Ned confirmed as captain.

[peterlund.dk]

I don't think Ned is a bad captain per se, but we can only judge from what happens on the pitch. We can't see how he behaves during training or off the field, only LF, JFH and other players know that. So that is an unknown factor in this whole proper-captain-kerfluffle.

Besides, we know what we're going to get with Ned. Bidwell and Lynch haven't played a single proper game for us, so making any one of those two captain at this moment in time would be hopelessly premature. We don't even know if they'll command a starting XI spot in the coming season.

And this leads me to the next point. If the best back four this coming season turns out to be Bidwell - Lynch - Hall - Perch, then we need to have a different captain anyways, as Ned is not on the pitch. And if we know that our best back four contains Bidders and Lynch, we'll also know if any of the two are captain material.

[nasser95]

two sides to it really. Point one being i dont trust Ned as CB. his great pace everyone bangs on about is more often than not used because he is well out of position. absolutely toilet on the ball and his nervousness seems to spread.
Point 2 being from what i have seen of Lynch (and granted not a whole lot), he looks far better composed on the ball and will complement Hall better,

Toilet on the ball? This is where I think people get it wrong on him. Not one of our defenders across the back four except perch gets forward and has the ability to run with the ball and beat a man like Ned. His size and stature makes him look uncomfortable on the ball but he is far from it. Here are some stonewall facts to put forward in the comparison between Onuoha and Lynch.

Per game, Ned has lost the ball less than Lynch (around half as much as Lynch). Who's made more runs with the ball? Ned has by quite a distance. Why is this relevant to a centre back? He's gotten forward and made things happen, started attacks. Per game, both of them have won around the same amount of aerial duels with Lynch slightly ahead. Lynch has played more passes per game by 7 but his long ball accuracy is worse than Neds, although his short pass accuracy is a bit better too. Onuoha's made double the blocks per game that Lynch has, more successful clearances per game, committed the same amount of fouls per game, wayyyy more interceptions than Lynch per game, has attempted and succeeded with significantly more tackles this season as well (attempted 2.3 and succeeded with 2 per game compared to Lynch's 1.3 attempted and 1 succeeded).

Will Lynch be good for us? Of course he will, he's a good player with good experience at this level, but Ned is definitely superior and it shows in the performances, stats and outcome. Ned's led us to conceding only 54 goals, Lynch led Huddersfield to conceding 70 goals and while it's not right to suggest they're solely responsible for these outcomes, I think the difference is significant enough to suggest one's had a better season than another and that is Ned. When we open the season, we should make as few changes as possible from the side that ended last season in order to maintain continuity. For me, that means the first back 5 should be Ingram, Perch, Ned, Hall, Bidwell. From then on, we treat them purely on merit of performance, whether Ned is captain or not, he should not be treated preferentially, if he performs poorly, he should be replaced, we now have the depth defensively to do that. That should be the case for everyone in that back 5.

[Bigdave]

Jesus Christ Nasser get your #### out of Onoura's ####.

The way you describe him you make him out to be some sort of defensive rock holding us together.

Do you actually watch games or just analyse stats?

[Kevin Mcleod]

Have we got any players apart from the keepers that do not divide opinion amongst the fans?
Hall maybe?

[brightonr]

Have we got any players apart from the keepers that do not divide opinion amongst the fans?
Hall maybe?

Not whilst Nasser is about.

[nasser95]

Jesus Christ Nasser get your #### out of Onoura's ####.

The way you describe him you make him out to be some sort of defensive rock holding us together.

Do you actually watch games or just analyse stats?

I think this is the 15th time now I've said it on this site but here goes again. I go to every home game live, then come back home, check my stats on the way back and then at home again. Watch the game the next day on player with more of an emphasis on the things I saw in the stats. For away games, I listen on player live, then check stats, then watch the 90 on player the next day, then during the week, I'll rewatch parts of the game. So in total I watch each match twice and keep up with the stats at the same time.

[nasser95]

Not whilst Nasser is about.

Never the most fun being as divisive as I am but I guess it's what happens haha. Whatever, people are guaranteed to have opinions, I just don't want mine to be given without facts to back it up.

[Stanley]

Who's your first choice back four Nasser?

[Rangers77]

I think this is the 15th time now I've said it on this site but here goes again. I go to every home game live, then come back home, check my stats on the way back and then at home again. Watch the game the next day on player with more of an emphasis on the things I saw in the stats. For away games, I listen on player live, then check stats, then watch the 90 on player the next day, then during the week, I'll rewatch parts of the game. So in total I watch each match twice and keep up with the stats at the same time.

Fair play. I go to yoga, go to the home game live, then come back home, b itching and moaning on WATRBs about what a crock of s hit I've seen. So hope this season will be different. Barring the yoga.

[Bigdave]

I think this is the 15th time now I've said it on this site but here goes again. I go to every home game live, then come back home, check my stats on the way back and then at home again. Watch the game the next day on player with more of an emphasis on the things I saw in the stats. For away games, I listen on player live, then check stats, then watch the 90 on player the next day, then during the week, I'll rewatch parts of the game. So in total I watch each match twice and keep up with the stats at the same time.

Have you ever kissed a girl?

[Shepherds Mush]

Personally think the only way to take the Captaincy off Onuha is to sell him.

[LoftusRoadLad]

I say dont rock the boat

sent from Fuengirola

[Joe90]

I always see keepers as de facto captains because of the nature of their position, so in our case I think we might be better off having Karl Henry as captain. You need that presence further up the field not coming from the back.

[nasser95]

Who's your first choice back four Nasser?

As I said in the post above, my first choice for the start of the season is Perch, Ned, Hall, Bidwell.

[Stanley]

my first choice for the start of the season is Perch, Ned, Hall, Bidwell.

So the fact that you put him ahead of Lynch says all we need to know.

All about opinions, as ever.