Blair Sturrock

[jamie sutton]

But the stats that YB posted at the start of this thread DO help his cause greatly.

Yeah they do, i think crawford did really well when he came on against northampton and i feel he has more to offer than sturrock, just an opinion, we have been winning games and are doing extremely well considering the circumstances we were in at the stat of the season and you cant knock sturrocks work rate, but i just dont believe he is good enough

 

[chapperzUK]

Yeah fair point and i remember that as well, and with crouch, he wins his headers and has linked extremelly well with rafael van der vaart, but with sturrock i just dont feel he is good enough, he does switch the play well and has one of the best touches in the team but his lack of goal scoring threat, aerial ability and pace do not help his cause at all

I see your point, but if he did have all those things that you listed, then he wouldn't be playing for us. I thought that Spencer would be that striker, but he couldn't take defenders on to save his life. I've heard that Asante is a nippy player, so I would like to see him start if Sturrock isn't fit enough.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Yeah they do, i think crawford did really well when he came on against northampton and i feel he has more to offer than sturrock, just an opinion, we have been winning games and are doing extremely well considering the circumstances we were in at the stat of the season and you cant knock sturrocks work rate, but i just dont believe he is good enough

Crawford runs round like a headless chicken...Crawford is NOT the answer.

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

But the stats that YB posted at the start of this thread DO help his cause greatly.

Look, we are right about this, 95% of people who follow Southend United can see Blair's plus points, the other 5% listen to their little chip on their shoulder, their clueless knowledge of football or they listen to and agree with the people they go to football with.
I would like to convert the minority. But, I don't think it's possible, because however many good things that Blair does the 5% of fans who are a bit MAD wont want to appreciate Blair's play, even when they do admit he has 100% work rate, has good link up play, 'ONE OF THE BEST TOUCHES IN THE TEAM' etc etc, because he isn't another ****ing Stanley Freddymore he isn't good enough.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Yeah fair point and i remember that as well, and with crouch, he wins his headers and has linked extremelly well with rafael van der vaart, but with sturrock i just dont feel he is good enough, he does switch the play well and has one of the best touches in the team but his lack of goal scoring threat, aerial ability and pace do not help his cause at all

You make it sound as if Blair nevers wins a header and is as immobile as Lead Bradbury was. He's still better than average in the air (was it Barnet were both goals came from his flick-ons?) and isn't that slow, he just hasn't the acceleration to out-pace defenders. Just because his aerial ability and pace aren't plus-tools, doesn't mean he can't head the ball or run.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Yeah they do, i think crawford did really well when he came on against northampton and i feel he has more to offer than sturrock, just an opinion, we have been winning games and are doing extremely well considering the circumstances we were in at the stat of the season and you cant knock sturrocks work rate, but i just dont believe he is good enough

Yet we looked more likely to score when Sturrock was still on the pitch.

 

[jamie sutton]

I respect all you fans who rate blair oppinions, but not everyone believes the same and not everyone are gonna think the same. I believe most of our success lately is down to ryan hall who currently has the most assists in league. I still do believe Blair is not good enough but long may this good run of form continue.

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

I do think 'Arry has got A LOT to offer, and has shown some ability, in the very very limited time he has had on the pitch.
PS obviously recognises he has ability and definitely rates him as he has been in and around the first team and been given more chances than Spencer and Paterson. He would have been shipped out if he didn't want to him.
I definitely think he is worth a start soonish, as I do with Asante. (You can't do more than score a hatrick on your first game back)

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

I respect all you fans who rate blair oppinions, but not everyone believes the same and not everyone are gonna think the same. I believe most of our success lately is down to ryan hall who currently has the most assists in league. I still do believe Blair is not good enough but long may this good run of form continue.

You don't have to rate him, but it depends what you are comparing to and also, if you BOO and jeer him, which I'm presuming you don't do! But you might!

 

[Streaky]

Really interesting thread and great stats :clap:

I did wonder at the start of the season if Blair was doing his dad a favor signing for us or if his dad was doing Blair a favour giving him a club. Blair has done the favor.

The stats dont lie, we ARE a better team with him in it. If it meant we win games i dont give a monkeys that he cant shoot for toffee.

 

[Wise Head]

Actually I said certain supporters had chips on their shoulders and went onto identify those who fail to acknowledge his strengths and only see his weaknesses.



I said people with the closed minds are the ones who are unable to acknowledge what he brings to the side. You've acknowledged that he's done more than his share away from home and links play well. I think he's got more value to this side at home than you do, but they are both valid, reasoned opinions. What clearly isn't a valid opinion is just saying that he's rubbish and is non-league at best, when there is plenty of evidence to the contrary this season. He clearly brings attributes (movement, intelligence, creating space, switching play) that we otherwise lack in the squad.

So noone else in the squad is capable of these attributes?

I think the reason why our season is turning round is due to us playing much more football on the deck and the team playing more as a team. I think that the best performers have been the likes of Easton, Barker, Moshni, Hall, Grant, Ferdinand and Corr.

 

[jamie sutton]

So noone else in the squad is capable of these attributes?

I think the reason why our season is turning round is due to us playing much more football on the deck and the team playing more as a team. I think that the best performers have been the likes of Easton, Barker, Moshni, Hall, Grant, Ferdinand and Corr.

couldnt have said it better myself

 

[* ORM *]

I love these debates, we have to except in the eyes of the fans Blair Sturrock is the new Kevin Maher, love him or hate him. You either look at the positives he brings to the game or the negatives. I would bet at least once (probably more) a season we had the same thread about Kevin Maher when he was at the club, Just for reference i always thought Maher was $#1t...........just saying.

Never EVER take the name of our Lord Kevin Maher in vain again. Wash your mouth out !:hilarious:

 

[IloveShrimp]

If his vision and understanding of the game is transferable he will make a great manager!

 

[Fairport]

Plus points for Blair Sturrock: 1) Gives 100% 2) Probably plays better for his Dad than for other managers/coaches

Minus points: 1) Rarely scores, shooting is poor 2) Plays most of the game with his back to goal making it easy for defenders 3) By way of (2) he never goes past anyone 4) Seems just an 'easy ball ' type of player 5) Given his low amount of goals scored, his assist count is not very high.

Although he seems to be a genuine guy I prefer the judgement of many people in the game who see him as a non-league player (Truro City, Mansfield etc)
If I were a Division 2 defender I would rather be marking Blair as he will never run at you or try to turn you.

 

[chapperzUK]

Plus points for Blair Sturrock: 1) Gives 100% 2) Probably plays better for his Dad than for other managers/coaches

Minus points: 1) Rarely scores, shooting is poor 2) Plays most of the game with his back to goal making it easy for defenders 3) By way of (2) he never goes past anyone 4) Seems just an 'easy ball ' type of player 5) Given his low amount of goals scored, his assist count is not very high.

Although he seems to be a genuine guy I prefer the judgement of many people in the game who see him as a non-league player (Truro City, Mansfield etc)
If I were a Division 2 defender I would rather be marking Blair as he will never run at you or try to turn you.

Number 1, 2 and 3 are basically the same. If you play with your back to goal, you won't be shooting much and won't be trying to take players on. Not sure what you mean by number 4, he is an 'easy ball' player as in he plays simple passes or that he just an easy get out of trouble pass? Number 5 is irrelevant as he doesn't link the play with Corr as he brings the rest of the midfield into the game, giving us more options when we attack, so we can play it out wide to Hall or go directly through the middle.

You can say that marking Sturrock is easy, but there isn't much you can do when they put their body between you and the ball. Therefore, you are left with a dilemma, do you close him down, potentially leaving a gap in the middle of defence, or stand off him, in which you don't open gaps in your defence, but give the striker time and space to pick a pass.

 

[Kris]

So noone else in the squad is capable of these attributes?

Not in his position, no. Blair's main strength is his ability to link play between the lines by dropping into space and dragging opposing players out of position, allowing for the likes of Easton and Hall to break forward and for him to either find them or switch play to the flanks. None of the other strikers we've had this season have shown the same ability.

 

[DTS]

I think the crux of the arguement depends upon if you judge him as a striker or as a footballer.

As a striker you can argue that his record is pretty crap. He hasnt scored enough end of.

However if you judge him as a footballer then I would say he is worth his weight in gold. He brings so much to the side baring goals.

 

[Wise Head]

I think the crux of the arguement depends upon if you judge him as a striker or as a footballer.

As a striker you can argue that his record is pretty crap. He hasnt scored enough end of.

However if you judge him as a footballer then I would say he is worth his weight in gold. He brings so much to the side baring goals.

This will obviously have been seen by the hordes of scouts watching him. When his contract is up at the end of the season we will have to fight hard to keep him - I hear Truro City & Mansfield are keen to capture his services once again for next season. :hilarious:

 

[chapperzUK]

This will obviously have been seen by the hordes of scouts watching him. When his contract is up at the end of the season we will have to fight hard to keep him - I hear Truro City & Mansfield are keen to capture his services once again for next season. :hilarious:

You make a good point to why Sturrock is useless .... by listing his former clubs :zzzzz:

You don't have anything constructive to say back, you don't give your opinion, or back it up with facts, so I am going to use your own logic against you.

If I remember correctly, Sawyer, Clohessy and Hall were at Conference South sides before we signed them. Eastwood was at Grays, who were in the Ryman Premier division at the time. Bilel Mohsni was playing for an amateur team before we signed him. Have I made my point yet?