Illunga in team of the week

[Keith Myath]

Although probably one of his steadier performances, how much does this smack of \"hmm i see Donny won and kept a clean sheet, best pick one of their defenders, lets have a look at who played on Monday, Button, Hird, Oconnor, Lockwood, bugger never heard of them, wait a minute Ilunga im sure he played in the premiership, sorted then, Illunga it is\"

At the game they clearly was not....

[benaldo]

He did play very well, I thought.

I think the problem can be summed up by this little anecdote from Saturday -

Near me at the KM sit a group of 40 something men. Nothing wrong with that. They appear quite normal. Well heeled, they behave themselves and generally I don't really notice them. Except for when OConnor is playing.....  One of the group seems to get a lot out of watching Jimmy playing football and on Saturday I worked out why. He spent the entire match gritting his teeth like he was trying to bite a pencil in half with his front incisors every time Oconnor got the ball. He usually followed this by grinding his teeth and shouting \"go on my son...go on jimmy lad...gedddiittinnntoooouuummm....ccccooooooooorrrrrrr\". This was despite the fact that Jimmy wasn't playing well and his response to whatever JImmy did was the same. I watched his cheek muscles bulging with effort as he ground his teeth every single time Jimmy got the ball (sometimes accompanied with some fist pumping). He didn't do this for any other player. Weird? Nope, I thought. He loves the fact that OConnor is a trier and that he's perhaps a little more burly than the others? There was nothing that Oconnor could do wrong and even when he took that throw in straight to one of their players it was greeted with a quick masticate and a \"That's it jimmy lad....coooorrrrrrrr\".

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Illunga is possibly that fans least favourite player in that he doesn't inspire that response in anyone. Yet don't forget he's a lot better at playing full back than Jimmy is, despite not giving us any moments of manliness. He doesn't growl, or spit a lot, or look manly, or makes loads of tackles (missing most of them), but he is a good footballer nevertheless.

[jmt]

What do you lot want? From my seat I've seen one of the most consistent perfomers in him, he might not be flash, but he gets the job done, and never seems to get any credit!

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Watford didn't count in the week then, he was rubbish there, played well against Barnsley though.

[NickDRFC]

What do you lot want? From my seat I've seen one of the most consistent perfomers in him, he might not be flash, but he gets the job done, and never seems to get any credit!

Just don't rate him personally, unbelievably poor positioning for a fullback. He sometimes makes up with a decent block or a tackle or a clear off the line but we're too often exposed down that side. I'd have Spurr back in the side in a flash.

Well done for getting in the team of the week however; in response to the OP there may not have been many decent left back performances - you can't stick Hird in at left back in the team of the week, for example, when he's played centre half.

[VikingJames]

He did play very well, I thought.

I think the problem can be summed up by this little anecdote from Saturday -

Near me at the KM sit a group of 40 something men. Nothing wrong with that. They appear quite normal. Well heeled, they behave themselves and generally I don't really notice them. Except for when OConnor is playing.....  One of the group seems to get a lot out of watching Jimmy playing football and on Saturday I worked out why. He spent the entire match gritting his teeth like he was trying to bite a pencil in half with his front incisors every time Oconnor got the ball. He usually followed this by grinding his teeth and shouting \"go on my son...go on jimmy lad...gedddiittinnntoooouuummm....ccccooooooooorrrrrrr\". This was despite the fact that Jimmy wasn't playing well and his response to whatever JImmy did was the same. I watched his cheek muscles bulging with effort as he ground his teeth every single time Jimmy got the ball (sometimes accompanied with some fist pumping). He didn't do this for any other player. Weird? Nope, I thought. He loves the fact that OConnor is a trier and that he's perhaps a little more burly than the others? There was nothing that Oconnor could do wrong and even when he took that throw in straight to one of their players it was greeted with a quick masticate and a \"That's it jimmy lad....coooorrrrrrrr\".

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Illunga is possibly that fans least favourite player in that he doesn't inspire that response in anyone. Yet don't forget he's a lot better at playing full back than Jimmy is, despite not giving us any moments of manliness. He doesn't growl, or spit a lot, or look manly, or makes loads of tackles (missing most of them), but he is a good footballer nevertheless.

I think people generally don't like him because he's not as good as you're making out. He was atrocious at Watford, and although he played well on Monday, often seems to go missing from his position and leaves big gaps behind him.

Also, why haven't people cottoned on to the fact that Ilunga only has one \"L\"? I'm not that bothered, but it's just one of those things, like \"Sharpe\" ... You'd expect people to get it right by now.

[Spud]

I think anyone would struggle to look good at left back for us due to the fact that we dont play anything in front of em (other than Gillett who`s never been a left midfielder). Ilunga (one L) has been steady enough without setting the world alight for us, cant say he`s any better/worse than Spurr and nowhere near Joe Mills.

[ditch_drfc]

Losing Gaz Roberts unsettled us in that position more than I imagined it would at the time. Having said that, I'd feel confident with Spurr there.

[Keith Myath]

My original post wasnt a direct slight on Ilunga (Ps i spelt it both ways in my OP) i just thought that the other lads work rate and determination was more worthy. Agreed though he may have been the best left back on the day but it wouldnt have been the first time they put players in the team of the week where they didnt for their club. I.e. Not every one plays 4-4-2.

As long as we are getting players in the team of the week, we must be doing something right.

[Chris Black come back]

Agree on this. Tommy Spurr is a steady, solid player. Hope he gets given fair crack of whip when he is fit.

[i_ateallthepies]

I haven't been impressed with Ilunga even once.  All I'll say about his Monday performance was he didn't look terrible, which he has for the rest of the games I've seen.

Perhaps the easiest to remember example of his gashness was against Leicester.  The first piece of action on the short highlights, when Leicester player makes a run down their right wing and Ilunga, from being a yard from his man when they set off, simply tracks him down the wing giving him more space with every stride, finally letting him make the cross unchallenged, not even the faintest attempt to prevent or block the cross.  It was their first strike on goal and resulted in a goalbound header which Woods had to save.

Ilunga manages not only to look like he can't be arsed, but also to perform like it too.

[benaldo]

I disagree. Ilunga/Illunga/Ilga/Lungout is not a \"puff out your chest and growl\" kind of player. You can't picture him as a main face ripper can you (for the miners among you), but it doesn't mean he's no good. OK, so he isn't trying to break peoples legs (sometimes I wonder if that is all some fans want out of a Rovers player??!) but he's better on the ball than any other full back at the club apart from Chimbonda, he crosses brilliantly, and yes, he sometimes gets caught up field, but at least he's participating in attacking play...unlike a couple of nameless full backs. He got in \"team of the week\" which I was murdered on here for suggesting Hird didn't belong in the other week, he's intelligent on the ball (Friend booting it with his eyes closed anyone?) and he is much better than what we were using. I can't even really remember Spurr, though I had nothing against him and he was much. much better than George.

To be honest, if all you can say about his \"gashness\" is that he didn't jump in to a challenge on an advancing winger it speaks volumes about his play doesn't it?! I can think of at least 10 examples of much worse disasters from a certain other \"left back\" at the club.

When Tommy is fit we'll see who's deserving of a place. Personally I don't care who it is as long as they serve the team well and perform like Ilunga is now starting to consistantly do. Don't be afraid of new things.

[NickDRFC]

Ilunga isn't bad on the ball but he's not particularly good either. He doesn't bomb on like a Muzzy or even a JOC, he often seems a bit slow to join attacks for me and when he gets there he never seems to put a great ball in. I just really don't rate him, he backs off his man badly when he's near him, which half the time he isn't.

Can you really name the 10 examples of much worse disasters from George Friend? I could name you a handful of Ilunga's from Burnley.

[i_ateallthepies]

I disagree. Ilunga/Illunga/Ilga/Lungout is not a \"puff out your chest and growl\" kind of player. You can't picture him as a main face ripper can you (for the miners among you), but it doesn't mean he's no good. OK, so he isn't trying to break peoples legs (sometimes I wonder if that is all some fans want out of a Rovers player??!) but he's better on the ball than any other full back at the club apart from Chimbonda, he crosses brilliantly, and yes, he sometimes gets caught up field, but at least he's participating in attacking play...unlike a couple of nameless full backs. He got in \"team of the week\" which I was murdered on here for suggesting Hird didn't belong in the other week, he's intelligent on the ball (Friend booting it with his eyes closed anyone?) and he is much better than what we were using. I can't even really remember Spurr, though I had nothing against him and he was much. much better than George.

To be honest, if all you can say about his \"gashness\" is that he didn't jump in to a challenge on an advancing winger it speaks volumes about his play doesn't it?! I can think of at least 10 examples of much worse disasters from a certain other \"left back\" at the club.

When Tommy is fit we'll see who's deserving of a place. Personally I don't care who it is as long as they serve the team well and perform like Ilunga is now starting to consistantly do. Don't be afraid of new things.

I just ask you Benaldo to watch the piece of footage I mention and tell me that's the play of a decent full back.  You don't have to be out to break legs to at least make some semblence of an attempt to block the cross.  If blocking crosses isn't part of the full back role I'd love to know what is.

Or... are you just developing a liking for being wrong???

[Red wizard]

I think Ilunga is a half decent full back and would rather him than G F. Will be interesting to see what we do when Spurr is back who i also rate.

[The Beast]

I think Ilunga is a quality left back! Did really well Saturday, Barnsley looked more than useful on the right hand side yet he more then held his own, even with Bennett committing himself when there was no need and leaving him 2 against 1 on a couple of occasions. He's not the best footballer but he's strong and fast, which are two of the most important assets for a fullback and he rarely gets beaten. Much rather have him there than Friend who looks like he's running in a swimming pool.

[benaldo]

I think Ilunga is a quality left back! Did really well Saturday, Barnsley looked more than useful on the right hand side yet he more then held his own, even with Bennett committing himself when there was no need and leaving him 2 against 1 on a couple of occasions. He's not the best footballer but he's strong and fast, which are two of the most important assets for a fullback and he rarely gets beaten. Much rather have him there than Friend who looks like he's running in a swimming pool.

[/b]


 That's as good a description of his running as I've ever read!

[bobjimwilly]

I personally thought Ilunga went missing at times on Monday. If the football league needed to pick a defender, they should have looked no further than Sam Hird.

opinions 'n' arseholes and all that...