Grant Hanley

[hakka]

Thought he looked good defensively for the most part.

 

I didn't think he looked that bad as people are making out. Definitley new team nerves and not had time to fit in, but wouldn't say he was as bad as some people are saying.

[Mick]

 

I didn't think he looked that bad as people are making out. Definitley new team nerves and not had time to fit in, but wouldn't say he was as bad as some people are saying.

 

He wasn't even bad.

[sempuki]

Looked unfit to me.

[JH]

Calamity waiting to happen. Kept missing the ball, under hit/poorly judged a header back to Sels at least once as well. Don't like him as of right now.

 

Surely just nerves and/or lack of composure.

 

Aye - just struck as first game nerves. Think he'll do a job.

[Flip]

 

I didn't think he looked that bad as people are making out. Definitley new team nerves and not had time to fit in, but wouldn't say he was as bad as some people are saying.

 

He wasn't even bad.

 

He was, to be a big lad he lost a few headers. What astonished me the most is that when he goes up for a header he barely leaves the ground. Looks heavy and his abilities as a footballer is worse than Lascelles who isn't a great footballer himself.

 

It's just these simple things like playing a simple pass to your teammate that bothers me, he plays a simple ball behind the receiver of the pass consistently despite no one pressurizing him. At one time he could've played an easy ball along the grass instead he made a difficult pass high pass which Lascelles/Janmaat needed two or three touches to get it under control. Stuff like that doesn't help the beginning of a play and slows everything down. Mbemba needs to be ahead of this guy quickly.

[Incognito]

I thought he was better than his partner if I'm honest. 6/10 performance

[Flip]

I thought he was better than his partner if I'm honest. 6/10 performance

 

Well if you consider Lascelles was at fault for the goal then yes I agree. But neither had an above average performance as you seem to suggest with that grade. IMO.

[tmonkey]

I thought he was better than his partner if I'm honest. 6/10 performance

 

Well if you consider Lascelles was at fault for the goal then yes I agree. But neither had an above average performance as you seem to suggest with that grade. IMO.

 

I suspect that's the Football Manager rating system ingrained on many of us where 7 is decent and 6 is a below average/slightly poor performance.

[Minhosa]

I thought he was better than his partner if I'm honest. 6/10 performance

 

Don't disagree with this but I still don't think I'd have played him over Mbemba.

[GeordieT]

Really lacked composure. Contrary to what I have seen previously, he didn't look too bad with the ball at his feet though.

 

But the warning from Blackburn fans was that he had a mistake in him. Thought that was there for all to see last night.

[Mole_Toonfan]

I thought he was better than his partner if I'm honest. 6/10 performance

 

Probably but Lascelles is Captain so he'll be undroppable unless he plays consistently badly for a while.

 

Also personally I think there's a better understanding and balance in the Lascelles and Mbemba partnership.

[Guest ElCid]

Really lacked composure. Contrary to what I have seen previously, he didn't look too bad with the ball at his feet though.

 

But the warning from Blackburn fans was that he had a mistake in him. Thought that was there for all to see last night.

 

Got to be honest the signings of him, Clark, Sels (pointless signing IMHO) and Gayle (not a big fan) have not impressed me - I hope I'm proved wrong mind and I do have faith in Rafa so you have to trust his judgement.

[Mattoon]

Really lacked composure. Contrary to what I have seen previously, he didn't look too bad with the ball at his feet though.

 

But the warning from Blackburn fans was that he had a mistake in him. Thought that was there for all to see last night.

 

Got to be honest the signings of him, Clark, Sels (pointless signing IMHO) and Gayle (not a big fan) have not impressed me - I hope I'm proved wrong mind and I do have faith in Rafa so you have to trust his judgement.

 

We've known for a while the squad was paper thin, I think a few of his buys have been "padding" players, also we know he likes to rotate his starting 11. Gayle I think will come good at this level with the right partner, he hasn't had the best managers utilising his skills so I'll reserve judgement until I can see what he can do under Rafa. The only one I don't understand is Sels unless we're losing Krul.

[Guest ElCid]

Really lacked composure. Contrary to what I have seen previously, he didn't look too bad with the ball at his feet though.

 

But the warning from Blackburn fans was that he had a mistake in him. Thought that was there for all to see last night.

 

Got to be honest the signings of him, Clark, Sels (pointless signing IMHO) and Gayle (not a big fan) have not impressed me - I hope I'm proved wrong mind and I do have faith in Rafa so you have to trust his judgement.

 

We've known for a while the squad was paper thin, I think a few of his buys have been "padding" players, also we know he likes to rotate his starting 11. Gayle I think will come good at this level with the right partner, he hasn't had the best managers utilising his skills so I'll reserve judgement until I can see what he can do under Rafa. The only one I don't understand is Sels unless we're losing Krul.

 

Neither can I and would rather have Krul to be honest wasted 4.5 million it seems - especially as both Krul and Elliott are back in training.

[Optimistic Nut]

Far more worrying for me than his performance, was for an ex-captain, there was little evidence of any leadership skills. Might have been nerves like others have said, but Lascelles switched off a few times (the goal, one very good chance second-half in particular), I'd have expected Hanley to have had a go or have a word with him.

[Guest chopey]

Tbf I didn't think our defence looked in to much trouble in open play last night

[hoppaz]

Yes I thought the same. Hanley was often telling players to hold the line and one of their offsides was picked up in commentary as being excellent defending on our part. He did have red cheeks like but that is down to him having very little pre season I imagine.

[Guest Gomez]

Have toimagine Mbemba's the first choice centre back and just wasn't played because we were up against a 6'7 striker.

[Wallsendmag]

The thing is I wasn't expecting him to be a ball playing centre half in the mould of Albert or Woodgate but more worrying for me was that he doesn't seem to be able to jump. The amount of times he was beaten in the air (surely that's meant to be the best part of his game) caused most concern for me.

[Dokko]

I thought he was better than his partner if I'm honest. 6/10 performance

 

This

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Depends how you judge it, Lascelles did lose his man for the goal but Hanley messed up a number of clearances that he was lucky to get away with. Not writing him off but I think he looks crap so far.

[Ronaldo]

You would say that, though. You think it's more important for a CB to be able to dribble than win the ball in the air.

[Foluwashola]

Looks crap so far based on one reasonable performance?

[Optimistic Nut]

Ultimately it should be Mbemba and one other. Lascelles has it for now but if he keeps switching off like on Friday then he could easily lose out to Hanley or Clark.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I thought he looked bad when he came on against Southend and bad against Fulham.

 

TBF Ronaldo his headers and clearances were not great against Fulham, he hacked a few in the wrong direction etc. I do prefer Mbemba obviously, yeah.

 

Like I say, not jumping to conclusions but I'm disappointed so far. Very early days of course.