Dean Polo

[dragit]

Love these threads. We have won 5 out of 7 and people saying Armo should be in the middle. Seems a great coincidence that as soon as he has been replaced that our midfield has improved. Armo may look like a good mid but doesnt spread well or have any defensive skills apart from his tackling. Steven has been able to do all of that. Armo may be ok in traffic but doesnt get many clean clearances, Steven has done that. Now it seems Polo should go for Armo. Well he may but due to things us from the outside miss but coaches, who have so much better knowledge than all of us, see Polo is getting a game at the moment.

It is my opinion that many here barrack for Armo to be good because he was a top 10 pick and seems like a hard nosed footballer but to be totally honest even when he seems to play well he doesnt seem to actually help the the Saints side during the game.

I don't think it's fair to pin our winning and losing on where Armitage has been played, when he was playing in the middle the whole team was out of sorts where our best couple of players couldn't buy a kick, but when he was in the middle we lost to Geelong and Carlton by a kick. It might well be a co-incidence as far as I'm concerned.

[plugger66]

Love these threads. We have won 5 out of 7 and people saying Armo should be in the middle. Seems a great coincidence that as soon as he has been replaced that our midfield has improved. Armo may look like a good mid but doesnt spread well or have any defensive skills apart from his tackling. Steven has been able to do all of that. Armo may be ok in traffic but doesnt get many clean clearances, Steven has done that. Now it seems Polo should go for Armo. Well he may but due to things us from the outside miss but coaches, who have so much better knowledge than all of us, see Polo is getting a game at the moment.

It is my opinion that many here barrack for Armo to be good because he was a top 10 pick and seems like a hard nosed footballer but to be totally honest even when he seems to play well he doesnt seem to actually help the the Saints side during the game.

I don't think it's fair to pin our winning and losing on where Armitage has been played, when he was playing in the middle the whole team was out of sorts where our best couple of players couldn't buy a kick, but when he was in the middle we lost to Geelong and Carlton by a kick. It might well be a co-incidence as far as I'm concerned.

It could be but dont you think Steven has provided much more run, better defensive work and cleaner clearances since he has gone into the middle.

[Old Mate]

Love these threads. We have won 5 out of 7 and people saying Armo should be in the middle. Seems a great coincidence that as soon as he has been replaced that our midfield has improved. Armo may look like a good mid but doesnt spread well or have any defensive skills apart from his tackling. Steven has been able to do all of that. Armo may be ok in traffic but doesnt get many clean clearances, Steven has done that. Now it seems Polo should go for Armo. Well he may but due to things us from the outside miss but coaches, who have so much better knowledge than all of us, see Polo is getting a game at the moment.

It is my opinion that many here barrack for Armo to be good because he was a top 10 pick and seems like a hard nosed footballer but to be totally honest even when he seems to play well he doesnt seem to actually help the the Saints side during the game.

I don't think it's fair to pin our winning and losing on where Armitage has been played, when he was playing in the middle the whole team was out of sorts where our best couple of players couldn't buy a kick, but when he was in the middle we lost to Geelong and Carlton by a kick. It might well be a co-incidence as far as I'm concerned.

It could be but dont you think Steven has provided much more run, better defensive work and cleaner clearances since he has gone into the middle.

I think what a lot of Saints fans want to see is Armo part of the midfield rotations, that's all. We have blokes like Polo getting rotated in the middle whereas Armo gets to hang out on the forward pocket or flank playing a defensive role like McQualter or Eddy. And I don't give two sh1ts about Ross knowing more than me cos I'm an armchair coach champ.

[BigMart]

How do you measure, better defensive work??

Steven has moved into tje middle to give us more run.....and really has replaced joey in the square in many respects, who missed a couple and has been playing injured...

Dal has gone from hb, to insode mid....and has been the one to take a lot of armos game time.....not a line breaker dal....but distributes....

Jones has been in or out, depending on opponent.....

Bj, joey have floated tnrough tne guts off a wing and gram, ray, armitage have made cameos

[Teflon]

Love these threads. We have won 5 out of 7 and people saying Armo should be in the middle. Seems a great coincidence that as soon as he has been replaced that our midfield has improved. Armo may look like a good mid but doesnt spread well or have any defensive skills apart from his tackling. Steven has been able to do all of that. Armo may be ok in traffic but doesnt get many clean clearances, Steven has done that. Now it seems Polo should go for Armo. Well he may but due to things us from the outside miss but coaches, who have so much better knowledge than all of us, see Polo is getting a game at the moment.

It is my opinion that many here barrack for Armo to be good because he was a top 10 pick and seems like a hard nosed footballer but to be totally honest even when he seems to play well he doesnt seem to actually help the the Saints side during the game.

I don't think it's fair to pin our winning and losing on where Armitage has been played, when he was playing in the middle the whole team was out of sorts where our best couple of players couldn't buy a kick, but when he was in the middle we lost to Geelong and Carlton by a kick. It might well be a co-incidence as far as I'm concerned.

Its dumb to pin win/losses on 1 playuer...but there ya go.

Armo in the middle for me makes sense due to hgis age and need to develop and the fact I havent given up on him developing his outside game and becoming a rounded player.

I already know what Polo will give me.

[plugger66]

Love these threads. We have won 5 out of 7 and people saying Armo should be in the middle. Seems a great coincidence that as soon as he has been replaced that our midfield has improved. Armo may look like a good mid but doesnt spread well or have any defensive skills apart from his tackling. Steven has been able to do all of that. Armo may be ok in traffic but doesnt get many clean clearances, Steven has done that. Now it seems Polo should go for Armo. Well he may but due to things us from the outside miss but coaches, who have so much better knowledge than all of us, see Polo is getting a game at the moment.

It is my opinion that many here barrack for Armo to be good because he was a top 10 pick and seems like a hard nosed footballer but to be totally honest even when he seems to play well he doesnt seem to actually help the the Saints side during the game.

I don't think it's fair to pin our winning and losing on where Armitage has been played, when he was playing in the middle the whole team was out of sorts where our best couple of players couldn't buy a kick, but when he was in the middle we lost to Geelong and Carlton by a kick. It might well be a co-incidence as far as I'm concerned.

Its dumb to pin win/losses on 1 playuer...but there ya go.

Armo in the middle for me makes sense due to hgis age and need to develop and the fact I havent given up on him developing his outside game and becoming a rounded player.

I already know what Polo will give me.

I am not pin pointing it on one player. Steven is doing a far better job than Armo did in the middle and that in turn means Armo has to go forward more than in the middle to replace Steven. That is 2 changes for a start and both have worked. Steven in the middle has meant more pace with gives us cleaner clearances with suits not so good clearance players like BJ and to a lesser extent Dal. BJ has also found a bit of form and Ben is playing really well. It is easy to criticise what I say but why isnt Armo getting a game in the middle? Obviously there is a reason and if it isnt what I say I would happy for you guys to come up with one.

[Richter]

why isnt Armo getting a game in the middle? Obviously there is a reason and if it isnt what I say I would happy for you guys to come up with one.

Point is why is Polo getting game time through the middle in front of Armo? Try answering that one. And saying, 'it must be because the coaches think that is best' is not an answer. That's plainly obvious.

It does not have to be a question of Steven OR Armo - everyone agrees that JS has been a revelation since moving in to the middle. Why not Armo roatating through there too?

My own thought is that RL does not rate Armo and has given up on him as an inside mid, similarly to how he felt about Ball being in the team. If that is the case, then I hope for the club's sake and Armo's sake that Armo is traded at the end of the year, and that this time we get a pick/player for him.

[plugger66]

why isnt Armo getting a game in the middle? Obviously there is a reason and if it isnt what I say I would happy for you guys to come up with one.

Point is why is Polo getting game time through the middle in front of Armo? Try answering that one. And saying, 'it must be because the coaches think that is best' is not an answer. That's plainly obvious.

It does not have to be a question of Steven OR Armo - everyone agrees that JS has been a revelation since moving in to the middle. Why not Armo roatating through there too?

My own thought is that RL does not rate Armo and has given up on him as an inside mid, similarly to how he felt about Ball being in the team. If that is the case, then I hope for the club's sake and Armo's sake that Armo is traded at the end of the year, and that this time we get a pick/player for him.

I have given my reasons why Armo hardly rotates through the middle and they arent because RL doesnt want him to. i have also given my reasons as to why Armo plays forward and it isnt because RL wants him to. I havent given my reasons as to why Polo goes into the middle instead of Armo but it is probably the same reason as to why Armo mainly plays forward. Someone had to replace Steven because he went into the middle and that is Armo. Polo obviously couldnt play that position as well. We also obviously require as many mids as possible and because Armo is forward Polo goes into the middle. So there you have it. Now I would like you to answer my question as to why you think Armo isnt playing in the middle and surely just saying RL doesnt rate Armo isnt a real answer either. Why doesnt he rate him in your opinion? He seemed to rate him in the first 7 rounds this year.

[evertonfc]

Armo may not be a star, but the improvement in his game this year in certain matches is something we haven't seen previously.

He has the attributes, now he needs the consistency.

I feel like the penny dropped with him this year about taking responsibility, and he has done that in several games, albeit maybe not enough.

There's no favourtism to Armitage because he was a high pick. I don't care where he was picked - otherwise I'd want Raph Clarke in the team [I don't].

But Armo has enough to make it at this level. His progress hasn't been quite what we would like but, over the journey, if he can work within his limitations, he could be a Sam Mitchell-type.

As for comparisons with Dean Polo? I don't buy it. Polo is a mix of Robert Eddy and Jayden Attard - a role player with limited skills who can only exist before natural attrition squeezes them out. Armitage has ball-winning ability, and toughness, two things that will never be out of place on a footy field.

He just needs to produce it on a regular basis. I think he can, I think we've seen him go from being a 1-in-4 to a 1-in-2 'good game' player this year. Must become a 3-in-4 player when he gets his next chance - that's his biggest hurdle.

[SainterK]

I'm confused, so why isn't Armo in the middle?

[borderbarry]

When Cripps and Ledger have another preseason and start playing through the middle, and Lenny returns, some of our current mids are going to miss out. I think Jack is safe, he is one of best players at the moment.

[WinnersOnly]

For what ever reason he cant seem to maintain his play at top speed - his lack of running ability or mental application lets him down. He is not a natural runner and struggles to maintain the level of movement required to play midfield.

He is one of those 3/4 pace type players who doesn't have the capacity to go in top gear consistently. He does seem able to run hard at times but on other occasions lets himself down.

Im sure this is why Jack has gone past him !

[BigMart]

Armo is incredibly fit....in the top few at the club

When you hit with as much feorce as armo.....it does take it out of you....and when he is in a contested situation, he definitely aint skirting the packs...

[Mr Magic]

Armo's running (pace) reminds me of Stephen Powell.
He doesn't seem to have much acceleration - seems one paced.

The coaching panel seem to think he is more value as a defensive forward/forward line clearance specialist.
A role where his attributes are valuable adn his detriments (lack of pace?) are not such a hindrance.

IIRC Powell was used similarly.

Armo so far this season seems capaqble of playing this particular role (the McQualter role of 2009-2010) to greater effect than Mini did.
His tackling is similar statistically but his toughness adn clearance work is better.

[plugger66]

Armo's running (pace) reminds me of Stephen Powell.
He doesn't seem to have much acceleration - seems one paced.

The coaching panel seem to think he is more value as a defensive forward/forward line clearance specialist.
A role where his attributes are valuable adn his detriments (lack of pace?) are not such a hindrance.

IIRC Powell was used similarly.

Armo so far this season seems capaqble of playing this particular role (the McQualter role of 2009-2010) to greater effect than Mini did.
His tackling is similar statistically but his toughness adn clearance work is better.

Thats correct. He still does plenty of clearance work but just not in the middle at ball ups or down back so for half the game he still has chance to get clearances. That is based on a pretty even game.