Embleton

[Jonny]

... By the time they are in their 20s, no coach (including Ross) is going to impact greatly on the skill levels...

Agree with most of your post but I don’t buy into the above at all.
I personally think that could be the failing of a lot of footballers and managers. Thinking that they don’t have to do the basics anymore as they’ve made it.
Quinn became the player he did while at Sunderland because he trained everyday on his touch. He was playing head tennis with the rest of the squad and he was getting beat by the physios when he came here.
Obviously a bit of a light hearted gamble was what spurned him to improve his touch and by doing in constantly he improved.
There is a reason people say practice makes perfect.
The hardest part of a coach is training those often boring basic parts in a way that keeps the players engaged even at this level.

 

[Perryqhill]

The good thing about Embleton is he plays the ball forward and gets into the box, thats is something our other central midfielders don't do..

The George Honeyman of two years ago was energetic and quite direct in that respect, especially when in wide areas. He maybe didn't have masses of pace but he had energy and wanted to get into attacking positions and into the box playing one two's with some regularity.

Not quite sure what's happened or he's been asked to do since, yeah he still gets on the end of things and scores the odd goal but it's almost as if there's more emphasis on him closing down and the pressing the opposition now.

 

[Abu Dhabi Red and White]

The George Honeyman of two years ago was energetic and quite direct in that respect, especially when in wide areas. He maybe didn't have masses of pace but he had energy and wanted to get into attacking positions and into the box playing one two's with some regularity.

Not quite sure what's happened or he's been asked to do since, yeah he still gets on the end of things and scores the odd goal but it's almost as if there's more emphasis on him closing down and the pressing the opposition now.

Excellent points.

 

[RichD]

The George Honeyman of two years ago was energetic and quite direct in that respect, especially when in wide areas. He maybe didn't have masses of pace but he had energy and wanted to get into attacking positions and into the box playing one two's with some regularity.

Not quite sure what's happened or he's been asked to do since, yeah he still gets on the end of things and scores the odd goal but it's almost as if there's more emphasis on him closing down and the pressing the opposition now.

I'm not sure Honeyman had the physique or the ball control to make a central midfield player, we all know he can run and close down however I agree over the last couple of seasons thats all he seems to do..

 

[Clueless]

Sounds like we can just bin having a manager and coaches and give ourselves a bit more wiggle room on wages to bring a new player in instead.

Practice set pieces? Nah mate. Completed them when I was 8.

That is not what I am saying. There would be a concern if players were being introduced to set piece moves on the day of a game or, more ridiculously, during a game. That is what the daily training sessions are for and that is what the manager and coaches are for. My point is that by the time the team takes to the field, the manager is reliant upon them having sufficient ability and tactical nous to deliver what is expected of them. The manager cannot invest in them the necessary abilities, nor do anything to ensure that they exercise those abilities in practice during the match.

If a player is unable to reach an acceptable level then ideally they will be replaced by a better quality player. Thus, for example, in my opinion and based on my observation from last season, SAFC are currently lacking in competent central defenders who can be expected to perform consistently well.

Loovens was 'past it' before he arrived; Baldwin seemed to have something about him to begin with, but fell apart as the season progressed; Flanagan just looked weak and error prone and Ozturk seems to be a penalty waiting to happen. Given that we had lost O'Shea, Browning, Kone, Wilson and Clarke-Salter, who had collectively played over 100 league games between them the previous season, one can easily understand the need to get some bodies through the door quickly. So, during last season, if Ross was dissatisfied with any of the incumbents, his only options were to replace them with players who were likely to be equal liabilities.

I know nothing of Willis, but if he is considered to be better than any one of the aforementioned, then bringing him in is a good job done. Similarly, I would welcome the arrival of Heneghan, if he is deemed to be better than what we've already got.

I would respectfully suggest that neither Guardiola or Klopp, along with their respective coaching teams, would be able to transform any of those signed last season into consistently adequate and reliable centre-backs. No manager imploring them to tackle/clear/mark more effectively from the touchline is going to provide them with the extra ability to do so.

Agree with most of your post but I don’t buy into the above at all.
I personally think that could be the failing of a lot of footballers and managers. Thinking that they don’t have to do the basics anymore as they’ve made it.
Quinn became the player he did while at Sunderland because he trained everyday on his touch. He was playing head tennis with the rest of the squad and he was getting beat by the physios when he came here.
Obviously a bit of a light hearted gamble was what spurned him to improve his touch and by doing in constantly he improved.
There is a reason people say practice makes perfect.
The hardest part of a coach is training those often boring basic parts in a way that keeps the players engaged even at this level.

I am not saying that players cannot improve themselves and hone their skills still further. Indeed that is what is expected of them.

However, using your example, Quinn wasn't coached in heading the ball, he could already do that and be relied upon to do it. I doubt Peter Reid ever had a need to exhort Quinn to 'Head It !!!' from the touchline during a match. Reid might have set up training drills on a Tuesday morning to facilitate the players practice their heading, but come the day, they had the responsibility to use their skills during a game.

 

[stephen cartwright]

The players involved in the first team squad have probably been involved with professional clubs since they were 7-8 years of age. Throughout that time they have demonstrated to one coach after another that they can pass, tackle, shoot, head the ball to what was deemed to be an acceptable standard.

By the time they are in their 20s, no coach (including Ross) is going to impact greatly on the skill levels. They can set out a tactical plan and try to establish a style of play. However, once the players cross the touchline, the manager is dependent upon the players to carry out the plan and tactics.

I’m certain that Ross has never sent the team out with the instructions - “Now I want you to mishit several passes, miss a few tackles, don’t shoot very often and fail to control the ball whenever you like. Don’t bother with running around, nobody minds.”

Improving the players available within the squad for certain positions will enable the instructions regarding tactics to be better implemented.

Clueless, isn’t

 

[Deleted member 31333]

The George Honeyman of two years ago was energetic and quite direct in that respect, especially when in wide areas. He maybe didn't have masses of pace but he had energy and wanted to get into attacking positions and into the box playing one two's with some regularity.

Not quite sure what's happened or he's been asked to do since, yeah he still gets on the end of things and scores the odd goal but it's almost as if there's more emphasis on him closing down and the pressing the opposition now.

Honeyman was out of his depth in the championship season mind. He was more direct though

Embleton and Watmore both praised by Ross after the match tonight. Hinted that both will be involved a lot this season.

Embleton needs a run of games in the side at the start of the season so we can see where he's at. He has a lot of talent, his balance is excellent & he's genuinely both footed. Proved himself last year in league 2 too.

Only thing is that we're loaded with talent out wide & Honeyman will have the 10 locked. If Embleton starts poorly then realistically Maguire/Gooch/McGeady/Watmore are all in there instead.

Pretty much got 5 players playing for 2 spots unless Honeyman loses his spot.