[Archived] Tom Cairney. Rovers player of the season

[chaddyrovers]

Tom Cairney was voted by the fans as Rovers player of the season. he collected his award yesterday before the game.

what do fans think about this decision?

here is a video from Rovers on TC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAgcMqnLufY

[Stuart]

A strange one considering he's been playing out of position for much of the season. He was great yesterday in the centre. With Conway, Marshall and King, he has to play there permanently next season.

Good choice though.

In terms of other candidates, I'm a big fan of Tommy Spurr but for some reason he's a bit marmite with fans.

[chaddyrovers]

Tom Cairney class/Talent on the ball is very easy to see for fans wherever he played.

big fan of Spurr Stuart.

[Amo]

Too bad it took the manager the ass-end of the season to realize his best position. Something Joe Public had figured out in two seconds.

[JBiz]

I'm sure "Joe Public" is a shoe in for the united job also.

The fact he's been voted player of the season says to me that fans (myself included) have been impressed with the lad regardless of his starting position.

Without width, a team can look on dimensional, and just by looking at his goal yesterday you can see why he is effective out wide! Skills and speed. Plus his delivery isn't bad either!

Needs to be better defensively but that's something the whole team needs to take on board.

Good season TC!

[Amo]

I'm sure "Joe Public" is a shoe in for the united job also.

I thought it was a game of opinions, Jshizzle?

[JBiz]

I thought it was a game of opinions, Jshizzle?

It is and I think that "Joe Public" may not always have the experience or understanding to "figure out" a players best position after "two seconds"

[Amo]

It is and I think that "Joe Public" may not always have the experience or understanding to "figure out" a players best position after "two seconds"

Well, in this case, they did. Almost every week fans clamoured that Cairney was wasted out-wide and should've been moved into his natural position to put his foot on the ball and dictate play. Nope, apparently Bowyer had to persist with 'Willowe' because we didn't have any wingers to balance the side, even though Chris Taylor has been sat on the bench week in, week out.

[Stuart]

Without width, a team can look on dimensional, and just by looking at his goal yesterday you can see why he is effective out wide! Skills and speed. Plus his delivery isn't bad either!

Bowyer doesn't play with width. He likes right and left midfielders to be on their wrong foot meaning that they come inside.

Lack of width has been one of our problems - certainly at home where we struggle to break teams down. Hopefully he can rectify this.

[Neal]

Against Yeovil, Cairney didn't once get past his full back. The lad is a centre midfielder and it's no coincidence that he's managed to get a couple of goals since being moved back inside, you can see it's lifted his confidence. I worry that come the start of next season he will be pushed out wide again to accommodate Lowe or Williamson, not slagging them off but they shouldn't be picked ahead of any of our current midfielders.

Like many of you, i think if Lowe is to play then it should be at right back. He's perfect for that role, quick enough to cover, decent in a tackle and vocal. I'd almost see it as a waste of money to go out and get a right back without giving him a shot there, especially giving our financial pressure next season.

[JBiz]

My views are slightly different of course hence the discussion.

I'm not suggesting you aren't welcome to have that opinion, I'm suggesting it may not be the well know fact you suggest. My opinion on him in basic factors; Pro's- his skill, pace, delivery, left foot, reading of counter attacks, passing. Cons; not the strongest, drifts in and out, not a workhorse or prepared to do the real ugly stuff. To me, in CM in 442 he could be a liability against more dynamic midfielders or a 5.

I agree with Stuart, that the lack of width has made it difficult to break down teams at times this season. I think the lack of any attacking player with quality(besides Cairney) who has a left foot may be important in the way that Gary wanted to play. I think this has changed a little since Christmas with the usage of Gestede - giving us two strikers and therefore one less CM.

Funnily enough our last two games we lost, he didn't play any part at all - his impact in the opponents half is top quality at this level.

I still remain to be convinced by his impact when we don't have the ball - but perhaps the future may be more likely Lowe, Evans and Cairney in a 3.

My argument about Lowe has always been that GB has rarely had Evans fit - and two wingers in form as he has had towards the end of the season. Evans is a more complete player than Lowe - but playing Cairney and Evans as a midfield two we do look exposed at times. I did like it earlier in the season when we played Lowe, Evans and Cairney as a midfield three - hopefully next season Evans will remain fit and he will be able to rotate players depending on the opposition.

This is a quote from one of the posters I like reading. Im not going to embarrass him with a name but "the whole world" might not just see it your way Topman.

[thenodrog]

A strange one considering he's been playing out of position for much of the season. He was great yesterday in the centre. With Conway, Marshall and King, he has to play there permanently next season.

Good choice though.

In terms of other candidates, I'm a big fan of Tommy Spurr but for some reason he's a bit marmite with fans.

Solid enough but with little real quality being the reason I'd suggest.

Well, in this case, they did. Almost every week fans clamoured that Cairney was wasted out-wide and should've been moved into his natural position to put his foot on the ball and dictate play. Nope, apparently Bowyer had to persist with 'Willowe' because we didn't have any wingers to balance the side, even though Chris Taylor has been sat on the bench week in, week out.

Chris Taylor is no great shakes on the wing and much better with a central role imo.

[Neal]

My views are slightly different of course hence the discussion.

I'm not suggesting you aren't welcome to have that opinion, I'm suggesting it may not be the well know fact you suggest. My opinion on him in basic factors; Pro's- his skill, pace, delivery, left foot, reading of counter attacks, passing. Cons; not the strongest, drifts in and out, not a workhorse or prepared to do the real ugly stuff. To me, in CM in 442 he could be a liability against more dynamic midfielders or a 5.

I honestly don't see where Tom Cairney is blessed with pace, i'm not suggesting he's slow but he certainly not quick enough to consistently beat a full back. There have been so many examples of him being shoved out wide and the drifted centrally and started making things happen... A wasted talent when played there.

[Tom]

Interestingly Chaddy I recall you saying Cairney prefers playing out wide, he commented yesterday that he does in fact prefer playing centrally

[chaddyrovers]

Interestingly Chaddy I recall you saying Cairney prefers playing out wide, he commented yesterday that he does in fact prefer playing centrally

I think you will find Tom actually that somebody else said it.

[Tom]

Nope you definitely have said it or at least repeated it

Either way he's leaps and bounds better centrally and he has to continue there with Evans next year

[chaddyrovers]

NO Nay Never was the guy with the info.

Post 28 on here http://www.brfcs.com/mb/index.php/topic/30270-rovers-v-qpr-8th-april-ko-745/page-2

Like I said I just used this info. that's was all.

[Amo]

http://www.brfcs.com/mb/index.php/topic/30275-sheffield-wednesday-v-rovers/page-3#entry1503730

[Tom]

I repeated it Tom but I have no inside info on Tom Cairney. 1000% not my info.

Fair play not an issue I was just pointing out that yesterday he clarified that he prefers playing centrally

[Darwen Rover 007]

Closest player to Tugay we have had... Young too so hopefully will get better...

Definitely got to keep him in the centre ideally as part of a 3... And one up front Gestede

[Amo]

NO Nay Never was the guy with the info.

Post 28 on here http://www.brfcs.com/mb/index.php/topic/30270-rovers-v-qpr-8th-april-ko-745/page-2

Like I said I just used this info. that's was all.

And as per usual, you took it as gospel when it suited your agenda.

[Kamy100]

For me totally and utterly wasted out wide. He doesn't have the pace the pace to play as a winger and gets frustrated as he doesn't see enough of the ball. Last few games he has been much more influential playing in CM. I don't know why GB has played him as a winger for the majority of the season but I hope that he is in the middle next season. I think it was telling that in his radio rovers interview he said that there was plenty more to come from him as for the majority of the season he has been played out of position.

[Baz]

The question is if he is physically strong enough to play CM in a midfield 4. In a 5 I think he is, in a four against decent opposition the jury is still out for me.

[AggyBlue]

The question is if he is physically strong enough to play CM in a midfield 4. In a 5 I think he is, in a four against decent opposition the jury is still out for me.

Do you mean fitter?

I don't think he needs to be physically stronger (bouncability maybe ) but he does tire towards the end of each half, particularly the second.

[thenodrog]

If we play 5 in midfield to get the best out of cairney and at the same time make the midfield more solid to toughen us up off the ball and address the desperately poor goals against column who is to be dropped up front?