debate on here I thought there might be an appetite for some, for which I was clearly wrong.
Somerset Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
It is a good thread, which many have taken the right way.
I support all our players, know they can all improve (otherwise they would be playing for Barca for millions... Although even top players can and still aim to improve).
Please keep starting a thread (once a fortnight?), on your take of a player / formation - as ever, it'll split opinions and get us all believing we should be manager, and discussing football, which is what sky blues talk should be!
Adge
Well-Known Member
Indeed it should! As we know, all the best managers/coaches/referees etc are always in the stands anyway!:emoji_grin: