[St Charles Owl]

We will take him back if you don't want him anymore!!!!!

[BBB]

First of all, on the subject of captaincy - I'm the (smaller) camp that doesn't care who
captain is, nor think it should make a massive difference. In my opinion, 11 grown men,
all professionals, should be able to go out there, self motivated and do a job.

While I'd agree that Brunt doesn't seem like captain material with his body language and
demeanor, I don't think this is to blame for our form. I'm guessing he's well respected in
the dressing room.

On the subject of his performances though...

For me, he wouldn't be a regular starter at this level. Nor do I think he's suited as a wide man
in a 4-5-1. IMO, a wide man in that formation has to be able to link up with the strikers and get
in behind him. That's not Brunt's game at all.

I'd be happy if he was played in one of the central 3 positions to cover injury.

So all in all, happy with him as a squad member, but he certainly wouldn't be in my XI. In fact,
he'd be quite a bit down the pecking order.

---

Great post, though those people who you are talking about, don't come on here to read your post - shame cos its true. Meaning the booing mostly, but have always felt he's been wasted as a player having such a good left foot, and never having a pop at goal.

BBB

[DannytheBaggie]

Nice post, thequietwatersby!

What i want to know is a simple yes or no. Should Brunt be in our side? Like i say, i genuinely don't think he would stand out in an average championship side! Not sure the booing is aimed at him, its aimed at Alan Irvine for picking him. If he doesn't pick him, it takes him out the equation and there's no story. Great servant but it was time to move him on rather than be offering him a new long term contract .

St Charles Owl - you are welcome to him.

[talkSAFT]

I'm sure this is true:-
Brunty had a crack at goal in the 1st half, hitting the side-netting, and it LOOKED like a decent effort. But I was slap bang behind his left shoulder as the ball dropped and he hit it. Before he struck the ball I knew - and he knew better than me - that he could never have hit the target from that angle. But he hit it nevertheless, when he SHOULD have done something else, like bring it down and try to hold on to it. The point I'm making is that I honestly believe he did that just to LOOK good, and get the fans to applaud what looked from most angles like a decent effort. THAT IS NOT THE ACTION OF A COMMITTED PLAYER (esp. a Captain).
There's half a chance I misread that bit of action - and I HOPE I'm wrong. But it's the action of a bloke lacking any confidence, desperate to please - rather than do what's best for the game/team.

I certainly wouldn't, and didn't, boo the bloke, although I don't believe he's worth his place in the team.
As for booing, though, I couldn't help but boooo at the final whistle. I never boo, but it was just a reaction - a bit like going "Whooops" when you piddle down your leg, or follow-through with a fart.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

I never boo, but it was just a reaction - a bit like going "Whooops" when you piddle down your leg, or follow-through with a fart.

You know the anguished cry of helpless despair when you do both at once? That's the noise I made at full-time.

As for Brunty; the stick he gets is disproportionate to his mistakes and shortcomings, though I do believe the ironic cheers at his substitution on this occasion were directed more at Irvine. He's been poor a lot of the time recently, and though he's far from the only one in that respect, he's found himself a bit of a scapegoat. Needs dropping if only to find a bit of form again.

[Thequietwatersby]

Nice post, thequietwatersby!  

What i want to know is a simple yes or no.  Should Brunt be in our side?  Like i say, i genuinely don't think he would stand out in an average championship side!  Not sure the booing is aimed at him, its aimed at Alan Irvine for picking him.  If he doesn't pick him, it takes him out the equation and there's no story.  Great servant but it was time to move him on rather than be offering him a new long term contract .

St Charles Owl - you are welcome to him.

If I had to choose, I'd be firmly in the "No" camp.

That said, he would definitely still be active in the squad for me. If we want a successful season which can still happen at this stage despite a poor start, we need players like Brunt who are now more suited to being rotated in and out of the squad based on fitness and form. The new lads we've got in still need competition and Brunt despite his poor form of late can provide it.

He might not be up to the standards that earned him the chant of "Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé Chrissy Brunt Brunt Brunt!" but he's been a loyal servant to the club and he must have the respect of the lads to have the captaincy. Whether I'd agree he's the best choice for the armband is another matter, but what does the captain role mean now in the modern game?

I totally agree about moving him on in future but I'd point the finger at Dorrans more so who has never lived up to the promise he showed back when we were in the Championship, and his form isn't exactly stellar either, yet Brunt is getting most of the abuse/boos/ironic cheers.

[Worldclassalbion]

I think a few of us are getting a little bleary eyed here. No one has said he's not been a great servant to the club because he most definitely has BUT it's simple, we've had the best of him and I don't think he warrants being picked for the first 11 anymore, not for 2 seasons at least IMO. Squad player yes but maybe not even the bench sometimes.

Don't get me wrong when I played (Only semi=pro admittedly) if I was having a run of bad games and the gaffer kept picking me I wouldn't say NO give someone else a chance so the real fault is with Irvine BUT honestly we all know Brunty isn't good enough anymore, maybe take the captaincy off him and see what he does then. It may give him renewed vigour, it may be a weight off his shoulders

[santasabaggie]

I think a few of us are getting a little bleary eyed here. No one has said he's not been a great servant to the club because he most definitely has BUT it's simple, we've had the best of him and I don't think he warrants being picked for the first 11 anymore, not for 2 seasons at least IMO. Squad player yes but maybe not even the bench sometimes.

Don't get me wrong when I played (Only semi=pro admittedly) if I was having a run of bad games and the gaffer kept picking me I wouldn't say NO give someone else a chance so the real fault is with Irvine BUT honestly we all know Brunty isn't good enough anymore, maybe take the captaincy off him and see what he does then. It may give him renewed vigour, it may be a weight off his shoulders

We have seen the best of him yes, as we have with a load of others getting in the team week after week. The thing is we need to see the replacements play.I.E the new signings.I cannot go along with this idea that these players are not up to scratch yet and need time to get fit. They are all professional athletes for goodness sake. Most have been playing W/C and international friendlies in the last few months. So yes we have had the best out of Mr Brunt and he has been a great servant for the club ,but enough is enough.

[Worldclassalbion]

I think a few of us are getting a little bleary eyed here. No one has said he's not been a great servant to the club because he most definitely has BUT it's simple, we've had the best of him and I don't think he warrants being picked for the first 11 anymore, not for 2 seasons at least IMO. Squad player yes but maybe not even the bench sometimes.

Don't get me wrong when I played (Only semi=pro admittedly) if I was having a run of bad games and the gaffer kept picking me I wouldn't say NO give someone else a chance so the real fault is with Irvine BUT honestly we all know Brunty isn't good enough anymore, maybe take the captaincy off him and see what he does then. It may give him renewed vigour, it may be a weight off his shoulders

We have seen the best of him yes, as we have with a load of others getting in the team week after week. The thing is we need to see the replacements play.I.E the new signings.I cannot go along with this idea that these players are not up to scratch yet and need time to get fit. They are all professional athletes for goodness sake. Most have been playing W/C and international friendlies in the last few months. So yes we have had the best out of Mr Brunt and he has been a great servant for the club ,but enough is enough.

Santa, we agree then  

[Thequietwatersby]

I think a few of us are getting a little bleary eyed here. No one has said he's not been a great servant to the club because he most definitely has BUT it's simple, we've had the best of him and I don't think he warrants being picked for the first 11 anymore, not for 2 seasons at least IMO. Squad player yes but maybe not even the bench sometimes.

Don't get me wrong when I played (Only semi=pro admittedly) if I was having a run of bad games and the gaffer kept picking me I wouldn't say NO give someone else a chance so the real fault is with Irvine BUT honestly we all know Brunty isn't good enough anymore, maybe take the captaincy off him and see what he does then. It may give him renewed vigour, it may be a weight off his shoulders

We have seen the best of him yes, as we have with a load of others getting in the team week after week. The thing is we need to see the replacements play.I.E the new signings.I cannot go along with this idea that these players are not up to scratch yet and need time to get fit. They are all professional athletes for goodness sake. Most have been playing W/C and international friendlies in the last few months. So yes we have had the best out of Mr Brunt and he has been a great servant for the club ,but enough is enough.

Brunty has unfortunately become the scapegoat here then, which is pretty unjust to be fair.

You could easily list a few names involved in the squad that have been worse than Brunt over the past couple of seasons yet haven't took as much stick. The first 3 to mind for me are...

Scott Sinclair
Nicolas Anelka
Liam Ridgewell

Thankfully, none of them are still at the club which shows we're moving in the right direction. Yacob is another who in my opinion is vastly overrated and I believe he would of left recently if the right offer came in for him.