Plenty of pace in the league. At the top level you have players with pace, guile and consistency. In the championship there's plenty of players with two of those three.
You're not saying anything that anyone else hasn't said already Nads. Not for a couple of years now. It's like, because he is who he is, and his undoubted experience speaks for itself, that he's an automatic tick box for this season. But this league will rip him apart, and surely Grayson, with his experience, will be able to see that. St Johnston ripped us one in 6 minutes. He's got 3 weeks to either tighten up a suspect defence or overload the attack with some impressive signings. Damn! Just slipped back into Short criticism territory. The latter ain't happening is it. So get that defence sorted!
I think his reading of the game used to make up for a lack of pace, for Man United he would sometimes play CDM rather than as defender as I'm not sure Ferguson really trusted his tracking of players. He is still often following the game well but I don't think he marshalls the defence in the way an experienced defender needs to as he should be using the pace of those around him to make up for his deficiencies. When he makes an error he doesn't have the physical attributes to correct it so has to be a yard ahead in his mind, I just don't think he is any more. You do however need a captain and whilst Cattermole is first choice for me I'd have O'Shea as a good option if Grayson can get him grabbing some of the youngsters by the scruff of the neck (perhaps literally) - you need players with presence. He's not a patch on Kone as a player though.
I think O'Shea has been woeful the entire time he's been here. Good leader yes but he's a dogshit football player and there's just no getting around that. Even at his best he was making stupid mistakes, scoring own goals and getting red cards at the worst possible times. I just don't rate him. Never have.
JOS might be OK at helping the younger lads and organizing the defence, as he knows what to do, but he just can't actually do it himself these days.
Thanks for pointing this out I did'nt see game - but regardless I feel more certain that SG will soon have them out of the club as he seems not suffer wasters - all systems go atm for me