[pieandabovril]

Brunts performances at left back need a special mention.When the Captaincy was taken away from him,then being asked to play at full back,we could have expected some iffy performances from him,but I have been pleasantly surprised by how well he has done.Lets face it he has not been everyones cup of tea recently being the focus of the "boo boys". I think its takes someone special to react and perform the way he has,so well done Chrissy Brunt!

[aries22]

Brunts performances at left back need a special mention.When the Captaincy was taken away from him,then being asked to play at full back,we could have expected some iffy performances from him,but I have been pleasantly surprised by how well he has done.Lets face it he has not been everyones cup of tea recently being the focus of the "boo boys". I think its takes someone special to react and perform the way he has,so well done Chrissy Brunt!

Totally agree, Pie. Above all else, Chris Brunt is a good, intelligent footballer, and if he's happy slotting in at left back, then fine, and although he might be even slower than Liam Ridgewell, hopefully his positioning sense and ability to read a game will help. I'm happy he's in the team.

[BaggyBomber]

I agree. He's a very good club man. Not too many of those around these days.

[drewks]

Brunts performances at left back need a special mention.When the Captaincy was taken away from him,then being asked to play at full back,we could have expected some iffy performances from him,but I have been pleasantly surprised by how well he has done.Lets face it he has not been everyones cup of tea recently being the focus of the "boo boys". I think its takes someone special to react and perform the way he has,so well done Chrissy Brunt!

Totally agree, Pie. Above all else, Chris Brunt is a good, intelligent footballer, and if he's happy slotting in at left back, then fine, and although he might be even slower than Liam Ridgewell, hopefully his positioning sense and ability to read a game will help. I'm happy he's in the team.

"...slower than Ridgewell"?? There's no such animal.  

Agree with the sentiments though; for all his patchy form, he's never done less than his best. He seems to have been the target for many of those who have screamed out for 'pace & width'.......well, it's hardly HIS fault that he's not blessed with great pace and the HC picks him!

I never thought he was a leader and didn't agree with him as captain - but the fact that he was asked to do it is an honour that not many would say 'no' to; think he's actually playing better without the captaincy as well.

I think he's doing a pretty good job at LB too - hopefully the more games hes gets there the better he'll be, too  

[Salopbaggie]

No question Brunt is a good club man and deserves acknowledgement as such. There is also no question about him giving his all to the club for a few years now.

He has done ok at LB but that does not make him a LB most of the time he was OK but there were several times when he was caught out and I would ask whether a player who was a natural LB would have been (yes, I know he has played nationally at LB). That said I think he is better at LB than Dawson is at RB.

[BaggieMan]

I don't see what Poco has done wrong to be excluded the way he seems to be. Same goes for Gamboa I suppose.

[talkSAFT]

I don't see what Poco has done wrong to be excluded the way he seems to be. Same goes for Gamboa I suppose.

Poco: It must be something on the Training Ground, BaggieMan. I've only seen him live twice, but he looked our best player (Everton & Newcastle). Some say he's reckless - so is Yacob! And he's much better than Lescott or Baird in that position.

Gamboa: More of a wingback, but even as a fullback he's > Dawson, except at defending corners......is that what it's all about?

[Sanjay]

I think Brunt is a very underestimated player and far too often the focus has been on his negative performances rather than his positive ones. Unfortunately, fans either take to a player or they don't and in his case he seems to fall into the latter regardless of what he does. It's the same oddity as first meeting someone and taking an instant like/dislike for no apparent reason - footballers are no different.

[BaggieMan]

Brunt's major plus is the clinical inch perfect through ball enabling the receiving striker a chance of scoring. Strange thing is that his crosses and corners are often poor with over hitting or to an opposition player. That said, he occasionally puts in a superb corner or angled free kick that results in a goal. Why he isn't more consistent with these is a mystery. You could say the same with Mozza and formerly, with Dozza.

Having little pace, any self respecting opposition winger will leave him standing as was the case with Burnley's second. TP's policy must be, to a certain extent, allowing crosses to rain in and having three centre halves there to clear the danger. Personally, I'd prefer the conventional left back as we have in Poco.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Brunt's major plus is the clinical inch perfect through ball enabling the receiving striker a chance of scoring. Strange thing is that his crosses and corners are often poor with over hitting or to an opposition player. That said, he occasionally puts in a superb corner or angled free kick that results in a goal. Why he isn't more consistent with these is a mystery.

Spot on.  In recent seasons, Brunty's presence in our attacking line-up has contributed to our being slow and one-dimensional in the build-up, and the positives he provides never really seem to do more than balance out the negatives.  The fact that he's now been pulled back to defensive duties suggests that TP is of the same view.

That said, I don't think anyone can knock Brunt as a servant to the club.  I bought last season's DVD review (yes, I am that masochistic) and was struck by Brunt's analysis of the 4-3 Villa game when he talked about picking his lad up from school the day after, with all the Vile-supporting parents taking the piss out of him and his boy having had it off the other kids all day too; it's exactly what we as supporters have to go through, and I don't think many people appreciate that some of our players go through exactly the same.  I was glad to see the bloke get a bit of an ovation from the Woodman Corner when he went up for a corner vs West Ham, and also hearing the "Chrissy Brunt Brunt Brunt" song again recently; yes, I think he's past his best for us, but he still warrants some serious respect in my eyes.