Good morning.
This is one to divide opinion. We appear to be selling Michael Dawson. Sir Les as he was, is affectionately known is understood to be weighing up his preferred choice of destination between QPR and Stoke.
It’s been suggested to me that the business of Liverpool being linked with Michael last week was simply a lose lipped agent discovering that the player was ‘available’.
There are a number of factors at play here. He has frequently had to combat injury and with the arrival of Villas-Boas he’s been found to be not quite sophisticated enough. Is this fair? Well, having a big heart and a desire to do your best are separate issues. Notable features of the boss’s new system is the control and focus on ball retention.
All hands to the pump type hoooooooofs up field aren’t desirable. They are old school and at best turn possession into a 50/50 ball. You’ll notice that Brad has mostly been rolling the ball to the back four’s feet.
Another issue has been development. Daws was always doing his best and improved over time, but did he ever really look ready to replace Ledley King? I’d argue not. He frequently looked the business when teamed up with Ledders but Kaboul looks a better long term bet. The addition of Jan Vertonghen the last nail in his first team coffin.
If we were on the same financial footing as Manchester City, we could afford to keep him in the squad. Alas we are not.
Sad to see Dawson go, he always gave 100%. What’s pissing me off is journalists reporting that we made him captain for the season. Where in fact AVB gave him the captains armband during preseason, but always said he wouldn’t name a captain until the ned of the transfer window! But why let facts get in the way of spicing up a story hey!
this is a big mistake letting dawson go, one of our best edge of the box defenders,i know he hasnt got the pace to play the high line but you cant play that high line in every match all the time at some point you will have to change to a deeper line,,might aswell say goodbye to parker and any other hardworking player.
It’s not suprising that we get so many injuries in Central Defence. The amount of elbowing, shirt-tugging, greco-roman wrestling sh*t that goes unpunished at corners and freekicks by referees and assistants is ridiculous. At the start of the season there is usually a purge on a particular kind of offence and it should be this one – all the way down to Sunday Football & kids leagues.