Captain Kevin Nolan

[Sweeney Bod]

I did not want to start a new thread, and as this thread is sort of about leadership and setting an example, I wanted to give a little thumbs up to Joey O'Brien.

I was standing with my boy as he tried to get a few autographs after the game. This teenage kid, with no malice intended, said "****ing good game Joey". Joey politely and softly said words to the effect of "watch the language mate, there are women and children nearby". The lad just replied "sorry Joey". Good to see some players have some good old fashioned manners.

Whilst I am at it, another thumbs up to Cole. With all the stick he gets from the crowd, he could be forgiven if he just jumped into his car after he left the stadium, but he was more than happy to sign autographs...returning to the fence around 4 times as different groups called out his name. Green however......I will say no more.

[Tarbs]

I thought Nolan was very poor yesterday. Along with Noble who continuously gave he ball away.

Parker, Nolan and Noble are still trying to work out how to play together, doesnt look right at the momment.

[poplargeezer]

Nolan is immense as a captain - but as a player - I thought he had an easy chance againts cardiff to nod in and the same yesterday againmst against Leeds - and that could have given us 5 more points.

Hope he starts clicking into gear tho' the Parker uncertainty is not helping to establish a settled midfield

[HammerForever]

i keep hearing how great our midfield is and that its a premier league midfield but its not showing yet.

[blaze.s8n]

I think for moments yesterday, they played fantastic football (when they kept the ball on the ground!) and glimpses of what they can do. Too many chances missed though. Carew was very physical when he came on.

But Nolan, it was good to see him having a few words with a few players when they did the wrong things, and that was missing last season. We'll be ok.

[swash]

for me the biggest problem with the midfield is Noble.

Did very little right yesterday, and still never engages his brain.

Classic example was when he had one of their players in trouble down by the corner flag, and I'm sure I wasn't the onlty one thinking for fecks sake don't foul him, and good old Noble yet again promptly dives in with one of his sliding tackles that never seem to win the ball and only give away fouls and sometimes gets him in the book.

Fact that he is not shining even in the Championship is a big worry

[Harlow Hammer]

I too think Nolan is superb as a captain.

Although he didn't have a particulary good game he did what a captain should do.

Encouragement to the players, telling them to buck their ideas up when something should be done, having ago a peopel for not tracking back. and getting stuck in when team mates need it.

Don't need to be playing superb every game but if he can get a bit more out of other team members I'm happy.

Seems to enjoy playing as well. His mishit shot in the second half in front of the BML was followed by a wry smile and laugh but then got straight back into position and got the ball back.

Too cluttered in the middle at the moment, Nolan and Parker if he stays should form a good partnership other wise I think Collison needs to play instead of Noble.

[stubbsy07]

Collison needs to play instead of Noble.

Get Collison playing in his natural position.

[Hambrosia Stu]

Nolan is immense as a captain - but as a player - I thought he had an easy chance againts cardiff to nod in and the same yesterday againmst against Leeds - and that could have given us 5 more points.

Hope he starts clicking into gear tho' the Parker uncertainty is not helping to establish a settled midfield

Exactly as I see it
As a captain, and as a decent genuine bloke, I have been massively impressed by his conduct since he joined.

I guess after the gutless gimp we've had wearing the armband in recent years anyone would have seemed like a massive improvment, but that comparison's not really fair to Nolan. He does seem like the real deal.

But as you say, as a player, I'm yet to be really impressed. No doubt he has the talent, and hopefully it's just a case of settling in, and his perfomances will improve once he starts to really understand those around him

And I totally agree with Sweeney's digression further up the thread.
I have been massively impressed with what I've seen of O'Brien so far, both in terms of his attitude and his ability

[riksdodgydeals]

I hope Sam has the balls to drop him if we need to, I know I'll get slated but I've seen one game live (Cardiff) and watched yesterday on tv and we seem to be carrying Nolan in midfield. Ok he is a good captain but playing him in midfield seems a mistake he just doesnt contribute enough, ok he will crop up and score but perhaps either play him up top just behind cole/carew or dont play him. We have no central midfield players (or defenders which i find concerning) on the bench so why not play Collison in the middle (I am aware he did little yesterday as well) and drop Nolan and play an actual winger or try something other than this 451 at home.

This isnt knee jerking but if it carries on we have to make a change IMO

[Cockneyboy311]

If one man has to make way in midfield then its Noble atm. Sticking Collison out wide didnt work at all. Move him inside and stick JF out wide

[HammerMan2004]

Sod this 3 in centre midfield. Why can't we push Nolan up with Cole/Carew/Piquionne. Let Parker and Noble play as a central two.

[riksdodgydeals]

HammerMan2004 on Mon Aug 22, 2011 12:11 pm

thats it exactly mate, play something like

Barrera Noble Parker Taylor
Nolan Cole

and then we atleast have a midfielder to put on the bench or rotate him (Collison) with Noble and some pace on the wing.

[westham,eggyandchips]

for me the biggest problem with the midfield is Noble.

Did very little right yesterday, and still never engages his brain.

Classic example was when he had one of their players in trouble down by the corner flag, and I'm sure I wasn't the onlty one thinking for fecks sake don't foul him, and good old Noble yet again promptly dives in with one of his sliding tackles that never seem to win the ball and only give away fouls and sometimes gets him in the book.

Fact that he is not shining even in the Championship is a big worry

Myself, like many on here have said that Noble is living off the "local boy" tag. He is a very average player, that contributes very little. I would be cashing in on him before the transfer window closes.

[riksdodgydeals]

in fairness to Noble, he is missing pace and fitness and lately hasn't chipped in much or anything in the way of goals

however

according to our stats on here, he has weighed in with the most assists last season and possibly the one before as well? He is the best passer of the ball as well, I wouldnt sell him

[djclipz]

He is the best passer of the ball as well, I wouldnt sell him

i agree with this. On his day, he plays some tremendous balls and is dangerous when we are on the attack when we actually have some people on the pitch willing to make runs. But once he is up against someone with a bit of pace in midfield and he has to do the chase this is where it all goes wrong. Defensively i don't think he reads the game well enough to combat his lack of pace... i nearly cried when he slid in on Gradel over the far side, but gradel just jumped over him this time instead of dropping... would of been a certain booking otherwise. However.. the question there was why was Noble over there in the first place, where had Collison gone??

[riksdodgydeals]

Collison will struggle there its not his position at all and again like Noble doesnt have the pace for the wing

Would you try Collison ahead of Noble as CM and play Barrera/Stanislas/Faubert on the right?

[Cuenca 'ammer]

Midfield 5 overrun by the midfield 4 of Leeds. Maybe (and not making excuses) but maybe he was cream crackered by the end. No help whatsoever from Collison and very little from Taylor. Can't count Nolan as a midfield player because he very rarely is there. Or up front helping the forwards either. Am still stuck trying to figure out what his role actually. Not digging him out because there seem to be a few who seem to be either in each others way, only 5 yards from the ball or nowhere to be seem. Very frustrating at the moment.

[Blackythebanktramp]

The midfield is showing it in fits and starts but i must admit i was disappointed by how much space and time the leeds midfield had on sunday especially considering we had an extra man in there. Still a work in prgress though and we do need a pacy player playing on the right to act as an outlet and to support the striker. Nolan didn't have the best of games but if he had bagged a chance then all would have been well. He is a fantastic coup for us though as a signing as a captain and a goal scoring midfielder and i'm convinced he will get over 15 league goals this term.

[Hockley Hammer]

It is very strange that after such a great game of football, that we could and maybe should have won, where we created loads of chances the general agreement is that most of our front six had very poor games - and they are correct.

Parker was the only one in midfield who played consistently. I do think that fitness is the issue with Nolan, Noble & Collison. Leeds had much more energy than us. I thought our midfield was very static at Doncaster, at Watford the two-goal cushion helped our cause. Taylor was pretty poor yesterday but his dead ball delivery means you have a potential goal at every set piece. If Parker goes than maybe Noble and Collison will have slightly different roles so they will improve, but they did very little to justify their continued selection yesterday.

I think the midfield situation will sort itself out when the transfer window shuts. It's not really working at the moment, I think we are trying to fit players in around Parker, when they are all reasonably similar, and even worse same-paced. If one of them had real pace and ran with the ball it would be so much better.