Garner has been our best CM all season.
I get that our fullbacks are shit but buy/loan new ones and keep Garner at CM. Doubt he signs a new contract if we put him at full back the rest of the season and then we’ll end up losing him for peanuts
Gana
Re: Gana
That's just the problem though.StirlingBlue wrote: ↑Sat Jan 17, 2026 5:23 pm Garner has been our best CM all season.
I get that our fullbacks are shit but buy/loan new ones and keep Garner at CM. Doubt he signs a new contract if we put him at full back the rest of the season and then we’ll end up losing him for peanuts
It's like they're completely blind to how bad it is at full back, we are are all desperate to get somebody in and the club are not bothered at all.
I honestly don't know what the fuck is wrong with them.
So i'm sorry but as decent as garner has been this season i'd shift him back to right back and leave him there because it looks like yet another window will go by without a full back coming in, one that's ready to go straight into the team.
Nothing against O'Brien but enough is enough with him at right back
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sam of the south
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Re: Gana
TheRam wrote: ↑Sat Jan 17, 2026 7:05 pm https://fbref.com/en/players/4e015693/James-Garner
What are we losing if he moves to full back?
Our new Peter Reid, that’s what
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Audrey Horne
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Re: Gana
But what does he do ?StirlingBlue wrote: ↑Sat Jan 17, 2026 5:23 pm Garner has been our best CM all season.
I get that our fullbacks are shit but buy/loan new ones and keep Garner at CM. Doubt he signs a new contract if we put him at full back the rest of the season and then we’ll end up losing him for peanuts
He runs alot and wins the ball at times and sometimes he will score or set one up but in reality he passes back or sideways. He isn't inventive or creative, he isn't much of anything tbh.
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UnsyisaRhino
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Re: Gana
I wonder how thoae stats would look if it was just showing this seasons data.TheRam wrote: ↑Sat Jan 17, 2026 7:05 pm https://fbref.com/en/players/4e015693/James-Garner
What are we losing if he moves to full back?
Theres also plenty he does that doesn't make it into those metrics.
The biggest being positional discipline, cover and the work rate to follow through on both.
Gana goes chasing, as does Tim. They are both effective when playing on the front foo, going after people. Both are much worse positionally and rarely come to the rescue for others the way garner does.
Hes also more of a goal threat than both, not much more but definitely more.
The criticism of his creativity and bravery on the ball are totally valid, we wouldn't lose much there.
Re: Gana
Comparing Garner with England internationals Wharton and Anderson...
For half his games Garner's played at full back for at least some of the match, sometimes the whole match. Neither of the other two have played deeper than midfield.
Contributed more than twice the goals and assists of each of the other two, in fact neither have scored a non-penalty goal all season.
Better progression stats than Wharton, many more passes attempted and completed.
More shots on target than the other two combined, and better shots on target ratio.
Over-performing both xG and xAG, whilst the other two are both underperforming.
Our creative ball-magnet players are sideways, wide and sometimes deep, covering their full backs, not sure why its such a surprise that that's where he often passes, especially as our striker is often marked out of the game, of under a lot of pressure and doesn't have the support when he needs it.
He has more efficient and effective shot creating actions than the other two, which is important given the paucity of chances we create.
More tackles, tackles won% and interceptions than each, perhaps understandably.
More clearance than the other two combined.
Either first or second in touches, take ons, carries, and carry distance, passes received and progressive passes received.
Greater % of aerial duels won.
Obviously fewer through balls and switches with almost half his time at full back, and given the style we play.
He's good in the tackle, particularly with 50/50 balls won has been more evident recently, and I'd say he's shown more than most in putting himself about.
His body language and approach is snappy and sharp, most of our players bar Pickford, KDH and NDiaye are slow or laxadasical. He makes runs to make himself available more than most and is quite good positionally, especually when we have players that often wander or are regularly out of position.
Constant criticism of certain players is getting a bit much and disproportionate.
He does fine, he's at least on par with the other two, and he's the least of our midfield worries at the moment. We need to keep hold of him for now and at least the short term.
For half his games Garner's played at full back for at least some of the match, sometimes the whole match. Neither of the other two have played deeper than midfield.
Contributed more than twice the goals and assists of each of the other two, in fact neither have scored a non-penalty goal all season.
Better progression stats than Wharton, many more passes attempted and completed.
More shots on target than the other two combined, and better shots on target ratio.
Over-performing both xG and xAG, whilst the other two are both underperforming.
Our creative ball-magnet players are sideways, wide and sometimes deep, covering their full backs, not sure why its such a surprise that that's where he often passes, especially as our striker is often marked out of the game, of under a lot of pressure and doesn't have the support when he needs it.
He has more efficient and effective shot creating actions than the other two, which is important given the paucity of chances we create.
More tackles, tackles won% and interceptions than each, perhaps understandably.
More clearance than the other two combined.
Either first or second in touches, take ons, carries, and carry distance, passes received and progressive passes received.
Greater % of aerial duels won.
Obviously fewer through balls and switches with almost half his time at full back, and given the style we play.
He's good in the tackle, particularly with 50/50 balls won has been more evident recently, and I'd say he's shown more than most in putting himself about.
His body language and approach is snappy and sharp, most of our players bar Pickford, KDH and NDiaye are slow or laxadasical. He makes runs to make himself available more than most and is quite good positionally, especually when we have players that often wander or are regularly out of position.
Constant criticism of certain players is getting a bit much and disproportionate.
He does fine, he's at least on par with the other two, and he's the least of our midfield worries at the moment. We need to keep hold of him for now and at least the short term.
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Bluebridge
- Posts: 1920
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Re: Gana
Those stats are just from this season.UnsyisaRhino wrote: ↑Sat Jan 17, 2026 11:52 pm I wonder how thoae stats would look if it was just showing this seasons data.
Theres also plenty he does that doesn't make it into those metrics.
The biggest being positional discipline, cover and the work rate to follow through on both.
Gana goes chasing, as does Tim. They are both effective when playing on the front foo, going after people. Both are much worse positionally and rarely come to the rescue for others the way garner does.
Hes also more of a goal threat than both, not much more but definitely more.
The criticism of his creativity and bravery on the ball are totally valid, we wouldn't lose much there.
Re: Gana
Careful, you can't post well thought out and insightful things on here. I'd recommend some lazy trolling if you want to receive any positivity.Cods wrote: ↑Sun Jan 18, 2026 4:12 am Comparing Garner with England internationals Wharton and Anderson...
For half his games Garner's played at full back for at least some of the match, sometimes the whole match. Neither of the other two have played deeper than midfield.
Contributed more than twice the goals and assists of each of the other two, in fact neither have scored a non-penalty goal all season.
Better progression stats than Wharton, many more passes attempted and completed.
More shots on target than the other two combined, and better shots on target ratio.
Over-performing both xG and xAG, whilst the other two are both underperforming.
Our creative ball-magnet players are sideways, wide and sometimes deep, covering their full backs, not sure why its such a surprise that that's where he often passes, especially as our striker is often marked out of the game, of under a lot of pressure and doesn't have the support when he needs it.
He has more efficient and effective shot creating actions than the other two, which is important given the paucity of chances we create.
More tackles, tackles won% and interceptions than each, perhaps understandably.
More clearance than the other two combined.
Either first or second in touches, take ons, carries, and carry distance, passes received and progressive passes received.
Greater % of aerial duels won.
Obviously fewer through balls and switches with almost half his time at full back, and given the style we play.
He's good in the tackle, particularly with 50/50 balls won has been more evident recently, and I'd say he's shown more than most in putting himself about.
His body language and approach is snappy and sharp, most of our players bar Pickford, KDH and NDiaye are slow or laxadasical. He makes runs to make himself available more than most and is quite good positionally, especually when we have players that often wander or are regularly out of position.
Constant criticism of certain players is getting a bit much and disproportionate.
He does fine, he's at least on par with the other two, and he's the least of our midfield worries at the moment. We need to keep hold of him for now and at least the short term.
Have you considered commenting on his hairline or saying 'he's shit'?
