Do you know Percy you have lightened up so much since it became apparent that NP was leaving that you actually seem almost human now. God help us if AP leaves, you'll be so insufferably friendly that we'll all wish the old miserable get was back.
Hobbs is still a bit suspect though ain't he? How long can Chester keep doing the work of two central defenders?
I think you are a bit harsh on McShane, if he plays at cenre back, his rightful position, he is good cover. I was down for the Liverpool match, and I thought he had a good game. At right back he is a liability, but if he is played in the centre of defence, he is adequate cover for Hobbs and Chester. However it will be interesting to see how Cooper is maturing now, as I have always thought he has potential.
Obviously not! Just seems to me that you must lead a pretty sad existence if your main source of pleasure is attempting to wind people up on an internet forum. Anyway, I was also at the Liverpool pre-season game like the poster above, and Macca looked excellent at centre half. Decent cover at this level IMO oh, and I am not being sarcastic!
Macca had a great game against Liverpool, but he isn't a great player, despite him giving his all trying to be one. He's on twice what he's worth(not his fault) and I have absolutely no desire to see him in the starting XI. We should sign Kilgallon you know.
I was also at Stoke away one year when he played in central defence and Ricardo Fuller calmly lobbed the ball over his head and ran past him to be 1 on 1 and score. Possibly the worst bit of defending I've ever witnessed live. Not for me thanks
He'd have to earn his place. I don't think that Chester or Hobbs have done anything bad enough to warrant dropping, so McShane needs to bide his time. If he gets in, and can perform how he did in Pre-season, then I think he definitely deserves the chance to hold onto the position. The whole squad has to feel they have a part to play.
If you have ever played football you will know, even though you are basically a centre back, if you have been put at right back for most of the season and then moved into the middle for a game or two, you need time to adjust to that position. If he is played regularly both in training as well as in matches at centre back then I think he is adequate cover.
Nonsense, Hobbs is solid as anything. McShane is the sort of player who will work hard and do a decent job for 80 minutes but have one absolute clanger moment a game and give a goal away. As a defender you just can't do that. He's adequate cover but not a patch on the Chester/Hobbs partnership.