Peter Whittingham, the cure to our problems or the cause?

[Daniel15]

Whittimgham has 7 league assists this season. You say he doesn't create enough from open play - compare his contribution to another ever present this season in Gunnarrson. He has 2 goals and 2 assists. Have either of those assists come from open play? Why don't we see the same questions being posed about him in as many threads as Whittingham has?

[surge]

Whittimgham has 7 league assists this season. You say he doesn't create enough from open play - compare his contribution to another ever present this season in Gunnarrson. He has 2 goals and 2 assists. Have either of those assists come from open play? Why don't we see the same questions being posed about him in as many threads as Whittingham has?

Could it be that we all agree that he should be dropped and Whitts debates are Whitts and Gunnar or just Whitts?

[baloobird]

For what it's worth, I think Whitts would have more assists in open play if Macheda or ALF could finish! Can remember a few times where Whitts has played his trademark ball over the top, just to have those two mess it up!

[The Penguin]

Calling for Whittingham to be dropped yet advocating that Gunnarsson keeps his place in the starting line up. Are you fecking kidding me?

I hadn't considered Ralls in all of this. Agreed that Gunnarsson isn't cutting the mustard either.

You've mentioned Whittingham's goal return and failed to compare with Ralls.

Games 64 Goals 5 Assists 2

I would advocate moving him on unless he is used less and less. He is not influential on the pitch unless the ball is not moving - and the ball does need to be moving sadly.

[Steve R]

Another Jones player ruined by Young.

[A-team]

gunnarson is the biggest problem, slow of movement and slow of thought, yes he can win the ball but invariably he looses it again all too soon. Whitts isn't the quickest but he is more or less the only player we have left who can pass the ball adequately. The problem is who do you surround him with?

[Heathccfc]

Stop looking for a scapegoat
But, if we are allowed an opinion, I'm, it's the hoofball tactics that is bypassing Whittingham

[the other bob wilson]

Whittingham's figures for assists and goals this season are way better than any of his midfield rivals at the club, so, on one level, it's daft that there is a debate going on as to whether he should start every week.

However, he is the one constant factor in a team that before the game at Norwich was bottom of the Championship's possession stats table and, as they managed less than their feeble average tally on Saturday, I presume they are still there.

Now, there are arguments about how important that possession table really is, but what is an unarguable fact is that over the course of this season, City have been without the football for longer than any other team.

So, Whittingham is the most prominent member of a midfield that has not been delivering us possession and therefore attention has to switch to how effective a job he does when we don't have the ball and it's here where I think he falls into the well below average category.

In many ways, it's more of an indictment on Whittingham's midfield colleagues than it is on the man himself that we are struggling to accommodate him. Successful teams in any league are able to accommodate a "footballer" in the middle of the park because others contribute that bit extra in the parts of the game he is weak at - that isn't happening here.

[crazyhorse]

He will still be playing for us when he is 50 if half of the eyed fans on here had there way. He's a liability end of.

[The Lone Gunman]

He will still be playing for us when he is 50 if half of the eyed fans on here had there way.

[ragbone]

He will still be playing for us when he is 50 if half of the eyed fans on here had there way.

Isn't it strange when the going gets tough people tend to select individuals/ or single reasons to blame , rather than consider the bigger picture.

[crazyhorse]

He will still be playing for us when he is 50 if half of the eyed fans on here had there way.

Isn't it strange when the going gets tough people tend to select individuals/ or single reasons to blame , rather than consider the bigger picture.

What have we won since Whitts joined us? don't say promotion because he was dropped for the last 12 games of that campaign.

[Daniel15]

He will still be playing for us when he is 50 if half of the eyed fans on here had there way.

Isn't it strange when the going gets tough people tend to select individuals/ or single reasons to blame , rather than consider the bigger picture.

What have we won since Whitts joined us? don't say promotion because he was dropped for the last 12 games of that campaign.

Try to rewrite history all you want - but frankly you are talking bollox.

He is a better midfielder than Gunnarsson and Noone, and that isn't difficult.

We either need to replace Gunnarsson and Noone with better players, or replace the lot. I don't think Whittingham by himself is a bad player, I just think it puts the spotlight on him when those around him are bad, as we look to him to create, score and dictate.

Some say that Whitts contributes to the opponents goals as well though

[surge]

Whittingham's figures for assists and goals this season are way better than any of his midfield rivals at the club, so, on one level, it's daft that there is a debate going on as to whether he should start every week.

Possession is based on passing and moving. Whitts is our most likely to make a successful pass but who is moving for him? He doesn't have a fullback bombing on, the midfield is too slow and trundling which leaves a punt up to our forwards. Whitts is not the problem but he might not be the solution either.

Whittingham's figures for assists and goals this season are way better than any of his midfield rivals at the club, so, on one level, it's daft that there is a debate going on as to whether he should start every week.

However, he is the one constant factor in a team that before the game at Norwich was bottom of the Championship's possession stats table and, as they managed less than their feeble average tally on Saturday, I presume they are still there.

Yes and Whitts is the worst mover on the pitch he'll make a great pass then stand still

[tommy31]

For what it's worth, I think Whitts would have more assists in open play if Macheda or ALF could finish! Can remember a few times where Whitts has played his trademark ball over the top, just to have those two mess it up!

You've summed it up there! I don't think its a coincidence that when we had chopra or McCormack up front, he was getting assists left right and centre. They were two deadly strikers back then. The same cannot be said for macheda or alf