Match Day Thread Watford FC v Sunderland AFC - Saturday 28th September 2024 - KO 15:00

I have said for 18 months, consistently, Neil has everything to be an outstanding holding midfielder. His form is off at the moment, but I would show patience and support him as a coach and a fan. I look at some of these modern holding midfielders and he has the attributes. So I wouldnt play him higher up the pitch at all. I would be working day in day out with him to develop some of his weaknesses.

He is an experienced 23 year old relatively speaking. But he has had the misfortune of being part of a club that has had a degree of chaos to it. Parkinson, Johnson, Neil, Mowbray, Dodds, Le Bris all his head coaches since he came in. That cant be helpful. Yet he is still here, and our newest head coach saw something to make him captain and trust him in the most demanding position in the team. He looked gutted in his interview. He doesnt need to be told he has ballsed up. I am sure he knows his form is off.

Who do we play instead of him. Samed seems the call, but frankly I have no sense of whether he is ready or able. Maybe the plan is to play two holding players, as we have before. I wouldnt be rushing to push Neil higher though.

 

I disagree on the targeting - he’s 30 next month he’s not getting any better imo. When do players barring keepers ever get better from 30 onwards? Maybe he’s learning how to actually defend because he’s been there what 18 months now but I’m not sure he’ll ever go on to better than this level mind.

He’s defo been better than Ballard this season and chipped in with a few vital goals but as I say Ballard has had international fixtures which always seem to hinder him. I’d still comfortably say Ballard is better than O’nien and much younger, whilst getting better from what I’ve seen over the last two seasons. I’d like to see Mepham and Ballard alongside one another to see how they fair because I remember watching us last season thinking O’nien has left Ballard exposed a few times.

 

I'm too choked to post tbh, no idea how those who travelled are feeling.

All I'd say is that, on this season's form, how many people would be wanting us to sign Dan Neil and for how much?

Thanks heavens I have a busy day tomorrow, can't wait to get stuck in ...

... take care everyone.

 

Fair enough mate, see I’m of the opinion that he can only really play as the 8. He looks fragile as the 6 I said that last season it’s a lot to learn, maybe he will get better there who knows. But Samed is a player and obviously has CL experience amongst experience in a top 5 league I can’t see it being beneficial to not give him a go there if it gets no better. Neil is a lovely lad and someone who gives his all week in week out, and someone who would play anywhere on the pitch just to pull on the red and white stripes which is what makes it hard to replace him imo.

 

A disappointing day in a game I thought we should have got something from. A very poor 1st half but after half time I thought we were much better and deserved something from the game. Clumsy penalty very poor tackle. Didn't think Roberts should have been subbed lost momentum on that side. Not a criticism of poveda.. 2 home games coming up need to get back on track against derby as Leeds will be a very difficult game. Anyway start of the journey home. Good to see you RTB safe journey home. Keep the faith lads and lasses.

 

It's targeting that you bring up one of our players of the season just because you don't rate him as a CB, by all accounts he had another very good game today

O9 deserves to be starting at the minute and it's up to Ballard n Alese to try and take his place

CBs will often peak later in their careers, I'm not saying he will play any higher but we are a championship team n he's proving that he's a very good championship CB at the minute

If we want to play an aggressive press like we did 1st few games, o9 is probably better in that system than ballard. If we want to play a mid to low block and keep our shape that'll suit ballard

Ballard n mepham might well become our 1st choice CB pairing but o9 deserves to be starting currently!

 

I think I'm of the same thought. I was surprised when it was announced he was team captain as I was expected O'Nien to get it. For what its worth and it is just my opinion, a captain has that kind of "aura" (for want of a better word) about him which makes him stand out above the others in the team. I'm thinking of the likes of Bryan Robson of Man Utd, Keane, Bould, and yes Ball and Bennett for us, someone who will tell you do to something and you do it but for me Dan Neil isn't that type of player. Maybe those kind of players are no longer playing the game and maybe he was given the captaincy as a sweetner. Yes he's dug us out of situations in the past and most of us on here rated him higher than Clarke and thought that replacing him would be harder but for some reason only he'll know and maybe RLB, he hasn't played to his usual standards this season.

 

I didn’t bring him up I was replying to another comment that mentioned him being targeted…

 

Apologies then, I just saw you mentioning him and wondered why when he's played really well this season

On the points on Neil, he def needs to up his performances this season - he's hugely talented who I thought was one of our few bright sparks but he's not had a great start to the season

Up to hin to put it right, he's certainly got the talent to do so

Be interesting what rotation we see in the next couple games, def will need to freshen up as only 2 days between the next 2 games

 

Not sure about targeting, but there’s a significant portion of our online fanbase who can’t separate ‘that player had a bad game’ from ‘that player has no value to the club and needs to be given a free transfer’. And it’s been true right across our players. In truth it’s more that there are only a small handful of exceptions, who get away with bad performances for some reason.

 

I honestly don't see it. Holding players have natural defensive awareness. Sniff out the danger. Dan doesn't. He reacts, moves out and doesn't engage most of the time. When he does he loses the vast majority of duels.

If he was in a team who held 70% possession at all times, he would look great. But as RLB and the stats suggest, away from home, it's simply not that easy. He doesn't stand up the the steel needed in that position.

I would rotate him with Rigg and play Samed or Brown. I thought this at the start of the season and performances, stats, mistakes and red cards have confirmed my own opinion on it.

 

Anyone who uses those words with Neil are an idiot. He is a 20m player. But I am confident that whoever buys him won't be looking to play him as a deep CDM player.

 

It's a fair point. He was the battery in CM and never the spark. Captains need that aura. I agree.

 

Honestly mate the beauty of this little place is our opinions. Footy is not a science, there is no right or wrong. I love everyones views on here, dont agree all the time, but love them nevertheless. Makes me think. I am no better or worse than others, just have a view on what I see. What I do know is I wish I could have a taste of what Neil has. This club means as much to him as it does to us it seems. He will be hurting. Wish I could have had a sense of his feelings. Also wouldnt mind a pint with the lad to tell him how good I think he is. I hope he shakes off the doldrums quickly because over the last 3 years nobody has given me more enjoyment than him. I live him for that alone.

 

That's why this place is good imo, lots of opinions I don't agree with but a lot of them are put across really well that I can totally respect the posters point of view

Neil has his doubters, and he has some huge fans - he's a quality footballer who will have a cracking career. I can't wait to see how his career pans out

 

Genuinely think that the only way he gets to the top half of the PL is if he gets comfortable with a deeper role. I’d bet he can do it too, in time. There’ll be bumps in the road but we’ve seen promise there. But I don’t think he has the engine to get near the top end while playing further forward.

 

Fookin sand dancer, could of been a point or three today FFS



Seriously.
Bit gutted, but we are 2nd and we seem to be taking 2 or 3 steps forwards and 1 back.
The lad ballsed up but fair do's held his hands up. Hope he quickly gets on form. Must be frustrating for him.

Still think we will be right up there come the end of season.

 

I love Dan Neil, think he is supremely gifted and will forgive him todays challenge, it happens. Bad mistake of course. However what I've always enjoyed about him, is his playing on half turn, spinning past people, running with his head up and picking passes. Haven't seen that this season tbh, cos of where he's playing. He's clearly an intelligent player, someone coaches trust, but maybe it's nullifying what he's doing for the benefit of team. The team is functioning pretty well generally and maybe Neil is sacrificing himself for the good of team

 

Totally agree, it does my ****ing head in when folk write players off after a few poorer games..Dan Neil is brilliant and has so much going for him. He was made captain, is playing a more responsible less eye catching position so is maybe struggling a bit. It happens. No-one is ****ing amazing every game

 

That has absolutely nothing to do with my points.

I want to be fair here but we need to be objective when it comes to performance.