KELVIN DAVIS has been in goal for every League game this season and got voted into the League 1 team of the season which he also managed last year. In my opinion he’s had a worse season this year than last and though we haven’t let in many goals, there have been quite a few that he really should have stopped. He seemed to develop near-post-itis for the second half of the season and looked shaky for a while but when he’s confident however, there is no one to touch him in League 1 and he will be more than capable in the Championship next year where being busier will probably suit him. Overall, I’d say he had a solid if unspectacular season.
BARTOSZ BIALKOWSKI has had a couple of cup games and that’s it so my opinion that he is a good keeper and more than capable of being our No 1 is based on a few games last year and some appearances about 5 years ago. You do wonder how long he’s going to stick around being 2nd choice and I wonder why he’s never been on loan anywhere significant.
The answer might be that no one trusts TOMMY DISMAL FORECAST, even to sit on the bench. Every passing match when he’s not even on the bench, increases the realisation that we got royally mugged when we signed this bloke on a 5 year contract as he’s now 4 years into it and I saw him play for the first time on Sunday – as the third choice keeper in a friendly against a team of 40+ year olds. Haven’t we got a decent young keeper who can be 3rd choice ?
Right back has been either DANNY BUTTERFIELD or FRAZER RICHARDSON. Richardson was obviously signed to be first choice and then dislocated his shoulder immediately, meaning we still needed a right back and so Butterfield was brought in. To be honest there has been very very little to choose between these two all season with Richardson winning on aggression and by physically being bigger and quicker and Butterfield winning on positioning and generally being less likely to make a mistake and less likely to give ball away which is a bit of a Richardson speciality – sometimes you can’t even see who he was aiming at, making him a bit of a right footed Benali. Richardson looks better going forward but I reckon Butterfield has set up more goals, mainly by cutting back and putting in crosses with his left foot. Both have Championship experience and both are easily good enough for next season but apparently Butters is out of contract so who knows what is going on there. My opinion on who is best changes every day which is why I’m not a manager – just a person who thinks he knows what he’s talking about, sometimes.
DAN HARDING is a player I worry about a bit for next season. He’s fine going forward but he seems to struggle when we’re put under any pressure. There are times when he just doesn’t seem strong enough, particularly in the air and he does have a tendency to let mistakes bother him and then he just falls to bits and ends up being subbed early. He’s had a decent season (again making the League 1 Team of the Year) and does some great stuff in attack but next year there’s going to be more defending to do and he’ll have to step up. It’s slightly odd that he’s been allowed to get to the end of his contract and no mention of it being renewed as yet. I feel that he deserves the chance to at least see if he can play at that level next year as he’s been pretty consistent in his two years at League 1 level.
RYAN DICKSON was a surprising signing seeing as Harding did well last year and he took time to adjust and found himself out of favour when the manager changed. Quicker than Harding and a better crosser of the ball but again, can be a bit flaky in defence but his pace often gets him out of trouble. Still only 23 and will improve. Personally, he’d be my first choice and he gets an extra mark for being on Twitter but there is very little in it. One of the two will step up and left back is not a position we will have to worry about next season.
The first choice pairing have been JOSE FONTE and Radhi Jaidi. Fonte has been imperious this season and is the best centre back in the league bar none. It is still a total mystery to me why he came down to play in League 1 when he’s good enough to play in the Premier League. Though he’s a big lad and more than capable of mixing it, he’s better off reading the game and sweeping up whilst letting a big ‘first knock’ centre half challenge for the ball. Chipped in with about 7 goals this season as well and provided one of the best moments of the season with the goal in the last minute at the Withdean. Will be linked with moves away, especially to Newcastle where Alan Pardew is manager. The same media outlets who report that he’s off to Newcastle will be the same ones who reported that he and Pardew had fallen out. This may come as a surprise to you but the media write a load of bollocks.
RADHI JAIDI has been superb in the ‘first knock’ centra half role – he just gives me kittens when he’s trying to pass the ball. He can look a little clumsy at time but it’s brilliant to have a defender who wins headers cleanly and sends them miles up the pitch, usually accompanied by an opposition forward. We haven’t had as good a header of the ball since Michael Svensson and every team needs one. Of course, he’s about 42 now and out of contract and him getting another will depend on Nigel deciding is he can contribute at the higher level. Personally, I think we should keep him for another year but would expect him to start less games next year, as long as we sign a similarly sized centre back. Provided many humourous moments this season, the best of which being when he jumped on a ruck of bodies to celebrate a goal and all the breath in Lee Barnard’s body left him at the same time. The look on Barney’s face when he emerged was priceless.
DANNY SEABORNE has been first choice back up all season and must improve to have a chance of becoming a first choice. Naturally left footed which is a big plus, he can look very good but tends to start games slowly and I wonder about him when we’re under pressure. He’s also good for picking up a ridiculous booking for trashing someone who is nowhere near our goal.
AARON MARTIN has only played a few games and like Dickson, I feel was a bit of a victim of the new manager coming in. We allegedly turned down an approach from West Ham for him in January so one would expect him to be offered a new deal. Looks more capable than Seaborne of stepping into Jaidi’s shoes but I feel that one way or another, will find himself on the bench or out on loan to a League 1 club next year. An excellent prospect none the less.
End of Part 1
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