Nonleagueherewecome
Well-Known Member
It's easy to lose track of just what a pivotal role this guy played in the first half.
Boro were enjoying the majority of play early on and we were struggling to find space to play our passing game in the middle. Gradually, one at a time, Deegan went about disrupting the opposition players. It was sometimes as little as slight physical contact when following-up pressing, added to a couple of tackles he was never going to win-but let the opposition know we were there, and it really disrupted them. Countless times.
Gradually he started going in harder-and harder. The Boro play became increasingly fragmented, and they retaliated by making countless stupid fouls
And then there was the Deegan Special, almost invisible unless you watch really carefully: he gobs off, almost at a whisper under his breath, in opponents ear. You can tell when it's happened: Deegs is jogging away, looking downwards, and suddenly there will be a tirade of abuse in his direction or a complaint to the ref from the player he's jogging away from. Again, it disrupts opponents, distracts their focus from their game, and makes them angry and looking for revenge. It leads to mistakes.
I said earlier this season that he must be a horrible player to play against-a real nasty piece of work. But he's our nasty piece of work; and we've lacked someone like that since Wisey. It also rubs off on team-mates, who suddenly realise that you are allowed to tackle!
And this isn't even his greatest asset-to me that's his first-time passing and his late runs into goal-scoring positions. But his most important attribute in the context of this side is that nasty, destructive side. It transforms us from wilting wallflowers into tigers.
And Thorn got it spot on subbing him when he did-his job was done, and Bell followed his lead by winning more tackles in 45 minutes than he has all season so far. Well done, Deegs-your vital part in this win has not gone unnoticed.
Boro were enjoying the majority of play early on and we were struggling to find space to play our passing game in the middle. Gradually, one at a time, Deegan went about disrupting the opposition players. It was sometimes as little as slight physical contact when following-up pressing, added to a couple of tackles he was never going to win-but let the opposition know we were there, and it really disrupted them. Countless times.
Gradually he started going in harder-and harder. The Boro play became increasingly fragmented, and they retaliated by making countless stupid fouls
And then there was the Deegan Special, almost invisible unless you watch really carefully: he gobs off, almost at a whisper under his breath, in opponents ear. You can tell when it's happened: Deegs is jogging away, looking downwards, and suddenly there will be a tirade of abuse in his direction or a complaint to the ref from the player he's jogging away from. Again, it disrupts opponents, distracts their focus from their game, and makes them angry and looking for revenge. It leads to mistakes.
I said earlier this season that he must be a horrible player to play against-a real nasty piece of work. But he's our nasty piece of work; and we've lacked someone like that since Wisey. It also rubs off on team-mates, who suddenly realise that you are allowed to tackle!
And this isn't even his greatest asset-to me that's his first-time passing and his late runs into goal-scoring positions. But his most important attribute in the context of this side is that nasty, destructive side. It transforms us from wilting wallflowers into tigers.
And Thorn got it spot on subbing him when he did-his job was done, and Bell followed his lead by winning more tackles in 45 minutes than he has all season so far. Well done, Deegs-your vital part in this win has not gone unnoticed.