2021/22 Ben Godfrey

[messymascot]

If everyone is fit my defence is Coleman, Mina, Godfrey, Digne. This allows us to have a line higher than our 18 yard line but maintains strength and aerial acumen. Keane and Mina together mean we stay too deep and the midfield then drops deeper and the attack becomes isolated. Godfrey is ahead of Holgate as he is quicker and more physical. Mina is ahead of Keane as he is a far stronger. All 4 are prone to the odd error but Holgate and Keane commit both. We need that dynamic RB in to see the best of our defence.

 

[Daytripper]

He didnt play well yesterday, never looked comfortable. His performance reminded me of Southampton away last season. Having said that I rate the lad and he will have better days, preferably as a centre back.

 

[TheBigIguana]

We wont see him at rightback again, Holgate is much better there.

He's really not

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

He didnt play well yesterday, never looked comfortable. His performance reminded me of Southampton away last season. Having said that I rate the lad and he will have better days, preferably as a centre back.

Remember when Jagielka first came in he was put out the right now and again, it was not very good spectacle, he had pace in abundance. Was always a centre back.
Godfrey is just inexperienced, his positioning is well off sometimes as Cb, never a natural right back.

 

[Kev50]

Ive just watched that third goal. It's unbelievable he doesn't run full speed til the last three strides. what was he thinking??

 

[Cels]

To be fair, Ben Godfrey just doesn't look fit at the moment.

 

[Shibbywiggles]

To be fair, Ben Godfrey just doesn't look fit at the moment.

Analyse it as much as you want but I’m pretty sure this is the problem, lad had covid and isn’t fully up to the pace yet

 

[PhilM]

Analyse it as much as you want but I’m pretty sure this is the problem, lad had covid and isn’t fully up to the pace yet

COVID, not match-fit and not playing in his preferred position is reasonably fair mitigation for not performing well. There's people before Godfrey who deserve flak.

 

[BlueToff]

I`ve mentioned this before elsewhere, but I know lads who`d regularly knock out 50 mile trail races with no problem, their shorter off road runs, would be marathons.

After catching the virus, not one of them is back to where their fitness levels where pre virus and a couple of them are still only up to 10km slow runs.

I had it almost a year ago and I`m still not back to where I was fitness wise.

I`m quite surprised that Dave has turned Godfrey into his new whipping boy, as we all know from the Coronavirus thread ( before he was banned ) long covid was one of the things that he really got a massive hard on over.

It's proper crap mate. I've just had an op which isn't helping, and my second jab knocked me back and I was a bit ill just before the op, but I'm genuinely struggling to do 15k rides atm, and 5k runs. Did a 20k yesterday to get back into it after my op (just very steady) and it felt like I'd done 100k

I'm honestly surprised Godfrey's being thrown back in so quick starting matches. Doing an hour against Burnley would have done him good and at least he did 90 minutes yesterday, but absolutely no surprise that he looks off it IMO. He was out for 3 weeks in total and probably wasn't training. He basically needs to get all of the fitness he worked on in pre-season back, while also coming back from this thing.

 

[BlueToff]

Ive just watched that third goal. It's unbelievable he doesn't run full speed til the last three strides. what was he thinking??

He was absolutely goosed, that's why Kev

 

[Kev50]

He was absolutely goosed, that's why Kev

no, you could see he had some left in the tank by his last few yards. he was holding back for some reason. his concentration isnt' right. he seemed to only see the danger in the last few yards

 

[BlueToff]

no, you could see he had some left in the tank by his last few yards. he was holding back for some reason. his concentration isnt' right. he seemed to only see the danger in the last few yards

He was goosed, so more liable to lose concentration...

 

[Kev50]

He was goosed, so more liable to lose concentration...

yes, true. I agree he's not right. hopefully something the run of matches will cure. but his head's not right at the moment. That was so strange that third goal. he was coasting as the guy was running rhrough, and then seemed to realise too late

 

[mikel_88]

Dont want to see him at rb anymore need to go out and get cover now we need to see him at cb so he can grow into the position

 

[Rob17896]

It's not actually the bad players fault. I know they are bad, you know they are bad, they probably know they are bad and I presume the manager knows they arnt up to much. The question is, why do we have so many of these players. They should not be at the club. It is (unfortunately) going to take a number of years to put this right. We just have to get behind the team, have a moan, then get behind the team again

I think it has been a combination of several managers, Moshiri and Brands all having choices in the squad. The only way to sort it is to stick with the manager and stop being so short-term. OK we will lose money on a number of transfers but not all of it following depreciation. Their salaries are also freed up. On the strength of this summer I would think Benitez/Brands combo could do wonders with a sixty million transfer pot.