Matt Mills

[drew]

Matt Mills is a dreadful captain, he yaps like a dog and blames people for his own failings.

 

[TornadoShaunUK]

I agree with Granite Fox. You only have to look at St Ledger who seems to have turned things around. Let's not write him off yet, if he has the right attitude then I think he has the ability to turn out round, I have seen things from him that I like but he needs to accept criticism where it's warranted and he needs to realise that Pearson is the manager. The defence looked decent yesterday, we were under the cosh a lot during the second half, we got a bit fortunate on one or two occasions but in general we were well organised and getting plenty of blocks in. Morgan seemed to be doing a lot of organising the defence himself yesterday during the defending of set pieces and that's the sort of thing I like to see from a captain. I also think Kasper would make a great captain but for the fact that I'd prefer an outfield player to have the responsibility!

 

[Profondo Rosso]

Are we not in danger of villifying the guy here and picking another scapegoat?

I may not have seen him as many times as most of you (just the TV games), but he hasn't been that bad from what I have seen. He has not been a stand-out performer by any means and has made a few mistakes.

In the games I have seen he has played ok, done some good things and always put in effort and made some brave blocks. His attitude does need addressing and he has let us down with his sending offs (although I thought he was a little unlucky with the first one).

I think Sledge and Morgan looked excellent and I am not saying he should be back in the team, but are we not getting things a little out of perspective sometimes? Is it all because of what we are reported to have paid for him (Sven's issue rather than Mills)?

I agree that it did well for SSL and hopefully the same can be said of Mills. However, I definitely think he has been that bad this season and should've been dropped and had a spell months ago.

I actually think Mills has been the ultimate "tv player" or "highlights player," in that he'll look good on tv because it highlights the strengths of his games and it's easy to miss his weaknesses on the telly.

He is good at putting in "brave" blocks and made some good tackles, don't think anyone would deny that and these always look good on the telly and get replays and commentators going mad over etc. The problem has been nothing to do with his blocking or tackling, the problem has been that you need a lot more than just putting in blocks and tackles to be a good defender and putting in blocks and tackles is basically what his entire game has been so far.

He's been poor positionally and his centre-back partner has often had to dig him out of holes when he is nowhere to be seen time and time again. He doesn't actually win that many balls in the air and when he has done, even if under no pressure whatsoever, all he's done is head it straight forward, often straight back to the opposition, with no thought about trying to head it to a teammate. He's an incredibly lazy marker and often leaves his centre back partner to mark both the opposition attackers and he never comes across to cover for Peltier when he goes forward either, as SSL does when Konchesky goes forward and his and Peltier's positioning, especially recently has been all over the place and we've conceded bags full of goals because of it.

Think it was Hazzman(?) who remarked that he's just looked really lazy and like he couldn't be bothered and basically just stands there and only bothers doing something when the ball comes near him, then he'll throw himself in front of it or whatever, but he really doesn't seem to actually take note of what's going on around him off-the-ball. I tend to agree with whoever it was who said it anyway.

He seems to be the anti-Yakubu, in that people seem to like him because he shows "passion" and throws himself in front of the ball and completely ignore the fact he's not actually been doing a very good job of defending.

 

[SJN-Fox]

I agree that it did well for SSL and hopefully the same can be said of Mills. However, I definitely think he has been that bad this season and should've been dropped and had a spell months ago.

I actually think Mills has been the ultimate "tv player" or "highlights player," in that he'll look good on tv because it highlights the strengths of his games and it's easy to miss his weaknesses on the telly.

He is good at putting in "brave" blocks and made some good tackles, don't think anyone would deny that and these always look good on the telly and get replays and commentators going mad over etc. The problem has been nothing to do with his blocking or tackling, the problem has been that you need a lot more than just putting in blocks and tackles to be a good defender and putting in blocks and tackles is basically what his entire game has been so far.

He's been poor positionally and his centre-back partner has often had to dig him out of holes when he is nowhere to be seen time and time again. He doesn't actually win that many balls in the air and when he has done, even if under no pressure whatsoever, all he's done is head it straight forward, often straight back to the opposition, with no thought about trying to head it to a teammate. He's an incredibly lazy marker and often leaves his centre back partner to mark both the opposition attackers and he never comes across to cover for Peltier when he goes forward either, as SSL does when Konchesky goes forward and his and Peltier's positioning, especially recently has been all over the place and we've conceded bags full of goals because of it.

Think it was Hazzman(?) who remarked that he's just looked really lazy and like he couldn't be bothered and basically just stands there and only bothers doing something when the ball comes near him, then he'll throw himself in front of it or whatever, but he really doesn't seem to actually take note of what's going on around him off-the-ball. I tend to agree with whoever it was who said it anyway.

He seems to be the anti-Yakubu, in that people seem to like him because he shows "passion" and throws himself in front of the ball and completely ignore the fact he's not actually been doing a very good job of defending.

Yes, but apart from that he's ok!

 

[drummindefender]

Why are there so many posts ? Simply Mills has been crap for too long, Morgan has come in and done a good job and deserves his place. Bamba also deserves his place on the bench because he has been our most consistent defender this season.

Also in regards to CB I think the future is Morgan (who is basically the player we all expected Mills to be) and Bamba, although I'm sure SSL will have something to say about that.

 

[Biffa Bacon]

Why are there so many posts ? Simply Mills has been crap for too long, Morgan has come in and done a good job and deserves his place. Bamba also deserves his place on the bench because he has been our most consistent defender this season.

Also in regards to CB I think the future is Morgan (who is basically the player we all expected Mills to be) and Bamba, although I'm sure SSL will have something to say about that.

Bamba looked poor last night, short stint at right back I know, but it'll take a bit for him to get past SSL based on that performance.

Sent from my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio Z715e using Tapatalk

 

[Lako42]

Bamba looked poor last night, short stint at right back I know, but it'll take a bit for him to get past SSL based on that performance.

Sent from my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio Z715e using Tapatalk

Out of position cameo when our backs were utterly against the wall hardly seems a fair scenario to judge him.

I'll stick to his previous performances in his position where he has been outstanding.

 

[drummindefender]

He still made a couple of great blocks !

 

[Biffa Bacon]

Out of position cameo when our backs were utterly against the wall hardly seems a fair scenario to judge him.

I'll stick to his previous performances in his position where he has been outstanding.

I wouldn't change anything until injury/suspension require it, Morgan and SSL performing fine. Bamba and Mills should have to wait their time just as SSL and Morgan did. I wasn't judging Bamba on that performance as I said in my original point.

 

[Miles Away]

Spot on Biff.

Keep a solid unit intact until it begins to look ropey.

 

[Lako42]

I wouldn't change anything until injury/suspension require it, Morgan and SSL performing fine. Bamba and Mills should have to wait their time just as SSL and Morgan did.

I agree.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

Yep. I'd fourth that. Definitely keep Morgan and SSL in as it stands, SSL has been exceptional since he's come back in the side after being transfer listed, one of our very best players in the past month or two and he was dreadful before that as well. Hopefully the same thing can happen to Mills.

 

[drummindefender]

I never said we should change it now I just think that will be the partnership long term !

 

[SwedeFox]

Matt Mills is a dreadful captain, he yaps like a dog and blames people for his own failings.

How does he like his children done?

 

[Macky]

My point is that Mills has only been here for a few months and Pearson knows the players that were here during his first spell inside out, who is Matt Mills to decide that he suddenly knows better?

Like a few have said recently, he should look to his own performances before criticising those of others.

That's all very well Rich, but how do we know that Millsy has done any of that? How do you know that he has criticised anybody and how do you know he has tried to tell Pearson his job?

 

[Jeff]

That's all very well Rich, but how do we know that Millsy has done any of that? How do you know that he has criticised anybody and how do you know he has tried to tell Pearson his job?

It was on the internet, so it must be true.

 

[M17TT C]

Same as Macky - seems people like to read anything and then decide if it is true or not to fit their point. Nothing personal towards you rich but seems to be done a lot on here. As it stands, all we know is Mills was on the bench last Saturday and then not in the squad at all last night and that's it. No one has given any reason as to why this has happened so anything said is pure speculation.

GF has got it spot on though - Mills is just being made a scapegoat here and by a lot of posters who knocked criticism of Gally a week or so back. Glad the SSL point has been brought up too as when he was on the transfer list, I was one of the few that still said he deserves a propper chance and now he is in the team, everyone loves him.

 

[Matt_B]

There have been much worse performers than Mills in the team recently. Had he not cost (or been labelled with the high cost) then I doubt he'd be in for such scrutiny. Peltier has been out of position and responsible for more goals this season IMO but that gets blamed on Gallagher; if he'd cost more I wonder if that would still be the case?

 

[drew]

There have been much worse performers than Mills in the team recently. Had he not cost (or been labelled with the high cost) then I doubt he'd be in for such scrutiny. Peltier has been out of position and responsible for more goals this season IMO but that gets blamed on Gallagher; if he'd cost more I wonder if that would still be the case?

Mills has been shit, but you think there have been much worse performers than him? Name some that have held a regular position like Mills and performed "much worse".

 

[Matt_B]

Mills has been shit, but you think there have been much worse performers than him? Name some that have held a regular position like Mills and performed "much worse".

Peltier, Wellens and Dyer spring to mind. What is worse than shit? I ask because if Mills has been shit, then what the hell were players like Rogers, Lewis etc when they were here?

Mills hasn't been as good as his price tag, but he's not been shit. He's had a few stupid sending offs but hasn't been directly responsible for as many goals as the full backs. He's not a Premier League player but he proved last year he is good enough to be a in team in the playoff positions. I very much doubt he would be being labelled as shit had he not cost so much and not been made captain.