Michael Dawson

[Bus-Conductor]

Parker and Livermore couldnt trap a bag of cement yesterday.

Sure it wasn't pretty, but Dawson's primary job is to keep the ball away from our area-with neither of the centre midfielders dropping short or showing any kind of footballing ability, a pass to them would have been risky-i'd far rather he hit it long and away from danger.

We certainly didn't draw yesterday because of Dawson's apparent 'hoofing!'

I'm sorry but that is utter nonsense, and even our manager thought it was utter nonsense because he was shown at the side of the pitch, very irate, shouting and gesticulating "pass the ball".

And if our manager thought the same way you do, the same way Dawson did yesterday, that the best way to win football matches is by humping the ball to the opposition every time we got it, then he shouldn't be anywhere near our club.

Really poor post. As bad an apology for Dawson's limitations as I've ever read. And I've read a fair few over the last few years.

 

[Adam]

I'm sorry but that is utter nonsense, and even our manager thought it was utter nonsense because he was shown at the side of the pitch, very irate, shouting and gesticulating "pass the ball".

And if our manager thought the same way you do, the same way Dawson did yesterday, that the best way to win football matches is by humping the ball to the opposition every time we got it, then he'd be outs of a job.

Really poor post. As bad an apology for Dawson's limitations as I've ever read. And I've read a fair few over the last few years.

Woah, think this is a pretty harsh riposte. Of course we all wanted to pass the ball, and yeah, maybe my argument is weakened by the fact that we started off with a pretty long-ball mentality, but I felt that after 2 minutes you could see that there was no way we were going to be knocking the ball about like usual on that pitch and with those two centre midfielders.

Dawson may not be a world class defender, but he is still a bloody good one, especially when he plays with the right partner. 4 clean sheets in 5 games is a good enough example of that, especially when playing against apparently potent opposition in Liverpool and Newcastle.

Did he play too many long balls yesterday? Probably. Could he have done anything else? Personally, i don't think so, without potentially playing us into trouble given how appalling Livermore and Parker's first touches were throughout the game

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Woah, think this is a pretty harsh riposte. Of course we all wanted to pass the ball, and yeah, maybe my argument is weakened by the fact that we started off with a pretty long-ball mentality, but I felt that after 2 minutes you could see that there was no way we were going to be knocking the ball about like usual on that pitch and with those two centre midfielders.

Dawson may not be a world class defender, but he is still a bloody good one, especially when he plays with the right partner. 4 clean sheets in 5 games is a good enough example of that, especially when playing against apparently potent opposition in Liverpool and Newcastle.

Did he play too many long balls yesterday? Probably. Could he have done anything else? Personally, i don't think so, without potentially playing us into trouble given how appalling Livermore and Parker's first touches were throughout the game

I don't think we were supposed to be playing long balls, and Redknapp was clearly fuming, so he didn't think we should be, and we eventually proved we could pass the ball, but the tone was set when Dawson under no pressure humped the first time he got the ball in the first couple of minutes and then continued to do so throughout the whole game, many times unnecessarily.

It was awful and exactly what you shouldn't do, reduce the contest to the inferior teams level.

 

[Adam]

I don't think we were supposed to be playing long balls, and Redknapp was clearly fuming, so he didn't think we should be, and we eventually proved we could pass the ball, but the tone was set when Dawson under no pressure humped the first time he got the ball in the first couple of minutes and then continued to do so throughout the whole game, many times unnecessarily.

It was awful and exactly what you shouldn't do, reduce the contest to the inferior teams level.

Fair enough. I just don't think he was any more at fault for the result than the awful performances from Parker and Livermore-Modric, Huddlestone or VDV would never have allowed the defence to use the ball so poorly

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Fair enough. I just don't think he was any more at fault for the result than the awful performances from Parker and Livermore-Modric, Huddlestone or VDV would never have allowed the defence to use the ball so poorly

Huddlestone has been part of many a poor performance and is the worst cm we have for giving the ball away - often himself attempting "long balls" when unnecessary.

Modric and VDV were both part of an equally inept performance at Watford and Modric was also part of the poor performance at Liverpool where we barely got out of our half and barely strung three passes together.

Dawson has always humped the ball too much, but he did it stupidly and too often yesterday and it contributed to our problems and not helped.

 

[We'llWinThePrem]

Was raging at him

 

[What Lies Beneath]

dawson is a sub at best we need top quality at the back he isnt that , he isnt a footballer and hes lost his spark spurs need a new worldy at the back !!

 

[SpurSince57]

dawson is a sub at best we need top quality at the back he isnt that , he isnt a footballer and hes lost his spark spurs need a new worldy at the back !!

Who worldy?

 

[MrWoolley]

dawson is a sub at best we need top quality at the back he isnt that , he isnt a footballer and hes lost his spark spurs need a new worldy at the back !!

What?

 

[The Apprentice]

Dawson's been doing it for years, not sure why it's an issue now.

 

[The Apprentice]

What?

Worldy = world class player. It's Paul Merson speak on Soccer Saturday.

 

[OmarsComing]

thank fuck there's only one Michael Dawson

 

[Bigmandan]

I'm going to disagree. Think he's a fantastic defender and there was no central midfield of sorts to pass to. Dawson has always played that sort of ball, if he hits a man on a diagonal it's seen as a brilliant pass, if he hits it down the middle it's seen as a long ball.

At the end of the day, he kept a clean sheet, has been outstanding since he came back, and while I'd definitely want King and Kaboul as our first choice, I can't think of a better backup in the Premiership.

Some people should be careful what they wish for.

 

[Huddlestone22]

Don't worry lads I see him at the Apple store the other day I went over to him and said "stop hoofing the ball" and he said definitely might stop. He said he'd love to play it a long the deck but only in the summer for Man Utd Eek

 

[Stoof]

I struggle to name too many more centre halves in the Premier League (not on our books) who are better than him.

Vermaelen
Vidic
Agger? (No)


Can we think of others?

 

[michaelden]

Luiz, Alex, Cuellar, Coloccini, Skertel, Kompany

 

[Ionman34]

This thread is a bit disappointing, but it's inevitable. When first there was Zokora, then came Jenas, and now it's Dawson. The truth is, with each of those players the team has progressed around them and they have not. So yes, I would agree with the sentiment that out of King, Bassong, Gallas and Dawson, Dawson is now the weakest because Kaboul's progression has been incredible in the past year.

However what I don't like is the scapegoat culture that inevitably spreads when threads like this are started. Dawson is still a very capable defender, will always give his heart and soul for the club, and a few nervous moments against a pacy striker on a very bobbly pitch will certainly not see me turn on him. Plus, that's a second clean sheet added to an excellent display at Anfield. This after being injured all season.

He doesn't deserve the criticism. Yes, we have a more technically adept and pacey first choice in King and Kaboul, but Dawson is a million miles better than almost all of the second choice CBs in the league, the exception being United and City.

Support him.

Well said. Repped.

 

[pablo73]

Luiz, Alex, Cuellar, Coloccini, Skertel, Kompany

Luiz and Cuellar...is that a joke? Kompany without question, the other three debatable

 

[sloth]

I hate the way Dawson plays when we've got the ball.

He's actually pretty good with that raking diagonal ball he plays, perhaps finding his man one in three/four, which is very good ratio when you consider the accuracy required to make that pass work.

The point is that one in three or four is nowhere near good enough. Even when you make it the guy's invariably isolated and simply plays it back towards the half-way line.

Build it patiently from the back and you'll hit the exact same kind of areas nine times out of ten.

Huddlestone suffers from the same lack of intelligence. Because they can both hit a decent long-ball they hit it without any thought to what they're trying to achieve.

Any ball from the back which results in the opposition regaining possession two thirds/three quarters of the time, is a shit ball, except very occasionally.

That Dawson can't get his head around this is damning I'm afraid.

Even his vaunted defending isn't brilliant, if he's in control of himself then he can look international class, but he has a habit of panicking and then he becomes rubbish, he throws himself at balls he's never going to win, he heads or kicks balls clear wildly with no cool, calm thought to what he's trying to achieve.

Contrast that to King or to BAE who never get flustered, will try a little trick or feint and then play the simple ball.

I'm not saying that Dawson can't handle pressure because he's had some of his best games against the strongest opposition, I simply observe that when he loses it, for whatever reason, he goes to pieces. He loses it more often than a top player should.

The worst is that once Dawson starts flapping he sets the rest of the side off.

If Sunderland offered us £10m for him in the summer I'd bite their arm off.

 

[Mr Pink]

King and Dawson have always worked very well together.