I'll agree that OB did have a positive effect when he came in last year, though he was replacing Naylor / Bruce most of the time... Any CB that makes fans feel nervous when the ball goes near him ain't right in the long run, and hopefully Grayson will give Lees a shot alongside Kissa. I think Bromby should still have a shout, but probably as a backup, not convinced he would get the job done week in week out.
Boggers I actually geekily did the correlation for the changes in goals conceded when OB came in and there was absolutely no difference, I think i even had to tweak it to try and get it in his favour. I went through exactly the same thing with Walsall at the time. This isn`t a personal attack as he seems a genuine nice bloke but he simply needs to be sacked. He isn`t capable of doing his job and that is the bottom line. You shouldn`t be saying we conceded 1, 2 and maybe 3, you should be saying we kept 20 clean sheet if you want to stick up for a CB. He tightened **** all up last season, it was just down to our attacking ability that we didnt finish lower mid table. He is tight as a ****ing whores fanny.
O'Brien's heart's in it but his legs and mind aren't. Put Lees beside Kissa, keep Connolly at right back (I know he's been dodgy the last two games but he's proven he's better than that) and keep O'Dea at LB until we get a specialist in to fill the position. The only defender I would say isn't up to the job completely is Parker. All our CBs IMO have a role to play.
I think Connolly is a good player for us, but is constantly let down by the CB next to him, who is OB. The hospital ball OB played to him last night was horrendous, never mind the 5 yards passes that were easily cut out by Bradford players leaving Connolly in no mans land. Connolly gets stuck in, gets forward and is very vocal, more the sort of leaders we need imo.
We should be playing the following tea, against Middlesborough on the Weekend: Lonergan O Dea(would prefer to see a fit A White at left back though), Kissa, Lees, Connolly (although we need better before the window closes for this position) Clayton Howson Gradel, Nunez, Snoddy Paynter (Although it pains me to say at least then we have a guy with presence as an out ball). McMcormack is not made for the one up top role and if not Paynter then give Grella a start although I think he's a better impact player from the bench. The above tells me we need some full backs and a striker if only on loan before the window closes if we want any aspirations fo finishing outside the botoom 6-8 places.
How is criticism of Grayson irrelevant, does O'Brien pick himself? O'Brien looked okay when he first came in, but I think that was only in comparison with Collins. Lees looks about 5'11" to me, certainly no more than 6'. It's not really an issue, though, because Cannavaro is only 5'9".
Parker is the same for me, he's too slow and plays with very little confidence. Looks to me like a player who is scared to get stuck in due to threat of injury. Clearly a player that will never fulfil his earlier potential.
You say 'wrong again' as if I'm always wrong and wrong in this instance. I made a judgement on the height of Tom Lees using my eyes. I could be wrong, but I think I'm probably right. I can't see him being 6'1". The Leeds website lists Max Gradel at 5'11".
Time to start Bromby and let O'B go as we have plenty of cover with Bruce & Lees who should start at right back ahead of Connolly on saturday too
Oh yes, everything on wikipedia is fact. We both rate Tom Lees, so I don't know why you're falling over yourself to try and prove me wrong over a small issue, that I think is irrelevant anyway.
From what I've seen and heard about Lees, he makes up for his height with an excellent spring in his jump. Rarely gets beaten in the air, and League Two where he'd been blooded is a very physical, head-tennis kind of division. I'd rather see him at centre-back replacing the woeful O'Brien. Connolly's not doing bad on the right and left-back, as ever, is a raging issue.
Tom Lees could potentially be a great player for us this season. I mean, although he's only played in League 2 before, you don't win player of the year at a promotion winning team if you're crap. Especially as a defender in a very physical league. Alongside Kisnorbo as well, he'd have the perfect player alongside him to guide him through. The thing is, if Lees made a mistake in a game, you'd say he's only young and will learn from it, but for O'Brien aged 31 to still be making terrible, basic mistake is ridiculous. Why has he started this season as first choice? He's done nothing to show that.
That's why I don't understand why players like Lees and White weren't used last season. We were too good to go down and nobody expected promotion, which we ended up nowhere near anyway. So why not give young players experience and benefit us for the long term? We could even have got promoted with Lees and White in the team.
