[Archived] Tom cairney

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Whichever way you look at it - if we are to be successful next season - we really need to get the best out of Cairney. It seems to be a strange concept these days - but what about playing a left footer in left midfield and use him as a Kevin Sheedy, Scott Sellars type left midfield player ?

[Oldgregg86]

A think Jason Lowe would compliment cairney well. I understand what everyone is saying, he is by no means the finished article but on his day can make the difference and when playing with confidence is as good as anybody in the league. The way bowyer has used cairney this sason is why he has been so inconsistent.

[Al]

He needs to be Rovers playmaker next season.

I agree with that Chaddy but he has to be played in the centre. Playing such a left footed player on the right wing is stupid in the extreme but he has more skill in his head and that left foot than any other player we have except Dunn and the manager wouldn't play him either. It appears that all Bowyer wants is a team of players who "put in a shift" and we have seen with the likes of Brown that that is not enough. The team needs to be built around Cairney next season or we have no team.

[Oldgregg86]

Bang on. What's scary is why bowyer can't see what is do blatantly obvious. If the team isn't built round tom next season am afraid there are going to be a lot of dull uninspired performances culminating in mid table mediocrity

[K-Hod]

Go 4-5-1, Cairney in the centre and he'll thrive, none of this 4-4-2 tosh we haven't the midfield to support it.

[blueboy3333]

I agree with that Chaddy but he has to be played in the centre. Playing such a left footed player on the right wing is stupid in the extreme but he has more skill in his head and that left foot than any other player we have except Dunn and the manager wouldn't play him either. It appears that all Bowyer wants is a team of players who "put in a shift" and we have seen with the likes of Brown that that is not enough. The team needs to be built around Cairney next season or we have no team.

Matt Ritchie and Jota play on the right wing/right midfield. Both are as left-footed as Cairney and both have had brilliant seasons, scoring more than 10 goals each. They both have a lot more bottle than Cairney though and don't disappear during games and strut round the pitch with their head downs when things start going wrong. Talented footballer is Cairney but lacks application and a desire to win.

[Oldgregg86]

Then that is bowers job to get him working on his weaker foot and instilling the right mental attributes. We are never going to get the finished article so wen we get a player of toms natural ability it's up to bowyer and the coaching staff to work with the players to get the best out of them. Josh king being another prime example. With the right coaching through pre season it could feel like we have two new signings

Especially with ffp getting the best out of what we have is imperitive

[blueboy3333]

Then that is bowers job to get him working on his weaker foot and instilling the right mental attributes. We are never going to get the finished article so wen we get a player of toms natural ability it's up to bowyer and the coaching staff to work with the players to get the best out of them. Josh king being another prime example. With the right coaching through pre season it could feel like we have two new signings

Especially with ffp getting the best out of what we have is imperitive

you can't change a person's personality or character through coaching. if you could Bruce would have done it because Cairney is a fine footballer with the ball at his feet. It's up to Cairney to apply himself. Josh King is never fit but when he is he should be played up front. Who would you have dropped though over the last 18 months, Rhodes or Rudy? If Rudy goes this summer then a ift King up front with Rhodes would be a pretty potent strikeforce.

[McClarky]

Would love to see him in a number 10 role but just don't think he's up to it. Hope he proves me wrong but he always seems to be not quite good enough at everything. If we lose our strikers we might need to play with 1 up front and then Marshall, Conway and Cairney as support but the problem there is that these are all inconsistent. If we have Brown up front goals are going to be a big problem so we need 10 or so from these players rather than 3 or 4.

[Commondore]

Too lightweight to play centrally in a 2, too slow to play wide.

You would have to play him as a no 10 and build your team around him. Unfortunately I don't think he's good enough for that, which is a shame as he's a good footballer.

Spot on. I'd love to see Cairney flourish properly in a Rovers shirt, but despite the obvious talent there's really nowhere on the pitch where his skills can thrive. If we indeed decide to build the team around him in a no. 10 role, he'd need at least one new proper defensive midfielder to play behind him and a more intelligent striker than Rhodes to play in front of him.

[Oldgregg86]

It's a difficult decision as both are important players with different attributes. I think gestede is has more to offer however the style of play when he plays is predictable and boring although effective. I think josh kings pace with gestede strength n aerial prowess would be the answer for me but if he decides to leave Rhodes and king can easily provide enough fire power to get us in the mix providing we sort out are defensive issues. Regarding cairney. If the team is to be built around him which I think it should then Rhodes would be the best of the three to compliment the teams style of play

We have an abundance of defensive midfielders Lowe being the best IMO to cover cairney and Rhodes has proved over numerous seasons he has what it takes to make intelligent runs and a calm head to finish. The fact he can't thrive on the pitch is down to bowyers tactics n philosophies which need to change as it simply hasn't worked for two seasons.

[thenodrog]

Steele

Henley Kilgallon Duffy Olsson

King Cairney Lowe Conway

Marshall

Rhodes

My line-up for next season assuming Gestede is sold.

Dogs of war in that midfield eh? Whose going to get the ball dan?

[MarkBRFC]

I'd rather see Marshall in a "number 10" roll, I think Cairney would be more effective trying to dictate play from deep, the few times he has played in behind Rhodes we might aswell have started with 10 men.

[Al]

Matt Ritchie and Jota play on the right wing/right midfield. Both are as left-footed as Cairney and both have had brilliant seasons, scoring more than 10 goals each. They both have a lot more bottle than Cairney though and don't disappear during games and strut round the pitch with their head downs when things start going wrong. Talented footballer is Cairney but lacks application and a desire to win.

Because two players have made a success of being played in the wrong position it doesn't make it right. What good players they could be if played in the right place. Sometimes players need to be played out of position to accommodate other, better players. This isn't the case with Bowyer, he just stubbornly believes that his wingers should play on the wrong wings.

Incidentally I do not accept that Cairney lacks application and desire. It's your opinion but nobody is more delighted than Tom when Rovers score a goal. No matter who scores it. He enjoys his football and it shows.

Would love to see him in a number 10 role but just don't think he's up to it. Hope he proves me wrong but he always seems to be not quite good enough at everything. If we lose our strikers we might need to play with 1 up front and then Marshall, Conway and Cairney as support but the problem there is that these are all inconsistent. If we have Brown up front goals are going to be a big problem so we need 10 or so from these players rather than 3 or 4.

If we have Brown up front we have a huge problem. He's just gone a full season without scoring. Great strike rate that!

[tkturner]

So left sided that its frustrating to watch him play a lot of the time.

I know its because he is being played in a position that means him having to come back onto his left foot but surely in training they must work on use of the right foot as well?

You just want someone like Cairney to shoot and give the keepers something to think about on occasion but he wants to work it to his left and walk it into the net on a lot of chances which ultimately means getting the ball taken off him...

[Oldgregg86]

If it is brown up front next season then wer going to need cairney more than ever. His early season goals against Cardiff and at Norwich shows what he can do given the opportunity. Brown isn't going to get 20 a season so we need goals from else where. Cue tom cairney

[ABBEY]

If it is brown up front next season then wer going to need cairney more than everA CHUFFING MIRACLE.. His early season goals against Cardiff and at Norwich shows what he can do given the opportunity. Brown isn't going to get 20 a season so we need goals from else where. Cue tom cairney

Brown is on thousands of pounds a week and ive scored as many as him this season !! GET RID!!

[DE.]

If we're looking to Cairney to score the goals Rhodes and Gestede will no longer be providing then we may as well accept relegation now. He scores a few goals a season, but Frank Lampard he is not.

[Oldgregg86]

I no what your saying but I'm looking at it from a worst case scenario wer all three strikers leave. Where else are the goals coming from. He is the only player in the squad with maybe Marshall and Conway who have a goal in them

[joey_big_nose]

I'd rather see Marshall in a "number 10" roll, I think Cairney would be more effective trying to dictate play from deep, the few times he has played in behind Rhodes we might aswell have started with 10 men.

Agreed. Marshall is quicker, more direct, a better dribbler and can use both feet. If we go 451 he is a much better fit to the number 10 role than Cairney.

Cairney needs to spend his preseaon in the gym and on tackling practice. The aim for him will be to make central midfield his own. If he doesn't I think he will be sold. He has already had a long spell out of the side.

[tomphil]

If it is brown up front next season then wer going to need cairney more than ever. His early season goals against Cardiff and at Norwich shows what he can do given the opportunity. Brown isn't going to get 20 a season so we need goals from else where. Cue tom cairney

If I recall rightly he scored a couple of pearlers cutting in and shooting whilst being played wide then continued as a bit of a passenger in those and many other games. He's another one of those who gets accommodated because of what he might do not what he actually does. When we have the numbers available then players should be in the team on merit week in week out and I'm afraid for me Tom doesn't fall into that mould this season.

[Mattyblue]

http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?topic=49491.0

No loss.

[patrickvalery]

Yeah I know matty. The bloke had a real touch of class about him. Especially for the championship. Really bad move letting him leave imo.

[DE.]

A very good player who seemed to lose a lot of his drive last season. He'll be a great purchase for Fulham if they can keep him motivated.

[gumboots]

To be fair, most of those comments mirror exactly what rovers fans thought when he first signed and into the start of last season. Then he seemed to lose something, couldn't pass forward, was knocked off the ball too easily. If they can keep the Cairney they have now they'll have a very good player, but there are no guarantees