Looking at the poll and the rest of the comments you may be out of order here, I would certainly give Dan the benefit of the doubt to start the season off, he will soon be found out if he can't cut the mustard. You appear to be picking incidents where his team mates got out of position leaving him second guessing on what to do. Dickson was as guilty of making the wrong decision on a number of occasions and was no better, no worse than Dan, but was quite good in midfield so his position may lay elsewhere. Maybe a new signing will be the answer, wait and see.....
Harding was good going forward last season (especially at home) and isn't a bad tackler. Sadly though his positional play is terrible! Dickson is a better in that sense and is also faster and can cross better than Harding. I think the poll shows that both players are pretty good and the left back position is fine.
Yes I agree Harding was very consistent last season... Consistently awful!! He can't defend to save his life! He may be good going forward but he is a defender his primary job is to defend... I'd rather have Mills in competing for the left back than that nancy boy from Brighton!! Dickson, however, is rock solid defensively, great going forward, gives 110% every single game and puts some great balls into the box. While I'm on the subject, Richardson should be first choice right back next season. Like Dickson, he's solid defensively and good going forward and 100% committed. Butterfield is about as useful as a cardboard cutout!!
harsh on butters, he'd better than you say he is, and he has an AWESOME cross. he must have got quite a few assists last season.
But he can't dribble, he can't run, he can't pass, he can't mark, he can't defend, the list goes on... He doesn't really fit into our passing style either with his cross-field hoofs to Lambert or his chip down the line for Usain Bolt to catch! Lloyd James had a pretty good cross on him but he was no good (supposedly)...
Listening to some of the comments, you would have thought we were a side who had conceeded over 100 goals, when in fact we broke thec lub record for clean sheets. Butterfied and Harding were first choice full backs in that record breaking defence. And how anybody can say Dickson is rock solid defensively is beyond me. He is an attacking full back who is very suspect defensively in my opinion, and the same goes for Richardson. Still think we're covered for full backs next season.
Two names...Lee & Todd I voted for Dickson as he played well at the tail end of the season, but Butterfield made more defensive errors last season than Harding
I like the way Dickson can just come into the team when needed and perform really well (although i think he should be a regular) He's edging ahead in the poll now !
It will soon show up if we have any frailties in defence. The biggest difference between league 1 and the Championship, is that you will not get away with so many mistakes at the back. Around 50% more mistakes will be punished because of the quality you are facing. In other words for every 5 mistakes 2 will be punished. In the premier the odds shorten to 3 out of 5 and with some teams 4 out of 5. That is the standard Saints will now be facing. Who is the best left back, we know who got the vote last year. Surely it will depend on how rusty they have got over the break? I have gone for Harding although I do not think there is that much to choose between them. Mills in my opinion could also come into this equation he is at least equal to what we have in my opinion but younger. He yet may feature!
Agree with Beddytare; Mills could be the starter this season or at least he gives us other options on the left wing too. I hope he has a future with us and his previous experience in the Championship will help us. Its nice to have choices at the very least.
Does anyone know how much Mills featured for Donny last season and did he play mostly full back or in midfield?
I think he had a fair few games my understanding was he was used as a utility so played both positions. The Doncaster manager spoke quite highly of him although didn't actually say he wanted to keep him.
