What does Jude Bolton give us that another player cannot?
Gametime.....
Sure he is not the same player he was a few years ago, but he is still able to play more time in the middle than Moore or Bird and that makes his spot in the team more important at the moment than anybody understands. The team is pick not by the best 22 players available, but the 22 players who fit the roles required by the coaching staff and that goes for ALL clubs.
As they get more games under their belts then Jude place in the senior team rightfully becomes under question, because they are the ones who are pushing for his role in the side, Malceski isn't. You and everyone else is right that his form over the past 2 years hasn't been as good as it has and could be, but that doesn't mean he is at the stage where he is ready to be dropped. However he could reach that stage VERY soon, but we all know how the Swans keep the senior players on....
Malceski is still to prove he is going to be able to return this season and if he does as planned then its likely it won't be for one of the messageboard whipping boys in Bevan, Jude or McVeigh. Its going to be for one of the kids we have blooded this year, whether we all like that fact or not.
Please with your response, keep in mind we've added Moore and Bird to the team that can both get the hard ball from packs.
and lost Schmidt and Mathews....
We basically dropped a player in Mathews who was past it and replaced him with Bird and Moore and found that Schmidt was left out because he was injured. Thats two in two out right there.
You could almost mount an argument (based on your comments) that we are now off balance with extra inside midfielders, and not enough outside midfielders
Schneider (forward/outside mid) > Moore (inside mid)
Fosdike (outside mid) > Bird (inside mid)
I wouldn't.
We haven't gained any extra inside midfielders, but we have lost run in the midfield (thank you Fosdike being injured and Schneider traded) which in someway was returned in Kennelly returning to the side and Mattner covering Malceski's spot until he comes back, in terms of run off half back.
We are a better side this year with the side we have at the moment and to be honest I would only have Everitt and Malceski back in the side from the one that lined up on the weekend. Because those two players WOULD improve the side.
I don't think we need Fosdike as things stand, but he could push McVeigh for a spot if McVeigh's early season good form heads South. Schmidt could take over for Jude, if Jude's form also heads even further South or he could replace a Moore or Bird as well. Davis could be a lighting rod up forward if Micky got injured because that would be a role he would be suited very well to, the full forward role in the hole behind Hall.
My team heading forward could very well look like this:
1. Hall, 3. McVeigh, 5. R.O'Keefe, 6. C.Bolton, 9. Malceski, 10. Everitt, 11. Barlow, 15. Jack, 16. Jolly, 17. Kennelly, 19. O'Loughlin, 20. Ablett, 21. Barry, 24. J.Bolton, 25. Richards, 29. Mattner, 30 Roberts-Thomson, 31. Kirk, 32. Buchanan, 33. Moore, 37. Goodes, 42. Bevan.
Impossible to put them into a starting 18, so I listed a team of 22 who would play (keep in mind this ISN'T who I think is the best 22 players on our list, but the best 22 players for our senior TEAM). Hard on Bird I know but I really don't want to lose Moore from this side. The bright side of the above team is having Fosdike, Schmidt, Bird, Davis and Grundy all ready to step in if called upon. Plus its a side that retains the youth/expirence mix at the same time.