Corky Posted 2 October 2011 Posted 2 October 2011 I thought we looked much more fluent without him yesterday. He will have a part to play, and in some games will prove crucial, but against Derby I felt we looked better,also because the other midfielders stepped up their game too.
artursteppe Posted 2 October 2011 Posted 2 October 2011 Maybe it wasn't the absence of Wellens that made us great, maybe it was that our other midfielders, king especially, had a blinder. Sorry to say you seem to get a lot of things wrong, including this. Wellens does not suit our style. It was because Wellens wasn't playing, that we were better. Think back to the only other time he has been missing - second half of last seasons home game against Watford - definitely our best 45 minutes of last season - no coincidence - fact! It is not just because Yuki Abe is so much better than Wellens in that role, it is because all our other midfield players can interchange where Wellens can't. Wellens is one dimensional, limited and one paced. Abe, Danns, King, Fernandes can, as they did yesterday, swap positions with no detriment to the performance, attacking, defending, wide left and wide right. Having Wellens in the team nullifies the performances of those around him with their flexibility, as well as the undeniable truth that Abe is better in front of the back four than he is anyway. Furthermore Johnson is a multi talented midfielder as well, which means Wellens should be ( at best ) sixth choice midfielder. Looking on the bright side from his point of view, at least Matt Oakley has gone out on loan.
woznotwos Posted 2 October 2011 Posted 2 October 2011 I'm sorry but anyone who thinks Wellens does not deserve a place in our first 11 for me is clueless. My opinion. One good win he did not play in and you want to bin the bloke. Absolutely laughable. Agree , decent competition in the middle at last ! we need all our midfield ,in 3 games people will be sayin' what an awesome performance he had !
Haydos Posted 2 October 2011 Posted 2 October 2011 Sorry to say you seem to get a lot of things wrong, including this. Wellens does not suit our style. It was because Wellens wasn't playing, that we were better. Think back to the only other time he has been missing - second half of last seasons home game against Watford - definitely our best 45 minutes of last season - no coincidence - fact! no coincidence - opinion It is not just because Yuki Abe is so much better than Wellens in that role, it is because all our other midfield players can interchange where Wellens can't. Wellens is one dimensional, limited and one paced. Abe, Danns, King, Fernandes can, as they did yesterday, swap positions with no detriment to the performance, attacking, defending, wide left and wide right. Having Wellens in the team nullifies the performances of those around him with their flexibility, as well as the undeniable truth that Abe is better in front of the back four than he is anyway. Furthermore Johnson is a multi talented midfielder as well, which means Wellens should be ( at best ) sixth choice midfielder. Looking on the bright side from his point of view, at least Matt Oakley has gone out on loan.
Guest Basildon Fox Posted 2 October 2011 Posted 2 October 2011 No need for that attitude. Wellens might have his faults but sometimes over the years he's been one of the few standing up to be counted. He's still capable when he plays the ball quickly and will undoubtedly continue to feature and do his stint. Yesterday was about yesterday's team and performance. There's Wellens getting stick but little being said about Beckford's absence. Pehaps because Wellens has been with the team for over 2 seasons where Beckford has been with the team for 4 games. What a stupid thing to say.
dan77 Posted 2 October 2011 Posted 2 October 2011 IMO I think that Wellens can't cope with the pressure of us expecting to win the league, whereas a lot of the other players have stepped up for example, Danns took his chance to shine and showed that he deserves a place in the first team same as King and Nugent!! Also would like to add that its good to finally see Mills settling in, he was outstanding at the back!
HitchinFox Posted 2 October 2011 Posted 2 October 2011 Hard one this. I've always liked Wellens, I really have, but everybody can see that he has his limitations. Age is of no concern in modern football and he is a supremely fit individual who trains hard and takes care of himself. But as seemingly millions of people have pointed out, it is his tendency to be a bit slow and inability to pass and move that is a cause for concern. He does contribute on and off the field though and as anybody who has seen him play he is a leader of men. Whether he is a captain or not. You get the feeling that when you play alongside him, he's always got your back. Most importantly though, he still has a massive part to play this season - especially when we have to scrap for those 1-0 and 2-1s away from home. People who are placing him on the shit heap are a bit premature in their assessment that Abe or Gelson are ready for that role. However, once (and hopefully that is this season) we make it into the PL Richie would be very lucky to get in the first XI. I do not think he's Premier standard. But this season, I'm glad we have him. The likes of Brighton would kill to have him at the moment - when the going is getting tough for them and they can't seem to win a battle in the middle of the park. An anecdote - the first time I ever saw Wellens play was in 2000 - when he was playing for Blackpool. I found myself at a loose end in Lincoln one September Saturday and went to Sincil Bank to see Lincoln vs Blackpool. We weren't playing until the next day (Sunday) - away at Chelsea - so I thought I'd see how Laurie Dudfield would do, who was on loan at the Imps from us at the time. I remember three things from that game: 1: How shit Andy Morrison (the Man City skipper on loan at 'pool) really was 2: How shit Lawrie Dudfield really was 3: How good this promising 20-year-old kid called Wellens was.
cc_star Posted 16 October 2011 Posted 16 October 2011 A lot of people eating their words I'd have thought. Yes he could zip the ball a bit quicker, but he's worth 2 Danns, a player who couldn't retain posession or pick out a pass if his life depended on it. People's gross over-reaction to the Derby victory (a team who hardly put a tackle in the whole 90) & consigning Wellens to the scrap heap has made more than a few look foolish.
Corky Posted 16 October 2011 Posted 16 October 2011 A lot of people eating their words I'd have thought. Not really. He was better than the other midfielders (which wasn't difficult) but to suggest he's changed opinions after today is doubtful.
Freeman's Wharfer Posted 16 October 2011 Posted 16 October 2011 The thing with Wellens is, and I do rate him, that when he plays he insists that he dictates everything. If he's having a good day everything is fine and he's one of the best midfielders in the division, but if he's having an off day it almost seems to drag the whole team down because everything still goes through him. Without Wellens you're more likely to get an all-round 'team performance' which can be great ala Derby. However if you're up against a better team than Derby then you sometimes need that spark, that special player with a bit of extra craft and creativity. When Wellens is on form, this creativity and obvious ability that he has, can destroy teams. I think we're better for having him in the team, but maybe he needs to be a little less self-important when things aren't going for him and the team and just stick to doing the simple things. He looked hungry to win his place back today and that can only be good for us.
Fox92 Posted 17 October 2011 Posted 17 October 2011 Think he's got to be back in for the match against Watford. He looked good for the little time he was on the pitch against Birmingham, once he got into the game, he created a few chances and drove with the ball which the other midfielders did not do throughout the game. He is a good player, he just needs to be in a free sort of role.
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