100milesaway Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Excellent post, sums up the whole situation regarding Gregan and Hazell very well. ditto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejh45 Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 For my two peneth on the subject of Gregan: For me, every team needs a “Gregan”, and by that I mean a no-nonsense, committed, swaggering presence. Every team has a go-to man who adds to the team physicality & strength and for the last couple of seasons that has been Gregan for us. In the sides of the last couple of seasons; we’ve been far too lightweight & often been bullied out of games due to the meek nature of some of our players – that accusation could never be levelled at Gregan; far too often he has been the only player who has looked to get into the thick of games, try to dominate & stand up and be counted. Whilst I am an admirer of what Greegs brings to the team; I’m not 100% clouded in some of his failings. I do understand the ‘lack of pace’ that gets thrown in all the time by his detractors. But, in fairness to the man; he wasn’t exactly Usain Bolt when he arrived; nor has he been throughout his career. When he arrived; if we’re all honest; we new he wasn’t the pacey type centre halves you see at the top Premier clubs; if he was he simply wouldn’t have been with us. He was & still is the old school CB type, who wasn’t the quickest then & still isn’t. BUT, I don’t think his pace should be used to hang him with. Across the leagues, right from the Prem down to the Unibond; there are tonnes of players who lack pace; but bring lots more to sides apart from the ability to beat a cheetah at the 100m – and Gregan falls into this category. Someone earlier levelled that Greegs is unable to win any headers that require him to jump – I really strongly disagree with that. More often than not; he has already “manoeuvred” the striker out of the way which means he doesn’t have to jump; he has already won the battle meaning he has a comfortable header that he can take with his feet planted on the pitch. When he has had to jump; I can only recall Howard & Becchio consistently giving him some aggro – not bad over a season IIRC. Gregan will be more than fine this season for us; doing exactly what he has done in all his time with us; I have no worries about him. It’s the form of the other CB that worries me; Hazell is in a slump & needs taking out of the firing line; so a new CB is required – but it’s certainly not to replace Sean Gregan IMO! I despair, I really do!!! "Emperor's new clothes" comes to mind!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daznathe Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 wow.. your all a SEASON to late shouldnt of had him last season.... daznath is going to love this im not loving it. sometimes i actually want to be wrong, this was one of them ocassions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Keep up the comedy chaps, my afternoon is just flying by... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 IMO Gregan's has a problem dealing with crosses, he is ok with a man directly in front of him where he can use his muscle, but struggles to clear corner kicks. Also how many goals has he headed in since he has been at the club from Latics attacking corners ? Hazell isn't too good a clearing corners and neither are the full backs, so with a goalkeeper who stays on his line it's no wonder the opposition relish set plays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejh45 Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 (edited) IMO Gregan's has a problem dealing with crosses, he is ok with a man directly in front of him. That's 'cos it's a helluva long way round Gregan to run!!! Edited August 4, 2009 by mikejh45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otid Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 This whole issue is not (sorry, should not) be about a single individual. It's a team game and it's extremely rare that all 11 (in any team) will fire on the same day. What you hope, is that the majority will fire in the majority of games and that will help to pull the team through to a successful season. Hopefully, in such circumstances, they would all have their form spells and their 'mare' spells. Well, we all know that such ideals are as unlikely as a 409 arriving just when you want it to....but that's life. What seems to be surprising at Latics is that we don't deal very well with this obvious pattern behaviour. Clubs (and fans) up and down the country suffer exactly what we do....and many with far more frequency than we do.....yet at BP, we simply have to have our boo boys. OK, you might argue that all clubs do....and to some extent i'd agree with you. If it wasn't Gregan it'd be somebody else....but .....i reckon if Gregan wasn't so vocal and just kept his head down and got on with it, i reckon he'd escape much of the flack he cops for. I'm not a Gregan fan or a Gregan hater....but as a Latics fan i'm prepared for disappointments and only ever prepared to give a player stick if they aren't giving it their all. I can't ever remember a single game where Gregan could be accused of not giving his all....which is why i'm so surprised that he cops as much antipathy as he does. Ah well.....'twas ever thus! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch_KTF Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 That's 'cos it's a helluva long way round Gregan to run!!! Which, considering his lack of pace, is a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch_KTF Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I'm not a Gregan fan or a Gregan hater....but as a Latics fan i'm prepared for disappointments and only ever prepared to give a player stick if they aren't giving it their all. I can't ever remember a single game where Gregan could be accused of not giving his all....which is why i'm so surprised that he cops as much antipathy as he does. This is why I stick up for him so vehemently on here, and also why I like him so much. Many a poster has crowed about backing any player who gives his all.......and then slated Greegs without good reason not long afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejh45 Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 This whole issue is not (sorry, should not) be about a single individual. It's a team game and it's extremely rare that all 11 (in any team) will fire on the same day. What you hope, is that the majority will fire in the majority of games and that will help to pull the team through to a successful season. Hopefully, in such circumstances, they would all have their form spells and their 'mare' spells. Well, we all know that such ideals are as unlikely as a 409 arriving just when you want it to....but that's life. What seems to be surprising at Latics is that we don't deal very well with this obvious pattern behaviour. Clubs (and fans) up and down the country suffer exactly what we do....and many with far more frequency than we do.....yet at BP, we simply have to have our boo boys. OK, you might argue that all clubs do....and to some extent i'd agree with you. If it wasn't Gregan it'd be somebody else....but .....i reckon if Gregan wasn't so vocal and just kept his head down and got on with it, i reckon he'd escape much of the flack he cops for. I'm not a Gregan fan or a Gregan hater....but as a Latics fan i'm prepared for disappointments and only ever prepared to give a player stick if they aren't giving it their all. I can't ever remember a single game where Gregan could be accused of not giving his all....which is why i'm so surprised that he cops as much antipathy as he does. Ah well.....'twas ever thus! Bugger off with your common sense approach to a long standing petty argument!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boundaryblue80 Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 (edited) Gregan v Branston just shows your ignorance. Do you think Hazell mis-kicking and slicing every ball, Lomax constantly out of position and costing us goals in the process and Brill rooted to his line as if he had been nailed to it, were not in some massive way responsible for the 4 goals conceded on Saturday. Blaming Gregan for everything is just stupid, he was caught out for pace and a quick turn twice and was forced to bring the player down, that is his achilles heal. Have a close watch of Hazell in a game, who by the way you have spent months praising and defending to the skies, he is absolutely dire and thats were you maybe should be making your Branston comparison. I don't need to watch Hazell's game...I see his failings and you certainly won't have heard me praise Hazell one bit over the pre-season as he's been as gash, if not worse than Gregan. He's been a different man since he got his well-earned new contract. My issue is with the "wool over eyes" view you and too many others have with El Capitano...not my stance over a player you don't like, for reasons I can see. On another post I've said we need 2 new defenders (in a perfect world.) Altho, I've got time for Reuben to sort it out...he's earned his time. Gregan hasn't after last seasons events! (Infact, last 2 taking into account the way he destroyed the teams confidence in the playoff season when he 1st started his blame all others trait) The funniest thing is while most crucify Gregan for his lack of pace, that isn't my biggest concern...it's the one thing that makes him look more like Branston with every passing month...this...dog after a bone, bull in a chinashop, launching out of the back line to win that header at all costs...yes, looks good doesn't it. Well, until it lands straight to the oppo, who attacks straight back at us...cue Gregan caught in no-mans land, others scrapping and 6's and 7's to fill in and the usual calamatous goal gifted away. Often the blame apportioned elsewhere as they couldn't cover...when the problem began elsewhere. I wouldn't be as concerned had these goals been through well crafted moves...but it isn't...lots of times last season it was this one trait that was continually putting the back line under pressure whether it leaked us a goal or not. That's where my Macho Man Gregan-Branston comparison stands up very well. Worryingly. And whereas last season, I hoped he'd turn it around, this season I've zero confidence of him doing so. He'll do well in the big games...then cost us in the Yeovil at home games! Edited August 4, 2009 by boundaryblue80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 I was unhappy when Gregan was re-signed, but I'm not going to jump on the told-you-so handcart in which some think we're going to Hell. I believe that if we had been playing Leeds last Saturday both Gregan and Hazell would have been outstanding. They have the ability to play well at this level but, for some unknown reason, they choose only to do so when they want to rise to the occasion. Consistency is required and, if their hearts are in the challenge ahead, we may still see them operating as a solid defensive partnership............ but I'm not holding my breath. Confirmed by Gregan in tonight's rarely wrong Chron: "The same applies to me because, with no disrespect to the likes of Accrington and Morecambe, I would much rather be playing at the likes of Norwich, Southampton and Leeds...." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boundaryblue80 Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Confirmed by Gregan in tonight's rarely wrong Chron: "The same applies to me because, with no disrespect to the likes of Oldham, Accrington and Morecambe, I would much rather be playing at the likes of Norwich, Southampton and Leeds...." After last season, I think my edit is more like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hometownclub Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 There you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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