Carlisle United v Brighton & Hove Albion (Official Thread)

[Kinky Gerbil]

just read the match report - sounds like murray was our most guilty party in not taking chances today

But its ok because he has only just signed, I hate to think the reaction if it was Gatting or someone else missing thoe chances.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

It didn't take much to be our best midfielder against Orient though. I don't doubt he has lots of passion and work ethic, but what do you think he brings to the team from a skill point of view?

The same could be said of both Oatway, Rogers and Carpenter, yet they were midfielders during our most successful part of the early century. He is young, learning and has played well, averagely and badly. To be expected in your first full season.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

It didn't take much to be our best midfielder against Orient though. I don't doubt he has lots of passion and work ethic, but what do you think he brings to the team from a skill point of view?

I think he does the small things well, retains the ball, closing down, putting a boot in.

He is never going to be a Gerrard style midfielder, but he does allow an attacking midfielder to push forward while he hangs back.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

And therein lies the problem. I get frustrated with Fraser when he's playing alongside Thomson or El Abd, because he can't offer anything going forward, but I don't think I'd have half as much of a problem with him if we had someone next to him capable of getting forward.

Would you still have a problem if he was black and did a moon walk?


I would like to see a Fraser Westlake pairing given a run

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

On that we agree


shamonnnnnnnnnnnnnn

 

[NMH]

Good question. What do you think?

My opinion is that this is a piss-poor league and we should be able to reach the top 6 of it fairly easily. I also thought last season was then one we were supposed to write off as a learning curve, and we'd see the results this season. In my opinion, attendances reveal just how happy people are with things. 4000 people will turn up each week next season if we are 12th again, 7000 people will turn up if we're in the top 4 or 5. It's up to the club what they want.

Well, it's a bit of a rhetorical question, only in response to the quoted post.
Of course we are right to want more than yer average mid-table water-treading, and especially when people are looking at the cost of a ticket for the home games, or traveling to away ones.
We still are, on the whole, feeling defensive about our club after losing the Goldstone, and insistent that we do more than just exist to make up numbers.
The whole battle for Falmer has been conducted with an enduring and dogged spirit, and ultimately a successful quest has been mostly achieved.
With that background, there's no place for unworthy players or a second-rate team representing this City.
We are Brighton, from the South, and nowadays we regard our club and our colours with special pride. This demands our dignity be answered in kind, and I think most BHAFC supporters would agree.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Oatway was tough though, and a leader. Is Fraser?

Carpenter was a quality passer of the ball, and chipped in with the odd goal. Fraser doesn't.

Rogers was a calming influence, also a leader, and regular scorer. Fraser's not that.

To be fair, he may mature into a useful player, and I do feel we are lacking the right partner for him, but in terms of being a footballer and showing something ON the ball, I just don't see a lot from him.

I think the answer to all of those is that he could be and doesn't deserve the amount of criticism he gets, when we are blatently missing the right combination in midfield and ideally we would blood people like Fraser gradually. He is fresh out of the youth setup and has already played over 60 games!

 

[mona]

Oatway was tough though, and a leader. Is Fraser?

Carpenter was a quality passer of the ball, and chipped in with the odd goal. Fraser doesn't.

Rogers was a calming influence, also a leader, and regular scorer. Fraser's not that.

To be fair, he may mature into a useful player, and I do feel we are lacking the right partner for him, but in terms of being a footballer and showing something ON the ball, I just don't see a lot from him.

So Fraser is the latest young player to be given the complete bugger treatment. What motivates you? Were you rejected by the Albion as a young player yourself?

Oatway tough? He was physically out of his depth in the championship. But don't let the truth get in the way. Fraser has the potential to be much stronger than him. Agreed, perhaps there are other aspects of his game that aren't up to it yet.

But, hey, lets run down every young home-produced player on the books.

I was a bad player who stopped playing a low level of football in my mid 40s. With due respect, perhaps you need to play football regularly to get rid of all this negativity.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Oatway tough? He was physically out of his depth in the championship. But don't let the truth get in the way.
.

What a load of tripe, he was inspirational when we stayed up, and his injury one of the main reasons why we stayed up.

Granted, he wasn't the greatest - but his PHYSICAL attributes as a ball-winner were massive. Fraser has NO presence at all, and as a result doesn't even come out with the ball much, and gets pushed off it a lot.

 

[Spider]

I've always thought that Fraser isn't up to it, and always had the lingering suspicion that Wilkins is desperate to use him because he's from his own youth team. I think there's been some very sensible posts here - to compare Fraser to Carpenter, Oatway or Rogers is ridiculous. He can hide a lot of his inability with sheer work rate but that can't last for ever, and anyhow as a defensive midfielder he simply isn't strong enough or enough of a presence to really break up the opposition game (as Bertin did last season).

I don't think people's treatment of Fraser is an 'old bugger' treatment at all. People are always moaning about areas of the team that need strengthening, and I just can't see anywhere where there's more of a case for needing a new signing. Fraser might be an adequate stop gap but he isn't going to contribute much to winning this division. Also, to those suggesting a Westlake, Fraser combination, what is wrong with a Westlake, Thomson combination? Even with recent forgettable performances Thomson clearly has a lot more skill on the ball and a much more experienced football brain than Fraser and at this crucial point of the season it's him that we need marshalling the midfield.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

I just can't see anywhere where there's more of a case for needing a new signing.

Right/Left midfield?

 

[BensGrandad]

We haven't got , on our books or signeda player to replace Hammond as an attacking midfielder who will score 10 goals from midfield per season. Until we do and continue with the likes of Loft & Martot we will struggle to gain promotion or even be a force to be reckoned with.

 

[mona]

What a load of tripe, he was inspirational when we stayed up, and his injury one of the main reasons why we stayed up.

Granted, he wasn't the greatest - but his PHYSICAL attributes as a ball-winner were massive. Fraser has NO presence at all, and as a result doesn't even come out with the ball much, and gets pushed off it a lot.

Strong character. Decent bloke.

But most championship midfield ball winners brushed Oatway aside the season we stayed up. Richard Carpenter was a good ball winner that season and Adam Virgo was inspirational. Butters led the defence and Charlie was good in the dressing room.
Game of opinions isn't it?

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

We haven't got , on our books or signeda player to replace Hammond as an attacking midfielder who will score 10 goals from midfield per season. Until we do and continue with the likes of Loft & Martot we will struggle to gain promotion or even be a force to be reckoned with.

Isn't that why we've signed Westlake?

 

[Spider]

Right/Left midfield?

Personally with Westlake in I'd bring in a central midfielder first. In theory with Cox, Westlake, Bowditch and Robinson the wings shouldn't be as much of a problem as they are. The real problem is that those choices are a prick, needed elsewhere, in poor form or not really good enough to start (especially away from home) respectively. I'm not saying I wouldn't welcome a new winger in, especially one with consistently good delivery, but personally I'd be happier to see a truly creative attacking midfielder brought in first.

 

[BensGrandad]

Isn't that why we've signed Westlake?

Do you think that he will be the answer, because of what I have seen he is ok but not the answer to our problems plus he has only signed for a month so who knows if he does start producing the goods Leeds will bring him back if it means stopping us getting in the play offs.