Simon Francis

I'm pleased for him, Eddie and the club. Versatile player that has been instrumental in keeping us in the PL for 3 seasons. Would have no issues if he stayed with us longer in a coaching role. Joined as player deemed not good enough by many and has proven everybody wrong.
 
Because at that age players seek security for their family. If offered a three year deal by say Forest, his home town club, that might seem better than one year left with us. Particularly if he got a bad injury. All players seek a last deal that suits them. Eddie might have needed to do this to ensure he is here next season.

You've constantly slated the bloke. I've no issue with next year but a years extension on top of that strikes me as slightly odd at this level and out of kilter with the ambitions many of us (including you) profess to have for the future of the team.

Another year at a PL club is worth its weight in gold so I don't get the Forest thing. At his age his last contract was his security and I daresay he's extremely secure. My guess is there's something in the contract that's not being made public. I can't imagine or wouldn't particularly want him as a first choice defender in an Eddie Howe 2019/20 team and the contract will more than likely reflect that.

The truth is we now have two years of some painful experiences in front of us when perhaps we should be looking at replacing and building. Please remind me of this love in for him when you do a match report questioning why he's 'consistently performing below his best level' or keeping the likes of Smith out of the team.
 
You've constantly slated the bloke. I've no issue with next year but a years extension on top of that strikes me as slightly odd at this level and out of kilter with the ambitions many of us (including you) profess to have for the future of the team.

Another year at a PL club is worth its weight in gold so I don't get the Forest thing. At his age his last contract was his security and I daresay he's extremely secure. My guess is there's something in the contract that's not being made public. I can't imagine or wouldn't particularly want him as a first choice defender in an Eddie Howe 2019/20 team and the contract will more than likely reflect that.

The truth is we now have two years of some painful experiences in front of us when perhaps we should be looking at replacing and building. Please remind me of this love in for him when you do a match report questioning why he's 'consistently performing below his best level' or keeping the likes of Smith out of the team.


I haven’t constantly slated him at all. I will have said when he has had a bad game and I didn’t agree with keeping Smith out of the side to shoehorn him in at rightback. Over the years he has been here he has been great. I wouldn’t start him every week, particularly in a back four where we have better but I would like him to be back up more than an untried player from the French first division that will have to do a year in the reserves first.

I agree with you about the year after that but I think that was probably necessary to stop him seeking a three year deal at a championship club.
 
The question is how much does Francis, and Howe, expect Francis to be starting over the next couple of years.
If he's happy to provide experienced cover that's perfect for me.

If we're still going to be lining up with Francis, Cook, Ake, Daniels as our back 4 every week next season, then I'm not happy.
 
I haven’t constantly slated him at all. I will have said when he has had a bad game and I didn’t agree with keeping Smith out of the side to shoehorn him in at rightback. Over the years he has been here he has been great. I wouldn’t start him every week, particularly in a back four where we have better but I would like him to be back up more than an untried player from the French first division that will have to do a year in the reserves first.

I agree with you about the year after that but I think that was probably necessary to stop him seeking a three year deal at a championship club.

Fair play I was probably being a little harsh and I agree about having him as back up or cover if that's the intention.. Perhaps the timing of it simply put a few doubts in my mind following the Pugh contract confusion (I thought he'd be gone) and wondering when some of these 'comfort blanket' changes might take place. Lets see who comes in....
 
...not sure Lewis should have the responsibility yet, I know he captains young England but he needs another season to bed himself into The PL.
 
I will be absolutely hob smacked if Howe sticks with Francis/Cook/Ake & Daniels for next season...it would be a huge mistake to rely on these two full backs to keep us tight at the back!
 
Eddie has said when they sign someone it will be quality and not quantity. He will only bring someone in if he thinks they are as good or better than what we have.

The other thing is if any good players become available they will be in high demand. Other clubs probably have more financial clout than us.

Rodriguez if he leaves West Brom for one, is linked with several clubs.

In defence Craig Dawson from the same team as Rodriguez could do a good job for us, but other clubs are also showing an interest in him.

So it’s easy for fans to say sign certain players, but when it comes down to actually having to the deal, that’s not so easy.
 
Fair play I was probably being a little harsh and I agree about having him as back up or cover if that's the intention.. Perhaps the timing of it simply put a few doubts in my mind following the Pugh contract confusion (I thought he'd be gone) and wondering when some of these 'comfort blanket' changes might take place. Lets see who comes in....

I think Eddie has a fall back of assembling his old team in a 4-4-2 because he knows they will get results against the bottom five. They will hold shape, follow instructions and understand each other’s movement intuitively. He returns to it every season following a bad run and it has always bailed him out. I don’t think for one minute he thinks Pugh is better than Ibe or Francis is better than Smith but he does trust them more when it hits the fan and he needs a home win over Swansea.

That insurance policy has cashed in 400m. He ain’t going to change providers until he absolutely has to and obviously he believes they have another season. It also provides continuity in the culture which - as we have seen in a number of chuck the cash around big clubs that got relegated- counts for a lot.

I’m with you...time to be a bit braver...I’m just putting where I think Eddie is at and it’s hard to argue with his logic.
 
...it's a gamble that isn't too risky to keep Franno and Chaz involved...we have Mings,A Smith and Simpson in the wings...and it could still be that B.Smith makes it, with improvement next term?

The wing backs in Adam Smith,Ryan Fraser,Stanislas and Ibe will need to better their individual defending as well...(I fear that Pugh may not see much action next season?)
 
I think Pugh last and next season is in a similar boat to what we hopefully see from Francis sooner than later. A great bloke to have around the club, providing experienced and reliable cover when we need it. If we end up with a young full back in at any point, you'd be happy to put Pugh in front of him, knowing Pugh is positionally and tactically sharp, will cover runners, will tackle and graft, and rarely gives the ball away dangerously.

Week in week out you'd want Fraser, Stanislas, Ibe, Mousset etc. But Pugh has a role to play next season as he has done last season. Although beyond that is probably pushing things too far.
 
I'm not surprised that half the team are not good enough for some on here. They weren't 3 years ago either, but somehow keep us up every season!

Franno will be vital as part of back three (no other right sided players, currently) which EH will play at times. It's a good bit of business IMHO, and only mine by the looks of it:throw:
 
I think people overlook the importance that Eddie places on the lack of height we have without Franno in the side. That's why he starts so many games. If Mings has a good season we'll see less of Franno imo.
 
I think people overlook the importance that Eddie places on the lack of height we have without Franno in the side. That's why he starts so many games. If Mings has a good season we'll see less of Franno imo.

That’s true. When your midfield are small you can’t have small full backs else only two players attack the ball at defending set pieces. I think that’s also why we saw more of Afobe and Gosling than we thought.
 
That’s true. When your midfield are small you can’t have small full backs else only two players attack the ball at defending set pieces. I think that’s also why we saw more of Afobe and Gosling than we thought.

Afobe made a huge difference when we were defending corners, Grabban was also a team player when it came to getting behind the ball.
 
For all the stick I've given him, he was absolutely imperious last night. Up against supposedly "the best player outside the big 6", who hardly got a sniff. So I say well done man! Really hard call for MOTM I thought between Franno and Lerma (IMHO), but for the stick he gets, Francis deserves a special mention after that shift last night.
 
I love it when people prove everyone wrong. I was no different to anyone else when I saw that he was up against Wilf - fair play Franno.
 
For all the stick I've given him, he was absolutely imperious last night. Up against supposedly "the best player outside the big 6", who hardly got a sniff. So I say well done man! Really hard call for MOTM I thought between Franno and Lerma (IMHO), but for the stick he gets, Francis deserves a special mention after that shift last night.

Thankyou. We seem to have 3 scapegoats in the team for when things don't go well. Surman and Daniels didn't play, so well done Franno.
Not everyone can be on song for every minute of every match.
 

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