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Just a point on Robbo, am i the only one who thinks we look more solid when he's playing.

He may not be the most attacking/adventurous in the squad, but 'unsung hero' comes to mind at times. He's a defender who defends! May not be the quickest, but how often does a winger get the better of him??

Must say by reading all posts on this site he probably gets the least attention, which surely means he gets on with his job in the team maybe un-spectacularly but effectively? Think the lad deserves some real credit!

I thought he was quite poor against Crewe, got turned inside out a number of times, not his best game by a long way.

What Robbo needed was a game and he got it against Oxford. With fresh game time in him Bucks could then move him to fullback and release Mansell to midfield.

The rest as they say is history.

I rate Robbo and agree with unsung hero.

At the back half of last season Chris Roberston looked very solid at right back,and through this season has aswell.however i do agree witht he sentiments about the Crewe game it was not his best.

To take this thread down another road ,the Oxford game proved to me the only way forward now with the squad as small as it is,is Robbo,Ellis,Branston,nicho,with Mansell in midfield.

Oxford match highligted the lack of strenght in depth defensivly,Oxford won the midfield scrap because Masell was at right back and with the best will in the world he is no league 2 right back,got away with it in the bsp.Ellis did not now whether to cover across or go tight on his man,to me it proved Ellis needs marshalling and Branston was not there,and Bevan did not seem to know whether to come out or stick on his line again proberly because Branston was not there,the result was Midson and Oxford's forward line must have thought happy birthday,as they got 4 and should have atleast 6.

In the games since the team has looked a lot more solid by a country mile with defensive players looking like they know what they are doing,and it is not just Robbo at right back,its Brano at centre back who may be not the most cultured player however is areal leader back there,and mansell in midfield not the best passer however never stops running/working either to create or win the ball back.

Yep, he's a quality defender. Not an attacking full-back, but very solid and consistent. I suggested a couple of weeks ago i'd prefer to see Robbo back at RB, and Manse back into midfield, and the benefit of that move has been obvious in the last two games. Not really sure whay it got changed in the first place. If it ain't broke...

Fonda wrote:Yep, he's a quality defender. Not an attacking full-back, but very solid and consistent. I suggested a couple of weeks ago i'd prefer to see Robbo back at RB, and Manse back into midfield, and the benefit of that move has been obvious in the last two games. Not really sure whay it got changed in the first place. If it ain't broke...

Branston was injured for the Oxford game.

Fonda wrote:Not really sure whay it got changed in the first place. If it ain't broke...

Injury (before the Stockport game). The same way most changes take place, otherwise we would probably have the same starting 10 every match (I exclude the left wing spot as that is still open to a permanent claim)

It was changed before that because we had Manse at RB and Robbo on the bench for a period. I can only assume it was to accomodate Oastler into the middle of pitch.

Stevens has impressed me the last 2 games, although sometimes drifts out of the game, is much of outlet as a winger than Hemmings is,

was unlucky not to score against crewe, just a heavy first touch

Fonda wrote:It was changed before that because we had Manse at RB and Robbo on the bench for a period. I can only assume it was to accomodate Oastler into the middle of pitch.

You might be right shane,however i though Robbo was on the bench due to carring a knock and not fully fit.

Southampton Gull wrote:I thought he was quite poor against Crewe, got turned inside out a number of times, not his best game by a long way.

I have to disagree southampton, thought he looked quite good, he looked composed on the ball, and I cant really remember him being turned inside out that much? It seems as if the mantra we have is to pass it out of defence, bring everyone into play, he and a few others may take a few games to adapt, he is better going forward than he used to be, and its useful to have him when it comes to both sides of the set piece.

Well I saw it happen enough times, did you leave early to get a beer?

Seriously though the chaps I was stood with said the same thing, not a condemnation, just an observation and he's generally done well enough to keep his place. Interestingly though, if you look at the MOTM figures for the game, he doesn't figure in anyones list.


Edit: My apologies, the OP had him down albeit low in his order.