Ryan Bennett

In the hypothetical scenario of Bennett signing (!):

1. Chances are the four CBs wouldn’t all be available at the same time, whether it be injuries or suspension.

2. Waterfall’s easily our best CB in current form. Monster performance from him again vs Salford.

3. If you’re playing 3 at the back, Maher would be the natural fit at LCB because he’s left footed and has played LB before so is more natural out wide, covering behind the LWB.

4. If Bennett is anywhere near fit he’d be first choice

5. Smith has a mistake in him. When he’s not even our player you couldn’t play a ‘prospect’ over the other three, however talented he may be. The only reason you would is if there was a genuine chance of signing Smith permanently.

Everyone is quick to have a go at Efete, but Smith has made more defensive errors in the past 4 months than Efete.

I’m not sure Smith looked that comfortable at RCB on Saturday. It brought back memories of his adventures at RB last season. His distribution in the second half wasn’t great and Doig again gave him a rocket for getting caught ball watching and not tracking the flight of the ball.  

Smith is young and mistakes are part of the learning experience. However, as a manager, when you’re only a handful of matches from the sack, it’s often safer to go with the safe, experienced option, which is understandable.

Quoted from ska face

I’d like to see Bennett-Waterfall-Smith as a 3 with Maher screening in front, but then are we sacrificing something in the middle to accommodate 4 centre backs?

It might give some scope for wingbacks to be a bit more attacking, as Maher could drop into the back line if one on either side of the 3 needs to push out to close an attacker down the wing, but does Maher have the engine to do that? I couldn’t say, not seen enough of him.

He’s good with the ball and it might save Hunt & co from having to sit so deep to receive it. Glad it’s Hurst’s problem and not mine.

four centre backs Jeremy, FOUR? That's insane

Quoted from gtfc98

four centre backs Jeremy, FOUR? That's insane

I remember when people used to call PH too defensive!! Listen to you all now 😂

What the Bear said.

Quoted from 123614

In my simple opinion, Smith is not our player, and if Hull don't want to sell him at the end of his loan spell, then he will be gone.  I believe that Bennet should be in the team in place of Smith, you just cannot leave Bennet out for a young loanee.  As good as he is, he is nowhere near the class or has the experience that Bennet has.

I see where you're coming from, but you don't sign a loan player to sit him on the bench.  If you're not going to play him, may as well send him back - that's not going to happen, so he plays when fit.

Just to add something else to the mix...

Bennett should (and I hope he would) stand out at this level.  I mean really stand out.   We're already fairly solid defensively, up there as one of the best in the division.  

Would the addition of Bennett afford us a little more freedom further up the pitch?

Thinking about it more, I've previously said that Waterfall doesn't budge.  But presented with the chance of a player of Bennett's pedigree, wouldn't Hurst be tempted to put him at the heart of the defence and using his knowledge, skill and experience to control the play more?

Buggered if I know, I'm still trying to fit Shaun Pearson into my starting XI!

Quoted from Lost in Lincoln

I see where you're coming from, but you don't sign a loan player to sit him on the bench.  If you're not going to play him, may as well send him back - that's not going to happen, so he plays when fit.

In the same vein, if Bennet signs for us, you cannot leave him on the bench either, so who gets left out?

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

In the hypothetical scenario of Bennett signing (!):

1. Chances are the four CBs wouldn’t all be available at the same time, whether it be injuries or suspension.

2. Waterfall’s easily our best CB in current form. Monster performance from him again vs Salford.

3. If you’re playing 3 at the back, Maher would be the natural fit at LCB because he’s left footed and has played LB before so is more natural out wide, covering behind the LWB.

4. If Bennett is anywhere near fit he’d be first choice

5. Smith has a mistake in him. When he’s not even our player you couldn’t play a ‘prospect’ over the other three, however talented he may be. The only reason you would is if there was a genuine chance of signing Smith permanently.

Everyone is quick to have a go at Efete, but Smith has made more defensive errors in the past 4 months than Efete.

I’m not sure Smith looked that comfortable at RCB on Saturday. It brought back memories of his adventures at RB last season. His distribution in the second half wasn’t great and Doig again gave him a rocket for getting caught ball watching and not tracking the flight of the ball.  

Smith is young and mistakes are part of the learning experience. However, as a manager, when you’re only a handful of matches from the sack, it’s often safer to go with the safe, experienced option, which is understandable.

I remember back in the day us having Handyside, Lever, Rodger and Richard Smith as centre-backs for a couple of seasons. And having Paul Groves, Wayne Burnett, Stacy Coldicott & Tommy Widdrington as central midfielders in 1998/99.

You can have 4 good quality centre-backs and central midfielders and play a 4-4-2 based formation.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

I remember back in the day us having Handyside, Lever, Rodger and Richard Smith as centre-backs for a couple of seasons. And having Paul Groves, Wayne Burnett, Stacy Coldicott & Tommy Widdrington as central midfielders in 1998/99.

You can have 4 good quality centre-backs and central midfielders and play a 4-4-2 based formation.

I think we'd all have been happy with a whole team of Paul Futchers wouldn't we...

Quoted from 123614

In the same vein, if Bennet signs for us, you cannot leave him on the bench either, so who gets left out?

*if* he signs, I'd imagine he'd be on a decent whack, so yes he plays.  As for who gets left out, I'm glad I don't have to make that decision.  

I still think it's unlikely he will though, so it's moot really.