[gazberg]

will we see the lesser spotted Pipa ??

Doubt it. CC said "we have Adam Reach, Erik Pieters and finally Pipa"

Sounds to me like Pipa is last choice out of those 3 but it's just a printer interview so hard to tell

[gazberg]

Please come back soon. Lightyears ahead of Reach

[timdon]

Please come back soon. Lightyears ahead of Reach

Agreed. We really missed him tonight. Reach was lucky not to be sent off frankly - was pulling his man's shirt all night.

[WBAinDEVON]

Reach is not a fullback, have we ever played him in his Sheff wed position. he always stood out playing for them against us, anyways i cant believe i am saying we missed Townsend

[Atomic]

Reach was desperate last night and Pipa when he came on was even worse. Watching him getting run ragged by their winger was a hard watch.

Maybe people will realise how good Townsend is now. No, he's not perfect and his lack of invention in forward areas irritates me a bit sometimes but he's the best 1 v 1 left back in the Championship.

[SmethDan]

Reach was desperate last night and Pipa when he came on was even worse. Watching him getting run ragged by their winger was a hard watch.

Maybe people will realise how good Townsend is now. No, he's not perfect and his lack of invention in forward areas irritates me a bit sometimes but he's the best 1 v 1 left back in the Championship.

Welcome back, have you been away and if so was the weather nice  ?

[Fritzl Palace]

Reach was desperate last night and Pipa when he came on was even worse. Watching him getting run ragged by their winger was a hard watch.

Maybe people will realise how good Townsend is now. No, he's not perfect and his lack of invention in forward areas irritates me a bit sometimes but he's the best 1 v 1 left back in the Championship.

I think everyone knows how good Townsend is…and it’s still ‘not very’ 

Comparing him to an attacking midfielder and a right back playing in that position doesn’t change that fact.

As for the last comment. Blimey. He…just…isn’t, is he?

[zippyandbungle]

I think everyone knows how good Townsend is…and it’s still ‘not very’ 

Comparing him to an attacking midfielder and a right back playing in that position doesn’t change that fact.

As for the last comment. Blimey. He…just…isn’t, is he?

I can concede that he has some good games,I’m willing to accept he may be the best option we have (because Pipa hasn’t been given a run)
But best 1v1
People got closer during Covid ..

[Atomic]

I can concede that he has some good games,I’m willing to accept he may be the best option we have (because Pipa hasn’t been given a run)
But best 1v1
People got closer during Covid ..

Check out his stats over a period of time.

[timdon]

I think everyone knows how good Townsend is…and it’s still ‘not very’ 

Comparing him to an attacking midfielder and a right back playing in that position doesn’t change that fact.

As for the last comment. Blimey. He…just…isn’t, is he?

I think "Yes" is the answer to your question. If not the best, certainly one of the top 3 or 4 without any doubt. Other people, including all the managers since he's been here and many on this forum, can see what a good player he is and how important to the team he is. It's just you and a couple of others that can't see it, for reasons that are frankly a bit of a mystery.

[Albionic]

I think "Yes" is the answer to your question. If not the best, certainly one of the top 3 or 4 without any doubt. Other people, including all the managers since he's been here and many on this forum, can see what a good player he is and how important to the team he is. It's just you and a couple of others that can't see it, for reasons that are frankly a bit of a mystery.

I'm in the pro CT camp for the record, He does have a problem defending crosses to the back post, but his overall game is more than adequate for the level we are currently at.
Our last season in prem, I would say he was one of our most consistent performers.

We have had some right dross in his position and CT is better than most of them, then again we had Dekka Statham.

[Fritzl Palace]

I think "Yes" is the answer to your question. If not the best, certainly one of the top 3 or 4 without any doubt. Other people, including all the managers since he's been here and many on this forum, can see what a good player he is and how important to the team he is. It's just you and a couple of others that can't see it, for reasons that are frankly a bit of a mystery.

I’m presuming we must have been the only ones who have been to Specsavers recently? 

I think you overestimate the amount of forum members who think he is actually good as opposed to him being the best of a particularly poor few options that we have in that position.

[timdon]

I agree. Statham was outstanding though, probably one of the top 2 in the country at the time, so that's a very high bar to set. Arguably Gibbs at his best was also better than Conor, but he was also an international standard. Other than that, I can't off the top of my head think of any better left backs that we've had.

[timdon]

I’m presuming we must have been the only ones who have been to Specsavers recently? 

I think you overestimate the amount of forum members who think he is actually good as opposed to him being the best of a particularly poor few options that we have in that position.

Not at all. If he was as poor as you say, we would have got a replacement for him several years ago. I just think that you're blinded by your own prejudice. You never have a good word to say for the guy. "The best of a particularly poor few options" is high praise indeed from you compared to some of your previous posts.

[Albionic]

I agree. Statham was outstanding though, probably one of the top 2 in the country at the time, so that's a very high bar to set. Arguably Gibbs at his best was also better than Conor, but he was also an international standard. Other than that, I can't off the top of my head think of any better left backs that we've had.

Statham was the best at the time, but Kenny Sansom played for Arsenal and got all the caps

Back to CT, as far as we know, he hasn't attracted significant interest from prem clubs but he has been a constant part of a statistically high performing championship defence for a number of seasons, so he is in my opinion a good / very good championship defender. Maldini or Ashley Cole he aint.

[timdon]

Statham was the best at the time, but Kenny Sansom played for Arsenal and got all the caps

Back to CT, as far as we know, he hasn't attracted significant interest from prem clubs but he has been a constant part of a statistically high performing championship defence for a number of seasons, so he is in my opinion a good / very good championship defender. Maldini or Ashley Cole he aint.

That's very true, but as you pointed out in a previous post, he more than held his own when we were in the Prem. He's just turned 31 and is here for one more season I think, when we will probably need to replace him and I for one will be sad to see him go when the day comes.

[SmethDan]

Check out his stats over a period of time.

I wouldn't class myself as anti CT and I've little doubt he's our best current option defensively at left fullback. But your wording suggests his stats aren't what they were and in the here and now it doesn't really matter what they were three or four years ago.

If you could provide a reference source (please) for your stats that would be greatly appreciated. And what metric are you using to define 'best one on one left back in the Championship'?

Does he top the charts defensively in tackles, blocks, interceptions, crosses prevented and successful aerial challenges or score a steady average? Does he top the charts in progressive plays, crosses, successful crosses goals and assists for his position?

Not having a pop here as I've spent zero seconds cross checking his stats across the other 22 first choice left backs in the Championship. Do we then consider how his piers at other clubs would fare in our set up or he in theirs'? Genuinely intrigued.

[timdon]

I wouldn't class myself as anti CT and I've little doubt he's our best current option defensively at left fullback. But your wording suggests his stats aren't what they were and in the here and now it doesn't really matter what they were three or four years ago.

If you could provide a reference source (please) for your stats that would be greatly appreciated. And what metric are you using to define 'best one on one left back in the Championship'?

Does he top the charts defensively in tackles, blocks, interceptions, crosses prevented and successful aerial challenges or score a steady average? Does he top the charts in progressive plays, crosses, successful crosses goals and assists for his position?

Not having a pop here as I've spent zero seconds cross checking his stats across the other 22 first choice left backs in the Championship. Do we then consider how his piers at other clubs would fare in our set up or he in theirs'? Genuinely intrigued.

That's a bit below the belt, bringing up the piers at other clubs' locations. Obviously we don't have a decent pier, stuck as we are about as far from the sea as it's possible to get in the UK. 

[SmethDan]

That's a bit below the belt, bringing up the piers at other clubs' locations. Obviously we don't have a decent pier, stuck as we are about as far from the sea as it's possible to get in the UK. 

Ha ha. I was looking at CCTV footage of Brixham Harbour earlier. I'm hoping I've got out of Jail with that one but fully expect I haven't. In fairness it would explain how he's out at sea positionally at times  .

[Fritzl Palace]

Not at all. If he was as poor as you say, we would have got a replacement for him several years ago. I just think that you're blinded by your own prejudice. You never have a good word to say for the guy. "The best of a particularly poor few options" is high praise indeed from you compared to some of your previous posts.

Not prejudiced in the slightest, there are few people I dislike in life and none of the Albion players fall into that category. As with any player we have, I call it based on their ability and how they perform for us, which is why I rave about the likes of Yokuslu, and why i call it as I see it with the likes of CT.  He just isn’t particularly good, it’s not a slight on him as a person, he has maximised the lack of talent he has to the point where he is punching way above his weight playing for us. I watched the Ipswich game the other night and Leif Davis for them was everything CT dreams he could be

[KN22]

I think he’s okay at the level we are. Certainly not the best in the division though. We regularly see better fullbacks, even in this league.

[mulliganstired]

Not prejudiced in the slightest, there are few people I dislike in life and none of the Albion players fall into that category. As with any player we have, I call it based on their ability and how they perform for us, which is why I rave about the likes of Yokuslu, and why i call it as I see it with the likes of CT.  He just isn’t particularly good, it’s not a slight on him as a person, he has maximised the lack of talent he has to the point where he is punching way above his weight playing for us. I watched the Ipswich game the other night and Leif Davis for them was everything CT dreams he could be

I have to agree, it's not a personal issue, you can't really fault him on effort/commitment but that's about it.

[zippyandbungle]

Check out his stats over a period of time.

There are stats on how many touches opposing wingers get before he attempts a challenge?

[caravanc58]

I agree. Statham was outstanding though, probably one of the top 2 in the country at the time, so that's a very high bar to set. Arguably Gibbs at his best was also better than Conor, but he was also an international standard. Other than that, I can't off the top of my head think of any better left backs that we've had.

David Burrows was better than Townsend.

[timdon]

David Burrows was better than Townsend.

Fair comment, forgot about Burrows, though from memory he didn't play that many games for us. Wasn't he still a teenager when he was transferred to Liverpool? He certainly went on to become a very good left back though.