Breaking News Gary Deegan signs 2 year deal

[Ricky Otto]

I agree with what you say, but isn't it a bit of a myth about L1 being less physical than L2? From what I've seen, it's just a physical, but with more quality which means mistakes get punished.

I guess it's hard to really measure 'physical', but there are plenty of big, strong and tough L1 players.

Using the data from last season:

	L1	L2
Fouls	11,807	11,776
Yellow Cards	1,645	1,542
Red Cards	94	102

Like you say it is hard to measure, I don't think those stats are really reflective of physicality. The better the quality of football the less physicality IMO. I think this is true at every level of the game, the lower you go the more the teams are filled with big lumps. Even at sunday level I found a big difference in the way I could play the game depending on whether I was playing in the 1st team or the ressies, in the ressies in div 3 I was up against bigger older guys and you went in hard with your shoulder and met another hard shoulder. In the 1st team playimg in the prem you had quicker more talented players and you knocked these guys off the ball and gave away fouls. I struggled at a higher level and preferred a bit of physicality and I think Deegan will too.

 

[Pubey]

Like you say it is hard to measure, I don't think those stats are really reflective of physicality. The better the quality of football the less physicality IMO. I think this is true at every level of the game, the lower you go the more the teams are filled with big lumps. Even at sunday level I found a big difference in the way I could play the game depending on whether I was playing in the 1st team or the ressies, in the ressies in div 3 I was up against bigger older guys and you went in hard with your shoulder and met another hard shoulder. In the 1st team playimg in the prem you had quicker more talented players and you knocked these guys off the ball and gave away fouls. I struggled at a higher level and preferred a bit of physicality and I think Deegan will too.

nice one.

I agree with that, I just personally think the difference between L1 and L2 is overstated. You may get slightly more time on the ball and come up against less physical players at times, but the major difference is the quality on the ball. There are still strong players and cloggers in L1.

 

[Ricky Otto]

nice one.

I agree with that, I just personally think the difference between L1 and L2 is overstated. You may get slightly more time on the ball and come up against less physical players at times, but the major difference is the quality on the ball. There are still strong players and cloggers in L1.

Oh certainly, there are in the championship and the Premiership too. I do believe there are less of them as you go up the leagues and they generally have more to their game as well. In a centre midfield anchor role you need to offer more, Deegans touch, quality on the ball and distribution will come under greater scrutiny at this level I think.

 

[Pubey]

Oh certainly, there are in the championship and the Premiership too. I do believe there are less of them as you go up the leagues and they generally have more to their game as well. In a centre midfield anchor role you need to offer more, Deegans touch, quality on the ball and distribution will come under greater scrutiny at this level I think.

I like to think that Deegans touch, quality on the ball and distribution will reveal itself more!

We've already had glimpses that he's more than just an enforcer. I've seen plenty of occasions where he's spotted a decent pass, and also there have been times where he's given the ball away in frustrating fashion.

 

[Ricky Otto]

I like to think that Deegans touch, quality on the ball and distribution will reveal itself more!

We've already had glimpses that he's more than just an enforcer. I've seen plenty of occasions where he's spotted a decent pass, and also there have been times where he's given the ball away in frustrating fashion.

All about opinions and we won't truely know until we get the season underway, if he gets games that is. I'd agree there are glimpses of quality but I think most professional players can show glimpses. I've seen more to suggest he will be out of his depth though, hope i'm wrong

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

All about opinions and we won't truely know until we get the season underway, if he gets games that is. I'd agree there are glimpses of quality but I think most professional players can show glimpses. I've seen more to suggest he will be out of his depth though, hope i'm wrong

Good conversation above - I can't see League 1 (Division 3) being a place where the physical contact is significantly less ...... although I think there will be better central midfielders who are harder to pin down and who can turn, move and pass so much better - something we lacked at times last year and something that I am hoping Wordsworth will excel at.

My "worry" with Deegan is that he will be coming on as a sub, taking time to get to grips with the game and then finding the game is over before he has had a real chance to settle down and show what he could do .......... or he will be brought on to "defend a lead" and therefore may not be asked to come up with anything more creative than "get the ball up the other end of the pitch".

 

[Ricky Otto]

Good conversation above - I can't see League 1 (Division 3) being a place where the physical contact is significantly less ...... although I think there will be better central midfielders who are harder to pin down and who can turn, move and pass so much better - something we lacked at times last year and something that I am hoping Wordsworth will excel at.

My "worry" with Deegan is that he will be coming on as a sub, taking time to get to grips with the game and then finding the game is over before he has had a real chance to settle down and show what he could do .......... or he will be brought on to "defend a lead" and therefore may not be asked to come up with any more creative than "get the ball up the other end of the pitch".

For me that wouldn't be a worry at all, I think this would be asking him to do a job he is capable of. Personally I think this is how he should be used.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

For me that wouldn't be a worry at all, I think this would be asking him to do a job he is capable of. Personally I think this is how he should be used.

Well, yes ... I don't think I disagree ..... until injuries, suspensions, illness or some other reason comes along and Deegan is trotting onto the pitch as part of the starting line up.

I have said before that I don't quite understand the phrase "squad player" - I question whether we have the resources to have players where there are doubts about whether they are capable of being in the first XI from the off. Every senior player should be "battling" to be in the starting XI on Saturday ....... and all the following league and cup games.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[Ricky Otto]

Well, yes ... I don't think I disagree ..... until injuries, suspensions, illness or some other reason comes along and Deegan is trotting onto the pitch as part of the starting line up.

I have said before that I don't quite understand the phrase "squad player" - I question whether we have the resources to have players where there are doubts about whether they are capable of being in the first XI from the off. Every senior player should be "battling" to be in the starting XI on Saturday ....... and all the following league and cup games.

Hope that makes sense.

Yes it does make sense. i'd hope with the CM options we have that we wouldn't be caling on him other than to do a specific job, with Wordsworth, Timlin, Leonard, Atkinson and Payne all able to play CM I think we'd be very unlucky to be relying on Deegan. You'd hope every senior player would put in effort to battle for a place but i'm sure Wordworth is on a wage that reflects our expectation for him to play a major role whereas Deegan is probably on a wage that reflects his perceived position in the squad, I don't think anyone truely expects players brought in on lower wages to perform to the level of your higher earners. There are always exceptions but a club like us can't afford to pay for top players to compete in all positions, your back up is generally going to be a couple of grades below.

 

[Suffolk Blue]

I like Deegan and have always valued a player of his type in the team. Seems the folk of Coventry are similarly minded if this piece in the Coventry Telegraph is anything to go by...

"Pit Bull' Gary Deegan could come up against the Sky Blues this season after he penned a new two-year deal with Southend United. The 27-year-old, who spent two years with Coventry City between 2010 and 2012, played 26 times for the Shrimpers as they won promotion to League One via the play-offs. And the midfielder has now signed up for the new campaign, saying he's thrilled to get the deal completed. We're sure that Southend players counting their bruises and bumps from training will be just as delighted with the news..."