2025/26 Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

[Eggs]

….looks to be forging a decent partnership with Grealish, good link play and getting behind the back four and into that dangerous channel where he scored and assisted against Wolves.

Imagine if we also had a LB with high quality in the top third.

 

[Marcus Kendall]

I thought it was a tough chance especially for someone who's not renowned for their heading ability. No way that was an easy chance even for a prime Duncan Ferguson

Probably given his contribution so far this season. However, that moment he should have scored that chance.

 

[Rita_Poon]

Very quietly said it a while back, with the options we have I reckon Gana is the issue. This is me that's championed him a very great deal for 3+ years.

 

[Little Ralphy]

Very quietly said it a while back, with the options we have I reckon Gana is the issue. This is me that's championed him a very great deal for 3+ years.

Gana is without doubt the issue, his basic passing lets the team down constantly (leading to bookings even) and he plays too high to offer the defence any kind of protection. All too often he's too high and slow to get back to provide any cover. He doesn't have enough quality to play with these players.

 

[Rita_Poon]

The balance in midfield is wrong, when we had Doucoure storming around leading the miles run by any outfield player by a distance having Gana hoovering up behind him was frugal on field business. We don't have that blend at the moment, and we're relying on Garner (no issue here) to play every game wherever needed.

Garner CF anyone?

Gana needs a specialist position and use criterion laid out. He cannot be allowed to roam and drift, we don't have enough elsewhere for this luxury. D-Hall needs to settle as well, he can't be DM CM and AM all at the same time. I can't see how to fix this, were we more competent in possession when Mangala could transition us through the middle? Something has to give, because we keep down cul de sacs. Stumped tbh :/

 

[mikel_88]

The balance in midfield is wrong, when we had Doucoure storming around leading the miles run by any outfield player by a distance having Gana hoovering up behind him was frugal on field business. We don't have that blend at the moment, and we're relying on Garner (no issue here) to play every game wherever needed.

Garner CF anyone?

Gana needs a specialist position and use criterion laid out. He cannot be allowed to roam and drift, we don't have enough elsewhere for this luxury. D-Hall needs to settle as well, he can't be DM CM and AM all at the same time. I can't see how to fix this, were we more competent in possession when Mangala could transition us through the middle? Something has to give, because we keep down cul de sacs. Stumped tbh :/

Maybe rohl if ever csn get fit still think team should be set up as a 3 man midfield. Aint a 10 kdh and with garner sitting need another who will go box to box. Take chances to join the attack and help support he cf.

 

[Lanolin]

Gana is without doubt the issue, his basic passing lets the team down constantly (leading to bookings even) and he plays too high to offer the defence any kind of protection. All too often he's too high and slow to get back to provide any cover. He doesn't have enough quality to play with these players.

'Hi Idrissa, I appreciate that you've played with Messi, Neymar, Mbappe and Sergio Ramos, but I just don't think you have the quality to play with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Michael Keane and Beto. Best of luck in your future endeavours'.

 

[Rita_Poon]

Maybe rohl if ever csn get fit still think team should be set up as a 3 man midfield. Aint a 10 kdh and with garner sitting need another who will go box to box. Take chances to join the attack and help support he cf.

I understand the issue, we're trying to utilise the wings (Grealish & N'Diaye) but don't have enough in either fullback position going forward to support them, so their efforts often go in vain. Powder puff forwards don't help. We need two options in front of the defence, one to sweep up on the right and then the same on the left. Make the pivot/fulcrum/quarter-back the AM position having the wingers going at goal and the striker either the assister or the scorer and move the ball quickly to stretch the defences. Think it was the villa game, Gana Garner and D-Hall were all so narrow in midfield that they occupied the same 8m column up the pitch. Makes us to easy to bypass and then all cover for defence is obliterated and we get emergency stations defending.

 

[Little Ralphy]

'Hi Idrissa, I appreciate that you've played with Messi, Neymar, Mbappe and Sergio Ramos, but I just don't think you have the quality to play with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Michael Keane and Beto. Best of luck in your future endeavours'.

Do you think his passing is acceptable?

He's playing a different role here, he was protecting the defence and giving them the ball there, here he's nowhere near our defence and is in possession higher up the pitch. He's lazy getting back in position as well.

 

[Lanolin]

Do you think his passing is acceptable?

He's playing a different role here, he was protecting the defence and giving them the ball there, here he's nowhere near our defence and is in possession higher up the pitch. He's lazy getting back in position as well.

Lazy is quite the word to describe Gana.

Generally speaking yes I think his passing is fine. He's not gifted on the ball but he doesn't need to be usually, and he's tended to be excellent at just keeping the ball moving with simple passes. Far more so than anyone else we've had for a long time. On Monday I thought we got him on the ball too much and seemed to be using him as a playmaker, which obviously his passing isn't really good enough for. Either way, saying he doesn't have the quality to play with these players is a very reductive and knee jerk take. He's basically played at a higher level than anyone else on the team other than Grealish, and ran riot at our end of season awards about 3 months ago.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Lazy is quite the word to describe Gana.

Generally speaking yes I think his passing is fine. He's not gifted on the ball but he doesn't need to be usually, and he's tended to be excellent at just keeping the ball moving with simple passes. Far more so than anyone else we've had for a long time. On Monday I thought we got him on the ball too much and seemed to be using him as a playmaker, which obviously his passing isn't really good enough for. Either way, saying he doesn't have the quality to play with these players is a very reductive and knee jerk take. He's basically played at a higher level than anyone else on the team other than Grealish, and ran riot at our end of season awards about 3 months ago.

And we literally just saw what it looks like without him against Wolves!

 

[TheBigIguana]

Do you think his passing is acceptable?

He's playing a different role here, he was protecting the defence and giving them the ball there, here he's nowhere near our defence and is in possession higher up the pitch. He's lazy getting back in position as well.

I think it’s very clearly tactical to release him from being a strictly holding player and join in pressing to try and win it high up.

 

[Bryan+]

Do you think his passing is acceptable?

He's playing a different role here, he was protecting the defence and giving them the ball there, here he's nowhere near our defence and is in possession higher up the pitch. He's lazy getting back in position as well.

I watched about 20mins this other night and he couldn’t pick a pass at all, was this consistent throughout the night?

 

[Little Ralphy]

I watched about 20mins this other night and he couldn’t pick a pass at all, was this consistent throughout the night?

Yeah it was and is most games, moves always break down with him. Tarkowski was booked for trying to get near a pass from him even.

 

[Little Ralphy]

I think it’s very clearly tactical to release him from being a strictly holding player and join in pressing to try and win it high up.

It may well be, but he can't do it and it also leaves us exposed defensively. Garner is the better footballer of the two, and if you're not having someone strictly holding then ideally you need someone mobile enough to get back quickly. Hopefully we have that if he's ever fit.