Chris Gunter

[West Stand Man]

And this is why I have kept off this board for a while. Gunter was shit today. He has, for several weeks, been a weak link because he is so uncomfortable on the ball it is painful to watch. I would love to see him come good but it doesn't look like happening soon.

Through all this there are still half wits who can't see it.

I am off again, hopefully for good this time.

[mambo3]

Gunter is a liability and has been a great disappointment since he joined us. He had a slightly better game today but still seemed to play without any self- confidence (playing for Wales probably doesn't help!). I had to agree with the fella next to me today when he said we will never succeed with Gunter in the team.

I thought that to become a professional footballer you had to be able to pass......etc plus other attributes to a high level
Or do you have to be an athlete first and the rest is taught?

[Avon Royal]

I am off again, hopefully for good this time.

Well that's something we can all agree on.

[urz13]

Players like Gunter, Halford and Fae are the reason we're scared to spend 'big'. All fucking dump.

[joeroyal]

I'm more worried about his inability to defend rather than what he's like in possession.

Don't be worried sadman sorry sandman

[sandman]

Yo joeboyle how's your Mum Susan?

[SydenhamRoyal]

I'm more worried about his inability to defend rather than what he's like in possession.

although I'd argue it's a close run thing

[joeroyal]

And this is why I have kept off this board for a while. Gunter was shit today. He has, for several weeks, been a weak link because he is so uncomfortable on the ball it is painful to watch. I would love to see him come good but it doesn't look like happening soon.

Through all this there are still half wits who can't see it.

I am off again, hopefully for good this time.

Tat Ta shut the door on your way out

[AthleticoSpizz]

Welcome Joe!

I'm sure that you will be a more than adequate replacement, for what was one of the better posters on here. If you have done half as much as he has done (and knows as much)...we are in for a real treat

[LoyalRoyal22]

Gunter has been tidy this season. Played well today, offered some width all through the second half.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Was in his element today with attention being directed elsewhere.

[Millsy]

Tbh I have no opinion on Gunter. Was crap in a crap team last year and fair in a fair team so far this year.

What I do know though is that Kelly made a HUGE difference to our defence when we got him. Calmed down the whole defence and made us relatively solid.

I'm not anti-Gunter at all, but as Kelly had such a positive influence in the Prem why he is not starting there now I don't know. Well ok I do know he's been out of it for a while with his kid and Bridge needed covering today for lack of fitness but once Bridge is back I say Kelly at RB for me. Unless Nige sees something Gunter has that Kelly hasn't?

Nothing wrong with Gunter, just that Kelly is solid.

I agree with everything you said. Apart from the Gunter bits. I have an irrational hatred of him and I remain unconvinced he can defend..

I hold my hands up and admit I haven't really observed Gunter being rubbish as I've not seen him play much. I know Harte was horrific and was rinsed time and again. An obvious Achilles heel that Brian couldn't see and probably cost him his job. I'm delighted Nige got rid of him ASAP so if he's anything near that bad I understand the frustration. But what exactly is so bad about Gunter? Ok he's not confident and passing may go astray sometimes but is he really slow/awful like Harte was? Or worse? Is he that bad at defending? Wasn't he part of two clean sheets in a row? I'm not defending as I'd love to see Kelly back there, just asking out of interest.

[AkpansBFF]

Thought hes been a lot better this season than last, but when he has time to panics and fcuks up.

[NewCorkSeth]

I hold my hands up and admit I haven't really observed Gunter being rubbish as I've not seen him play much. I know Harte was horrific and was rinsed time and again. An obvious Achilles heel that Brian couldn't see and probably cost him his job. I'm delighted Nige got rid of him ASAP so if he's anything near that bad I understand the frustration. But what exactly is so bad about Gunter? Ok he's not confident and passing may go astray sometimes but is he really slow/awful like Harte was? Or worse? Is he that bad at defending? Wasn't he part of two clean sheets in a row? I'm not defending as I'd love to see Kelly back there, just asking out of interest.

From the snippets the club has put on youtube you can get a fantastic view into his defending so far this season! Watching the clips I found it startling how many of the oppositions goals (in all games) come from the right. Even the clips of opposition attacking and not finishing seem to come more often from the right (at least the select clips the club has released seem to show this)(this may not be true - memories may have been distorted - I retain the right to withdraw this comment if proved incorrect)

I have always been unimpressed with him and, like you, Thought Kelly made a notable impact when we signed him. Much sharper defensively! On another thread I posted last season stats which back this up quite admirably. Kelly, I feel, is pretty useless on the left..

As for Gunter being part of 2 clean sheets in a row I respond that Kelly has kept a clean sheet every start he has made for us this season.. and Gunter was part of the team that got thwacked 126-0 or whatever the Posh score was.

He is better than Harte however as he at least tries to get back after running the whole pitch.

[kwik-silva]

I'm pretty sure most of the chances Brighton created today came down our left...

[Lower West]

I'm pretty sure most of the chances Brighton created today came down our left...

Where was the cover for Gunter?

[joeroyal]

I think most of us would agree that there is a problem with our passing game at the moment. Too often, the ball is lumped out of defence, omitting the midfield, and typically ending in us losing possession and inviting pressure onto ourselves. This has been blamed on a range of factors - the team's natural inability to pass; uncultured centre backs; a McDermott hangover. However, over the past 5 games or so I have increasingly noticed that one of the biggest contributors to this boring hoof-ball is Chris Gunter.

Gunter has absolutely no confidence on the ball. He does not trust himself going forwards, does not really have any faith in his short passing game, and lacks the strength to hold the ball up under a challenge. Every time we roll the ball out right from the back, the same thing happens. Gunter checks, looks back, and either passes the ball back to where it came from, or hoofs it forward into the channel where, 90% of the time, it is lost and recycled by the opposition.

When we started to play the ball left in the second half, it was a different story. Bridge was a creative force, prepared to look for a short pass and work an opening with the midfield, prepared to take on his man, assured in his ability to hold onto the ball under pressure. As a result, we kept the ball considerably more and carved more openings in the middle third.

I'm not saying that Stephen Kelly is a paragon of passing football, but I can not see a single good argument for keeping Gunter in the team at the moment. He is a liability. The team as a whole is pretty low on confidence, but it doesn't help things at all when you have a player who gives the opposition the ball almost every single time he touches it. For my mind, Gunter is our third-best right-back, and needs a good dropping.

Clearly, this looks a lot like scapegoating. It probably is. But it's also true.

Dont let it upset you jimmy jim. Gunter is there to stay so get used to it

[leon]

Got to say, I'm not sure about his defending. As in, his main job.

[Royal Ginger]

I'm pretty sure most of the chances Brighton created today came down our left...

Where was the cover for Gunter?

Playing for Crystal Palace.

[Brum Royal]

The only mistake I recall him making yesterday was a ball over the top of him where he and Williams got caught ball watching and the Brighton winger nipped in behind him and it led to a cross being slid behind by Morrison who was covering him.

Otherwise I thought he was ok.