Billy Bodin

[Rach]

had a shocker today

[gullintwoplaces]

Just in case this turns into a Bodin-bashing thread once again after yesterday's debacle, I just want to add a plea for some humanity and understanding. Billy is clearly playing below par, particularly when it comes to the key task of sticking the ball in the net from good chances. I still believe that he is a very talented young player who will come good, but he needs the support of his manager, team-mates and the fans to help him turn this around. Yesterday was the fault of the whole team, not just Billy Bodin.

We have all had periods at work when nothing goes right. For some of us this is more visible to the outside world than it is for others. For footballers it is very visible. I was a university lecturer for a number of years. Mostly I think I made a good fist of entertaining and hopefuily educating large groups of young neanderthals, some of them pissed, some not interested and some eager to learn. Some weeks I didn't do so well, and sometimes I couldn't remember what the hell I was trying to say to them, my slides made no sense and I lost the class, quite visibly. That is life and you get through it! Some of the students used to wear Plymouth Argyle shirts to my lectures, once in a row of six, just to wind me up.

[Forest gull]

Time to forget the Cup debacle now, time to get behind the club, management and players and push for promotion. Is there anyone on here that would swap League 1 footy for a cup run?

Not me, thats for sure.

COYY

[brucie]

Yep £70000 - we could have got Zebroski for far less than half of that - and he is a far better player.

[Gulliball]

Zebroski plays consistently well, but on his day Bodin is the better player. They would make a great partnership either side of Howe - both have goals in them, can rip defences apart, and Zebroski's workrate and defensive cover would always give us something. With Bodin and Stevens together you have two players who offer nothing else to the team when not playing well.

At least Bodin is getting into the positions to score, and some of his play last week was excellent, he just didn't bury any of the sitters he was faced with. A goal or two and his confidence will come back.

[gullintwoplaces]

Yep £70000 - we could have got Zebroski for far less than half of that - and he is a far better player.

The appearances and scoring records for both Zebroski and Bodin this season are virtually identical. Both have 3 goals (all of Bodin's are League 2, one of Zebroski's is FA Cup). Last season Zebroski scored 3 goals in 39 appearances for Bristol Rovers, Bodin scored 5 goals in 17 appearances for the Gulls. Who is the "far better player" on the basis of recent evidence? Answer, probably neither.

Arguments about who is a "far better player" are a bit daft really. It is just opinion. I regard Zebroski as one of the best players to have worn a Gulls shirt, but his recent record for other clubs has been leaa than impressive. He had a terrible spell at Rovers last season, the fans on his back week after week, but Brucie just washes over this. Bodin is going through a bad spell, but for Brucie that is evidence that he is not worth what we paid for him. My God Brucie, you just love being partial with your evidence don't you, never let the facts get in the way of a good rant.

All this goes to show that good players have bad spells, Billy is no exception. So please stop this nonsense of who is better than who. Bodin plays for the Gulls and we should get behind him. Furthermore, I have no worries about Bodin's "anger management" issues becoming a problem for his club, unlike Zebroski.

[kingsgull]

It is all about confidence. Which billy is suffering from at the moment. Does not help when people are on his back all the time which knocks his confidence for six....yes he has lost his shooting boots but I would say he will definitely come good...just extra support..I know I'll get all the posters with the we pay our money...but when Billy's back on track and has got his confidence back he will be a handfull for any league 2 club and will be knocking them in...have faith..not despair

[ferrarilover]

Hmmm, my issue with Billy is that it's not just yesterday and it's not just his inability to finish off chances that my Nan would be embarrassed to miss, it's the whole season and it's every aspect of his game. He's not scored worth a damn, he can't pass, shoot, cross, tackle, dribble or head with anything approaching the requisite talent. He must have played 20 games this year and has been, almost without exception, pretty hopeless for the duration of the lot of them.
We're only going to play 50 games this year, which means that come the end of this month, we'll be 50% though the season and, unless there is an incredible turn around in his performance, we're going to find ourselves with a seventy grand lemon on our hands.
Perhaps we would have been better spending the money on toilet roll which could be piled in front of our goal? At least then we'd keep some clean sheets for our money.
I'm sure (but I'm becoming less sure ever so slowly) that BB will eventually find some confidence and the performances that go with it. I just hope that happens before it's too late.

Matt.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Hmmm, my issue with Billy is that it's not just yesterday and it's not just his inability to finish off chances that my Nan would be embarrassed to miss, it's the whole season and it's every aspect of his game. He's not scored worth a damn, he can't pass, shoot, cross, tackle, dribble or head with anything approaching the requisite talent. He must have played 20 games this year and has been, almost without exception, pretty hopeless for the duration of the lot of them.
We're only going to play 50 games this year, which means that come the end of this month, we'll be 50% though the season and, unless there is an incredible turn around in his performance, we're going to find ourselves with a seventy grand lemon on our hands.
Perhaps we would have been better spending the money on toilet roll which could be piled in front of our goal? At least then we'd keep some clean sheets for our money.
I'm sure (but I'm becoming less sure ever so slowly) that BB will eventually find some confidence and the performances that go with it. I just hope that happens before it's too late.

Matt.

I do find it difficult to support someone who is lazy, i can accept crapness but laziness is unforgivable.

[jocktheknife]

Bodin.......lazy?

Really? - I think your on your own with that verdict - Bodin is currently frustrating as hell to watch but hopefully will come good for us, a lack of work rate is not one of his failings.

Are you going for the guinness world record attempt at "How much crap one poster can come out with on one forum"?

Congratulations btw.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Bodin.......lazy?

Really? - I think your on your own with that verdict - Bodin is currently frustrating as hell to watch but hopefully will come good for us, a lack of work rate is not one of his failings.

Are you going for the guinness world record attempt at "How much crap one poster can come out with on one forum"?

Congratulations btw.

I am very comfortable now within myself because i know i am better than you therefore please do feel free to post more insults my good, good friend.

[jocktheknife]

Big egos are big shields for lots of empty space.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Are they? Thanks.

[Dave]

Sorry Andy on the point of bodin being lazy I can't agree, right now Billy Bodin is stuck in the middle of his own living nightmare, I already had my say on this thread so just little reminder, it is clear his confidence is shot to shit and the harder he trys to put it right the worse things are getting for him.

My message to Lingy right now is help the lad, take him out this situation give him a break, do whatever needs to be done to help him get his focus back wether thats on the training ground or just a big sloopy cuddle, because there is no doubt to me a fully confident Billy Bodin could well be the best player we have.

And to the fans in general just get off his back for christ sake.

[AustrianAndyGull]

It's difficult for me Dave having only been to away games generally but i can only say what i have seen with my own eyes at those games and in every one he has been lazy and unproductive. I have obviously heard other posters saying that about him in certain home games too but if i rule them out as i wasn't there then i go on what i've got and he has been lazy and poor. Agree that Bodin needs a break, no point in booing him just get him out of the firing line and give him some confidence building. Again i have said that he is a quality player on what i saw generally last season but it's critical Martin now tries to get him right otherwise we could well have seen the best of Billy already and that would be a shame. I sympathise with his lack of form and lack of confidence but we can't carry passengers and that's how it is.