The elephant in the room

Quoted from Dave Gilberts Left Peg

Listen Mr guardian reader, I was not digging him out. I have posted lots of positives about him. All I am saying is that he is not a left mid or winger. Do you want a hug?

Maybe if you bought a paper on a Sunday to stop you getting bored you may not have to post sh1te in an attempt to get a hug.

It’s a football forum and people have a varying opinions.

Clifton is, in some respects, the James Milner/John O’Shea of GTFC. Played in a variety of positions and is Mr Dependable and I guess every team craves a player like that. I imagine his data is off the charts with work rate, breaking up play a winning second balls. Hurst is meticulous in his preparation so I’ve no doubt he realises that by playing Clifton, in theory, our left hand side is defensively sound.

My own view of Clifton for a long time was that he got a game and the support of the fans because he was local, had he been from elsewhere he’d probably have taken a lot more flak. That said, he has improved and I guess, as highlighted in the thread on culture, he is symptomatic of that. Leaders that trust and believe in him have seen him improve. That has to be commended. Hurst picks him for a reason and whilst not protected from criticism, Hurst is now, for me in the same list as Buckley in terms of what he’s achieved at town, regardless of a relegation (let’s face it, we were dead and buried before he came in) so therefore, we have to trust him.

Personally I think Clifton’s ability to cross is baffling, he gets in to amazing positions and can clearer read the game exceptionally well but his crosses range from pitiful to alright. If he could cross a ball, even 1 decent one in 3, he’s be dangerous and have more assists.

I suspect this thread has come about because he was poor on Saturday and with the formation change and subs he became much more effective.

I don’t think anyone has said anything that’s not true in this thread and it is all about opinions. Whatever your criticism, I’d rather he be a town player than playing against us.

Quoted from headingly_mariner

Easily our most consistent performer.

I would say that title belongs to Luke Waterfall at the moment and for the last season in it's entireity. Agree with all your positive statements on Harry though. He bleeds black and white, for sure and on a good day his work will be part of what gets us a ground out victory. He is a squad player through and through, and we need them.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Maybe if you bought a paper on a Sunday to stop you getting bored you may not have to post sh1te in an attempt to get a hug.

He didn't post shite, he posted fact, Clifton is NOT a LW or LM.  

Quoted from 123614

He didn't post shite, he posted fact, Clifton is NOT a LW or LM.  

Thierry Henry wasn’t a front man…

Quoted from aldi_01

Thierry Henry wasn’t a front man…

Come on, comparing HC with TH is a complete joke!

For what it's worth i see our left hand side moving forward as amos & glennon pushing up one i think harry done his best  out wide but stepping up a level we need more than workrate , put harry in his best position & will see a better player in my view

Personally I don't see the issue as Clifton operating on the left wing, it's more a case of what system that is in.

In a 4-4-2 (or the 4-4-1-1 we played last season) with attacking full-backs, having a more defensive minded winger isn't an issue.  This season, largely because of injuries to Taylor and McAtee we've gone with a 4-3-3 that doesn't suit what Clifton can bring really.

Last season, having Clifton operate on the left hand side of midfield gave us so many added benefits beyond his sheer work-rate and energy that came from him cutting inside

• It created an overload in midfield in our favour
  
• It created space for the attacking left-back to exploit. who he was always happy to drop back and cover.
  
• The two central midfielders could shift across which mitigated the less defensive game from the likes of JMD on the right wing.
  
• As above, the shifting across allowed cover for Efete bombing on from right-back.
  

This year, operating further up the pitch there's more onus on offering an attacking threat and both providing a supply line to the other attackers and supporting them.  With 3 in midfield there's also less of a need to have his energy levels topping everything up.

Ideally, I'd want to see Kiernan and Wearne either side of Taylor in this system.  But our outstanding feature this season, the Orient game aside, has been the sheer energy and press that we put on teams, of which Clifton is a huge part of.

Quoted from aldi_01

It’s a football forum and people have a varying opinions.

Clifton is, in some respects, the James Milner/John O’Shea of GTFC. Played in a variety of positions and is Mr Dependable and I guess every team craves a player like that. I imagine his data is off the charts with work rate, breaking up play a winning second balls. Hurst is meticulous in his preparation so I’ve no doubt he realises that by playing Clifton, in theory, our left hand side is defensively sound.

My own view of Clifton for a long time was that he got a game and the support of the fans because he was local, had he been from elsewhere he’d probably have taken a lot more flak. That said, he has improved and I guess, as highlighted in the thread on culture, he is symptomatic of that. Leaders that trust and believe in him have seen him improve. That has to be commended. Hurst picks him for a reason and whilst not protected from criticism, Hurst is now, for me in the same list as Buckley in terms of what he’s achieved at town, regardless of a relegation (let’s face it, we were dead and buried before he came in) so therefore, we have to trust him.

Personally I think Clifton’s ability to cross is baffling, he gets in to amazing positions and can clearer read the game exceptionally well but his crosses range from pitiful to alright. If he could cross a ball, even 1 decent one in 3, he’s be dangerous and have more assists.

I suspect this thread has come about because he was poor on Saturday and with the formation change and subs he became much more effective.

I don’t think anyone has said anything that’s not true in this thread and it is all about opinions. Whatever your criticism, I’d rather he be a town player than playing against us.

I absolutely agree with you. I enjoyed both the Kerr and Buckley eras. We are now at the onset of the Hurst era so let's embrace it and long may it last.

would clifton on the right of the front three with Glennon on the left ahead of Amos be an option with Wearne being an impact sub??