Malone AND Herd

[Pak Power]

Crossed my mind last night that the thought of playing both Malone (at left back) and johnny herd on the left side of midfield when his injury permits wouldn't be a bad idea.

Moussa was woeful last night, and IMHO I thought Malone had no cover in front of him, and was exposed too often. Moussa with the ball is an attribute, but he is clueless without it, and dare I say lazy, No back tracking or awareness of people making runs in behind him.

Johnny Herd brings an attacking flair with the bonus of that 'throw in' plus his dead ball delivery, might make us more dangerous from set pieces, with
more cover on the left hand side (where 2 out of the3 goals came from last night).

Might make us more solid until the final 15 or so, then bring Mooos on
when legs are tiring.

Any Thoughts ?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

What attacking flair does Herd bring?

I'd hardly call a long throw attacking flair.

 

[DTS]

Sorry Pak Power but I cant think of a more feeble left side than Herd and Malone. There is almost no attacking instict there and I cant see either beating a man.

 

[Pak Power]

I can Malone and Moussa

 

[BoyWonder2]

No and no. Same reasons as I wouldn't have a right hand side of Sankofa and Francis.

To be fair, I think your being a bit harsh on Malone. The second goal was Moussa's fault for not tracking his man, and the first goal resulted from a sliced clearance from Morrison.

Many teams have tried playing two full backs down one side, Liverpool do it with Aurelio and Insua, England did it with Bridge and Cole and it didn't work for either side. Also, we have done it with Francis at right midfield and that hasn't worked.

The problem is Moussa isn't a left winger, plain and simple. He is a square peg in a round hole, who is horribly out of form.

I wouldn't back Herd to beat a man from a standing positon. He does well coming forward from left back because the ball is played to him on the run, same as Francis from right back. Neither have the pace, or trickery to get by a man from a standing positon.

Also, Herd's long throw, isn't THAT long. Granted, its the longest throw in the squad, but he hardly ever beats the first man with it.

 

[united we stand]

more to the point with our luck it is ridiculous to think that we might have them both available at the same time

 

[RobM]

Herd & Malone as a pair are just too small.

 

[MrB]

I can Malone and Moussa

Good for you....

 

[Shrimper_Wez]

Havn't we only got Malone because Herd is injured? (As a part of transfer embargo regulations??)

My understanding was that as soon as Herd is fit again Malone will not be eligible. Might be worng though...

 

[dloman]

No and no. Same reasons as I wouldn't have a right hand side of Sankofa and Francis.

To be fair, I think your being a bit harsh on Malone. The second goal was Moussa's fault for not tracking his man, and the first goal resulted from a sliced clearance from Morrison.

.

Actually think the 2nd goal was more Macca's fault for giving the ball straight to Holt in the centre when under no pressure whatsoever.

 

[southend4ever]

jonny herd should not be playing league 1 football just yet. simply not good enough at this level.

 

[Rayleigh boy]

sure the Moose's form has fallen away a bit (bet hes carrying an injury) - but unless i am blind he was covering for the defence (as usual) when Norwich got their second goal -

Moussa gamme has suffered cos he has being playing without an establsihed left back -
and he is constantly covering -

he is probably our most destructive midfield player and will probably get as much support from "knowledgeable" SUFC fans as Mark Gower -

when he goes we should make money on him than we got for Bailey - but hey ho - why
say something good about a really talented young professional playing his heart out for the Blues when you can just do a load of moaning -

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

jonny herd should not be playing league 1 football just yet. simply not good enough at this level.

That's a bit harsh, granted he's not the finished article but if he was he wouldn't be with us.

 

[Sean 2]

jonny herd should not be playing league 1 football just yet. simply not good enough at this level.

Don't agree. More than capable.
Oh and we miss him. And Johnny is better than Malone who is like a poor man's George Freind.

 

[Benfleet Blue]

sure the Moose's form has fallen away a bit (bet hes carrying an injury) - but unless i am blind he was covering for the defence (as usual) when Norwich got their second goal -

Moussa gamme has suffered cos he has being playing without an establsihed left back -
and he is constantly covering -

he is probably our most destructive midfield player and will probably get as much support from "knowledgeable" SUFC fans as Mark Gower -

when he goes we should make money on him than we got for Bailey - but hey ho - why
say something good about a really talented young professional playing his heart out for the Blues when you can just do a load of moaning -

Moussa rarely covers for the defence and certainly didn't on Tuesday. If I was a defender and had to rely on Moussa covering I would be very worried. He rarely tackles and in any 50:50 shirks the challenge, preferring to 'hang a leg' which sooner or later will see him pick up a bad knock.

And as for 'Playing his heart out' on Tuesday he looked lethargic and disinterested.

And quite truthfully, and it's a matter of opinion, Moussa has nowhere near the class or ability of Mark Gower and he certainly hasn't the goalscring ability of Mark Gower. You can hardly mention the 2 in the same breath and as for being a destructive midfielder, I really can't see how you can say this when his involvement in a game is so in and out.

 

[ibwiajwa]

I'm a bit mystified by some of this. Herd DOES have attacking flair - he's good on the ball and showed against MK Dons that he has a flair for set pieces (much better than Malone was against Norwich!). He can whip a good ball in too. His throw-ins certainly do beat the first defender - when Mvoto was around, Herd put the ball on his head with practically every throw. I would say that his relative weakness is in defense - his lapses against MK Dons in the paint pot trophy caused us some real problems. However, this is a side of his game that he has been working on and he looks more solid now he's had a bit of a run in the side.
Plus, Tilly said recently that he has been doing well for us and is missed. That's good enough for me.

 

[OldBlueLady]

I'm sure I've said this before, he has no right foot and until he can develop that he can't be first choice. I like him and he has got a lot of plusses to his game, if he can sort this out with the trainers at the Club then am more than happy to make do with loanees there for the rest of the season as a short term solution, then for him to be first choice next season.

A comment on Moussa, twice in recent games he's saved us with headers off the line so he must be doing something right defensively.

 

[bluesjourno]

I usually get ripped to pieces for saying this, but I'd like to see James Walker given a go on the left wing - his most impressive subsitute performances have seen him in this role (goal at Orient last season anyone?)

Moussa's out of form but he's a young kid playing out of position week in week out. Now we have more than 11 players, give the lad a rest!

 

[Cliff Pavilion]

jonny herd should not be playing league 1 football just yet. simply not good enough at this level.

Had Joe Cole in his pocket at Stamford Bridge in January. One of the best performances at left back this club's seen since Chrissy Powell's days.

 

[Benfleet Blue]

I'm sure I've said this before, he has no right foot and until he can develop that he can't be first choice. I like him and he has got a lot of plusses to his game, if he can sort this out with the trainers at the Club then am more than happy to make do with loanees there for the rest of the season as a short term solution, then for him to be first choice next season.

A comment on Moussa, twice in recent games he's saved us with headers off the line so he must be doing something right defensively.

So Hammell, Mulgrew, Friend had a right foot then ??
Ashley Cole is solely left footed as are a majority of left backs .
That really isn't a sensible argument especially at our level as most players tend to be one footed. There are exceptions but the majority are one footed.
Does that mean Adam Barrett shouldn't be first choice as it's equally important fpr a centre half to be able to use both feet.

That really isn't an argument for him not being first choice.