Benkovic- they hardly spoke to me at Cardiff.

[Citizen's Nephew]

Our current form of 25 goals conceded are not down to Benkovic. Harris needs to own that record and take responsibility as well as the rest of the squad need to own it too. Harris should have played him, eased him in, rotated - dare I say - managed him. He could have brought him on many times when he was on the bench the many times when we were losing matches. He brought Mark Harris on in the 95th minute when we were losing!

I see no point in critiquing Benkovic for not making the Leicester side either or not being PL quality. Wilson and Ojo are not PL quality players and never will be in sides like Liverpool. Celtic is an anomaly as the Scottish League is so weak. Benkovic should be a really good championship CB. In my view, Morrison should never have been allowed anywhere near our Premiere League squad and was not up to it yet he's constantly played ever since our relegation and is even captain (he also needs to step up and sort out problems on the pitch rather than just go through the motions each match). Too many players too comfortable with not enough competition and a manager who excels at mediocrity.

And Nelson? Is Nelson better than Benkovic? How can that possibly be the case? Nelson was a terrible signing IMO and is another player who is just....OK. He came from Oxford United and before that Plymouth Argyle and has played 55 matches for us. Again, Benkovic, just the 1 match and yes, it was a mare. But give the lad a break and focus on the real problems.

For me, Harris's management is a big problem as well as a whole load of under-performing players with sloppy attitudes and I'll judge him and them based on 22 matches (excluding the pathetic cup matches) not just 1 against Wycombe.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Our current form of 25 goals conceded are not down to Benkovic. Harris needs to own that record and take responsibility as well as the rest of the squad need to own it too. Harris should have played him, eased him in, rotated - dare I say - managed him. He could have brought him on many times when he was on the bench the many times when we were losing matches. He brought Mark Harris on in the 95th minute when we were losing!

I see no point in critiquing Benkovic for not making the Leicester side either or not being PL quality. Wilson and Ojo are not PL quality players and never will be in sides like Liverpool. Celtic is an anomaly as the Scottish League is so weak. Benkovic should be a really good championship CB. In my view, Morrison should never have been allowed anywhere near our Premiere League squad and was not up to it yet he's constantly played ever since our relegation and is even captain (he also needs to step up and sort out problems on the pitch rather than just go through the motions each match). Too many players too comfortable with not enough competition and a manager who excels at mediocrity.

And Nelson? Is Nelson better than Benkovic? How can that possibly be the case? Nelson was a terrible signing IMO and is another player who is just....OK. He came from Oxford United and before that Plymouth Argyle and has played 55 matches for us. Again, Benkovic, just the 1 match and yes, it was a mare. But give the lad a break and focus on the real problems.

For me, Harris's management is a big problem as well as a whole load of under-performing players with sloppy attitudes and I'll judge him and them based on 22 matches (excluding the pathetic cup matches) not just 1 against Wycombe.

Right, a few things. I don't know if you're looking for bites as this whole thing is ridiculous but here goes.

Why on earth would you bring a centre back on when you're losing? He would get crucified on here and it doesn't make any sense either. For all our faults, we've rarely got stuffed. Our issue is when we have to chase games, we can't break sides down. Bringing on a striker when you're losing is common, as you're trying to score a goal.

Nelson is a Championship regular, Benkovic has been a Championship sub for two clubs. Nelson is keeping Benkovic out of the side. How you can say Nelson is a poor signing I dont know. He cost nothing, has been a first team regular for over 12 months. Is Nelson fantastic? No, that's why he plays for us. He's a Championship level player. Last season, Morrison and Nelson were our strength, along with Lee Tomlin.

Sean Morrison was one of the best centre backs in the league last year. I think he got in Sky's team of the season, and certainly got in some. He is not having his best season but he's definitely good enough for us. He was our best player in the Championship and if him and Bamba struggled in the PL, all of our squad were going to (as they did).

The honest truth is, none of us have any idea how good Benkovic is. All the signs point to the fact he isn't very good. He didn't play regularly for Bristol City, he wasn't selected for Leicester when they played full backs at centre back earlier in the season and he couldn't get a sniff here, and when he did play he was bloody awful.

[Citizen's Nephew]

I’m genuinely not looking for bites and you’re perfectly entitled to think the whole of my post is ridiculous just so long as you allow me to do the same. I don’t think your post is ridiculous BTW it’s just we have different views and in some areas you’ve misunderstood me. But let’s just chill, it’s only football.

Why on earth would you bring a centre back on when you're losing?

Because you have 5 subs and you don’t just need a striker but need to plug the leaking sieve of a defence because an opposition player is running rings around one (or more) of your defenders. Harris never reacts to this, hence my critique of him not playing Benkovic off the bench this season.

My view is that Harris isn’t the sharpest cookie. He signs a player then doesn’t play him even though we’re rubbish and conceding easy goals.

He keeps doing the same thing and (literally) expecting a different result. We know what the definition of that approach is I’m sure.

It’s all very well us thinking Benkovic may have an attitude problem but we shouldn’t exclude Harris having one too.

Getting stuffed is open to interpretation. I try to keep it simple. If we lose 1-0 10 times we've still lost 30 points and conceded 10 goals.

Benkovic only played 10 times for Bristol and scored 2 goals. I think we, like Bristol were just happy to have a loan player from Leicester but either didn’t really know what to do with him, or he didn’t fit the style of play, or we just didn’t have the guts to drop regular players and make it work.

Nelson has turned out to be an OK Championship CB but that doesn’t alter the fact that he was a terrible signing after relegation from the PL and all the talk about bouncing back up. We lost Manga and replaced him with a League One player. The whole Summer window was bizarre last year.

Sean Morrison was one of the best centre backs in the league last year. I think he got in Sky's team of the season, and certainly got in some. He is not having his best season but he's definitely good enough for us.

Yes, it was a great effort last season. But that was last season. His form has dropped and so has his captaincy on the pitch. Sure he’s good enough for us…right now. But I was really suggesting he should have been replaced when we got promoted (we’d have got something decent for him) and we should have bought better.

I agree none of us know how good Benkovic is. That ship has now sailed. I acknowledged that he had a mare against Wycombe but it could’ve been down to all kinds of reasons, we’ll never know. I just can’t subscribe to the view that he suddenly became a bad player after playing 56 times for Zagreb (including Champions League football) and his selections for the Croatia teams.

Why did Harris sign him and not give him a chance and manage him properly?

We’re 15th as I write (it's January 13th) with a GD of 4. If mid-table mediocrity with a well-hidden game-plan, players on free-roam and a team sheet that's been xeroxed 40 odd times is our goal then Harris could well be perfect.

That’s been my point all along. I don’t know if you think he’s doing a good job or not. The results are what matters. Too many of our own players are no longer putting a shift in and I don't think they should be getting free passes from us fans.

Anyway, its 02:44 and I'm in chronic pain and can't sleep for the third night running so your lengthy reply was a welcome distraction and I really appreciate you taking the time to post.

Just have to wait for the Gabapentin to kick in then back to bed.

Have a fab day and stay safe.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Re Citizen's Nephew, Harris made a mistake signing him. All managers do it. Ferguson signed Bebe, Kleberson, Bellion, Obertan etc. Harris clearly thinks he's awful. It's a bad signing but on the whole, he's got more right than wrong which is a lot better than can said for our previous manager. He also had to sign someone to allow Flint to leave. He was brought in out of necessity and it didn't go well. I think there's a reason he's gone to their owner's feeder club, rather than anyone else...

[cardiff55]

Re Citizen's Nephew, Harris made a mistake signing him. All managers do it. Ferguson signed Bebe, Kleberson, Bellion, Obertan etc. Harris clearly thinks he's awful. It's a bad signing but on the whole, he's got more right than wrong which is a lot better than can said for our previous manager. He also had to sign someone to allow Flint to leave. He was brought in out of necessity and it didn't go well. I think there's a reason he's gone to their owner's feeder club, rather than anyone else...

Yes I agree with this. Looking in to comments made by both Harris and Rodgers there seems to be an underlying issue with the player. Obviously they are not going to come out and say what it is.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Yes I agree with this. Looking in to comments made by both Harris and Rodgers there seems to be an underlying issue with the player. Obviously they are not going to come out and say what it is.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51638663

Yet another manager openly criticising Benkovic

However, Benkovic and Henriksen were both substituted at half-time - and Johnson was critical of his new arrivals after the game.

"I think a couple of the new players need to have a look at themselves for different reasons and quickly get into the programme," he said.

[2b2bdoo]

Re Citizen's Nephew, Harris made a mistake signing him. All managers do it. Ferguson signed Bebe, Kleberson, Bellion, Obertan etc. Harris clearly thinks he's awful. It's a bad signing but on the whole, he's got more right than wrong which is a lot better than can said for our previous manager. He also had to sign someone to allow Flint to leave. He was brought in out of necessity and it didn't go well. I think there's a reason he's gone to their owner's feeder club, rather than anyone else...

I do feel just keeping Brown would have been the easier solution if I'm honest.

I think Harris signings individually have been pretty decent. Although I'm not sure he has always spent or loaned in the correct areas.

[Llandaff Blue]

Our current form of 25 goals conceded are not down to Benkovic. Harris needs to own that record and take responsibility as well as the rest of the squad need to own it too. Harris should have played him, eased him in, rotated - dare I say - managed him. He could have brought him on many times when he was on the bench the many times when we were losing matches. He brought Mark Harris on in the 95th minute when we were losing!

I see no point in critiquing Benkovic for not making the Leicester side either or not being PL quality. Wilson and Ojo are not PL quality players and never will be in sides like Liverpool. Celtic is an anomaly as the Scottish League is so weak. Benkovic should be a really good championship CB. In my view, Morrison should never have been allowed anywhere near our Premiere League squad and was not up to it yet he's constantly played ever since our relegation and is even captain (he also needs to step up and sort out problems on the pitch rather than just go through the motions each match). Too many players too comfortable with not enough competition and a manager who excels at mediocrity.

And Nelson? Is Nelson better than Benkovic? How can that possibly be the case? Nelson was a terrible signing IMO and is another player who is just....OK. He came from Oxford United and before that Plymouth Argyle and has played 55 matches for us. Again, Benkovic, just the 1 match and yes, it was a mare. But give the lad a break and focus on the real problems.

For me, Harris's management is a big problem as well as a whole load of under-performing players with sloppy attitudes and I'll judge him and them based on 22 matches (excluding the pathetic cup matches) not just 1 against Wycombe.

Never read such nonsense in my life. Of all players you pick out, you pick Morrison?

[Citizen's Nephew]

Never read such nonsense in my life. Of all players you pick out, you pick Morrison?

Only because he's meant to be one of our best players yet he's a shadow of the Morrison during the promotion season. He's a captain who's now getting more used to losing than winning and has experienced relegation. That concerns me.