2021/22 Ben Godfrey

[Milkman]

There's still question marks over his footballing iq for me and maybe I'm being harsh. But right at the end of the game we have the ball right in their corner and win a throw. For some strange reason godfrey stays right up with play despite there still being around 30 seconds to play. We throw it in and richy loses it.

They then counter attack and while Godfrey does show great pace to get in position, he is so tired and flustered by running back so quick that he leaves his man aubamayang unmarked. Luckily for us the arsenal man totally messes up the shot and the whistle blows and all this is forgotten about. Had it gone in then this would have certainly been questioned.

I'm not trying to slate him as he has been improved recently, but this and the (unintentional) stamp are two incidents again that could have cost us the game on a different day.

I thought the same thing. He's too much of a bull in a china shop for me. It's great when he storms into challenges and wins the ball, it gets the fans going, but it leaves him so out of position. Needs to add a lot more control to his game.

Disagree about the 'stamp' though. If it's unintentional then it's just unlucky – that doesn't mean it merits punishment though. It's one of the most frustrating conflations in modern football that the consequence of an accidental challenge is treated the same as a malicious one. See Pickford on Van Dijk – an unfortunate consequence of a goalkeeper rushing to make a block – and Son on Andre Gomes, which was unfortunate outcome of another player losing their head.

My point is, accidents happen and blame doesn't always need to be attached.

 

[Chrismac]

I thought he was back to his snarly aggressive best last night was good to see, stayed close to Saka and left a couple in on him which is all part of the game for me.

I wonder if he feels more confident playing at full back. Centre back is more of a mentally high pressure position as everything goes through you when you play there and you have to constantly have a picture of the game in your head and anticipate absolutely any danger. Whereas the defensive task is simplified at left back - it's just one on one most of the match.

Yes id agree with that, you see him especially from set pieces or balls into the box not being aware of his positioning, and too often arriving late for a header which we concede from.
Out wide its mainly on the deck, doesnt really have to look over his shoulder and its mainly forward and backwards stuff.
He's still rash as hell though, but its 100 times better being rash on the touchline than it is on the edge of his 18yd box.

 

[BirkenheadBlue]

It's relevant because it still happened and every neutral I've spoke to or heard from on TV feels it should have been a red card. And if it was seen that way by var then there is no chance we would have won that game. Whether intentional or not it was clumsy at best and we were lucky he stayed on the pitch.

Genuinely not sure what he was supposed to do to avoid it.

 

[mikel_88]

First game this season looked like his oce strength has returned. Is something to work with the lad. Do think we had a leader at the back with cb talking him through the game would see him push on

 

[Kev50]

There's still question marks over his footballing iq for me and maybe I'm being harsh. But right at the end of the game we have the ball right in their corner and win a throw. For some strange reason godfrey stays right up with play despite there still being around 30 seconds to play. We throw it in and richy loses it.

They then counter attack and while Godfrey does show great pace to get in position, he is so tired and flustered by running back so quick that he leaves his man aubamayang unmarked. Luckily for us the arsenal man totally messes up the shot and the whistle blows and all this is forgotten about. Had it gone in then this would have certainly been questioned.

I'm not trying to slate him as he has been improved recently, but this and the (unintentional) stamp are two incidents again that could have cost us the game on a different day.

yes, I'm not confident with him. I think he will end up being a jack of all trades and master of none. He's suffered from being played in different positions for prolonged periods, first midfield, then centre back, now fullback, all entirely different jobs.
Re centreback, he just doesn't like heading the ball. Now he might be able to get away with that, if he was like a Paul Parker, tactically and positionally astute, but he's not that either. I don't think he's got the skillset for fullback either. For us at the moment however, his versatility is a real bonus, covering both fullbacks and centre back, just not to a high standard.

 

[gonetomorrow]

He's great. Not in the centre though.

 

[davek]

I thought the same thing. He's too much of a bull in a china shop for me. It's great when he storms into challenges and wins the ball, it gets the fans going, but it leaves him so out of position. Needs to add a lot more control to his game.

Disagree about the 'stamp' though. If it's unintentional then it's just unlucky – that doesn't mean it merits punishment though. It's one of the most frustrating conflations in modern football that the consequence of an accidental challenge is treated the same as a malicious one. See Pickford on Van Dijk – an unfortunate consequence of a goalkeeper rushing to make a block – and Son on Andre Gomes, which was unfortunate outcome of another player losing their head.

My point is, accidents happen and blame doesn't always need to be attached.

Godfrey defo stamped down on purpose on that lad's face. It was snide and we were lucky to get away with it.

The refs will be looking to punish his every move in the next few weeks, and I'm not sure he's that clued up enough to avoid unnecessary roughage.

 

[BirkenheadBlue]

Godfrey defo stamped down on purpose on that lad's face.

Oh do shut up you absolute space cadet

 

[davek]

Oh do shut up you absolute space cadet

FFS you'd have to not ever have played football and / or led a very sheltered life not to see what Godfrey was doing there.

 

[4737carlin]

FFS you'd have to not ever have played football and / or led a very sheltered life not to see what Godfrey was doing there.

Should of done one game earlier to someone

 

[davek]

Should of done one game earlier to someone

...and hit his target it a bit better.

 

[BirkenheadBlue]

FFS you'd have to not ever have played football and / or led a very sheltered life not to see what Godfrey was doing there.

Ok Buzz

 

[Seanjd]

He’s still young as far as defenders are concerned and clearly has suffered with his health lately as he’s been nowhere near last season’s standard. Has always performed better at left back, weirdly enough, but there’s definitely a quality player in there somewhere.

Why can’t he head the ball, though?

 

[TheBigIguana]

He’s still young as far as defenders are concerned and clearly has suffered with his health lately as he’s been nowhere near last season’s standard. Has always performed better at left back, weirdly enough, but there’s definitely a quality player in there somewhere.

Why can’t he head the ball, though?

He's better at LB because when he loses track of players they aren't in the center of our goal

 

[Seanjd]

He's better at LB because when he loses track of players they aren't in the center of our goal

True, and it’s common practice to let young defenders ply their trade out wide for this reason.