Well said. However graft alone is never enough. Just consider the legions on here who can't stand Jamie Mackie and Sebastian Polter. Did the Board not implode last week when the two were paired up to start against Fulham? Clearly we need a balance. There is a place in any team for a playmaker and/or a forward who has the intelligence to unlock a defence. However there is an obsessive belief among managers and most fans (we are no exception) that a playmaker who will create chances or score in almost every game does not make a valuable contribution if he does not also tackle, win balls, track back, mark his opposite number and defend when we don't have the ball.
Very true
If graft was the only factor we could field a very enthusiastic Not606 side against Birmingham on Saturday! If in my case a rather unfit and lacking any useful footballing skills 50 yo. I would be issuing plenty of instructions on the pitch though
One of my pet hates this season has been the decision to get everyone back when defending a corner, such that 10 of the opposition are also deep within our half. To my mind this merely increases the pressure on us should the ball get cleared from our penalty area. Having Polter back defending is one thing, but why Junior (for example)?