RUMOUR - Church to Swansea

[sandman]

Long relies on his explosive pace whereas Church has to be a bit more subtle than that. The goal he scored at Elland Road is a perfect example of the sort of thing Churchy is capable of and needs to try to do more often. I'd like to see him shoot from range more than he does, like he did against Preston in the 09/10 season because he has a powerful shot and maybe stay a bit more central.

[Hoop Blah]

I've said it time and time again, Church is just a bit too average at everything and doesn't have a real strength to his game that will worry defenders at this level.

He'll have his good moments (such as that cracking finish vs Leeds) but he needs something extra and, as Snowball hinted at, needs to make the most of situations more instead of making it too easy for defenders and keepers to stop him at times (not sure it's a bravery thing or not but it does seem that he's not quite wanting it enough in some situations).

I'd be amazed if anyone was willing to pay that kind of money for him, but I could see him doing better in Swansea's style than ours.

[Snowball]

I've said it time and time again, Church is just a bit too average at everything and doesn't have a real strength to his game that will worry defenders at this level.

He'll have his good moments (such as that cracking finish vs Leeds) but he needs something extra and, as Snowball hinted at, needs to make the most of situations more instead of making it too easy for defenders and keepers to stop him at times (not sure it's a bravery thing or not but it does seem that he's not quite wanting it enough in some situations).

I'd be amazed if anyone was willing to pay that kind of money for him, but I could see him doing better in Swansea's style than ours.

Basically agree, but he might still come good. He's young.

What I mean, Hoop, is that he doesn't go that extra bit, dive in where he'll score or get clattered.

I honestly can't ever recall him needing the trainer. Has he?

[chilipepper91]

I've said it time and time again, Church is just a bit too average at everything and doesn't have a real strength to his game that will worry defenders at this level.

He'll have his good moments (such as that cracking finish vs Leeds) but he needs something extra and, as Snowball hinted at, needs to make the most of situations more instead of making it too easy for defenders and keepers to stop him at times (not sure it's a bravery thing or not but it does seem that he's not quite wanting it enough in some situations).

I'd be amazed if anyone was willing to pay that kind of money for him, but I could see him doing better in Swansea's style than ours.

Basically agree, but he might still come good. He's young.

What I mean, Hoop, is that he doesn't go that extra bit, dive in where he'll score or get clattered.

I honestly can't ever recall him needing the trainer. Has he?

Simon Church, yesterday, inspecting the pitch

[skipper]

What I mean, Hoop, is that he doesn't go that extra bit, dive in where he'll score or get clattered.

Didn't I read in a program / official site / this here forum / in the stands, only just recently that Church is beginning to fill Longs boots. Start chasing down those balls and lost causes??

I remember him making a crazy run yesterday to chase down the keeper, and got us a throw out of it...

I think, whilst he might not of done that extra bit, he certainly is now. We need time to actually prove whether he will come good a la Long.

[Hoop Blah]

He'll do plenty of the dead running, but I think what snowball means is when it's that little burst to dive in where it hurts between keeper and burly centre half he's not quite so keen.

I tend to agree, you don't see him clattering defenders like a Long or Henderson and I imagine he's nice to play against (unlike those two or even a fit Hunt).

[skipper]

He'll do plenty of the dead running, but I think what snowball means is when it's that little burst to dive in where it hurts between keeper and burly centre half he's not quite so keen.

I tend to agree, you don't see him clattering defenders like a Long or Henderson and I imagine he's nice to play against (unlike those two or even a fit Hunt).

In which case, he would be right. Simon's quite small though, not as stocky as Hunt / Long / Henderson...

[Snowball]

He'll do plenty of the dead running, but I think what snowball means is when it's that little burst to dive in where it hurts between keeper and burly centre half he's not quite so keen.

I tend to agree, you don't see him clattering defenders like a Long or Henderson and I imagine he's nice to play against (unlike those two or even a fit Hunt).

Exactly what I mean.

To some extent he seems to run "for show" (compared to Longy)
whereas Long wore down, wore out defenders and they said so.

I'm not really trying to be critical, and Churchy is not Longy
but despite the picture above, I don't see Churchy "Going in"
like Shane. Of course he'll get elbowed or knocked over or tackled, either
fairly or unfairly, but how often is he clattered because he does something
"stupidly brave"?


eg Most games Longy played, but, for example, the 1-1 equaliser at Southampton that broke his nose.


All this is not saying that you have to "be an animal" but we need some real fire up front, a player who
is a lump that accumulates bumps and bruises on CBs, or a sneakily dirty player, or one who runs so fast, so hard
that he knackers the opposition, forces them to give away penalties...


How many "Long-Doyle-Kitson" long balls did we play yesterday that the CBs just gobbled up?

We simply don't have the front players to play like that

[Snowball]

What I mean, Hoop, is that he doesn't go that extra bit, dive in where he'll score or get clattered.

Didn't I read in a program / official site / this here forum / in the stands, only just recently that Church is beginning to fill Longs boots. Start chasing down those balls and lost causes??

I remember him making a crazy run yesterday to chase down the keeper, and got us a throw out of it...

I think, whilst he might not of done that extra bit, he certainly is now. We need time to actually prove whether he will come good a la Long.

To some extent he is and getting ever-better. The wing play, the flick past the defender, all good stuff
but it's still, mostly, relatively "safe" stuff, like touch-rugby versus the real thing.

[skipper]

To some extent he is and getting ever-better. The wing play, the flick past the defender, all good stuff
but it's still, mostly, relatively "safe" stuff, like touch-rugby versus the real thing.

Simon's quite small though, not as stocky as Hunt / Long / Henderson, so you can forgive him not going in so strong against, typically, big centre halves

[Hoop Blah]

Church is 6ft and a professional athlete. He's bigger than both Long and Hunt, not that size makes any difference to a willingness to give and take a whack.

[skipper]

Church is 6ft and a professional athlete. He's bigger than both Long and Hunt, not that size makes any difference to a willingness to give and take a whack.

I meant small like bean pole. Hunt looks strong as does the others above. Not that that effects the willingness to give and take a whack

[Hoop Blah]

Disagree on his size, he's a good powerful build for a footballer.

Getting stuck in doesn't seem to be part of his game. That's fair enough in a way as all our players have weaknesses, of they didn't they wouldn't be at this level with us. It is something that he could address perhaps though, I think it's possibly a reading of the game and lack of pace as much as bravery mind.

[Handsome Man]

He is just too slow, and can't kick the ball hard enough. Other than that he isn't bad.

[Ian Royal]

Rodgers can shove Lita up his bum, but if he wants to offer £££££££s for Church, he's welcome to him IMO. That would be very good money for a striker who hasn't done alot to prove he has the ability to score goals consistently and generally contribute in an attacking sense.


Obviously the rumour is bollox though.

Hoop, Long was a tank of a striker and Hunt is a bit of a terrier. Church just doesn't have either the strong solid build of Long or the aggression of Hunt. That's the point. He'll chase all day long, but he won't bully someone off the ball physically very often. It's not because he's weak or particularly small.

Personally I think his problem is that he over thinks things and tenses up at the crucial moment. Tries to hard to hit his shot right or get that perfect amount of space when someone else would just strike it instinctively.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Latest rumour is that Swansea have signed Gylfi solely to use a a makeweight to get Church.

[Hoop Blah]

Hoop, Long was a tank of a striker and Hunt is a bit of a terrier. Church just doesn't have either the strong solid build of Long or the aggression of Hunt. That's the point. He'll chase all day long, but he won't bully someone off the ball physically very often. It's not because he's weak or particularly small.

What I was saying is that it's not a size thing (he's taller than the pair of them, even if not broader, and plenty big enough to throw his weight around) but a mental thing in one way or another.

[Snowball]

Hoop, Long was a tank of a striker and Hunt is a bit of a terrier. Church just doesn't have either the strong solid build of Long or the aggression of Hunt. That's the point. He'll chase all day long, but he won't bully someone off the ball physically very often. It's not because he's weak or particularly small.

What I was saying is that it's not a size thing (he's taller than the pair of them, even if not broader, and plenty big enough to throw his weight around) but a mental thing in one way or another.

Put it another way


Who would you rather get into a fight with?

Hunt would never stop hitting you,
Long would blatter you and it wouldn't matter how many times you hit him
Church would say, "Can't we just talk about this?"

[Royal Lady]

Latest rumour is that Swansea have signed Gylfi solely to use a a makeweight to get Church.

That's what Schards said!!

[Simon's Church]

Why would they need one. Surely when a bid comes in for a player we force them to leave anyway?