Jordan Cropper Vs Michee Efete.

Would keep Michee for next year as a back up/ can play back 3. Not good enough to be starting out in a back 4 or in the wing-back role for me and must aim for better next year should we want to be at the business end of the table. The lad from Newport who's name escapes me (Norman?) looks like one of the best I've seen play that wing-back role. Efete got his criticism for his form early in the season when I believe he was devoid of confidence and we simply had nobody to replace him.. Cropper unfortunately I believe will be released as he was limited as a footballer even in the NL and the step up we've seen to L2 will be too much for him

Quoted from Mariner_09

Michee is a much better full back than Cropper. Cropper doesn't have anything like the athleticism, the physical presence, the attacking threat, ability to get us up the pitch or the goal threat that Michee has.

They're probably similar on the ball, Cropper is less prone to lapses and that throw in, in and of itself, is a massive threat and can be the point of difference in marginal games, as we all know. We wouldn't have got promoted without him, and, if he'd been fit, Hursty would've picked Michee over Cropper in the playoffs.

Cropper is built like a body builder, not sure why you’d think he has less of a physical presence.

Quoted from pontoonlew

Mahers barely gets 2-3 yards into the box and isn’t delivered at pace, it wouldn’t be threatening even if we had that freak that played for Solihull up top.

Croppers is low, flat and fizzes in, it’s an absolute weapon.

He set up a goal for Barnet against County the other week and it was nearly at the back post before it was at a height someone could reach! He wasn't even in line with the penalty area either. Unbelievable.

I don’t think you can answer the OP question as we’ve not really seen Cropper at L2 level

Not sure it some people aren't aware, talking about whether they would keep Michee or not- he is under contract for next year so he will be here. it'll be very interesting to see how much he can improve over the next 14 months with us. He's just turned 26 so a year or two off his peak

To challenge at the top end of league 2 I would suggest that we need better than either of them.

Efete has decent strength, mobility, and gets us up the pitch, and is decent enough for a mid table team.

For me, you take away Croppers throw and he was simply an average journeyman conference player. Whilst that throw is a hell of a weapon, it’s not enough to justify a starting place.

Last season all of our fullbacks allowed far too many crosses into the box, and I felt that upgrades were needed on both sides. I still think that’s the case this summer.

Michee had a torrid first half of the season but since has grown into league football.
I slated him earlier in the season but now I think he’s doing well.

Quoted from ska face

The alternative is the endlessly shít and, almost entirely, ineffective scenario of needing one or two players within 5/10 yards of the thrower and having to work a small triangle in that tiny channel down the side. You end up losing the ball 9 times out of 10, and you’ve then got at least 2 players, if not three, immediately out of the game.

Cropper he might not be, but you only need one decent flick on or one defender to misjudge a header and you’ve a good chance of scoring.

On Saturday, he threw one to the feet of Green (I think it was), at the near post, and it led to McAtee hammering a shot just over the bar. I agree that the feet and back throw in very rarely seems to work, so throw it in the box and see what happens when we are anywhere near the goal, or long down the line when we aren't.

On the point of the thread, I'd swap them both for Norman at Newport. He was a cut above.

Quoted from ginnywings

On Saturday, he threw one to the feet of Green (I think it was), at the near post, and it led to McAtee hammering a shot just over the bar. I agree that the feet and back throw in very rarely seems to work, so throw it in the box and see what happens when we are anywhere near the goal, or long down the line when we aren't.

On the point of the thread, I'd swap them both for Norman at Newport. He was a cut above.

I thought Malarkey looked better than what we currently have the other week when we played Rochdale

Nit sure what contract he signed there in Jan but could see why we were linked with him before Emmanuel signed

Few comments along the lines of Cropper wouldn't be half as good if he didn't have his throw, or his throw is his best attribute.  

The point is though that he has that attribute.  Waterfall would be pretty average if he didn't have his aerial presence, Clifton bang average without his engine etc. etc....

It's a flipping monster attribute and then some.  If we had someone capable of delivering free-kicks and corners capable of creating that level of panic and opportunity we would expect to see them in the side more often than not.  How many dangerous free-kicks and corners do you get per game, compared to throw-ins that are in the range where Cropper can put them in the mixer?

I don't think he's as good in the purest terms of a full-back as Efete or Emmanuel, he certainly doesn't get up and down the line as well as them and I doubt he would be zipping past people to put crosses in.  But I think you have to weigh up what he brings as assets.  

Oddly, I always thought he would be better served as a right sided centre back than Efete.   I don't think Hurst will look to keep him, which is a shame.  If he did though, I think he would be better suited as the right of a three rather than an out-and-out full back.