We have to be brave

[hal9thou]

'the Mbia/Derry role'

If Derry fit, would you only play him if others out through injury etc?

Fact that Derry and Clint are still there is a compliment to their hard work but an indictment of how money was spent and indeed the management issue as a whole (Barton et al)

[Geng]

If Derry fit, would you only play him if others out through injury etc?

Fact that Derry and Clint are still there is a compliment to their hard work but an indictment of how money was spent and indeed the management issue as a whole (Barton et al)

Yeah, its completely insane that we got promoted with a few Championship level players winding down their careers, and £100m+ later they're still starting for us. I think if we had had a smoother transition into the Premier League QPR then we might never have needed Hill or Derry this season. I'm sure in a settled side the likes of Granero or Onuoha would outperform Derry and Hill.* But for us, this year, we have needed the inspiration and dedication the latter two give us.

I would start Mbia ahead of Derry most of the time, yeah. He is so much more mobile, which allows him to close down opponents much faster, and allows us as a team to move further up the pitch. Both players are equally poor in possession, though Mbia adds something as he can carry it forward albeit without necessarily being in control of the ball. For me, Derry would start only against the very top sides where we are happy to conceded possession and territory, and he can sit just in front of the back four with Mbia and one other ahead of him.

*on this point, imagine if Derry went to Real Madrid or Hill to Man City. Neither would ever get a game, whereas Granero was a squad player at Real and Onuoha at City (and a regular when on loan to Sunderland). But Real and City are well oiled teams, where everyone knows their job, and they tend to be on top in most games, plus neither side are prone to spectacular collapses mid-game.