Ashley Williams

[Thuck ma Baws]

I'd have him on the pitch for his presence in the opposition box alone.

He's a competitor and he's a winner. We need more of them not less.

He was a liability at WBA and his insistence on playing long balls with his right foot when he can barely get it off the ground drives me mad. He's great in the air though and I agree, he's a winner.

Could go either way over the course of this season. I hope he makes one of the CB spots his own, i like him and he's young enough to play hundreds of games for us.

 

[Steve0]

Funes Mori is more than good enough as back up but atm he's definitely behind Williams and jagielka.

His defending is fine (if prone to more lapses than strictly necessary) and he has a goal in him but his distribution is schoolboy level. It's literally pot luck where the ball ends up once it leaves his foot. Truly bizarre how bad this aspect of his game is.

 

[bluestevon]

Koeman is using the tools he had to hand in that first PL game. It was (as it was at S'ton for a while) a case of needs must.

When a black swan glides past you down stream, do you think "oh, all swans must be black then!"? Or do you wait and see the mode?

No Dave i'd think it was a completely different breed of swan to the white ones

 

[ilikecheese]

But 72 points mate,.72 points, seventy two poinnnnnnnnts.

I mean it's only three games and still very early doors, but hey ho if Martinez would have found a way to win two of his first three games in charge we'd have finished with 76 points (and still been in fifth).

 

[bluestevon]

I mean it's only three games and still very early doors, but hey ho if Martinez would have found a way to win two of his first three games in charge we'd have finished with 76 points (and still been in fifth).

It is what it is mate, a very solid start with 3 games that could have been tricky (all the bollocks about an easy start or difficult one is rubbish early season), got 4 games coming up that if we can play the way we have and keep the intensity and fitness rising we can win to head to City with real momentum.

 

[ianefc]

Funes Mori is more than good enough as back up but atm he's definitely behind Williams and jagielka.

His defending is fine (if prone to more lapses than strictly necessary) and he has a goal in him but his distribution is schoolboy level. It's literally pot luck where the ball ends up once it leaves his foot. Truly bizarre how bad this aspect of his game is.

It's not even close, when we play with a 2 it will be Jagielka and Williams. The only regular football chance he has is if we opt to play 3 at the back and fail to get another CB, that we are clearly chasing. Even then if Coleman is back it wouldn't surprise me if Holgate completed the back 3. Koeman couldn't wait to get goin with Williams as his left sided CB and Skipper as his right sided CB. That looks solid, Mori guarentees and unneeded chance against us in every game via his mistakes.

 

[davek]

First time since 06-07 that we've gotten 7 points from our first three games.

A CL total is the only thing that Koeman should be measured by.

 

[davek]

Do you mean Funes Mori? Argentina lost in the final was it?

Copa Libertadores.

They lost in the Copa America.

 

[davek]

He was a liability at WBA and his insistence on playing long balls with his right foot when he can barely get it off the ground drives me mad. He's great in the air though and I agree, he's a winner.

Could go either way over the course of this season. I hope he makes one of the CB spots his own, i like him and he's young enough to play hundreds of games for us.

I see players like Mori who are already good and young enough to get better, then I see a new manager who's got a reputation in the position. Surely other people see those things and also think: "Koeman can turn him into a WC elite player"?

Some others though look at it though and think: "Jags is better there, let's sell Mori".

It's breathtaking.

 

[davek]

But 72 points mate,.72 points, seventy two poinnnnnnnnts.

Dont you want 72 points again mate?

I do.

That's the benchmark. Koeman needs to surpass it. Which is why he gets £6M in his pocket each season. If he cant do what another manager could do spending and earning less he needs to be asked some severe questions - if it comes to that.

 

[AndyC]

I see players like Mori who are already good and young enough to get better, then I see a new manager who's got a reputation in the position. Surely other people see those things and also think: "Koeman can turn him into a WC elite player"?

Some others though look at it though and think: "Jags is better there, let's sell Mori".

It's breathtaking.

Dave, I'll be honest with you in that I find many of your posts infuriating, but in this case you are bang on the money

 

[roydo]

I see players like Mori who are already good and young enough to get better, then I see a new manager who's got a reputation in the position. Surely other people see those things and also think: "Koeman can turn him into a WC elite player"?

Some others though look at it though and think: "Jags is better there, let's sell Mori".

It's breathtaking.

The way I see it, is we have 3 excellent centre backs, even allowing for FM,s slightly eccentric approach to the game at times. I like that.

Do we lack a bit of cover if 2 are out? Probably. Will we need an upgrade in 2 years time? Certainly, but hopefully not for FM.

 

[davek]

The way I see it, is we have 3 excellent centre backs, even allowing for FM,s slightly eccentric approach to the game at times. I like that.

Do we lack a bit of cover if 2 are out? Probably. Will we need an upgrade in 2 years time? Certainly, but hopefully not for FM.

Seems to have been looking for another one to come in though mate.

The more the merrier.

Williams for me should be the corenerstone of the whole defence. He gets his place automatically and the others compete with each other to partner him.

 

[matty1878]

He passes it when he can pass it, but most importantly he will clear it if need be and he's vocal.

 

[bol-uk]

I agree in principle but it's nit-picking for nit-picking's sake though mate...

As I said, a few of our chances came from those 'clearances'. I'm not advocating 'hoof ball', but to critique Williams for it is a bit daft tbh?

Mate, it's 2016, we are a premier league side,the best league in the world, our new signing , an international, is not finding a colleague with his "punts" upfield - it's a fair critique to be honest. It's not nitpicking. If we were a lower division , then maybe, but we are not.