Why is Flanagan so out of favour all of a sudden?

[Iver]

I cannot understand this, unless Flanagan is carrying an injury, and would love to hear Kenny's rationale.

 

He started the season preferred to Kelly at right back.

 

Now with both Kelly and Johnson out, he is not even making the bench.

 

Defies logic, especially when you consider that Skrtel is being picked in the position.

 

Much of the tone for today's game was set in the first fifteen minutes with the attacks that Spurs built from left midfield.

 

It was so obvious that Skrtel was being targeted as a weakness, and he did not disappoint from a Spurs perspective.

 

Flanagan might have been given an equally hard time against arguably the best left sided midfielder in the league, but at least his positional sense etc would be better, as he is not alien to the position.

 

Skrtel is a liability in games like today's, even when he is played at centre half.

 

His tendency to jump rashly into tackles, as he did today when on a yellow, is incredibly naive - he should be now viewed as 4th choice centre half, and not played anywhere else.

[Epic Swindle]

Loss of confidence, he's a kid.

[épieur]

It does not defy logic. Flannagan was awful in his last outing.

 

Skretl did well when filling in at RB before this game. And he is an experienced defender at the highest level.

 

It's really not such a great mystery.

[CarraLegend]

He was rubbish v Sunderland and Exeter, thats why.

[Iver]

It does not defy logic. Flannagan was awful in his last outing.

 

Skretl did well when filling in at RB before this game. And he is an experienced defender at the highest level.

 

It's really not such a great mystery.

 

Skrtel did well against Bolton at home in a game we were very comfortable in.

 

Flanagan coped very well in the run of games he was given in the first team last season.

 

I would play him right back over Skrtel every time.

[Swipe]

I agree Skrtel is rubbish there and I want to see a proper right back there from now on, but Flanagan has been poor in his last few games. No point ignoring it. He's a kid though.

 

Robinson looks the more assured, IMO.

[yellow jumper]

bad selection more than anything. and given it was always going to be a risk, odd that there was no natural right back cover on the bench. odd also that carragher continues to be overlooked if they're keen to play a senior pro there, given he's played numerous full seasons as a full back in the past. you need to know that position. or perhaps kenny's quotes on the offal praising skrtel's willingness to do his best to try to help the team were more pointed than i first thought.

[Hightown Phil]

Quite simple. He isn't very good at football.

[_00_deathscar]

Quite simple. He isn't very good at football.

 

Neither are some of the planks who played out there today.

[Hassony]

its easier to play kids like flanagan when there is nothing at stake like last season

[Earl Hafler]

It does not defy logic. Flannagan was awful in his last outing.

 

 

So you drop him after a poor performance ?

 

Sorry, everyone - but you're all dropped.

[_00_deathscar]

So you drop him after a poor performance ?

 

Sorry, everyone - but you're all dropped.

 

He was utter gash though. Also, Kelly came in (and played exceptionally, before getting injured).

[Dan]

That Sunderland game no doubt affected him as well; he looked out of sorts against Exeter too. Kenny is protecting him and rightly so. A mare against Bale and he could have regressed even further mentally.

 

 

[Gambit]

Flanno is still very, very raw, Bale would have ripped him a new one. That would've wrecked the lad's confidence. Flanno is a decent young player but no more. He is a long way from being a regular for the club and I have my doubt whether he will still be here long-term. He's okay defensively but offers nothing going forward, which is a big problem when your full-backs can't overlap and provided attacking support. I agree with Kenny's decision to start with Skrtel ahead of Flanagan, even after what happened yesterday.

Edited September 19, 2011 by Gambit

[Earl Hafler]

He was utter gash though. Also, Kelly came in (and played exceptionally, before getting injured).

 

I'd also prefer Kelly there at the moment. Just don't think one poor performance should result in players being dropped. If that were the case, Kuyt and Carra would be in and out like your left leg in the Hokey Cokey

[Beardsley]

Kenny needs to take some of the blame for last nights performance (and I'm certain he will). Skrtel had f*** all cover from Downing/Henderson and got isolated against Bale. That's suicide right there. Flanno wouldn't done much better in that situation.

[Dan]

I'd also prefer Kelly there at the moment. Just don't think one poor performance should result in players being dropped. If that were the case, Kuyt and Carra would be in and out like your left leg in the Hokey Cokey

 

Depends on how he reacted to it in training though. If his head dropped and he's not right then you shouldn't just chuck him in either.

[blago]

I'd also prefer Kelly there at the moment. Just don't think one poor performance should result in players being dropped. If that were the case, Kuyt and Carra would be in and out like your left leg in the Hokey Cokey

 

Flanagan had at least 2 poor performances for the first team and another few shaky performances for the reserves. He is extremely raw and is prone to lunging in and mis-timing tackles. He also has some good attributes but for me he is not ready for regular first team action. Play him in the league cup and see if he shows signs of improvement.

 

Kelly would be my first choice as well. It's very worrying that both he and Johnson seem to be picking up regular injuries.