McAnuff- New captain

[Friday's Legacy]

sorry just noticed that's pre-watford. things just get worse for mcanuff then.

[moonwalklikebas]

Sorry RL, but I've seen him do this too. I get the feeling that because he doesn't spend his time shouting into player's faces it gets overlooked. Maybe he needs to flag up to the crowd when he does it.

out of 90 minutes a captain should be talking for more than 50% of the match (look at gerrard, terry, barton last night)

Ok so he may open his mouth but not enough to warrant any praise, his leadership is poor and it should change immediately to see any progress for both his game and the sides.

[brendywendy]

some lead by shouting, some lead by example, both are equally valid and effective ways of leading
in fact many would say that the latter is better

[Hoop Blah]

Agreed brendy, it's horses for courses really.

I would say that in our current plight a ranter and raver might not be the best for confidence and motivation. Some will obviously think that what they need is a bit of bullying into action but either way, we've not really got that character in the squad (let alone the starting 11) by the looks of things.

[DOYLERSAROYALER]

some lead by shouting, some lead by example, both are equally valid and effective ways of leading
in fact many would say that the latter is better

...well looking foward to McAnuff leading by example then...if he has to date then that explains shit start to season i guess

[Compo's Hat]

From what i've read already so far tonight on various friends social networking sites i think its a good time to bump this back up onto the first page.

[leicsRoyal]

It can be the only reason that he remained on the field tonight, he was truly shocking as both a player and a captain.
He did absolutely nothing of any note all night and didn't seem particularly interested in chasing back.
With an attitude like that as captain we will never see a team that raises their game.

[winchester_royal]

It can be the only reason that he remained on the field tonight, he was truly shocking as both a player and a captain.
He did absolutely nothing of any note all night and didn't seem particularly interested in chasing back.
With an attitude like that as captain we will never see a team that raises their game.

The goal was his fault. Didn't bother tracking the full back who put in the cross. Sums him up that when the goal went in he was still ambling around on the half-way line.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Has McDermott got the bottle to change the captain mid season? I for one hope so as this should have happened the day Gorkss signed.

[DOYLERSAROYALER]

Been saying it for ages ...Mcanuff does not warrant the captains armband, given his performances, but equally I don't think BM has the balls to put his hands up and admit he made a mistake in making him captain in first place ......the big issue is that because he's captain, he's undroppable,and if there are weak links in that team, then he is definitely one of them...

Let's just wait for BM's vote of confidence, and positivity, about how Mcanuff is the right man for the job blah blah blah......

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Let's just wait for BM's vote of confidence, and positivity, about how Mcanuff is the right man for the job blah blah blah......

Xmas will be hear soon you never know.

[royal67]

Surely McAnuff is bright enough to realise if the burden of the captains armband is affecting his performances? Or am I being over optimistic here....? I would hope that if he has, he would at least have a discussion with BMcD about 'letting somebody else have a go.....' This would demonstrate his commitment to the cause would it not...?
He is a frustrating player without doubt, brilliant in flashes but can be totally pants too...... Personally, I'd like to see him be able to focus on his footballing skills and let somebody else give the team pep talks......

[Wimb]

Jobi is very much respected in the dressing room and is a senior pro that's played in the Championship longer than anyone else in the current squad. Brian and other players have consistantly said he's a good leader and someone the younger pros look up to and if they're happy then so should we.

To be honest it's pretty desperate if we're pinning his poor form, or the general team form on an armband. Yes he's a captain and it has some symbollic/off the pitch kudos but on it it's up to everyone to keep spirits up and motivated. Gorkks has just as much power to influence the team now as if he had the arm band as does Leigertwood, Feds and the other senior guys on the pitch, on the bench and in the squad in general.

Don't see the need to make a change unless Jobi himself comes out and says he doesn't want it.

[melonhead]

tbh i dont see a huge difference between mcanuff with/without the arm band
its just that everyone now just expects it to have turned him into a world beater
rather than a hugely talented but ultimately frustrating player
was same at watford apparently

[Hoop Blah]

Totally agree Wimb.

Wingers have bad games, it's part and parcel and the position, the demands on it and the nature of being creative. It's why consistently creative players are so sought after and so expensive to buy (or keep hold of).

The armband is an easy thing to use as a stick to hit McAnuff with, but it doesn't seem to have effected him or the team when we've played well, so I'm not sure we should be bringing this back up when we play badly. We've had bad games when 'natural leaders' like Parky, Murty, Williams etc etc were captains, and they all had bad games when wearing the armband so we can't expect McAnuff to be any different.

Are his performances any different to last season when people were bemoaning his poor performances at times?

[Croydon Royal]

Totally agree Wimb.

Wingers have bad games, it's part and parcel and the position, the demands on it and the nature of being creative. It's why consistently creative players are so sought after and so expensive to buy (or keep hold of).

The armband is an easy thing to use as a stick to hit McAnuff with, but it doesn't seem to have effected him or the team when we've played well, so I'm not sure we should be bringing this back up when we play badly. We've had bad games when 'natural leaders' like Parky, Murty, Williams etc etc were captains, and they all had bad games when wearing the armband so we can't expect McAnuff to be any different.

Are his performances any different to last season when people were bemoaning his poor performances at times?

I completely agree with the points that you, Melonhead and Wimb are making, but is the concern that McDermott won't substitute McAnuff because he's captain? I fully agree that McAnuff had bad games before he was captain, but I bet he got hauled off in a few of them (especially as that wingers, along with strikers, seem to be the first to be subbed) and his replacements may have changed the game. Whereas this season he seems to have had terrible games - I didn't go last night but it sounds like he was the worst player on the pitch - yet he still hasn't be taken off. Especially when we're playing as we have been, we can't afford a passenger, and if we need to attack teams then taking him off and letting someone like Kanu/Obita/even Antonio run at a tired defence is surely preferable than adjusting our shape and moving people all over the pitch just so we can accommodate and out of sorts captain?

[melonhead]

thats a good point- i do think he could benefit from a good dropping

[Wimb]

Brian wasn't afraid to drop Ivar, not afraid to drop Griffin/Harte and not afraid to keep Kebe on the bench. If he feels McAnuff needs to be dropped he'd do it.

[melonhead]

yeah, i think he would too
he has learned from coppells errors(or was never likely to suffer from them himself)

[Hoop Blah]

Brian wasn't afraid to drop Ivar, not afraid to drop Griffin/Harte and not afraid to keep Kebe on the bench. If he feels McAnuff needs to be dropped he'd do it.

Agreed. McAnuff has very rarely been subbed by McDermott throughout his time, much to my disdain at times. Not so much because I've felt McAnuff deserved to be taken off, but because far too many times he's been moved into the middle to cover for our lack of a viable central midfielder.

McAnuff appears to be a McDermott favourite (rightly or wrongly) and I don't think having the armband will really have changed things that much for to be honest.

The fact we don't have much of a creative alternative on either wing (or centrally) probably means McAnuff will get away with more below par performances than he otherwise might.