James Walker - Dougie Freedman

[Rayleigh boy]

for some reason I have always thought Walker had something about him and
thought he did ok first game back from Hereford - holds the ball up well and puts the defence under a bit of pressure with some close control - a long way short of the finished article but …..

Dougie has the guile of an old pro and the legs of an old pro –

I am biased but I cannot see why Freedman keeps getting starts –

Any ideas ?

 

[BesideTheSeaside]

totally agree mate. still think that if walker gets a run of games and his confidence grows he'll be a quality player. still cant forget that goal he scored in the 96th at orient so maybe its more hope that he comes good rather than potential :)

dougie seems the opposite, the more he plays the more tired he looks, think it would be better to bring him on as a sub if the team looks short of ideas

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Freedman is doing nothing, would like to see Walker start with Barney up front.

 

[GBJ]

Walker is a frustrating player. One minute he can produce some real quality, i.e. the Orient equalizer, whereas other times he is so far of the pace of the game it's frustrating.

At the end of the day he's only a youngster. A youngster with **** all confidence. He has decent attributes, pace, dribbling, shooting, but doesn't seem to utilise these talents consistently. I'd like to see him get a run of games, and build up his confidence, but at the same time, how many chances can you give him? Countless times he's been ****ing **** during games. Even for the reserves he's looked out of his depth.

I'd rather have him play instead of Freedman, because at least he can move.

I'd like to see blues try a 4-3-3 formation, with Barny up top and Laurent and Walker playing WF

 

[BoyWonder2]

I'd like to see blues try a 4-3-3 formation, with Barny up top and Laurent and Walker playing WF

No, no, no and no.

We deployed this during the last pre-season, when we had Furlong and tried Barnard up front on his own.

Barnard cannot play the lone striker role, in my opinion. He needs a partner up top with him, and in my opinion Freedman is the best option we have for him.

Laurent and Walker can both play wide, but I'd rather that was in a 4-4-2 rather thand a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 whatever one you call it.

4-4-2 is the way forward.

 

[londonblue]

Walker is a frustrating player. One minute he can produce some real quality, i.e. the Orient equalizer, whereas other times he is so far of the pace of the game it's frustrating.

At the end of the day he's only a youngster. A youngster with **** all confidence. He has decent attributes, pace, dribbling, shooting, but doesn't seem to utilise these talents consistently. I'd like to see him get a run of games, and build up his confidence, but at the same time, how many chances can you give him? Countless times he's been ****ing **** during games. Even for the reserves he's looked out of his depth.

I'd rather have him play instead of Freedman, because at least he can move.

I'd like to see blues try a 4-3-3 formation, with Barny up top and Laurent and Walker playing WF

I'm not sure what I would do because a percentage of our "fans" don't allow players a run in the team to build confidence.

A run in the team, not playing as well as he can will have the boo boys on his back, which will undermine his confidence further.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Freedman like others have said has experience, vision & can pick a pass, remain composed.

Walker has pace and is dangerous, gets in good positions but lacks the confidence & composure to take chances or pick a killer pass.

I'd prefer Walker if he had the confidence, and I'd like to see him playing but can see why Tilly is picking Freedman in a difficult time like now.

 

[southend4ever]

I revelled in James Walker's display away at Swindon (last year I think it was) and ever since have been a fan! Stick him in. Maybe his attitude has been questioned this season. That is a murmur I hear.

 

[Reg Martin]

I'm not sure what I would do because a percentage of our "fans" don't allow players a run in the team to build confidence.

A run in the team, not playing as well as he can will have the boo boys on his back, which will undermine his confidence further.

I would like to see Walker get a run in the time but I think you're right with your concerns.
Tilly has mentioned before his confidence was knocked by crowd getting on his back.
Dougie is probably strong enough mentally not to be bothered by crowd.
We all get the team the more negative elements of our support deserve.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

I still think Walker has a lot to offer but Scannell has come on up front in the last two games so he appears to be down the pecking order a bit again.

 

[GBJ]

No, no, no and no.

We deployed this during the last pre-season, when we had Furlong and tried Barnard up front on his own.

Barnard cannot play the lone striker role, in my opinion. He needs a partner up top with him, and in my opinion Freedman is the best option we have for him.

Laurent and Walker can both play wide, but I'd rather that was in a 4-4-2 rather thand a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 whatever one you call it.

4-4-2 is the way forward.

I wasn't saying play a 451 formation and i wasn't saying play Barnard on his own. Im saying play him through the middle with Laurent and Walker either side. These guys have pace to get behind the back line and draw defenders out of position, while Barnard does his thing through he middle.

Surely that would be more effective than Barny and Mr.Rigor Mortis playing up top together, afterall having Freedman and Barny up top is pretty much the same as having Barny up top on his own, as all the work is heaped on Barnards shoulders. Who challenges for headers? Barnard. Who runs onto those headers? Barnard. I just fail to see what Freedman brings to the attack and the partnership. Pace? no. Movement? no. ? An outlet? no.

Freedman is a luxury player, not your main man. Give him a run out at the end for 5-10mins. Look at the games this season where we've started with DF up front, we rarely attack with any real conviction, and look unlikely on scoring, let alone winning; Wycombe, Millwall, Stockport, Saints, Bristol Rovers, Carlisle, Gills away, Yeovil, MK, Tranmere.

The way forward is Laurent and Walker either side of Barny, with Moussa in the middle of the park pulling the strings

 

[Jai]

I know football fans are meant to be fickle, but it was not very long ago that Walker was getting unbelieveable stick from the stands - I remember some of the abuse he took when he missed a pen last year or the year before was shocking.

If Walker gets back in the team, the fans will just stop booing Freedman and start on him.

 

[GBJ]

I know football fans are meant to be fickle, but it was not very long ago that Walker was getting unbelieveable stick from the stands - I remember some of the abuse he took when he missed a pen last year or the year before was shocking.

If Walker gets back in the team, the fans will just stop booing Freedman and start on him.

I think TBH it just highlights the kind of **** situation we're in.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Theyre both gash and not fit to lace Tes Brambles boots.

 

[BoyWonder2]

I wasn't saying play a 451 formation and i wasn't saying play Barnard on his own. Im saying play him through the middle with Laurent and Walker either side. These guys have pace to get behind the back line and draw defenders out of position, while Barnard does his thing through he middle.

Surely that would be more effective than Barny and Mr.Rigor Mortis playing up top together, afterall having Freedman and Barny up top is pretty much the same as having Barny up top on his own, as all the work is heaped on Barnards shoulders. Who challenges for headers? Barnard. Who runs onto those headers? Barnard. I just fail to see what Freedman brings to the attack and the partnership. Pace? no. Movement? no. ? An outlet? no.

Freedman is a luxury player, not your main man. Give him a run out at the end for 5-10mins. Look at the games this season where we've started with DF up front, we rarely attack with any real conviction, and look unlikely on scoring, let alone winning; Wycombe, Millwall, Stockport, Saints, Bristol Rovers, Carlisle, Gills away, Yeovil, MK, Tranmere.

The way forward is Laurent and Walker either side of Barny, with Moussa in the middle of the park pulling the strings

So effectively 3 up top like Chelsea did a couple years back with Kalou, Drogba and Malouda/Anelka?

That would leave us outnumbered in midfield, making it even easier to get through us. Both full backs wouldn't have any protection, and there wouldn't be anybody to fill in for them when they bomb forward as Francis does quite often.

I see what your saying, on paper it looks decent but in practise, at this level, 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 as we are playing is the way forward giving you balance in every area of the pitch. Plus, in this division, I don't think the players would feel comfortable as they are used to 4-4-2/4-4-1-1.

Although it was a different formation (3-5-2 or 5-3-2 depending on how you look at it) we mixed it up away to Oxford in the FA Cup a couple of years back and we was terrible that day. Tilson, 99.99 times out of 100 plays 4-4-2, and its the way to go.

Its the players, not the formations that cost us or win us games.

 

[BrettieAngell]

whenever we've tried playing a different formation its been a nightmare, oxford away anyone?

 

[GBJ]

That would leave us outnumbered in midfield, making it even easier to get through us. Both full backs wouldn't have any.

But as the old saying goes -

"The best form of defence is a strong offence".

 

[BoyWonder2]

But as the old saying goes -

"The best form of defence is a strong offence".

But we don't have a strong enough defence, to go out on the offence all the time though, hence the introduction of JFC and Grant to the squad.

Don't get me wrong, I love to see free flowing attacking football, but sometimes you have to knuckle down and do the ugly side of the game to achieve the success we want.

Hardwork got our recent home victories against Gillingham and MK Dons, and it sounds as though thats been missing in one or two other the last few away games.

Comparing our squad now, to that of the double promotion winning side, I'd say the current squad is very workmen like. Plenty of people putting the work in like Macca, JFC, Grant to name a few, but none of them have the footballing abilities of the likes of Maher and Guttridge for example who where both fantastic on the ball and that is where we have gone backwards in recent seasons.