2024/25 Vitalii Mykolenko

[jackyboy]

Thought someone said he was a better defender than Baines for a minute

 

[Cameron Manning]

This is where I stand generally about our results this season. As underwhelming as they've been, how many of our players comfortably get in all the other bottom half teams? For me it's only Pickford and Branthwaite.

Well Branthwaite will definitely move to a good premier league club, I think Pickford’s chance has gone unless he runs his contract right down and moves for nothing.

 

[dannyboy]

Mate he had good games in the low block type games. It’s easy for LB to have a good game when asked to only do 50% of their role. When we did the same thing with Godfrey playing LB, he looked a lot better than Myko ever has

Physically he's fine, so when we are against a top team like Liverpool he has the potential to have a decent game against someone like Salah.

For those type of games we have long spells with 10 men behind the ball and sit on the edge of our own area. People shouldn't get carried away by those performances. If we have any aspiration of even being a top 10 team, we need full backs who can do more than sit in with our backs against the wall.

 

[Zatara]

It isn’t mate. He had good games defensively last season, he even had the odd really good game. He also looked painfully limited and had poor/anonymous games as well where he coasted through games invisible man style.

It’s easy to be a fullback in this Dyche set up, you rarely cross the half way line so you’re rarely caught out of position, McNeil last season (and Harrison on the other side) basically played as an extra fullback and gave so much protection/defensive support making it easier to look good as a defender.

He’s had almost 100 games, no assists, no improvement, we need a first choice left back. He can stay if he wants to sit on the bench but he’s not good enough and won’t ever be to be a starting 11 left back for us.

I dont think theres that much difference between what Benitez signed him for and the way Dyche has seen the best of him -- purely defensive work.

With that in mind, goals/assists make no difference to me.

He has had a fair few injuries since coming in though and I think its knocked the little bit of confidence he had tbh. He just isn't ever going to be what we want him to be, however you can't forget games like when he had Salah in his back pocket during the derby, he was like a man possessed that day.

The fans want him to magically morph into Roberto Carlos (or a more attacking player).

But hes simply a LB who typically does well with Branthwaite behind him in a defensive setup.

This season i dont think hes been good at all.

That's where I'm at, when he came in thought he looked like he learned to play footy a week ago. With the best will in the world I'm not sure you can have a full back at this level with such poor technique.

A back 3 might suit him in Italy

This is why the Napoli rumour seems to be fair. I think we'll either keep him as backup or more likely he'll be sold for a profit on book value.

Thought someone said he was a better defender than Baines for a minute

Looking at his performances against the best wingers in the league...he was a better defender than Baines -- comparisons in all other areas are clearly towards Baines.

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

I dont think theres that much difference between what Benitez signed him for and the way Dyche has seen the best of him -- purely defensive work.

With that in mind, goals/assists make no difference to me.



The fans want him to magically morph into Roberto Carlos (or a more attacking player).

But hes simply a LB who typically does well with Branthwaite behind him in a defensive setup.

This season i dont think hes been good at all.



This is why the Napoli rumour seems to be fair. I think we'll either keep him as backup or more likely he'll be sold for a profit on book value.



Looking at his performances against the best wingers in the league...he was a better defender than Baines -- comparisons in all other areas are clearly towards Baines.

This isn’t the hill to die on bud. I generally agree with a lot you say, even when you’re getting pelters from others but you’re on your own with this one.

 

[f.t.r.s]

To be fair he was a right back.

So's Ashley young apparently. Both have made more appearances at left back than I ever wished to see

 

[Walken]

I dont think theres that much difference between what Benitez signed him for and the way Dyche has seen the best of him -- purely defensive work.

With that in mind, goals/assists make no difference to me.



The fans want him to magically morph into Roberto Carlos (or a more attacking player).

But hes simply a LB who typically does well with Branthwaite behind him in a defensive setup.

This season i dont think hes been good at all.



This is why the Napoli rumour seems to be fair. I think we'll either keep him as backup or more likely he'll be sold for a profit on book value.



Looking at his performances against the best wingers in the league...he was a better defender than Baines -- comparisons in all other areas are clearly towards Baines.

He had a good game from a hybrid wing back/midfielder position away at villa in the cup last year, I do think left of back 3 is his best hope.

To be honest Zat he's never really been for me as a footballer

 

[Username.]

Awful, no one is telling me different.

 

[KaiserEFC]

I love post truth football where to be good a player just has to be young and from an interesting league rather than by actually playing consistently well

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

He had a good game from a hybrid wing back/midfielder position away at villa in the cup last year, I do think left of back 3 is his best hope.

To be honest Zat he's never really been for me as a footballer

I actually think you’re spot on. Left side of a back three he’d be passable. Not a left back in a back four.

 

[jackyboy]

He's not good at football at all. Think other than that he's okay

 

[Dougie]

Physically he's fine, so when we are against a top team like Liverpool he has the potential to have a decent game against someone like Salah.

For those type of games we have long spells with 10 men behind the ball and sit on the edge of our own area. People shouldn't get carried away by those performances. If we have any aspiration of even being a top 10 team, we need full backs who can do more than sit in with our backs against the wall.

Agree, he has had more than enough good games defensively against the best wingers in this league. I never question him from a defensive point of view, we know he is very limited going the other way. This ankle injury he has is obviously still there, as he can’t even seem to defend this season, getting caught out of position and getting beat one on one. We definitely need an upgrade in that position.

 

[GoldenToffee]

His best position is left back in the changing rooms.

 

[Walken]

The worst starting player in the league

 

[Frenk]

He truly is horrific.