Pearce and Gorkss

[rhroyal]

Immense. And both have survived picking up a 5th yellow. According to BBCRB this is a big deal. When did the rule change? It used to be until the end of February.

[1871 Royal]

Pearce just looks a completely different player playing alongside Gorkss, so pleased for them both. Could be 1 & 2 for Player of The Year.

[Snowball]

Is it because Gorks is there or simply he's maturing into the great player he was predicted to become?

[manny96]

Love Pearce's passion - you can see what it means to him when he scored and celebrating at full time.

[1871 Royal]

Is it because Gorks is there or simply he's maturing into the great player he was predicted to become?

Possibly a bit of both but he does seemed to have come into his own this season, whether that is coincidence or not we shall never know. I just think that the Championship winning CB can't have had anything but a positive influence on a young CB.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Pearce gets better and better every game.

[RobRoyal]

Immense. And both have survived picking up a 5th yellow. According to BBCRB this is a big deal. When did the rule change? It used to be until the end of February.

As far as know the cut-off for suspension for 10 yellows is February - I don't think there has been a rule-change, believe there was always a cut-off for 5 earlier in the year.

[The Cube]

Immense. And both have survived picking up a 5th yellow. According to BBCRB this is a big deal. When did the rule change? It used to be until the end of February.

As far as know the cut-off for suspension for 10 yellows is February - I don't think there has been a rule-change, believe there was always a cut-off for 5 earlier in the year.

No, rhroyal is right - the cut-off for 5 yellows is today. I don't remember which year the change took place, but the cut-off last season was 31 December as well.

Edit: the cut-off for ten yellows is the second Sunday in April, unchanged for some years now.

[robbieroyal]

Pearce just looks a completely different player playing alongside Gorkss, so pleased for them both. Could be 1 & 2 for Player of The Year.

I haven't seen such a vast improvement in a player in just a few months. I was Pearce's biggest critic (for good reason) but he really is blossoming into a fine partner for the quality Gorkks.

So chuffed with the both of them. 4 clean sheets in a row!!

[SCIAG]

Is it because Gorks is there or simply he's maturing into the great player he was predicted to become?

Bit of both.

Look at Pearce's centre back partners.
Bikey and Mills were physically (and technically, in Bikey's case) strong defenders with no brains who Pearce had to keep on a leash.
Doobs and Ivar were the opposite, but both were past their best and couldn't "educate" Pearce as much as we'd have liked.
He barely played with O'Dea, Khumalo or Zurab.

This is the first time he's had a settled partner who is at his peak and is his senior. No doubt it has helped. However, he also improved immensly during last season when he played with Mills, so I think it is also part of his natural development. Imagine how good he'd be if we'd always had Gorkss...

[Platypuss]

I <3 Alex Pearce

[Handsome Man]

Pearce was great last year, but can't ever have felt he belonged in the side. This year he is looking fantastic on the ball - we haven't had anybody who can get the ball safely over the half-way since Shorey went shit on us. If Pearce had played instead of Duberry in that hoofball season we would have gone up.

Gorkss is just the best player ever.

Karacan and Leigertwood never stop running, and we have two good full backs. Our defensive six is as good as I can remember it.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Who needs Matt Mills

Gorkss and Pearce have been immense.

[SCIAG]

Pearce was great last year, but can't ever have felt he belonged in the side. This year he is looking fantastic on the ball - we haven't had anybody who can get the ball safely over the half-way since Shorey went shit on us. If Pearce had played instead of Duberry in that hoofball season we would have gone up.

Zurab? Bertrand? Armstrong? Bikey could as well when he wasn't distracted by a passing speck of dust.

Our defensive six is as good as I can remember it.

05/06?

[Barry the bird boggler]

Now they've had time to settle down Gorkss and Pearce I think are a better pairing than Mills and Khizhanishvili, think McCarthy and Federici are interchangable. Still do not understand playing Griffin AND Cummings when Harte is fit though so that's the one change I'd make; Harte in for Griffin.

[Handsome Man]

Pearce was great last year, but can't ever have felt he belonged in the side. This year he is looking fantastic on the ball - we haven't had anybody who can get the ball safely over the half-way since Shorey went shit on us. If Pearce had played instead of Duberry in that hoofball season we would have gone up.

Zurab? Bertrand? Armstrong? Bikey could as well when he wasn't distracted by a passing speck of dust.

Our defensive six is as good as I can remember it.

05/06?

That's a difficult one.

But at the moment, yes.

[Snowball]

Interesting that like 05/06 we are relying more or less
on two CBs and avoiding injury

[Hoop Blah]

Is it because Gorks is there or simply he's maturing into the great player he was predicted to become?

As I've always said a lot of it is about having the right blend and balance so that players complement each other. I never felt that Pearce was suited to playing alongside Mills or Ingimarsson or really the fullbacks (as a pair) that made up the rest of the back four.

Pearce is lookin more and more comfortable but I don't think he's doing a hell of a lot more individually (he's always won his headers, made his tackles, blocked crosses and kept things neat) but with the right players around him his pace isn't exposed and he's not had to cover as many defensive holes as previously.

I think the return to form of Legiertwood in front of him has also helped as has his switch from the left to a more comfortable looking right side of the centre back pairing.

He's certainly playing well and it's great to see him making the position his and chipping in with the odd goal too.

[melonhead]

Is it because Gorks is there or simply he's maturing into the great player he was predicted to become?

not just gorkss, he looked as good in his partnership with mills last season too and was unlucky to be dropped.
just needs a settled back 4

loving his confidence on the ball, and ability to take it down, bypass opposition player and calmly bring the ball out of defence before setting up attacks as seen in the last few games.

not such a donkey now is he you doubting thomases

[Snowball]

Not such a donkey now is he, you doubting Thomases!!

Could be the HNA Motto.