Before the season started I was looking forward to seeing the Kisnorbo and O'Brien partnership as both are experianced Centre Back's who can marshall the back line. But thats not been the case and I wonder if O'Brien is suffering from the lack of a full pre-season and still has something to offer Leeds. Or have his legs gone? Any thoughts?
My thought is that Simon has to stop the practice of playing players who are not 100% fit. In addition to AOB, Jermaine Whats-his-name two seasons ago and Snoddy last season come to mind immediately.
ive got more chance finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow than Obrien finding his form....he has been woeful
A good player suddenly doesn't become a bad one so yes it just needs patience and confidence and fitness remember he has played at the highest level
It does seem strange. Usually centre backs get better over the years, as long as they avoid serious injuries, especially ligament and tendon injuries. O'Brien seems to be going the opposite direction, perhaps due to a complete lack of confidence brought on by Grayson's style of man management. A good centre back doesn't need to run a lot, they should have excellent positional sense and use their experience, so can't see not being fully fit as being the issue. If you look at players like David Weir and Sol Campbell, they could still compete and play at decent levels well into their mid 30's, it was their positional sense and experience that helped them and I guess a healthy lifestyle. Perhaps O'Brien has personal issues we are unaware of and this has affected him both on and off the field.
He's 32. Players aren't "finished" at that age unless they've been ravaged by injury, and he hasn't been. Just needs to get fit and sharp - maybe he needs a one-month loan move to Peterborough or whoever we use as a feeder club these days.
Great idea, I think a loan would be best all round, it will give him a chance to prove himself and get some games.... I still trust him, I think he is an honest player who just needs to find his feet.
What form? He was poor last season and I think both of them are finished. Kis is getting worse at every game now he has not got the pace players go round him to easy as shown today. You can not have 2 centre backs on at the same time in there 30s it does not happen. Grayson is not going to loan a player he paid for out. Both of them are madness signings and 11 goals on 6 games let in shows this!
1) How does a player become match fit unless he has outings in the first team 2) Becchio yesterday, if we had not played him would we have won? 3) I agree, was looking forward to O'Brien and Kissa, I guess his fall has come as a surprise to Grayson as much as us and Kissa isn't exactly firing like he was a couple of seasons back.
boab, to be honest with you i completely agree with your whole comment but not about Sol Cambell. I have never seen such a good player become so bad over night. I remember him playing for newcastle it was just beyond funny
Ristac, my apologies, I mistated my point. What I should have written is: "My thought is that Simon has to stop the practice of playing players who are [bold]carrying injuries[/bold]."
yea agreed, snoddy was so much more ineffective when he was carrying an injury and at the time i think he woulda easily been going for player of the season. Same with a few other players as well
