Oliver Skipp (loaned to Charlton, official)

[LCFCCKEANO]

23 minutes ago, honeybradger said:

I have it on good authority that Braybrooke has been regularly seen backing Skipp into a corner and tying his shoelaces together.

He is a better player, but is a different player

[LCFCCKEANO]

31 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

Braybrooke is taller than Skipp and, in my view, just as physically capable. He is also coming off a season in League Two, which is a very physical league, so he should be well prepared for that side of the game.

 

With the amount of possession we're likely to have, I think the defensive midfield role will be more about controlling and dictating the game than acting as an outright destroyer, which I think Braybrooke is better suited to then Skipp. 

I think Martin has shown what he wants and he wants someone technically astute but also physically able to fight. Braybrooke is a cracking player but I am not sold on him as an outright defensive midfielder and not sure Martin is. Very happy to be proved wrong, if we could have a midfield with Braybrooke and two AM’s and make it work I’d be delighted

[LCFCCKEANO]

Just now, LCFCCKEANO said:

I think Martin has shown what he wants and he wants someone technically astute but also physically able to fight. Braybrooke is a cracking player but I am not sold on him as an outright defensive midfielder and not sure Martin is. Very happy to be proved wrong, if we could have a midfield with Braybrooke and two AM’s and make it work I’d be delighted

Would also add height doesn’t necessarily = size, and Skipp is far more stocky and physical than Braybrooke, and more similar profile wise to a Flynn Downes

[moore_94]

9 minutes ago, LCFCCKEANO said:

Would also add height doesn’t necessarily = size, and Skipp is far more stocky and physical than Braybrooke, and more similar profile wise to a Flynn Downes

Even if Skipp looks more stocky and physical he doesn’t really show it in matches anymore than Braybrooke does

Edited 4 August by moore_94

[Dan]

Am I going mad, Skipp is crap, how is he getting praised all of a sudden?

[Gloria]

I'm pretty sure if the right offer comes in for any of the high earners it will be accepted, whether RM wants them or not.

[AKCJ]

12 minutes ago, Dan said:

Am I going mad, Skipp is crap, how is he getting praised all of a sudden?

I don't think anyone is particularly praising him only pointing out the reality that he's our only senior midfielder and will likely be one of the best in the division.

 

If we're getting rid of him (which we should look to do) then we should outright sell him or loan him with that club paying his full wage.

 

We should not be paying for Skipp unless he's playing for us.

[Ric Flair]

48 minutes ago, LCFCCKEANO said:

For the Flynn Downes role I think he is, and judging by the fact Martin has flat out refused to use him there at all and has used Neale instead shows he clearly feels the same

I mean Neale is tiny so that doesn't compute. I think Martin just sees Braybrooke as being able to apply both the aggressive defensive attributes higher up the pitch as well as being very good at passing and creating.

[Finnegan]

10 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

I don't think anyone is particularly praising him only pointing out the reality that he's our only senior midfielder and will likely be one of the best in the division.

 

If we're getting rid of him (which we should look to do) then we should outright sell him or loan him with that club paying his full wage.

 

We should not be paying for Skipp unless he's playing for us.

 

If Martin has no intention of starting him and he gets paid nearly his full wage regardless of whether he starts or is in the squad (which wouldn't surprise me) then he's probably better off at a Championship club paying 50% of his wages and potentially putting him in the shop window for a future transfer fee than sitting on our bench for 100% of his wages rotting away. 

 

Neither is a great situation tbf. But we'll have to take the one that's financially better long term. 

 

We have a habit of hanging on to our players, turning down money for them because it doesn't meet our value so then keeping them, paying all their wages and then losing them for free. We did it with Soumaré and Daka. 

 

We're being way more proactive this year just cutting our losses and saying **** it. 

 

[Tommy Fresh]

26 minutes ago, Dan said:

Am I going mad, Skipp is crap, how is he getting praised all of a sudden?

People seem to be saying exactly what they said when we came down from the prem, and he stunk it out in the Championship as well. Reckon people confuse not being a tit with being good.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

He looked and played like one of the worst midfielders in the Championship last season, I'm really not holding my breath that he suddenly becomes some sort of machine just because we've dropped a division; moreso considering we want to be at the very top of it.

 

Caucasian Nampalys Mendy.

[AKCJ]

Just now, Finnegan said:

 

If Martin has no intention of starting him and he gets paid nearly his full wage regardless of whether he starts or is in the squad (which wouldn't surprise me) then he's probably better off at a Championship club paying 50% of his wages and potentially putting him in the shop window for a future transfer fee than sitting on our bench for 100% of his wages rotting away. 

 

Neither is a great situation tbf. But we'll have to take the one that's financially better long term. 

 

We have a habit of hanging on to our players, turning down money for them because it doesn't meet our value so then keeping them, paying all their wages and then losing them for free. We did it with Soumaré and Daka. 

 

We're being way more proactive this year just cutting our losses and saying **** it. 

 

But he clearly does have an intention of playing him. He's played a lot of minutes as the base of the 3 in midfield with Braybrooke playing ahead of him.

 

Again, I am only suggesting we keep him if we don't receive an offer that covers his entire wage. 

 

Our current midfield options for players that could play a more defensive role are:

 

Skipp, Braybrooke, Choudhury, Neale, Golding.

 

That is Skipp, three academy lads that have barely played any first team football at League 1 level and Choudhury who last played in midfield in about 2021. The options are awful. We shouldn't be paying money to reduce our options.

[LCFCCKEANO]

10 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

I mean Neale is tiny so that doesn't compute. I think Martin just sees Braybrooke as being able to apply both the aggressive defensive attributes higher up the pitch as well as being very good at passing and creating.

You know what I think that is a very good point too, and I agree. Maybe overstating the defensive aspect as a pure defensive mid as I haven’t seen him do the lone 6 role with the other midfielders getting really high, which I think will be us this season

[AKCJ]

10 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

I mean Neale is tiny so that doesn't compute. I think Martin just sees Braybrooke as being able to apply both the aggressive defensive attributes higher up the pitch as well as being very good at passing and creating.

I suspect he wants Skipp doing the donkey work for Braybrooke and will want us to get Braybrooke on the ball in the opposition half as often as possible. The worry is that Skipp has zero defensive awareness. He's a very hard worker and (if he's in the right position) a good tackler but the problem we had a lot last season was attacking midfielders running off of his shoulder.

[LCFCCKEANO]

36 minutes ago, Dan said:

Am I going mad, Skipp is crap, how is he getting praised all of a sudden?

Think it’s less praise and moreso functionality, the guy was an awful awful signing at the price we paid, and is not going to be someone we keep around for the whole rebuild unless he turns it around massively imo

[Finnegan]

2 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

But he clearly does have an intention of playing him. He's played a lot of minutes as the base of the 3 in midfield with Braybrooke playing ahead of him.

 

Again, I am only suggesting we keep him if we don't receive an offer that covers his entire wage. 

 

Our current midfield options for players that could play a more defensive role are:

 

Skipp, Braybrooke, Choudhury, Neale, Golding.

 

That is Skipp, three academy lads that have barely played any first team football at League 1 level and Choudhury who last played in midfield in about 2021. The options are awful. We shouldn't be paying money to reduce our options.

 

Sure, I don't disagree. 

 

But it's not foxestalk deciding it, it's the club (if the rumour is true) and I don't think Rudkin/McCarron are likely to completely undermine Martin. 

 

If he's actually off then it'll be because Martin doesn't want him enough to offset what the club have worked out the financial benefit is. 

 

[AKCJ]

3 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

Sure, I don't disagree. 

 

But it's not foxestalk deciding it, it's the club (if the rumour is true) and I don't think Rudkin/McCarron are likely to completely undermine Martin. 

 

If he's actually off then it'll be because Martin doesn't want him enough to offset what the club have worked out the financial benefit is. 

 

I don't know. I think that Rudkin/McCarron will take whatever is perceived as a win in a financial sense. 

 

I don't think we'll turn down a move for him that makes sense financially.

 

I just personally think we should if it's only a minor gain because he's essentially our only midfielder.

[Dan]

1 hour ago, AKCJ said:

I don't think anyone is particularly praising him only pointing out the reality that he's our only senior midfielder and will likely be one of the best in the division.

 

If we're getting rid of him (which we should look to do) then we should outright sell him or loan him with that club paying his full wage.

 

We should not be paying for Skipp unless he's playing for us.

I agree that a loan is pretty pointless but you can put him firmly in the category of players who I think will be spoken of as being too good for this league without any serious credentials. He's been awful for years. I don't think him standing out is a given.

[MPH]

I don’t think we should just look at his skill - whether he is ‘ good enough’ to play in the 1st division. He clearly is. We also need to look at his motivation.. is he going to fight for every pall in half empty stadiums on a Wednesday night away from home? That kind of thing.

 

if Russel focuses on him and makes him his main midfielder it could make a difference.. but I’d rather have someone who will be used to playing top end  1st division football and will see us as a step up rather than someone who will likely feel embarrassed to be playing in the 1st division..

[Big_Nige]

Without trying to get too tactical here, so far in pre-season we seem to be playing what in essence is a 4-1-4-1. There’s no double pivot, the 8’s are high. I don’t trust Skipp, regardless of the division to be the right profile of player for that 6 role. 
 

If you list what Skipp is good at you’d say he’s combative, he works hard and has a good engine. He’s also probably a good honest pro.
 

if you’re playing as a 6, by yourself, you need so many more attributes. You need to read danger before it becomes danger, I never see that from Skipp, I don’t think he’s a great reader of the game or someone who generally anticipates where the danger will be.
 

Is he press resistant? Definitely not. He actively shies away. Braybrooke will take the ball anywhere on the pitch, Skipp hides behind the opposition. He’s not the sort to grab a game by the scruff of the neck and make things happen. He’s not bad on the ball, but he’s too safe, and not comfortable if pressed

 

Does he start attacks, not really, he’s a sideways merchant. In a double pivot that’s fine, but the thought of him and Okoli playing 5 yard balls to each other is the stuff of nightmares. Didn’t work in the prem, didn’t work in the championship, won’t work in league one. 
 

If the opposition are breaking is he quick enough to recover. He’s not Vestergaard slow, buts he doesn’t eat up the ground ala Ndidi or Kante. 
 

He’s the wrong fit for that role, we should be doing everything in our power to move him out. I don’t hate him as a footballer, but I genuinely don’t know what he’s good at
 

 

[Clever Fox]

I think Russell is happy with him in the DMR. About the only position he can play. But I still hope Skipp leaves if only to get his rediculous salary off the Books.

 

I'd like to see us try somone like Koulabaly or Aluko in the Skipp role. Both quicker Taller and Stronger than Skipp. With Braybrooke and Alves in front providing the attacking threat.

 

It may take them a while to learn the position but I think they could do a better job.

[Lambert09]

5 hours ago, Vlad the Fox said:

Yes.

Pretty sure I know exactly who you mean and it makes it 10x worse 

[KFS]

18 minutes ago, Big_Nige said:

Without trying to get too tactical here, so far in pre-season we seem to be playing what in essence is a 4-1-4-1. There’s no double pivot, the 8’s are high. I don’t trust Skipp, regardless of the division to be the right profile of player for that 6 role. 
 

If you list what Skipp is good at you’d say he’s combative, he works hard and has a good engine. He’s also probably a good honest pro.
 

if you’re playing as a 6, by yourself, you need so many more attributes. You need to read danger before it becomes danger, I never see that from Skipp, I don’t think he’s a great reader of the game or someone who generally anticipates where the danger will be.
 

Is he press resistant? Definitely not. He actively shies away. Braybrooke will take the ball anywhere on the pitch, Skipp hides behind the opposition. He’s not the sort to grab a game by the scruff of the neck and make things happen. He’s not bad on the ball, but he’s too safe, and not comfortable if pressed

 

Does he start attacks, not really, he’s a sideways merchant. In a double pivot that’s fine, but the thought of him and Okoli playing 5 yard balls to each other is the stuff of nightmares. Didn’t work in the prem, didn’t work in the championship, won’t work in league one. 
 

If the opposition are breaking is he quick enough to recover. He’s not Vestergaard slow, buts he doesn’t eat up the ground ala Ndidi or Kante. 
 

He’s the wrong fit for that role, we should be doing everything in our power to move him out. I don’t hate him as a footballer, but I genuinely don’t know what he’s good at
 

 

Good assessment. Get rid

[FoxinNotts]

2 hours ago, Dan said:

Am I going mad, Skipp is crap, how is he getting praised all of a sudden?

Because we love to moan on here! 
If they’re going it’s - “oh why are we getting rid?”

If they’re staying it’s - “get rid, they are shyte”

 

The usual

[honeybradger]

2 hours ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

He looked and played like one of the worst midfielders in the Championship last season, I'm really not holding my breath that he suddenly becomes some sort of machine just because we've dropped a division; moreso considering we want to be at the very top of it.

 

Caucasian Nampalys Mendy.

Offensive to Nampalys Mendy and I'm not even a massive fan of him.

 

Mendy at least had runs where he looked like a good Prem midfielder such as Christmas 2020/2021.

 

Skipp on the other hand has seen us drop two divisions with a whimper and we're not even sure if he will be up to standard in league one either.