Pratley again...

Why is Freedman persisting with the prat?

The Tower commentator said at half time, "Freedman could take Pratley off at half time and replace him with nobody and it would have no impact on the team at all... "

That sums it up. He was woeful in that final friendly at Macron, got yanked off after 45mins against Watford for being dire and was utter garbage again today against Bury..!

Somebody tell me why our managers always have at least one player in the team that bewilders every fan...

He adds absolutely nothing to the team. The quicker Freedman realises this the better.

BoltonTillIDie wrote:He adds absolutely nothing to the team.  The quicker Freedman realises this the better.

And the quicker Phil realises Dougie adds nothing to the team the better.

But the sooner Eddie recognises Phil adds nothing to the team the best.

Pratley is terrible but I think he's the only midfielder we have that has a bit of attacking threat in him, all be it not that much of a threat which just highlights how poor quality the team is. We desperately need to keep mark davies fit this time.

Pratley and Trotter add nothing to the team, they played together last night and were dominated by a league 2 midfield. I had said that Spearing and Medo shouldn't play together but if this is the alternative then let them start every game!

Norpig wrote:Pratley and Trotter add nothing to the team, they played together last night and were dominated by a league 2 midfield. 

Disagree Norpig. They were bypassed by Bury who weren't stupid enough to run straight at the one area of the pitch Dougie has packed with players.
Bury just went round that area in the same way Watford went over the top of it.

No team is stupid enough to try to play through our packed centre - so our defensive mids become redundant and can't influence the game.

I'm hopeful that Pratley starting again means he won't be in the team against Forest.

He's absolutely garbage, does loads on running but when in possession  he does nothing creative, I would sell him , give him away or loan him out, gives the team absolutely nothing.

Why Freedman keeps playing is more proof we need telling us he's losing the plot and doesn't know what he's doing.

Because Doog would lose face if he drops him now.  It's all about ego.....Doog knows more about footy than us idiot fans......that's all.

wanderlust wrote:

Norpig wrote:Pratley and Trotter add nothing to the team, they played together last night and were dominated by a league 2 midfield. 

Disagree Norpig. They were bypassed by Bury who weren't stupid enough to run straight at the one area of the pitch Dougie has packed with players.
Bury just went round that area in the same way Watford went over the top of it.

No team is stupid enough to try to play through our packed centre - so our defensive mids become redundant and can't influence the game.

 
but we played 442 so the centre midfielders shouldn't just be sitting, they have to be able to be able to be  box to box players (or at least one of them has to) and both players have shown they can't do that.

Norpig wrote:

wanderlust wrote:

Norpig wrote:Pratley and Trotter add nothing to the team, they played together last night and were dominated by a league 2 midfield. 

Disagree Norpig. They were bypassed by Bury who weren't stupid enough to run straight at the one area of the pitch Dougie has packed with players.
Bury just went round that area in the same way Watford went over the top of it.

No team is stupid enough to try to play through our packed centre - so our defensive mids become redundant and can't influence the game.

 
but we played 442 so the centre midfielders shouldn't just be sitting, they have to be able to be able to be  box to box players (or at least one of them has to) and both players have shown they can't do that.

This is the heart of the matter - it's not about what system you line up, it's what flexibility the players have to push up the pitch or drop back within a system that matters. Call it 442 or whatever but it doesn't matter if our midfielders are outflanked and can't get on the ball or break forward in numbers. Dougie's 4231 could easily be 424 or 433 if they were mobile enough - or allowed to be mobile enough.