Stanton should be reinvented

[CSol]

I know I have mentioned this before but just want to know what you guys think.

I think most of us agree that the only real tagger we currently have in our team is Welsh. Oppinions are clearly divided over how successful he is. IMO he does a great shutdown job without having much influence on the offensive. At this stage I think with the absence of a genuin tagger we need welsh in our line up, but if we could find a more suitable tagger with some offence in his game id drop welsh in a heartbeat.

I'd love to see Stanton reinvented as a tagger. I think his average disposal is far better than Welsh, but not the standard of someone you want to have 30-40 touches every week. I think he reads the play impeccably well and gets himself into the right positions. Similarly to Peverill in his prime, he could use this to his advantage by having a greater anticipation of what his opponant is doing and where his opponant is most dangerouse and lock out his opponant whilst also getting a fair bit of the pill himself.

I just think Stanton is too good to discard, yet his disposal is too poor to continue to have him be one of the main ball carriers in our midfield. We will never win a premiership with disposal of that caliber being considered acceptable from your key midfielders and he needs to improve as much as watson has to even get close to the acceptable standard (and I dont think he has that improvement in him).

[Windy_Hill]

I like you Csol and for that reason I am going to applaud you for thinking outside the box.

You make some good points about welsh ( I actually think he has done some good shut down jobs this year with much of his hard work going unnoticed)

But really, Stanton, of all players, is not a tagger. Yes, he has great running ability but he lacks intensity in the clinches and has a notoriously bad defensive game. Stanton, if he is on song, is a great link type player. A guy that can run to space, receive a pass, then distribute the ball. His biggest problem is he often takes the wrong option with his disposal or simply fluffs his kick/handball.

I think Stanton will be a far more effective player for us when he is not in our top 5 mids. He doesnt handle a tag himself too well and can be easily taken out of the game at critical times. But, he has a great ability to get the ball which in its own, is a very valuable asset.

I think he is at the crossroads in his career, he may even be a trade option, but I honestly dont think he is a tagger.

Alwyn Davey on the other hand....

[Mrs Mercuri]

I agree with WH that Stants isn't defensive enough to be a genuine tagger.

I think Stanton is quite dangerous around goals and should perhaps be moved away from the half back line and closer to the forward 50m.

[Sismis]

I actually he plays more in defence. In the second half last week, I think it started to click for him he was a really good outlet on a number of occasions. He cocked up a few as well, but i think he is starting to develop a few more stirings which could make him a very useful player.

[j-mac31]

He doesn't care about the defensive side of the game at all. So no.

[CSol]

I guess im saying he needs to learn. I know his defensive side is shit, but his offensive side has a glaring weakness and that is his disposal add to that his inability to shake a tag.

Surely being given a very specific task of running with a player every week will at very least improve his defensive side to a point that it adds a string to his bow. it will certainly ensure he is no longer tagged himself.

It's a task often given to young midfielders who are learning their trade, surely a seasoned camapaigner even with a track record of not having a defensive mindset would benefit from the run in this role. He might need to saccrifice some of his endurance and work slightly more on his upper body strength to ensure his tackles stick, but he has more class than Peverill ever had, is quicker and even more likely to kick a goal. albait he does not have as much Heart as Pev did (and that made him what he was). I dont believe it's beyond him at all.

In today's game with constant flooding and zone defenses, there is simply no room in a team for an outside link midfielder with poor disposal. Your either go in and get it (watson, hocking), you recieve and use it well (licha, dempsey), or you lock down a man and remove his influence from the game. Whilst not on his own in our team with this regard, Stanton does none of these and I dont believe he is suited to the role we use him for.

He is also weak in the air 1 on 1 and too slow off the mark to be a defender, add to that when he turns it over which he does more than 50% of the time, its almost certainly going to cost us a goal. Anyone who thinks he should be a defender is kidding themselves more than you think I am. If anything I could adjust to him going forward, but feel we have much better small forward options than Stanton.

Watson improved his disposal out of sight and maybe Stanton will prove me wrong, but at this stage he hasnt improved at all for years and if he isnt going to improve with the team then surely he will get left behind when (If i guess) our other midfielders hit their straps.

[Windy_Hill]

CSol - the dilemma here is the very point you make, he has more class than Pev.

This is my concern is that even a player as average in the skills dept as Pev, can play an effective role as a run with defender. So in this case, why sacrifice Stanton's obvious class difference to have him perform a role that could be better done by a less skilled player ( like a Pev)

Is Lonergan this player?

I simply think you are robbing Peter to pay Paul if you use Stanton in this sort of role

[boncer34]

Reinvented as a half back flanker ala Luke Hodge? To right.

[robbie67]

Reinvented as a half back flanker ala Luke Hodge? To right.

He was able to free wheel a bit tonight, but I worry a lot about his disposal under pressure. Playing very well in that spot tonight is one thing, doing it in a tight contest against a surging opposition is another.

[boncer34]

Reinvented as a half back flanker ala Luke Hodge? To right.

He was able to free wheel a bit tonight, but I worry a lot about his disposal under pressure. Playing very well in that spot tonight is one thing, doing it in a tight contest against a surging opposition is another.

Turned off the game against the Roos last week in the second half?

[robbie67]

Reinvented as a half back flanker ala Luke Hodge? To right.

He was able to free wheel a bit tonight, but I worry a lot about his disposal under pressure. Playing very well in that spot tonight is one thing, doing it in a tight contest against a surging opposition is another.

Turned off the game against the Roos last week in the second half?

No, but I thought he was suspect then as well.

[boncer34]

No, but I thought he was suspect then as well.

Leigh Matthews disagrees.

[robbie67]

No, but I thought he was suspect then as well.

Leigh Matthews disagrees.

So he played well because Matthews mentioned it in the commentary tonight? Stanton has always had issues with his disposal. Lets re-visit this when things arent going his way, or even worse, when he has to get on a plane.

[boncer34]

No, but I thought he was suspect then as well.

Leigh Matthews disagrees.

So he played well because Matthews mentioned it in the commentary tonight? Stanton has always had issues with his disposal. Lets re-visit this when things arent going his way, or even worse, when he has to get on a plane.

Nope.

He played well last week because he played well last week. Stood up when he was needed.

As for re-visiting this, yeah lets wait till he has a shit game so you can crow how terrible he is like you've been doing with the rest of the side lately. That'll be a fair and unbiased opinion.

[robbie67]

He played well last week because he played well last week. Stood up when he was needed.

As for re-visiting this, yeah lets wait till he has a shit game so you can crow how terrible he is like you've been doing with the rest of the side lately. That'll be a fair and unbiased opinion.

Yeah, I have been "crowing". I just love the club playing shit house. Next you'll be saying I am a bandwagoner because I wont say "well done boys, good job", when we play like we have for most of the last six years.

[boncer34]

He played well last week because he played well last week. Stood up when he was needed.

As for re-visiting this, yeah lets wait till he has a shit game so you can crow how terrible he is like you've been doing with the rest of the side lately. That'll be a fair and unbiased opinion.

Yeah, I have been "crowing". I just love the club playing shit house. Next you'll be saying I am a bandwagoner because I wont say "well done boys, good job", when we play like we have for most of the last six years.

Nope. I respect your opinion Robbie and you're not a bandwagon fan. But lately you've been the most negative person on here IMO. Of course you dont have to agree and thats fine. Just my opinion buddy. To me it seems your happy to stick the boots in but not so much to pat a bloke on the back. Gotta work both ways which you normally do but the last 6 weeks seem to have taken a toll on you. All my own opinion of course Rob.

[robbie67]

He played well last week because he played well last week. Stood up when he was needed.

As for re-visiting this, yeah lets wait till he has a shit game so you can crow how terrible he is like you've been doing with the rest of the side lately. That'll be a fair and unbiased opinion.

Yeah, I have been "crowing". I just love the club playing shit house. Next you'll be saying I am a bandwagoner because I wont say "well done boys, good job", when we play like we have for most of the last six years.

Nope. I respect your opinion Robbie and you're not a bandwagon fan. But lately you've been the most negative person on here IMO. Of course you dont have to agree and thats fine. Just my opinion buddy. To me it seems your happy to stick the boots in but not so much to pat a bloke on the back. Gotta work both ways which you normally do but the last 6 weeks seem to have taken a toll on you. All my own opinion of course Rob.

I work both ways when it is called for Boncer. ******* hell, I have even defended NLM of late. I am fcked though if I was just going to sit by and watch this club head further into the doldrums without commenting on it, and pointing the finger at those responsible for it.

[boncer34]

Do that all you want but Stanton played well in the second half last week and in the game tonight. It's that simple. The bloke is being reinvented as a HBF and thus far its worked a treat.

[Gimps]

No diatribe here.. Stanton played a f****** cracker tonight.. Anyone that thinks different, is a moron.

[robrulz5]

He was fantastic tonight. He wasn't tagged at all which probably helped, 36 possessions must be just about career best for him.