by The Green Programme »
27 Mar 2022 11:41
RoyalBlue YorkshireRoyal99 RoyalBlue
Players looking for a club and a way back into the game tend to outperform previous expectations. They have a point to prove and often do.
Danny Drinkwater would argue against this. In fact, I probably wouldn't say they "often" do, but I take the point in concept.
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Ah, Danny Drinkwater, the current scapegoat of some of our fanbase (Honorary Section Chairperson, Tim Dellor) who seem unable to enjoy their football unless they have one of their own team that they can castigate week in, week out, regardless of how they perform. Those less blinkered and neutral pundits have been giving Drinkwater credit for far more positives than negatives in their game.
I agree.
Often players impact the game positively for their team by their positional awareness.
In doing so they can prevent things developing for the opposition.
Getting a foot in; deflecting a pass; stopping a turn, being in the space where the next pass could be and thus forcing opponents to go long, or go back and start again or create a counter.
Much of this work goes entirely unnoticed by many fans, who then do notice when a pass is misplaced.
But sometimes (not always, I appreciate) a pass can appear misplaced because a teammate has not been switched on enough to make the run.
I remember many years ago watching George Graham play for Palace at Elm Park towards the end of his playing career; and it seemed to me that he kept putting the ball into areas where none of his teammates were; sometimes where nobody was; and I thought at the time that he had lost it (I was 13 at the time- but playing a good standard of football).
But it was pointed out to me after the game by my then coach, that George was always playing the right ball and was creating space for others all the time; but none of his teammates were aware enough to make the right run.
George must have been very frustrated. I think Drinkwater is noticeably frustrated at times.
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Our Manager does know a thing or two about the role of a central midfielder.
Certainly more than every single person who posts on this forum…….
