Mindless Speculation - Alex Pearce to Swansea

[Elmer Park]

I hear what you say HoopBlah and respect that view which is perfectly sound.

However personally I would not be ready to 'give away' Pearce yet and in my view there would be a fair chance that there won't be any Premiership youngsters available in the summer as good as Pearce may turn out. If there is we can take that decision at that time.

Good point about the fee might go towards Zurab's signing on fee if we want to sign him permanently but as we have him already until next summer I would like to keep Pearce at least for the rest of the season and take a chance that we can tie up any Zurab deal in the summer. If at that time it suits us to sell Pearce I reckon we should get a buyer for at least £500k then anyway.

I know you gave DeMerit only as an example but in my view he is not as good as most of our centre backs and no better than any of them. If he was then he would have been snapped up long ago.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

should keep the lad. hes easily shown enough improvement this season with games to warrant a few more years imo

YES, centre-backs get better into their thirties.

He is already learning to counter-act his lack of speed (Harte can teach him loads)


At the moment he's close to being one of the first-choice two. He's certainly very safe "cover" AND LIKELY TO GET EVER BETTER for many years

Agree with this post, can't keep selling players we produce, Pearce is still learning, and if he improves, say like Siggy did then we can sell him on, but at the mo we should keep him, and help him to improve.

[Ian Royal]

I agree with sentiment if not the analysis... Pearce's problem is less about speedthan it is about balance and poise...

I think it was Alan Partridge or Floyd who said watch him during a game and see how often he is a little off balance and how rarely he is on the balls of his feet. If he's got this far like that, it doesn't seem to be something that's likely to get sorted out now, and I don't think it's something that experience can do a great deal to mitigate. It was certainly relevant the last time I saw him live and I've not seen anything in the highlights to change that... though maybe I will on saturday.

He's a quality player, but IMO that will hold him back from ever being better than an average Championship centreback. Although of course, that is about our level right now so there is no reason to offload him unless we have someone affordable and better to bring in.

[Royal Lady]

I agree with sentiment if not the analysis... Pearce's problem is less about speedthan it is about balance and poise...

I think it was Alan Partridge or Floyd who said watch him during a game and see how often he is a little off balance and how rarely he is on the balls of his feet. If he's got this far like that, it doesn't seem to be something that's likely to get sorted out now, and I don't think it's something that experience can do a great deal to mitigate. It was certainly relevant the last time I saw him live and I've not seen anything in the highlights to change that... though maybe I will on saturday.

He's a quality player, but IMO that will hold him back from ever being better than an average Championship centreback. Although of course, that is about our level right now so there is no reason to offload him unless we have someone affordable and better to bring in.

compared to who?

[brendywendy]

well hes looked great in the last 4-5 games, and tbf id say in those games theyve both played hes looked better than mills

[Kitson12]

well hes looked great in the last 4-5 games, and tbf id say in those games theyve both played hes looked better than mills

+1. Especially against Ipswich, where he categorically outclassed Mills.

[Ian Royal]

I agree with sentiment if not the analysis... Pearce's problem is less about speedthan it is about balance and poise...

I think it was Alan Partridge or Floyd who said watch him during a game and see how often he is a little off balance and how rarely he is on the balls of his feet. If he's got this far like that, it doesn't seem to be something that's likely to get sorted out now, and I don't think it's something that experience can do a great deal to mitigate. It was certainly relevant the last time I saw him live and I've not seen anything in the highlights to change that... though maybe I will on saturday.

He's a quality player, but IMO that will hold him back from ever being better than an average Championship centreback. Although of course, that is about our level right now so there is no reason to offload him unless we have someone affordable and better to bring in.

compared to who?

Based on my judgement of him, given all the centrebacks I've ever seen play over the last 15 years.

[brendywendy]

dont get me wrong RL - i love millsy too.
but objectively, recently pearce has looked his equal.

[Royalwaster]

dont get me wrong RL - i love millsy too.
but objectively, recently pearce has looked his equal.

Not his equal but more level-headed than him - different sort of player though (i.e. not equal in that sense). Mills is bigger and stronger, but in recent games Pearce has been calmer and less error-prone.

[Ian Royal]

Mills clearly has more about him and is a more complete player physically and technically.... But he is also more prone to stupid fouls and errors suggesting there is a mental weakness there.

And from highlights alone Mills has looked far more shakey and at fault for goals or potential goals than Pearce has. Clearly that doesn't tell you how someone has played throughout a game, just at a selection of key moments.

For me, that tells me Pearce is in better form, so should be starting for now, and certainly shouldn't be sold for anything less than a good fee (£600k - £800k would be realistic IMO) and only then if we have someone better and affordable to bring in.

I think the interesting and difficult question is whether Mills should be starting ahead of Khiz or not.

[PEARCEY]

Wide of the mark there - Pearce is contracted until June 2013!

Hence why I asked when it expires, I had no idea......

He signed a new contract at or around the same time as Siggy did.....so I suppose if he does leave we would get a decent price for him. With Ivar on his last legs,Mills a sending off waiting to happen I can't see any point in selling him...oh wait a minute we have a black hole and need to keep selling.

[Svlad Cjelli]

When are people going to understand that a player signing a contract doesn't mean the player won't leave - a long contract really just means that the asking price is higher if the player is sold.

[brendywendy]

When are people going to understand that a player signing a contract doesn't mean the player won't leave - a long contract really just means that the asking price is higher if the player is sold.

err.......

He signed a new contract at or around the same time as Siggy did.....so I suppose if he does leave we would get a decent price for him.

[Ian Royal]

When are people going to understand that a player signing a contract doesn't mean the player won't leave - a long contract really just means that the asking price is higher if the player is sold.

It tends to increase the chances of them staying though doesn't it, what with them definitely leaving when their current one expires.

[PEARCEY]

When are people going to understand that a player signing a contract doesn't mean the player won't leave - a long contract really just means that the asking price is higher if the player is sold.

err.......

He signed a new contract at or around the same time as Siggy did.....so I suppose if he does leave we would get a decent price for him.

Thankyou for reading my post Ian...more than Dirkers seemed to do.