[Archived] Tom Cairney. Rovers player of the season

[AggyBlue]

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?

We'd rotate our strikers. The starter would get 70 minutes, the non starter the last 20 minutes

In seriousness, which strikers will be here next season?

[thenodrog]

We'd rotate our strikers. The starter would get 70 minutes, the non starter the last 20 minutes

In seriousness, which strikers will be here next season?

Best and DJ?

[JBiz]

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.

Yes, I agree he is perfect for CM when your team has the ball, but what about when you don't have it?

Remain to be convinced, although I must say I have been more than impressed with his reading of a game and ability to spring counters. He is also the only attacking player besides Marcus Olsson to have a left foot, and he is a trickster...

Hence him playing out wide for spells...

[Baz]

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.

No I mean strength, to hold people off, to tackle, to do the box to box work. At present a lot of clubs in this league play 5 in midfield, is he good enough to play in a 4 against a 5 (part of the reason we concede so many)? If not, you need to change formation, or play him on the wing.

As for fitness Aggy, I dont think we are as fit as we could be, but thats a different issue.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Yes, I agree he is perfect for CM when your team has the ball, but what about when you don't have it?

Remain to be convinced, although I must say I have been more than impressed with his reading of a game and ability to spring counters. He is also the only attacking player besides Marcus Olsson to have a left foot, and he is a trickster...

Hence him playing out wide for spells...

It is a big problem for GB - personally I think our best formation for Cairney is an adaptation of 4-5-1 - with Lowe, Cairney and Evans as our midfield three. However - this doesn't suit Rhodes.

One thing that does amaze me - people complain when he is on the wing - but when I have seen him play in that position he is rarely wide right - and is given license to drift into the centre anyway. This then relies on the right back bombing on to provide the balance - unfortunately both our right backs have had poor seasons.

No I mean strength, to hold people off, to tackle, to do the box to box work. At present a lot of clubs in this league play 5 in midfield, is he good enough to play in a 4 against a 5 (part of the reason we concede so many)? If not, you need to change formation, or play him on the wing.

As for fitness Aggy, I dont think we are as fit as we could be, but thats a different issue.

Fitness is a huge concern - and part of the reason why I think we make so many defensive mistakes. If Bowyer does anything in the close season - he needs to bring in an independant expert to review the fitness stats from last season and try and find out what went wrong.

[K-Hod]

Very fitting that he scored a worldie yesterday as well.

[LDRover]

Our goals against column is mainly down to poor individual errors rather than formation. 4-4-2 has seen us go 12 unbeaten and score freely, why change it?

As for Cairney, the only issues with him are focus and fitness, meaning he drifts in and out of games. The boy is as strong as an ox on the ball, not frightened of a tackle, good in the air and retains the ball superbly. There's no need to stick another CM next to him because of this fallacy that he's not strong enough or doesn't tackle.

[Neal]

Yes, I agree he is perfect for CM when your team has the ball, but what about when you don't have it?

Jeez, if he was the perfect player then he'd be at a top 4 club. He retains the ball better than anyone we have or anyone this league possibly. Encourages us to keep possession rather than chase it, which then forces teams to sit deep.

Having him central opens up a whole new way of playing and gives us some identity. We play through the midfield rather than miss it out like we've done for the past 2 seasons. It's up to Evans, Lowe or Williamson to do the donkey work, that's why we have them, it's time to let let the lad express himself and fulfill he's potential in his natural position rather that accommodate lesser talented players for the sake of work rate... Hopefully Gaz has finally realised this.

[OxSouthernRover]

Steve Bruce must be kicking himself, Cairney has been superb for us. His ball retention and passing in paticular has been very impressive. Hope he has a good 2nd season to match the first.

[Majiball]

Steve Bruce must be kicking himself, Cairney has been superb for us. His ball retention and passing in paticular has been very impressive. Hope he has a good 2nd season to match the first.

Why he has huddlestone?

[OxSouthernRover]

True, but apart from HUddlestone, he's not got a great CM. Cairney>Meyler.

Obviously there wasn't a great point in keeping Cairney, but the price he let him go for (Around 300K) makes it look like a steal for us.

[JBiz]

Jeez, if he was the perfect player then he'd be at a top 4 club. He retains the ball better than anyone we have or anyone this league possibly. Encourages us to keep possession rather than chase it, which then forces teams to sit deep.

Having him central opens up a whole new way of playing and gives us some identity. We play through the midfield rather than miss it out like we've done for the past 2 seasons. It's up to Evans, Lowe or Williamson to do the donkey work, that's why we have them, it's time to let let the lad express himself and fulfill he's potential in his natural position rather that accommodate lesser talented players for the sake of work rate... Hopefully Gaz has finally realised this.

Perfect for us... I don't remember caring about if he's perfect for other clubs! And furthermore Neal, he is not equipped with the understanding that a box to box midfielder in 2 would need.

That is where Evans and Lowe come in- modern football requires full on dynamic attacking and defending players. Especially in a 442.

I fully agree and take on his impact with the ball, but I don't think you see his lack of impact off the ball!

True, but apart from HUddlestone, he's not got a great CM. Cairney>Meyler.

Obviously there wasn't a great point in keeping Cairney, but the price he let him go for (Around 300K) makes it look like a steal for us.

.

A pragmatist like Steve Bruce may show my point about his impact in his own half.

[thenodrog]

Very fitting that he scored a worldie yesterday as well.

'Worldie'? I'd say a better description was a 'gud un'

[Howler]

Cairney's a cultured player for sure but needs to increase the impact he has from midfield - relatively few assists and goals for someone with so much obvious ability.

[thenodrog]

Cairney's a cultured player for sure but needs to increase the impact he has from midfield - relatively few assists and goals for someone with so much obvious ability.

He just did.

[OxSouthernRover]

needs to increase the impact he has from midfield

Imo, sometimes players such as him aren't just meant to be there to score goals or get assists. I think you'd need to look at the wider picture before saying that he doesn't have a big impact in the midfield. He scored the other day, plus his impact on structuring out attacks is invaluable. You can have some players like him who don't grab all the stats but are very useful for getting a result, he's usually grabbing a 90% pass accuracy per game and doing good hold up play. So overall, even if he doesn't get many assists/goals, that doesn't make him a bad player. I mean, he's scored more than Williamson and Lowe put together, so if it's goals and assists that you're after, he's the best of our bunch.

[Bucksrover]

I think, given that he has been moved around in terms of position, and mainly played in his less favoured position out wide, he has done really well.

Really hoping it's Evans and Cairney in the centre of midfield all next season.

[Mike E]

Dictating the play won't lead to assists. How many assists and goals did Tugay have?

[OxSouthernRover]

Dictating the play does lead to assists. Gives you more time in the Oppo half + more potential Opportunities

[Mike E]

Should be 'won't necessarily'.

Dictating the play doesn't mean putting the strikers through on goal every time, though. Or even that often.

It'll often mean crossfield balls to the wingers or playing someone in who will then provide the assist.

[McClarky]

Cairney's goal on Saturday was absolutely superb, goal of the season for me. You need a player like that to be on the ball as often as possible, i.e. playing in the middle of the park.

[only2garners]

Cairney's goal on Saturday was absolutely superb, goal of the season for me. You need a player like that to be on the ball as often as possible, i.e. playing in the middle of the park.

Unfortunately for that argument, a few minutes after scoring what was an excellent ball, he was on the half way line, surrounded by wigan players and instead of playing the easy ball and keeping possession he tried to be clever, lost the ball, from which Wigan went on to win a corner from which they scored. Now clearly I don't think he had much to do with the symbolic defending for that goal but if he hadn't tried to be too clever there wouldn't have been a corner.