I think we missed Meyler and Quinn last night as a starting midfield. They allow Koren to be more creative and take the pressure off him to have to run around and tackle (which I'm sorry to say, he can't really do well). If we can get a win against Boro, I think Meyler will be a great asset towards the end of the season. On a side note, are we targeting the Ipswich away game for Fryatt's return? A front two of Fryatt and Gedo with Boyd in just behind.... woah that's good attacking.
I think SB first decided to use Alex Bruce as a regular 'spoiler' in midfield after Sheffield Wednesday tore through the team making them look like prima ballarinas in the process. It's harping back to the old Ashbee debate, but remember how much stick he got for doing much the same job? It's an ugly but necessary part of any successful team and the player who performs that role always gets abuse. It would be interesting to know how many points City have picked up with Bruce in midfield - I suspect it's quite a lot and that should be something those who hated Alex Bruce before he even kicked a ball here should consider. Finally this "Nepotism" label reflects the lowest level of intelligence. After less than a full season anyone can see that SB is first and foremost a professional and the idea that he would jeopardise a result for the sake of playing his son is laughable. The accusation is generally made by those who didn't want either Bruce here and it's mentioned every time we have a bad result. I sometimes wonder whether some people's egos come before everything else.
You mean Steve Bruce actually thinks his son is a competent midfielder ahead of the plethora of options we have? **** me, things are far worse than I imagined!
It's not a case of ego, it's a case of putting the right player in the right position for the right job. Playing a holding midfielder against somebody like Millwall, Charlton or Sheffield Wednesday is fine because they are big, physical teams and that extra man in midfield is there to harden up a creative midfield. But against a team like Watford, who play the ball on the floor and like to pass it around, it's pointless. At times last night it was like playing with ten men. Alex Bruce isn't a midfielder, he never has been and he's doing a piss poor job of pretending he is one, he's a CB and a decent one at that. If you look at our results, I bet we have more wins with him at CB than we do with him in midfield. I think what gripes most fans is that there are midfielders waiting in the wings; if Steve Bruce wants to play a CB in a holding midfield role, why not Chester or Faye, both of whom have played in that position before? Then there's Evans and Fathi waiting as well. Meyler's got 5 goals this year but you'd kick off he was starting up front as an out and out striker in place of Boyd or Gedo.
Fair enough points, but the manager knows more about his players than anyone else. I thing SB likes to have 'fighters' who have passion in the team, that's why he went for Meyler and he seems to like McShane. All of the players you've mentioned are technically better than AB but the buck stops with Steve Bruce and so far he's been right a hell of a lot more than he's been wrong.
Have you been out in the sun too long by chance ? Calm down and relax, its all still to play for. With a doubt on Hobbs for saturday Alex Bruce looks like going back to the defence so you get your wish.
I lied, it was the one in the second half when he was five yards away from Chester and volleyed the ball into row Z of the West stand. McKenna of last season would have done a good job in our midfield last night.
Alex playing in defense ; 12 wins 3 draws 8 losses Alex playing in midfield; 4 wins 2 losses And in that amazing run in december, he played 3 games all in defense
rumours abound that SB is going to start Jakupovic alongside Chester and Faye in defense so that Alex can maintain his preferred position in midfield. Makes perfect sense to me. As previous posters have said, it's round peg square hole and let's face it, Alex might be ok but he's no Paul Warhurst!! put lipstick on a pig and call it a lass, it's still a pig eh?
As far as I can remember, Bruce has never played 90 minutes in midfield, hasn't he been pulled every game?
Which makes his inclusion in midfield even more pointless. Holding midfielder is generally a position that will normally play the 90 unless they're having a howler or get tired, with substitutes available to cover injuries, tiredness and to change a game. Changing a holding midfielder very rarely changes a game, and starting him there knowing full well he's likely to get subbed midway through the second half for Evans, there's a rather pointless sub used up before the game even kicks off, which leaves you with one sub to mix things up and one spare to cover any injury that may occur.
This thread is an embarassment to Hull City. It seems people are revelling in our own defeat and enjoy slating Alex Bruce for it. He was in no way responsible for our defeat yesterday. Yes his passing was poor, but so was Korens Boyds Elmos and Bradys and they are the ones who are there to pass the ball. He was the only midfielder we had, Koren and Boyd left him to it. The only challenges made in the midfield were by him. Which is what he was picked for. His distribution was poor but who was there to pass to? People go on about Fathi as though he's the greatest ever player but none of us has seen him play a full game in the flesh, its ridiculous. Evans was poor as soon as he came on. An embarassing shot and a weak ball to Chester which was nearly intercepted. We have had a weakness in centre midfield all season, it may prove our undoing. But carry on trying to destroy all we've achieved. Lets start booing AB's every touch that will really help the team. The idiots on here were shown up for the know **** all's they are with the Burnley game, spouting how **** AB was and then Sky showed him at half time winning tackles and laying it off, not a ****ing peep second half.
Brady pulled off some fantastic passes last night including a pin point defence splitting through ball to Boyd from about 40 yards away. Koren and Boyd were largely anonymous but they were showing for passes, as was Chester, but he hoofed it anyway. None of us have seen Messi play in the flesh, he wouldn't make our team either then? Evans shot was a damn sight better than Bruce's from the same place in the same circumstances. Bruce also guilty of playing their players in, but whilst it was still 0-0, under no pressure and while we had players in our half. When Evans pass got caught he was under pressure and there was only Chester to pass to as everyone else was in their box. He was **** in the Burnley game, a big factor of why we couldn't keep hold of the ball and the match turned into a game of ping pong. It was pointless including him there as all Burnley wanted to do was launch it from back to front and try and plant it on Austins head, meaning there was no one to tackle in midfield. Other than those points I agree.
