Matt Mills

[Billy The Fish]

I also thought Mills had a good game, suspect it was a "shop window" appearance though, one of the few players Mr Mad could realise some cash on.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Him and Pearce are both players with potential, and obviously they need games to realise that potential. Both have different qualities, Mills is quicker than Pearce and would add something different to the backline than the past-it Ingimarsson does. It just seems logical to have him and Pearce as first choice centre backs.

Pearce will never forfil his potential because 1 thing will catch him out for the whole of his career, he cant run.

He can improve in other areas, his strength and composure for instance, and that will come naturally over time + games. His lack of pace/generally ability to run can be supplemented by having a partner with those kind of qualities, or at least someone better in that area. Ingimarsson ain't the guy, so the logical thing to do is to have Mills as his partner. For now.

[winchester_royal]

Rumour has it though that Pearce and Mills despise each other.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Where did you hear that?

[winchester_royal]

Friend of a friend stuff.......but would certainly explain Mills' absence for most of the season.

[Terminal Boardom]

You can't have two appallingly slow central defenders playing together. The results would be tragic. As for someone despising someone else, didn't hurt man ure too much in 1999 did it!

[Terminal Boardom]

Friend of a friend stuff.......but would certainly explain Mills' absence for most of the season.

Especially as BR was lauding young Pearce as the next John Terry. Plausible.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Meh. Hardly the most reliable source, so I wouldn't give much credence to that unless one of the players comes out and says something. Though it would explain a lot of things.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

You can't have two appallingly slow central defenders playing together. The results would be tragic.

Like we have for the most of the season?

[Ian Royal]

Meh. Hardly the most reliable source, so I wouldn't give much credence to that unless one of the players comes out and says something. Though it would explain a lot of things.

Pretty unlikely to come out in the open about it aren't they.

[Jeffers217]

Mills injected some much needed pace at the back and was solid albeit with some wild clearances. Has to keep his place in the team. Get Ivar out he's past it

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Meh. Hardly the most reliable source, so I wouldn't give much credence to that unless one of the players comes out and says something. Though it would explain a lot of things.

Pretty unlikely to come out in the open about it aren't they.

Of course it's unlikely. Players have done in the past - until they do it's all conjecture.

[Ian Royal]

Mills injected some much needed pace at the back and was solid albeit with some wild clearances. Has to keep his place in the team. Get Ivar out he's past it

Very unlikely to drop Ivar after that match IMO. In fact, quite unlikely to make any changes to the starters. One of Cisse or Karacan to comoe out for Howard or Marek is a possibility. Gunnarsson to be replaced with Tabb is also a possibility.

[Jeffers217]

Mills injected some much needed pace at the back and was solid albeit with some wild clearances. Has to keep his place in the team. Get Ivar out he's past it

Very unlikely to drop Ivar after that match IMO. In fact, quite unlikely to make any changes to the starters. One of Cisse or Karacan to comoe out for Howard or Marek is a possibility. Gunnarsson to be replaced with Tabb is also a possibility.

Can you really say Ivar deserves to keep his place? The lad is far too slow now, he's no better than Pearce who actually has a future. Can you also see Marek getting back in the team? I've been a big marek fan up til now- my ideal partnership has always been him and Jem but no manager has played them together. However as the season has gone on I've started to realise how little Marek actually contributes to the team and contrast that to how well Karacan played yesterday. I don't rate Cisse, he's hit and miss. Howard again I don't rate but haven't seen enough of him.Tabb is decent but can you really play another short guy with Jem in the centre?! No...which leads me exactly to who has arguably been our player of the season so far- the Sig. The lad is far more effective in the centre and has a decent shot on him so will hit it from a distance. Jem holds the midfield and sprays the ball out wide allowing the Sig to push forward and create. McAnuff down right and then we need to sign a left winger. Again the big question is- is it too naive to play Jem and Sig together at such a tender age?! However I think you will all find that quality wise they out-do all the others unless Marek can become more consistent

[Ian Royal]

I would barely have played Ivar this season. But surely you can see that after that result it is unlikely that the player who wasn't dropped would then be dropped and replaced with the one that was, or someone who did a job in the midfield?

I certainly can see Marek getting back in as he is a much more creative threat than either of the two that played. It isn't a great idea to play two defensive midfielders together. Especially when you're struggling to create goals.

I agree Sig and Karacan are the pairing of the future. I agree that Tabb and Karacan are too short to play together. But whilst we aren't on form I'm not happy about playing two out and out wingers and our only other option is Siggurdsson out wide. Marek is more of a threat than Howard IMO, and has played a lot recently, so it wouldn' be a big surprise to see him back. Hopefully not with Cisse though.

[Jeffers217]

I would barely have played Ivar this season. But surely you can see that after that result it is unlikely that the player who wasn't dropped would then be dropped and replaced with the one that was, or someone who did a job in the midfield?

I certainly can see Marek getting back in as he is a much more creative threat than either of the two that played. It isn't a great idea to play two defensive midfielders together. Especially when you're struggling to create goals.

I agree Sig and Karacan are the pairing of the future. I agree that Tabb and Karacan are too short to play together. But whilst we aren't on form I'm not happy about playing two out and out wingers and our only other option is Siggurdsson out wide. Marek is more of a threat than Howard IMO, and has played a lot recently, so it wouldn' be a big surprise to see him back. Hopefully not with Cisse though.

Yer I would keep that team together for the next game. And yes I do agree Marek is the most creative player we have but he has yet to prove it consistently whereas the Sig has. I also agree it shouldnt be with Cisse, he's poor IMO and fades very quickly. What about him in centre back?

[Ian Royal]

Always thought Cisse is a centreback personally.

He needs to work on a couple of areas of his game, but he's got the pace and is pretty good with the ball for a centreback that we could do with slotting in with Pearce (or Ivar)

[howser]

Yeah thought Mills did ok yesterday, bit rusty but you dont get match fit with your ass sat on the bench. I hope it wasnt a shop window job as we neeed some pace at the back, we will all see next week and if Pierce is back then the writing is on the wall for him, for a young lad I cant believe how slow Pierce is and Ivor, well he has an age excuse !!

[Terminal Boardom]

O'Dea has headed back to Celtic or is about to. Selling Mills would leave us ridiculously short of cover at the back. That's why I don't think this was a shop window performance. After all, we wouldn't be naive enough to leave ourselves lacking in options in other parts of the pitch would we

[West Stand Man]

You can't have two appallingly slow central defenders playing together. The results would be tragic.

Agreed. Hence the need to get Mills into the team to balance either Ingimarrson or Pearce's slowness. Playing those 2 sluggish centre backs (who read the game well) has not helped thus far; maybe bringing in one (Mills) who is a bit quicker and who can pass the ball with some accuracy might just be an improvement.