I watched him at Morecambe, as I was standing over that side, thought he was poor. Yesterday wasn’t much better, something needs to change, perhaps giving him a go on right might just work.
Kirk an excellent player his stats back that up .. problem the system he was brought into play we don’t play anymore and like CBT they have to to adapt to playing a wing back role which totally diff .. with a new mindset ….. as a winger tour only thinking about going forward because you have back up behind you .. wing back your thinking can’t give ball away or leave gap behind me …. It’s completely diff situation
Kirk an excellent player his stats back that up .. problem the system he was brought into play we don’t play anymore and like CBT they have to to adapt to playing a wing back role which totally diff .. with a new mindset ….. as a winger tour only thinking about going forward because you have back up behind you .. wing back your thinking can’t give ball away or leave gap behind me …. It’s completely diff situation
Fair shout in regard to the system. The same could be referenced to DJ and Leko who have equally never been asked to play in that role and are doing absolutely fine with it, Kirk though is struggling with it
It’s also not just role-associated issues he looks to be struggling with, when he got on the ball in advanced positions yesterday he looked bereft of ideas, he looks incredibly weak and like he’s going to lose the ball whenever anyone gets near him, that shot that he pitifully scuffed wide was given offside anyway but was abysmal. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him put a meaningful ball into the box, it’s like if he’s crossing then just managing to get it into the box / off the ground is a result so actually picking somebody out or whipping one into a dangerous area with purpose is completely beyond him
Not sure where we go with him, I think I saw more in Scott Wagstaff and I thought he was just an overrated trier
Kirk an excellent player his stats back that up .. problem the system he was brought into play we don’t play anymore and like CBT they have to to adapt to playing a wing back role which totally diff .. with a new mindset ….. as a winger tour only thinking about going forward because you have back up behind you .. wing back your thinking can’t give ball away or leave gap behind me …. It’s completely diff situation
As a forward thinking winger, as you’ve described him, you should be able to do the basics and open your body up to receive the ball on your left and drive forward. Kirk doesn’t, he’s constantly receiving the ball with his back to goal forcing us backward or when he doesn’t, he takes a touch with his right and then another and by that point, he’s surrounded and either loses the ball or plays backward.
He doesn’t work hard enough, he doesn’t offer anything defensively, he’s not quick like Leko or CBT, he’s not clever enough to play in the middle 3, he doesn’t get to the back post the same way Purrington does, who I should remind you is actually a left back, he doesn’t demand the ball or make runs around instead he waits for it.
Right now, he doesn’t offer anything to us and wouldn’t be in the squad if CBT was fit.
Personally, I know he’s low on confidence, I get that it’s difficult and has been since he joined, but he doesn’t even show like he’s willing to work hard to get that confidence back. Right now, there isn’t really a place in the team for him and he only came on yesterday because of how poor Souaré was.
Maybe a loan away in January might do him good and come back a happier and harder working player.
Towards the end of yesterday's game he did something that I thought was the best thing Kirk had ever done for us. Then they showed the replay and I realised that it was actually Purrington. So there you have it; the best thing Kirk has ever done was actually done by someone else.
His 30 minute substitute performance today can only mean asking one question - what on earth does JJ do with this lad?
Totally invisible for almost of all that time, an horrendous finish to a good half-chance (perhaps in fairness he had already heard the whistle go for a foul), a couple of awful crosses before, in fairness again, he put a peach of a cross over right at the death.
But overall he contributed next to nothing.
Feel sorry for the lad on a personal basis but this is surely not doing him or the club any good. I wonder if JJ offered him back to Crewe on loan so he could play regularly again in surroundings he is comfortable in might improve his confidence and is the way to go? It would also put him in the shop window and maybe we could recoup some of the transfer fee we paid for him if we can sell him at the end of the season.
Or do others think he deserves another chance here?
Too early to give up on him yet, but i do think he needs a couple of U23 games to get some form back.
Football really is a weird game. When you look at this performances for Crewe anybody ( including everyone on here ) would have thought it was fantastic business when we signed him. For whatever reason it doesnt seem to be working out that way, infact I would go as far to say that if I didnt know it was I would think the Kirk we have is not the same player. That isnt based on anything to do with formations etc he just seems completely devoid of any kind of ambition to make this move successful. When he does come on he is just so far off it he looks to me like he is just going through the motions
I thought he had a few awful moments when he came on, but that cross at the end of the game was brilliant, we don't have a good crosser of the ball in the side, which is criminal with Stockley up front.
I also agree that he's never going to be a wingback.
Football really is a weird game. When you look at this performances for Crewe anybody ( including everyone on here ) would have thought it was fantastic business when we signed him. For whatever reason it doesnt seem to be working out that way, infact I would go as far to say that if I didnt know it was I would think the Kirk we have is not the same player. That isnt based on anything to do with formations etc he just seems completely devoid of any kind of ambition to make this move successful. When he does come on he is just so far off it he looks to me like he is just going through the motions
I didn't think he was very good in the game Crewe ran rings around us at the Valley last season. He looked OK but not a potential marquee signing. There were 3 or 4 others I would have wanted before him.
I still can't get why we wanted him when Bowyer was manager. Would love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.
Kirk an excellent player his stats back that up .. problem the system he was brought into play we don’t play anymore and like CBT they have to to adapt to playing a wing back role which totally diff .. with a new mindset ….. as a winger tour only thinking about going forward because you have back up behind you .. wing back your thinking can’t give ball away or leave gap behind me …. It’s completely diff situation
As a forward thinking winger, as you’ve described him, you should be able to do the basics and open your body up to receive the ball on your left and drive forward. Kirk doesn’t, he’s constantly receiving the ball with his back to goal forcing us backward or when he doesn’t, he takes a touch with his right and then another and by that point, he’s surrounded and either loses the ball or plays backward.
He doesn’t work hard enough, he doesn’t offer anything defensively, he’s not quick like Leko or CBT, he’s not clever enough to play in the middle 3, he doesn’t get to the back post the same way Purrington does, who I should remind you is actually a left back, he doesn’t demand the ball or make runs around instead he waits for it.
Right now, he doesn’t offer anything to us and wouldn’t be in the squad if CBT was fit.
Personally, I know he’s low on confidence, I get that it’s difficult and has been since he joined, but he doesn’t even show like he’s willing to work hard to get that confidence back. Right now, there isn’t really a place in the team for him and he only came on yesterday because of how poor Souaré was.
Maybe a loan away in January might do him good and come back a happier and harder working player.
Spot on. Maybe a move back to Crewe? If they can cover his wages, perhaps that familiarity will help? It must’ve been very hard for him losing his old man, but when he came on on Saturday, he just didn’t show for it like I thought someone out the team would. Where was the desire to make a statement and say to Jackson, I want to be playing. It just wasn’t there
He is looking like a player that a lower league team let do whatever as he's deemed the best creative outlet you've got.
A bit like when you play at Goals, there's always a team with a fat boy who can shoot but do nothing else. He's given that license partly because of his team's setup and integration of him.
Wish him all the best at Blackpool , it's clear Critchley has a plan for exactly how he sees him fitting into their side. Hopefully he goes there and shows what he can really be capable of.
Don't understand the permanent option in the deal from our point of view. Yes, getting first team football, especially in the Championship, could be great for his form and confidence, surely it only makes sense if he's back here utilising that for us by playing football at The Valley next year? £500K, 4 year deal - why only give him 8 league appearances? Its not as if 3-5-2 is pulling up trees in the league... I'm annoyed, as I really thought he'd come good
Very surprised we’ve included the option to make the deal permanent. If he does well at Blackpool surely we’ll want him back, and if he doesn’t they won’t want him anyway?
Comments
Not sure where we go with him, I think I saw more in Scott Wagstaff and I thought he was just an overrated trier
He doesn’t work hard enough, he doesn’t offer anything defensively, he’s not quick like Leko or CBT, he’s not clever enough to play in the middle 3, he doesn’t get to the back post the same way Purrington does, who I should remind you is actually a left back, he doesn’t demand the ball or make runs around instead he waits for it.
Right now, he doesn’t offer anything to us and wouldn’t be in the squad if CBT was fit.
Personally, I know he’s low on confidence, I get that it’s difficult and has been since he joined, but he doesn’t even show like he’s willing to work hard to get that confidence back. Right now, there isn’t really a place in the team for him and he only came on yesterday because of how poor Souaré was.
Maybe a loan away in January might do him good and come back a happier and harder working player.
I also agree that he's never going to be a wingback.
I still can't get why we wanted him when Bowyer was manager. Would love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.
I think a loan away for the rest of the season is his best hope, preferably Crewe or a North west League two side.
A bit like when you play at Goals, there's always a team with a fat boy who can shoot but do nothing else. He's given that license partly because of his team's setup and integration of him.
I'm at their game against Fulham Saturday, they have no left wing back ... Could see Kirk play.
Hope he does well there, and either comes back in more form or at least gets money back in for a replacement if they do take up the option.