SSN reporting Bridge medical.....


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On a loan deal we don't have much to lose, could possibly get him for near a free in the summer if he does well.

An okay signing imo
 
Shorey's never been mobile marra. Great left peg but never quick.

Perhaps not but never a nosebleeds-over-the-halfway-line sort of player either. Always seemed to carry the ball forward at Reading anyway, though of course I never did follow his whole career. No doubt someone on here has the Reading reserves DVD collection. ;)
 
Let's look at a few facts.

1) When O'Neill has had a realistic option of playing Richardson further up the field he has taken it.
2) Cattermole and Vaughan are injured meaning Colback will start in midfield and will not play left back. Richardson may be needed to cover.
3) Meyler has hardly been used and it looks like O'Neill doesn't fancy him much, yet. Richardson could then move up.
4) Gardner is not very good in a midfield 4. Richardson can play there if needed.
5) Wayne Bridge has played for Chelsea and Man City. Not standing out for them does not mean you're shite. He was behind Ashley Cole - not much shame in that.
6) Loads have championed the signing of Onouha who is in the same position as Bridge at Man City, yet Bridge is shite.
7) It is a loan and we will not be paying all of his wages.
8) If he is crap then he goes back to City in 5 months' time.

I'm honestly struggling to see why this can be classed as a bad idea? At worst, it's a no lose situation.

It's quite clear to me that we are just going to try and see out the rest of this season and then have a bit of a shuffle in the summer.

We do not have Steve Bruce in charge anymore. Martin O'Neill knows exactly what he is doing and I think he's earned the right to expect a little bit of faith from us.
 
Perhaps not but never a nosebleeds-over-the-halfway-line sort of player either. Always seemed to carry the ball forward at Reading anyway, though of course I never did follow his whole career. No doubt someone on here has the Reading reserves DVD collection. ;)

Aye, I bought those, knew they'd come in handy one day!

I like Shorey, I agree he always seemed more effective/comfortable going forward.

It still upsets me to think how close we came to getting Baines.
 
Let's look at a few facts.

1) When O'Neill has had a realistic option of playing Richardson further up the field he has taken it.
2) Cattermole and Vaughan are injured meaning Colback will start in midfield and will not play left back. Richardson may be needed to cover.
3) Meyler has hardly been used and it looks like O'Neill doesn't fancy him much, yet. Richardson could then move up.
4) Gardner is not very good in a midfield 4. Richardson can play there if needed.
5) Wayne Bridge has played for Chelsea and Man City. Not standing out for them does not mean you're shite. He was behind Ashley Cole - not much shame in that.
6) Loads have championed the signing of Onouha who is in the same position as Bridge at Man City, yet Bridge is shite.
7) It is a loan and we will not be paying all of his wages.
8) If he is crap then he goes back to City in 5 months' time.

I'm honestly struggling to see why this can be classed as a bad idea? At worst, it's a no lose situation.

It's quite clear to me that we are just going to try and see out the rest of this season and then have a bit of a shuffle in the summer.

We do not have Steve Bruce in charge anymore. Martin O'Neill knows exactly what he is doing and I think he's earned the right to expect a little bit of faith from us.

Good post well said
 
Let's look at a few facts.

1) When O'Neill has had a realistic option of playing Richardson further up the field he has taken it.
2) Cattermole and Vaughan are injured meaning Colback will start in midfield and will not play left back. Richardson may be needed to cover.
3) Meyler has hardly been used and it looks like O'Neill doesn't fancy him much, yet. Richardson could then move up.
4) Gardner is not very good in a midfield 4. Richardson can play there if needed.
5) Wayne Bridge has played for Chelsea and Man City. Not standing out for them does not mean you're shite. He was behind Ashley Cole - not much shame in that.
6) Loads have championed the signing of Onouha who is in the same position as Bridge at Man City, yet Bridge is shite.
7) It is a loan and we will not be paying all of his wages.
8) If he is crap then he goes back to City in 5 months' time.

I'm honestly struggling to see why this can be classed as a bad idea? At worst, it's a no lose situation.

It's quite clear to me that we are just going to try and see out the rest of this season and then have a bit of a shuffle in the summer.

We do not have Steve Bruce in charge anymore. Martin O'Neill knows exactly what he is doing and I think he's earned the right to expect a little bit of faith from us.

Agree with all of that.
 
Let's look at a few facts.

1) When O'Neill has had a realistic option of playing Richardson further up the field he has taken it.
2) Cattermole and Vaughan are injured meaning Colback will start in midfield and will not play left back. Richardson may be needed to cover.
3) Meyler has hardly been used and it looks like O'Neill doesn't fancy him much, yet. Richardson could then move up.
4) Gardner is not very good in a midfield 4. Richardson can play there if needed.
5) Wayne Bridge has played for Chelsea and Man City. Not standing out for them does not mean you're shite. He was behind Ashley Cole - not much shame in that.
6) Loads have championed the signing of Onouha who is in the same position as Bridge at Man City, yet Bridge is shite.
7) It is a loan and we will not be paying all of his wages.
8) If he is crap then he goes back to City in 5 months' time.

I'm honestly struggling to see why this can be classed as a bad idea? At worst, it's a no lose situation.

It's quite clear to me that we are just going to try and see out the rest of this season and then have a bit of a shuffle in the summer.

We do not have Steve Bruce in charge anymore. Martin O'Neill knows exactly what he is doing and I think he's earned the right to expect a little bit of faith from us.

good post mate
 
There was always Shorey and Warnock who IIRC he signed, who were more mobile full-backs, Young as well wasn't just a lump. I suppose the point I'm making is that you'd hope that in attacking positions the full-backs are going to support the side with overlaps or 'under'-laps. Granted Bridge can cross a ball (or could?), but I have my doubts as to his suitability in this respect.

But we'll see. Silly to write him off before a ball is kicked. I can't quite work out his plans for Richardson if he stays and Bridge comes into the side, mind. Occasional respite for McClean? Tucked-in winger, like O'Neill played at Forest (RETRO)? Tea-boy?

I think we have to make provision for McClean either getting injured or losing some of his impact at some point. If he came out of the team, who would go on the left? If Richardson, who goes to left back? It would mean a lot of reshuffling. We need options in the short term. Bridge would provide an option down the left, our weakest side of the pitch for a long time. For that reason, I'm pretty happy with the signing (if it comes off).

I'd say Bridge is similar to Shorey. Lacking in pace but good crosser of the ball (if MON can motivate him and he rediscovers some form!)
 
I think we have to make provision for McClean either getting injured or losing some of his impact at some point. If he came out of the team, who would go on the left? If Richardson, who goes to left back? It would mean a lot of reshuffling. We need options in the short term. Bridge would provide an option down the left, our weakest side of the pitch for a long time. For that reason, I'm pretty happy with the signing (if it comes off).

I'd say Bridge is similar to Shorey. Lacking in pace but good crosser of the ball (if MON can motivate him and he rediscovers some form!)

say we stick richardson in the middle at times too...thats some bloody scary counter attacking pace weve got to burn there
 
I'm not so sure they are. O'Neill has often used centre backs at full back and played counter attacking football. I'm thinking of Cuellar at right back for Villa as an example. He likes a solid, big, defensive back four, then a set of midfielders who are quick and can get the ball moving forward swiftly, with a target man to play off.

I'd be happy with Richardson at left back and Bridge as cover, or Bridge to play left back and Richardson to provide cover for any number of positions. The main reason I wanted to see Richardson get a run at left back was because I personally think Bardsley is awful in the position and he was a better option.

Tend to agree. It was (converted centre half) Wilfred Bouma at left back for AVFC most of the time as well.
 
I think we have to make provision for McClean either getting injured or losing some of his impact at some point. If he came out of the team, who would go on the left? If Richardson, who goes to left back? It would mean a lot of reshuffling. We need options in the short term. Bridge would provide an option down the left, our weakest side of the pitch for a long time. For that reason, I'm pretty happy with the signing (if it comes off).

I'd say Bridge is similar to Shorey. Lacking in pace but good crosser of the ball (if MON can motivate him and he rediscovers some form!)

Spot on. This one signing affords us a few options.
 
Tend to agree. It was (converted centre half) Wilfred Bouma at left back for AVFC most of the time as well.

Forgot about him. He's used midfielders at full back before too, clearly, and has done here, but it looks to me like O'Neill likes defensive stability across the back four. Bouma could also strike a ball well, so he was no mug. Bridge fits the bill as far as I'm concerned. A number of our players looked shite till MON came in. No reason he can't get Bridge motivated and playing to a decent standard.

say we stick richardson in the middle at times too...thats some bloody scary counter attacking pace weve got to burn there

Exactly. Even if he was used wide left as part of an attacking trio with Sess and Larsson (assuming McClean doesn't play at some point). We need pace further forward as I think we play quite deep defensively, which means we're not desperate for pace at the back.
 
I think we have to make provision for McClean either getting injured or losing some of his impact at some point. If he came out of the team, who would go on the left? If Richardson, who goes to left back? It would mean a lot of reshuffling. We need options in the short term. Bridge would provide an option down the left, our weakest side of the pitch for a long time. For that reason, I'm pretty happy with the signing (if it comes off).

I'd say Bridge is similar to Shorey. Lacking in pace but good crosser of the ball (if MON can motivate him and he rediscovers some form!)

I think we've got a pretty versatile team, and in that respect Bridge coming in adds to that. That's fine. But it's safe to say I have my reservations, especially given the tenor of that Guardian article about his lifestyle, and motivation. Qualified by the fact that it's a loan, of course.

I hope O'Neill can motivate the lad. His confidence must be shot.
 
After initially being exasperated, having now learned its a loan I'm actually quite pleased.

If MON can work his magic and rediscover the player Bridge was at Southampton, then we'll be in pole position to sign a very tidy player.

If not and he's still the same player he has been for the last five years or so then we send him back and wish him well.

It's worth the risk of the wages & loan fee to find out.

He was always a 70 minute player. The lad doesn't seem to have the fitness a premier player needs (and that was when he was a few years younger)
 
I think we've got a pretty versatile team, and in that respect Bridge coming in adds to that. That's fine. But it's safe to say I have my reservations, especially given the tenor of that Guardian article about his lifestyle, and motivation. Qualified by the fact that it's a loan, of course.

I hope O'Neill can motivate the lad. His confidence must be shot.

IIRC he has a canny long throw in him. Make a change not to hand possession back to the opposition . ;)
 
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