Jon Flanagan

[BobTheCharmer]

Robinson is definitely a much better player of the two and is younger, but obviously he's a LB

really? fair enough. Apart from the second half yesterday, Flano has looked composed and at home in all his appearances including at left back. I haven't seen too much of Robinson. But if he's better than we're set up at full back for years to come.

[Timmy Testijowels]

Had a bit of a mare yesterday but he's only 18, he'll learn, and become a better player for it. He wasn't helped by Hendersons unwillingness to track back.

[RedReet]

Flano has had a very poor pre season IMO and has taken this in to the start of teh league. He is very young and needs time but he is most definately not ready for the first team, and although he put in few good performances at end of last season, he is way off being ready. Kelly is a much better option at RB and can't see why Kenny didn't play him or at least being him on, unless Kelly was carrying.

Don't know what you're basing that on, I thought he had a decent pre-season, certainly not 'very poor'. I didn't get to see the Galatasary game, but even still he definitely looked better than Kelly in the games I watched. In fact, that second half is the only poor 45 minutes I've seen since he broke into the first team and he was clearly rattled by his mistake.

Everyone was **** in the second half and if it wasn't for the mistake for the goal he probably wouldn't have stood out much more than any of our senior players.

Had a very good 1st half when he displayed all of his composure and good use of the ball. Mistakes are gonna happen and he will cost us goals at times, but I'm certain he'll make it with us in the long term. Felt a bit sorry for him yesterday though, it was a harsh lesson 2nd half.

[redsarebest]

It looked to me as if Sunderland were told at half time to target him.

They didn't have a winger able to beat him consistently but they definitely tried to make it hard for him to get a pass away.
He gave the ball away badly a minute or so before their goal - led to a header that should have been a goal and he looked a bit shaken.

I thought the same happened with Newcastle at home at the end of last season when he was definitely targetted

I think he's going to be a top defender but the other top teams have their youngsters with premier teams for a season before expecting them to be first pick . Kyle walker, Wiltshire, Cleverley, Sturridge etc. Nobody should be in our first team that wouldn't be first choice for a low/ mid- table team surely?
Likes of Eccleston, Amoo - even Pacheco were bench warmers in the Championship

[Neil Young]

It looked to me as if Sunderland were told at half time to target him.

They didn't have a winger able to beat him consistently but they definitely tried to make it hard for him to get a pass away.
He gave the ball away badly a minute or so before their goal - led to a header that should have been a goal and he looked a bit shaken.

I thought the same happened with Newcastle at home at the end of last season when he was definitely targetted

I think he's going to be a top defender but the other top teams have their youngsters with premier teams for a season before expecting them to be first pick . Kyle walker, Wiltshire, Cleverley, Sturridge etc. Nobody should be in our first team that wouldn't be first choice for a low/ mid- table team surely?
Likes of Eccleston, Amoo - even Pacheco were bench warmers in the Championship

And the same happened last season when Everton targetted Kelly in the second half, with the same results.

I think that probably backs up your point.

Although I was saying it in response to all those geniuses who can't fathom why it was Dalglish picked Flanagan ahead of him yesterday (assuming the lad was fit).

[saj]

really? fair enough. Apart from the second half yesterday, Flano has looked composed and at home in all his appearances including at left back. I haven't seen too much of Robinson. But if he's better than we're set up at full back for years to come.

Robinson is very quick. When he gets beaten by the opposition winger, he has the pace to get back and make a tackle. We saw this at the emirates last season when he was up against Walcott and in pre season. He's much better going forwards too. Flannagan is more similar to Carragher - he gets stuck in but he gets beaten too easily and doesn't have the pace to get back. But both are still very young and have all the time in the world to develop and improve. I'd say Robinson is the most likely of the two to become a star player

[Exiled_red]

Teams are always going to target young defenders as their inexperience will come across as a potential source of weakness, be that Flanagan, Kelly, Robinson or anyone. Part of the learning curve for young defenders is to overcome this.

[BobTheCharmer]

Robinson is very quick. When he gets beaten by the opposition winger, he has the pace to get back and make a tackle. We saw this at the emirates last season when he was up against Walcott and in pre season. He's much better going forwards too. Flannagan is more similar to Carragher - he gets stuck in but he gets beaten too easily and doesn't have the pace to get back. But both are still very young and have all the time in the world to develop and improve. I'd say Robinson is the most likely of the two to become a star player

I didn't see the Arsenal game so fair do's. The biggest problem for Robinson is a certain left back signed from Newcastle. Could be here for 5 years........

[RedSince1964]

people need to give the kid a break. he's only 18 but he looks very comfortable at this level. yes he got dragged too close to carra but larsson is an intelligent player. his first move was towards the centre which flano rightly followed but then larsson read the flight quicker and moved back out creating space for the shot.

the kid got done by a clever piece of movement. **** happens, if he's still making the same mistakes in other games then its something for the coaches to work on because these kids are a work in progress.

we whinge that there arent enough youth players coming through and then we dont show the lads any patience. i think weve got two very good options in kelly and flanagan for the RB slot.

Agreed

[saj]

I didn't see the Arsenal game so fair do's. The biggest problem for Robinson is a certain left back signed from Newcastle. Could be here for 5 years........

It was fascintating the Arsenal game. I didn't know much about him to be honest and he actually managed to outpace Walcott on more than one occasion. But Enrique looks the business - defensively he is solid si I agree with with your last statment. He has strength and pace. I just cannot wait for him to get his confidence - yesterday he was very reserved. Defensively he was perfect but you could tell he wanted to go forwards but he was withholding himself and understandably so, he's only had one training session!

[el matador]

It was fascintating the Arsenal game. I didn't know much about him to be honest and he actually managed to outpace Walcott on more than one occasion. But Enrique looks the business - defensively he is solid si I agree with with your last statment. He has strength and pace. I just cannot wait for him to get his confidence - yesterday he was very reserved. Defensively he was perfect but you could tell he wanted to go forwards but he was withholding himself and understandably so, he's only had one training session!

enrique will be a quality addition to our side until robinson is ready in 2-3 years and then we'll flog him to real madrid for £30m. When i saw the teamsheet yesterday like most people i would have played kelly there instead because he's taller, quicker and a better all round defender (plus he's a couple of years older).

it might be that kelly was carrying a knock and flanagan was put into the 1st team. like shaggy said in the first half he looked very composed but in the second half, sunderland pushed up and stopped us playing through the midfield. we had to start pumping the ball longer and wes brown played carroll really well.

because of our two fullbacks being inexperienced (flanagan) and new to the team - enrique we didnt use them at all.

But we now we have a few ways to play, through the middle through adam and lucas, through the full backs in johnson and enrique and longer through carroll.

We just need time to get the players playing as a team and sunderland are a tough competitive team who are premiership savvy and know how to stop other teams playing. If this game had come 3 months in you would expect 3 pts but for now a draw isnt the end of the world.

Flanagan will learn from this - he's already a better fullback than insua and degen at 18 so imagine what he's going to be like at 23.

[BillobShaisley]

Kelly had a pretty poor pre-season too. One reason why KD may have gone with Flanno

[yamiedo]

He looked lost and void of confidence from the start, the first half we attacked well and put them under the kosh, but even so, he was poor then.

He shouldn't start. Kelly seems to handle the pressure better. Flanagan needs to be brought on for short periods when we're a couple of goals up.

What are you talking about?? He was solid in the first half, looked good!

[Mostar]

Flanagan vs Villa Comp


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEQuUBU4MNU"]Flanagan vs Villa - YouTube[/ame]

[Attilladahun]

What are you talking about?? He was solid in the first half, looked good!

Frankly he played safe

BUT that was not what we needed -make yourself available and when required get the ball into dangerous areas!!!