He may not make the bench, but I don't think the BBC (or sky or the Prem website) has listed him on the projected roster once. Those previews they print are basically useless.
I don't know...I'm not inclined to say they're complete fabrications, as I've usually seen rosters accurately predicted, but objection noted and grain of salt taken--let's hope they're wrong!
Todd is out, Davis and Leacock question marks, I think. BTW, did anyone see the second goal Everton scored v. Larissa? You coulda framed it and hung it on the wall. This team can play when they want - and do some dumbass things too.
his one could be a trap game for Everton, Hibbert and Baines are pretty crap, obviously everton have som backfield issues right now. Derby might be able to capitalize on it, cant deny Everton's offensive prowess though. Derby has a shot in this one though
Arteta with the goal. Howard barely keeps it in play, up the right, nice dummy to the Spanish midfielder.
Let Derby lose 2 or 3 in a row. The world will look different. Let's get real: Eddie Lewis is not a Premiership caliber player anymore. He may have never been. And yet he's starting. The truth of the situation will be revealed soon enough, and its going to be clear that some of the starters of Derby (also in midfield) are not good enough. Of course, this is a different situation than Benny proving he belongs. He has to do that when he gets his next opportunity. He can't keep look like he's 'learning on the job'. He needs to seize the next opportunity big-time. Otherwise, Davies is right not to play him. Benny needs to realize he won't get 10 different chances to make a first impression. When he gets on the pitch, he's got to sparkle. He's got the talent to do, so when that window of opportunity comes up, he's got to rise up with it.
Final, 2-0 to Everton. Look, this team is going down (barring a miracle). Look at their last 10 games (taking out the home opener, which I'm calling an outlier) Last 10 games: GF: 3 GA: 24 That's horrid. They simply aren't a Premiership caliber team, and they also aren't getting better (playing some of the older guys), but actually getting worse. In the last 10 games, they've been shut out 7 times and scored 1 goal on 3 occasions. They've been unable to put 2 into the net since opening day. There is no way that Davies can continue to play the same group of players (same lineups) and expect to stay in the Prem. At some point, he will have to risk going younger, and even that is such a long shot its not even funny. Benny will get his opportunity- hopefully it won't be next spring when relegation is a done deal already. The table is a bit deceptive (Derby still not far from pack). But make no mistake- they are an awful team. Man City 1 - 0 Derby Tottenham 4 - 0 Derby Derby 1 - 2 Birmingham Liverpool 6 - 0 Derby Derby 1 - 0 Newcastle Arsenal 5 - 0 Derby Derby 1 - 1 Bolton Reading 1 - 0 Derby Fulham 0 - 0 Derby Derby 0 - 2 Everton Funny enough, Eddie Johnson could probably do this team some good. 1 goal scored in the last 5 games. Blecccch.
Funny, when benny was at relegation threatened Hamburg, he also got no time. The knock on him is he cant hold possession and does not play strong defense. Sounds like what a struggling club needs.
Watford actually got off to a better start after 11 games last year, and that was with Marlon King's injury after only a few games. Granted, Watford really struggled until mid-Jan. or so, but Derby will be hard pressed to top Watford's total of 5 wins last year, IMO.
Feilhaber is just not as good as most of you think he is. He's 22-years-old and has only played 11 professional games (stats are coming from wiki so there's no telling if they are perfectly accurate). He is a US Soccer creation. He has two more appearances for the USMNT than he does for his two professional clubs. That says it all really.
As I don't know how good "most of us" think he is, this is hard to answer, but it should be clear to everyone now what some posters said from the outset: this was a poor move for Benny. Whatever skills he has, they are not skills that are needed by a team like Derby who was always going to be fighting for ties and pipped wins. This is a team that needs a Mikey Bradley more than a Benny F. Hopefully they dump him in January and he gets someplace that can use him.
Sadly I think this is a pretty accurate assessment, though I've seen enough flashes of potential from him that I think he could very well develop into a good player.
bottom feeders in the EPL play very crude soccer. Kick and run all the way. Benny not fitting in here probably says something positive about his game. I said this as soon as he was signed: wrong team in the wrong league.
Add to this that Benny's best spots are currently filled by Oakley and Pearson and it all the worse of a move. Oakley is captain and is obviously going to be hard to move out of the line up and pearson is a reasonably tough scots international who has play for Davies in the past as well. Barring injury or suspension to either of those, Benny's best hope would be if Davies went with a 3 defensive middie type set up with him next to Oakley and Pearson - and a playmaker and two forwards or a 5 midfield and slotted him in the AM role, but even that is not ideal for Benny. Aside from spot starts, his only realy chance, barring injury, is as an RM - which he can probably play, but he is not a natural or very effective touchline middie. I don't think he fits there well either. A stint at Derby might toughen him up a bit, but I don't think it's a good fit for side or player.
bottom feeders in the EPL play very crude soccer. Kick and run all the way. Benny not fitting in here probably says something positive about his game. I said this as soon as he was signed: wrong team in the wrong league.