Nathan Clarke Bench Duty 09/10

[Deleted]

Looking around various posts since we signed Peter Clarke I notice everyone has paired him with his namesake nathan for next season.

Local lad sentimentalism aside I think the far more likely option will be that Butler will play along side Peter Clarke.

The word from Southend fans is that Clarke plays best alongside a dominant header of the ball- think Bruce to your Pallister. One attacks the ball, one sweeps in behind.

Nathan Clarke and Peter Clarke both sweep in behind, both readers of the game, so for me its one of the Clarkes with Butler and somehow I dont think Lee will leave his new signing (and likely club captain) on the bench.

I agree Nathan had his best season for a while last year but stil too many errors and gets turned/overpowered too often/easily.

Only 8 clean sheets last year home and away.

[Captainslapper]

Nathan Clarke sweeps behind Not at the games i watch. At those games ( which is most of them) Nathan wins the ball as hes much stronger in the air than Butler. God help us if we're relying on Butler to be winning headers!

It'll be Nathan Clarke + one of P Clarke or Butler ( P Clarke id imagine)

[BLUE&WHITE]

Have a positive, I've been saying the same for ages.

[Deleted]

Jun 19, 2009 11:38:39 GMT 1 Captainslapper said:

It'll be Nathan Clarke + one of P Clarke or Butler ( P Clarke id imagine)

No it won't.

It will be P Clarke + N Clarke or Butler.

[terrierspam]

its going to be all three

nathan clarke (right footed) - peter clarke (no prisoners!) - andy butler (left footed)

[NookTerrier]

It'll be whoever does the best in training. I feel Butler wins more headers than Clarke, but Clarke tackles better.

[Grandfather Berty of Cleck]

Jun 19, 2009 11:38:39 GMT 1 Captainslapper said:

Nathan Clarke sweeps behind

I think this confirms that The Captain goes to Halifax by mistake ;D

[huddersviking]

i suggest you look at how many goals we let in when nat clarke was not in team, as we really struggled when he weret there. would rather have him playing than butler any time

[midge]

As I said when i was told we were signing Clarke, my source told me that the reason he was being signed was down to the fact that the new prowotsit technology had shown that over half the goals we conceded were from set pieces either 1st or second phase!

During this period, Clark identified Clarke(having played Southend!)as someone who, when he cleared a ball it stayed cleared and that is the reason for signing him!!

Taking this into account I would say that the ideal partner should be more mobile, read the game and decent distributor of the ball ie Nathan Clarke!!!!

[HuddsTerrier]

Lee Clarke has given Nathan Clarke a new deal when he had a year still to run on his previous contract, to my mind that shows Nathan is Lee’s "man" and I suspect will be Peter Clarke’s partner

Butler did not finish the season well and imo can have no complaints if he starts the season behind Southend’s POTS and Huddersfield’S runner up POTS!

[Captainslapper]

Jun 19, 2009 11:45:34 GMT 1 Grandfather Berty of Cleck said:

Jun 19, 2009 11:38:39 GMT 1 Captainslapper said:

Nathan Clarke sweeps behind

I think this confirms that The Captain goes to Halifax by mistake ;D

So you see nathan Clarke as a sweeper too? Strange.

Butler isn't a very strong player in the air. sure hell beat a small striker as youd expect but put up against any decent sized 'target-man' he struggles badly.
I get the impression Peter Clarke isn't what you'd call a cultured footballer so i don't expect his distribution to be much better than Butlers is. Unless all we want is pretty aimless hoofs up front, then Nathan Clarke has to play in that case.

The ideal CB partnership has a rough and tough, when its cleared it stays cleared kind of man ( Butler or P Clarke) and a player who's a decent footballer too and can pick out a pass ( N Clarke).

It makes me laugh how people automatically asume a new signing is better than who we already have like britishlegion has. he may well be but at this stage hes just another L1 centre back.
Its the same assumption as when Werling would definately be better than Williams or Skarz, or Ainsworth would definately be better than Cads.
Nathan Clarke's one of the best in this division. Maybe Peter Clarke is too. IF he turns out to be even better, we'll have done very well.
It'll be Clarke and Clarke anyway.

[workshyfop]

Butler would probably be behind Tranmere's Player of the Season too as Kay is a centre-back turned midfielder don't forget.

[midge]

Spot on Skip....other than I would say that Nathan does sweep(certainly more than Butler!) but that's cos he has a more alround game than other CH's we've had!!!

[Mastercracker]

Jun 19, 2009 12:13:50 GMT 1 Captainslapper said:

Jun 19, 2009 11:45:34 GMT 1 Grandfather Berty of Cleck said:

I think this confirms that The Captain goes to Halifax by mistake ;D

So you see nathan Clarke as a sweeper too? Strange.

Butler isn't a very strong player in the air. sure hell beat a small striker as youd expect but put up against any decent sized 'target-man' he struggles badly.
I get the impression Peter Clarke isn't what you'd call a cultured footballer so i don't expect his distribution to be much better than Butlers is. Unless all we want is pretty aimless hoofs up front, then Nathan Clarke has to play in that case.

The ideal CB partnership has a rough and tough, when its cleared it stays cleared kind of man ( Butler or P Clarke) and a player who's a decent footballer too and can pick out a pass ( N Clarke).

It makes me laugh how people automatically asume a new signing is better than who we already have like britishlegion has. he may well be but at this stage hes just another L1 centre back.
Its the same assumption as when Werling would definately be better than Williams or Skarz, or Ainsworth would definately be better than Cads.
Nathan Clarke's one of the best in this division. Maybe Peter Clarke is too. IF he turns out to be even better, we'll have done very well.
It'll be Clarke and Clarke anyway.

Butler couldn't even beat a small man at Brizzle. Kuffour is about 5 foot nothing. When he played against a real target man in Howard, he was made to look very silly.

[Captainslapper]

As a partnership they both cover behind the other when the other attacks the ball. So, ok, to that extent Nathan will sweep behind butler when needed. I read it as them saying Nathan was the sweeper of the two, like he hardly attacks the first ball and leaves Butler to do it, which is wrong.

[Deleted]

Jun 19, 2009 12:13:50 GMT 1 Captainslapper said:

It makes me laugh how people automatically asume a new signing is better than who we already have like britishlegion has.

We aren't going to sign a team who finished above us player of the season, offering a contract he couldn't turn down to sit on the bench.

Your fetish with the local lads is really starting to cloud all judgment you make.

[jim100]

Jun 19, 2009 12:28:43 GMT 1 @dappertherapper said:

Jun 19, 2009 12:13:50 GMT 1 Captainslapper said:

It makes me laugh how people automatically asume a new signing is better than who we already have like britishlegion has.

We aren't going to sign a team who finished above us player of the season, offering a contract he couldn't turn down to sit on the bench.

I imagine that all three defenders are of similar quality with both strengths and weakeness. The point is all three are good quality for this level but will make individual mistakes (it is league 1!)

It will be Clarks job to get the best out of all three and we may see changes depending on the opposistion we are playing.

[Deleted]

I think Clark saw that we had a major problem in defence last year, we were weak and out-muscled. I honestly don't think he's brought in Clarke for a 3 way challenge for places week in week out.

Every interview with Clark at the moment mentions a strong spine, bullying teams etc. That's why he's brought in Kay and Clark.

[Doc Halladay 32]

I'm sure that Lee Clark will decide on his formation and personnel through form and fitness in the upcoming pre-season and friendly matches.

It is likely that HIS signings would be in pole position for starting but as he has shown with Ainsworth and to a lesser extent Werling he will not be afraid to leave them out if they are not performing.

If our centre backs repeat last season's form then I believe Nathan will just get the nod over Butler, but if Nathan returns to the form of a couple of years ago then I'm sure Butler will start alongside P.Clarke.

My biggest gripe with Nathan is his inability to pass the ball to a free fullback, or midfielder who is showing for the ball within 10 or 15 yards, all too often he switches to his Beckenbauer/Hoddle mentality in his belief that he can put a 60yd pass on a sixpence and consequently 8/10 times the ball is won by the opposing full back/centre back or rolls for the goalie to pick up.

[Captainslapper]

Jun 19, 2009 12:28:43 GMT 1 @dappertherapper said:

Jun 19, 2009 12:13:50 GMT 1 Captainslapper said:

It makes me laugh how people automatically asume a new signing is better than who we already have like britishlegion has.

We aren't going to sign a team who finished above us player of the season, offering a contract he couldn't turn down to sit on the bench.

Your fetish with the local lads is really starting to cloud all judgment you make.

We aren't going to sign anybody and guarentee them a place in the side. In my opinon Peter Clarke has been brought in as a replacement for Butler. By the sounds of it hes a similar type of player, but hopefully better.
We already have one of the best CBs in this division.It seems we've paid out a lot to hopefully get in another one to partner him.

How many times have you seen Peter Clarke Play? Exactly, so the asumption hes better than nathan clarke just doesn't stack up. This time last year people ( like you perhaps) were all saying both Lucketti AND Butler would be our 2 CBs as they were both 'automatically' better than Nathan Clarke. They were all proved totally wrong!

Fetich with local lad? What, like I have with Mirfin,Tom Clarke, Young, Hardy,McAliskey,Brown,Akins,Broadbent,Ahmed,Boothy
Don't talk shite. I'm even one of the very few who've critisised Smithies on here.

[midge]

Jun 19, 2009 13:02:10 GMT 1 Doc Halladay 32 said:

I'm sure that Lee Clark will decide on his formation and personnel through form and fitness in the upcoming pre-season and friendly matches.

It is likely that HIS signings would be in pole position for starting but as he has shown with Ainsworth and to a lesser extent Werling he will not be afraid to leave them out if they are not performing.

If our centre backs repeat last season's form then I believe Nathan will just get the nod over Butler, but if Nathan returns to the form of a couple of years ago then I'm sure Butler will start alongside P.Clarke.

My biggest gripe with Nathan is his inability to pass the ball to a free fullback, or midfielder who is showing for the ball within 10 or 15 yards, all too often he switches to his Beckenbauer/Hoddle mentality in his belief that he can put a 60yd pass on a sixpence and consequently 8/10 times the ball is won by the opposing full back/centre back or rolls for the goalie to pick up.

Sorry Doc, you need to watch the games more closely and not get involved in the 'Nathan Clarke - hoooooooooof' accusations with all the other sheep!!!

Yes he does look for the Hollywood ball- sometimes it comes off sometimes it doesn't, but at least he is willing to try and has the ability!!!

Watch next season who comes and takes the ball off Smithies the majority of the time, playing it through midfield as often if not more than he tries the 'hoof' ball!!!

Remember when he was injured last season and Lucketti came in!!?? It coincided with us playing our worst football under Clark as we lost the option to play out through the back with neither CL or Butler able to fulfill this role!!

Like I say have a close look or alternatively stand up, scream hoof, and shout obsenities whilst spitting and going red in the face as many other seem to do!!!

[Deleted]

Oh you've accidentally missed golden boys Andy and Jonathan out there.

I don't think Clarke is one of the best CB's in the division, otherwise he wouldn't be starting his sixth season with a for much of it mediocre league 1 team. Over the seasons defence has being a weakness, especially last season. And yes, the lack of firepower up front definitley highlighted the defence more (perhaps unfairly). But there is no doubt we conceded some shockingly poor goals last year. I don't think that has all the makings of one of the best CB's in the league.

[Floyds]

Nathan Clarke is definitely not one of the best CBs in the division - not even close.

He is a decent enough player at mid table League standard - and one of the best of a bad bunch last season.

Butler is worse than Clarke though - slow, immobile, terrible on the ball...


Unless we sign another CB (which i hope we do) then it will be PC and NC starting as first choice at Southend.

[AndySk]

Does anyone on here actually know for sure exactly how good Peter Clarke is i.e seen him play more than 10 games or so. Being Southends POTS last season you would imagine he's pretty good (although i think Neil Parsley once won that for Town and he wasn't great) but surely its all speculation at the moment! Having said that i am confident in LC bringing players who will strengthen the team

[HuddsTerrier]

Jun 19, 2009 13:24:21 GMT 1 @dappertherapper said:

Oh you've accidentally missed golden boys Andy and Jonathan out there.

I don't think Clarke is one of the best CB's in the division, otherwise he wouldn't be starting his sixth season with a for much of it mediocre league 1 team. Over the seasons defence has being a weakness, especially last season. And yes, the lack of firepower up front definitley highlighted the defence more (perhaps unfairly). But there is no doubt we conceded some shockingly poor goals last year. I don't think that has all the makings of one of the best CB's in the league.

I think there's plenty others who like Worthy and Holdsworth, I mean both are former POTS as is Nathan.

I don't see how defending some of our better players in the last 5 years shows bias towards the academy

[Deleted]

Based on description "Peter Clarke plays best with someone who wins the majority of headers"

It sounds like we have sound Nathan Clarke and are still missing the defensive boss - unless Kaybosses the entire pitch

[Deleted]

No one is doubting they were they have been valuable assets to us down the years but they aren't what we need now. Especially when bittnerness is shown towards any replacements etc.

[htafc]

I DON'T CARE WHO IS GOING TO BE ON BENCH. ALL I KNOW WHO EVER IS PLAYING WILL HAVE TO BE PLAYING WELL OR THEIR WILL LOSE THEY PLACE IN STARTING 11

[midge]

Jun 19, 2009 13:54:03 GMT 1 htafc said:

I DON'T CARE WHO IS GOING TO BE ON BENCH. ALL I KNOW WHO EVER IS PLAYING WILL HAVE TO BE PLAYING WELL OR THEIR WILL LOSE THEY PLACE IN STARTING 11

Good point!!!

And as well as having competition for places, we now seem to have some steal and bite in midfield to protect the defence.......something we've not had for years!!!!!!!!

[Deleted]

Butler+PeterClarke, Nathan on bench for me