Latics look for Liddell boost - End of March

[rudemedic]

We've had 2. Bournemouth and Milwall. But yes, he has a pretty awesome record!

 

Isn't it three with Swansea as well. As to Andy Liddle he was a quality player and if he didn't play at the highest league level then he was very unlucky (much like Mr. Eyres) but I'd wager with two operations on an achilles in as many years he's done as the achilles isn't something that fixes easily. It'd be nice to see him back in the squad and i'd think he'd give us options especially from the bench but I wouldn't give him a new contract (which i believe he's due for at the end of the season) he could do a job don't get me wrong but I wouldn't pay his kind of wages for someone that can only do a job and is now injury prone.

[jorvik_latic]

Ricketts on the opening day

Was Lidds in the team that day?

Yeah he was.

 

Edit..came on as a sub though

Edited February 21, 2008 by jorvik_latic

[Gemma06]

Ricketts on the opening day

Was Lidds in the team that day?

 

He was on the bench, wasn't on the pitch when it was scored

[jorvik_latic]

And Swansea, Davies scored it.

Yep, missed that one.

[oafcprozac]

Yeah he was.

 

 

Lidds was dropped to the bench on the opening day to accomodate that irritating litle gob:censored:e that thinks he can win games on his own. Look how well we're doing at home now he's gone. Look how bad his new employers are doing, shame he's injured...........not! Bitter moi, yep cos never wanted him back in the first place! Come on you bluesaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh

[leeslover]

As to Andy Liddle he was a quality player and if he didn't play at the highest league level then he was very unlucky

I think he played in the Prem for Baaaarnsely. I don't really see his "legs going" as a huge issue given what he does for us, we all know he isn't relying on pace. He still gets up and down the wing well enough and his partnership with Eardley often gets one or other into a position to cross. Someone said last year (can't remember who) that they felt he was playing slightly within himself as he knew he couldn't go all out for 90 minutes for 46 games, but he did go all out towards the end of the season. I can't see him conserving himself for any time he's on the pitch now.

[garcon]

The people who complain about his legs going are the ones who have only one parameter with which to judge a player - the amount of running about they do. Doesn't have to be productive running about, doesn't even have to be with the ball. But as long as they run about like a headless chicken for 90 minutes they're a feckin hero. (Be honest - why else was Warney such a legend?)

[OldhamSheridan]

The people who complain about his legs going are the ones who have only one parameter with which to judge a player - the amount of running about they do. Doesn't have to be productive running about, doesn't even have to be with the ball. But as long as they run about like a headless chicken for 90 minutes they're a feckin hero. (Be honest - why else was Warney such a legend?)

 

Yes. That's it. I didn't see him backtracking every time he got the ball and playing it back to the fullback at best. I didn't see Eardley making the runs in front of him, and being vastly out of position when he didn't get the ball as Liddell couldn't play the ball to him as he was facing in the wrong direction.

 

Once he couldn't beat a man* he stopped trying to do so. That brought the whole right hand side to a standstill and made Eardley look like a complete plonker half the time (not that it is much better now for him). The production went downhill and he genuinely wasn't worth his place - and I'd struggle to put him in front of the emerging Smalley on the bench myself.

 

 

*I don't mean running past him, just enough to play the ball productively.

[Gemma06]

Yes. That's it. I didn't see him backtracking every time he got the ball and playing it back to the fullback at best. I didn't see Eardley making the runs in front of him, and being vastly out of position when he didn't get the ball as Liddell couldn't play the ball to him as he was facing in the wrong direction.

 

Once he couldn't beat a man* he stopped trying to do so. That brought the whole right hand side to a standstill and made Eardley look like a complete plonker half the time (not that it is much better now for him). The production went downhill and he genuinely wasn't worth his place - and I'd struggle to put him in front of the emerging Smalley on the bench myself.

*I don't mean running past him, just enough to play the ball productively.

 

He does need people to move for him though, when he was playing at the beginning of the season he didn't have Hughes up front and he didn't have McDonald making runs from midfield. His first two seasons he also had Wellens playing inside him who was constantly making himself available to everyone which is something we have really missed since he left. I'm not saying his distribution is perfect but it is better than most of our other players and if people make runs he will pick them out.

[rudemedic]

The thing with the achilles is that it has such a poor blood supply (think about where it is) and you need it for everything that you'd do on a football pitch (it basically powers the foot). Its not a case of Liddle not being able to run (which i don't think he did much of to begin with but he was still a good player) its more a case of being able to kick a football that regularly and move about a bit without ending up disabled as result. He might be able do a Shez (not do much running but still pick a pass and put the odd penalty away) but I'm not sure I'd want to pay him his wages to do that at our level but at a big league 2 club he'd be fine if he wanted to carry on playing. TBH I can see him hanging up his boots if we get to the play-offs and go to Wembley (go out on a high and all that).

[tactically_naive]

"His legs have gone". Ah, that old cliche.

 

As long he continues to have a wand of a right peg, which he did last time I saw him play, then he will be a welcome addition to the squad in my book and I suspect will link with Hughes well. Look how prolific Porter was last season with Lidds in the side pinging 'em in from the right.

[Stitch_KTF]

Yes. That's it. I didn't see him backtracking every time he got the ball and playing it back to the fullback at best. I didn't see Eardley making the runs in front of him, and being vastly out of position when he didn't get the ball as Liddell couldn't play the ball to him as he was facing in the wrong direction.

 

Once he couldn't beat a man* he stopped trying to do so. That brought the whole right hand side to a standstill and made Eardley look like a complete plonker half the time (not that it is much better now for him). The production went downhill and he genuinely wasn't worth his place - and I'd struggle to put him in front of the emerging Smalley on the bench myself.

*I don't mean running past him, just enough to play the ball productively.

 

[Rick]

Get him a one way train ticket to Blackpool. He can keep Taylor company, hey Derek?