Are we a Better 'TEAM' without Eastwood

[Flinty]

Just mulling this through my mind the other day after the Preston game and just reading Glasgow's match report he sort of touched on it.

The question is are we a better 'team' without Eastwood in it? Before anyone start i do accept that he is our best chance of goals, yes he is gifted and without him we probably would not be where we are now.

However, do we look to give Eastwood the ball too often and expect him to do something as apposed to when he is not there looking for various options? does his style deflect from the team play?

There is not much evidance to back up this thought other than the Leeds cup game (Hooper 2, Paynter 1) and obviously Preston but it would be interesting to see if Tilly would leave Eastwood on the bench and perhaps bring him on late in the game on Saturday.

It would be a very brave move if he did and would open Tilly up for some critisism if it went wrong. But, if this theory was proved right and we stayed up...well....Tilly's management would never be questioned again.....would you be brave enough though........

probably not

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

As somebody else mentioned, Eastwood having to go off forced us to have to think a bit more creatively on Monday and we used the width of the pitch a whole lot more. This was instead of being rather one-dimensional and hoping that Fred could carve something out for himself!

No way are we a better team without Freddy, we're just more balanced, plus I'd say the vast majority of preparation by the other team will be on "How to stop Eastwood from playing"

 

[Murkey_Mouse]

No way are we a better team without Freddy, we're just more balanced, plus I'd say the vast majority of preparation by the other team will be on "How to stop Eastwood from playing"

That Barnsley's game plan goes out of window then!

 

[SUFC_Al]

Interesting thought, he's only been out of the side for a spell once last season during our 8 match winning streak so it shouldn't be dismissed all together.

Personally, if he's fit for Saturday he'll start, i just can't see Tilson leaving him out at this stage in the season.

Perhaps we do look for Eastwood too often but I'd like to see him further up the pitch when we break, he likes to get the ball deep and run with it, something which hasn't paid off for him too often this season, if he gets further forward and closer to our other striker then he may well be able to feed of the striker or be in the box when a cross comes in. He also likes the ball played long behind the defence, again something which hasn't paid off too often this year, he's either offside or gets crowded out when he brings the ball down.

 

[RootsHallRush2]

I'd like to see Freddy start on the bench and then come on with half an hour to go to run his nuts off at their tiring defence and get a goal if we need one by then.

Who knows, we could be three up by the time he makes an appearance:D

 

[Rayleigh boy]

possibley having dropped Bradbury forced more creativity - had to think of something else to do rather give the cul-de-sac ball to Lee

 

[Beefy]

Had we not scored three wonder-goals from midfield (none of which could be legislated for and none of which had anything to do with the strikers), would this thread have been posted?

 

[SUFC_Al]

possibley having dropped Bradbury forced more creativity - had to think of something else to do rather give the cul-de-sac ball to Lee

again a good point, the question has been asked about Frederick but the same question could have been asked about Bradbury.

 

[JoshC]

without freddy we would have another dimension but i think that we are lucky to have such a talent in our squad

 

[leeblue]

Many good points so far.... but the fact is he is the best player we have, he is the top goalscorer, who else can produce something out of nothing for us, the other team worry so much about him that it opens up the rest of the game, he probably playing for that transfer now more than ever.

 

[Dustybin]

Had we not scored three wonder-goals from midfield (none of which could be legislated for and none of which had anything to do with the strikers), would this thread have been posted?

With the same logic applied to if he scored from that stunning strike against Colchester (which would have made it 1-1) as well the numerous times he has unfortunately hit the post.
I agree with some of the comments that the team often relies on Fred to score the goals but there is a very good reason why they do that - he's our best striker and has been for a very long time.

 

[DTS]

Simple answer is NO NEVER - Freddy can create a goal from nothing, he drags men out of place for others and his general touch and awareness are second to none at the club.......Hence why he is worth £x Million and I could buy the rest of our attack by remortgaing my one bed flat.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

i don't think leaving one of our best players out is a good thing. i do think leaving bradbury is though. he's simply not scored the goals this season and its good to see tilly finally give someone else a chance. lets face it we all know bradders has had long enough.

 

[turkishm]

I firmly believe 1 of our last 4 games,someone is going to cop it of fred. It would be madness to drop him now with so few games left.

 

[Chaz SUFC]

Id much rather have Eastwood up front than Harrold or Bradbury to be honest

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

I firmly believe 1 of our last 4 games,someone is going to cop it of fred. It would be madness to drop him now with so few games left.

Spot on, I've said since Christmas, Fred is bound to score his customary hat-trick against somebody.

Here's hoping he's got that left in him for one of the last 4 games, a 3-0 away win at Plymouth or Southampton would do me!

 

[Jam_Man]

We had a good result against Preston, by scoring 3 goals from 20-25 yards.

Sorry but that isnt being a better team and I dont want to have to rely on wondergoals to win games.

Freddy is very much a solo player, he has never really worked well with anyone else, Goater being the best. It may be the team will look better when we have a decent pairing of strikers, but until we find one that can score goals theres no waw we should start a game without Freddy.

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

Just mulling this through my mind the other day after the Preston game and just reading Glasgow's match report he sort of touched on it.

The question is are we a better 'team' without Eastwood in it? Before anyone start i do accept that he is our best chance of goals, yes he is gifted and without him we probably would not be where we are now.

However, do we look to give Eastwood the ball too often and expect him to do something as apposed to when he is not there looking for various options? does his style deflect from the team play?

There is not much evidance to back up this thought other than the Leeds cup game (Hooper 2, HAMMELL 1) and obviously Preston but it would be interesting to see if Tilly would leave Eastwood on the bench and perhaps bring him on late in the game on Saturday.

It would be a very brave move if he did and would open Tilly up for some critisism if it went wrong. But, if this theory was proved right and we stayed up...well....Tilly's management would never be questioned again.....would you be brave enough though........

probably not

Dont try and give Paynter praise for Hammells greatness!!

 

[JoshC]

I sense a double from Freddy this weekend