On-loan Hornets midfielder heaps praise on Leadbitter, Bamford and Karanka
Tuesday 16 December 2014 12:07, UK
Watford midfielder Keith Andrews discuses high-flying Middlesbrough, Championship leaders Bournemouth, as well as the fortunes of Brighton and Wigan...
Sky's Saturday lunchtime fixture between Middlesborough and Derby County showed us exactly what the Championship is all about and how hard it is to predict as Boro showed why they will be in the promotion race.
It was a game they pretty much dominated and Derby never got to grips with the sheer determination and energy Boro had from the first whistle. They never gave Derby an inch and Steve McClaren’s men just couldn’t hit their usually high standards - they simply played Derby at their own game and were very impressive.
It was a real team performance but the one player I felt was very pivotal to them on Saturday - and has been all season - was Grant Leadbitter. He is the club captain and you can see exactly what it means to him to captain this side. He is the real driving force in the side and is constantly organizing, encouraging or even berating a team-mate if needs be, which I find very refreshing in what is becoming a game for mutes.
I remember when I first started training with the first team at Wolves with players like Steve Bull, Keith Curle, Steve Sedgley and Kevin Muscat, who were quick to get on to anybody who wasn’t pulling their weight or concentrating - regardless of someone’s age. I quite liked it as it kept me on my toes and I loved how much they just wanted to win.
Patrick Bamford has now settled into life on Teesside as I felt he would after successful loan spells at both MK Dons and Derby. He really shot to everyone’s attention while on his second loan spell at MK Dons, where he scored an impressive 14 league goals in 23 games. I can imagine he was slightly frustrated at not playing enough in his preferred central striking role while on loan at Derby, but he still managed eight goals from 14 starts, so this lad clearly has an eye for a goal.
And it was his instinctive nature that gave Boro the lead on Saturday as he pounced before his former team-mates could react. He is a very clever player that has a lovely composure about his game, so it’s not just about goals with this very promising 21 year old, as even if he isn’t scoring, he brings a lot to to the team.
Cherries still riding high
Bournemouth went top of the league on Saturday afternoon after a thrilling 5-3 win over Cardiff City. I’ve spoken before of my admiration for the club and how Eddie Howe has unassumingly gone about his business there to great effect. They are a bunch of players that have wholeheartedly bought into the managers vision of how he wants to play, and they are reaping the rewards.
One player who perhaps goes under the radar a little bit for them is Harry Arter. This is a player that has got to where he is by sheer determination. After getting released by Charlton he dropped into the Conference with Woking, where he shone and subsequently got his move back into the Football League with Bournemouth.
This lad epitomises exactly what Bournemouth are all about and how they play - he is all action, aggressive in his closing down and very efficient with his distribution. He is key to them and gives the five attacking players in front of him the security to go and express themselves, while also providing real protection for his two centre halves.
My only concern about Bournemouth’s promotion ambitions is: do they have the strength in depth if and when they get injuries and suspensions? Having said that, we all thought the same about Burnley last year and look how they fared.
Surprises
Brighton and Wigan are two sides nobody anticipated being in the bottom three at any stage of the season, but especially not as we are almost at the halfway point. We have all seen teams suffer with play-off hangovers the following season, but to see two in the bottom three is amazing really.
I was at the Brighton match on Friday evening against Millwall and it was a very nervy evening for everyone at the Seagulls as they are now on a winless run of 17 matches, which has obviously has a huge effect on everyone’s confidence.
Sami Hyypia is very much liked among players and staff at the Amex and I think you could see that as they gave everything to try and get that much-needed win, but Millwall were just that little more clinical and streetwise.
Malky Mackay hasn’t started his reign at the DW the way he would have wanted, but I have no doubt he will get them up the league as soon as he stamps his authority on things there. They have a very good squad that just needs to get back to basics to grind out results and then play the style of football he wants them to once confidence is a little higher.
