Dominic Ball

[boboisared]

Maybe we have to be realistic but I never like us to sign players as 'squad' players. We should be signing people we think are good enough to be starting 11 players and the players who end up on the bench are just the players who are being kept out the side by the form of other players. We shouldn't be signing people we know aren't good enough specifically to sit on the bench.

 

Maybe I'm not being realistic there and at our level we need to have Dom Balls who will never start if everyone is fit but can come in a 'do a job' in a few different positions.

 

Saying a player can 'do a job' never sounds good. He's not great but he can do a job. Makes them sound very mediocre.

 

Having said all this, Dom Ball actually has looked more than decent in patches. End of the 17/18 in midfield and occasionally when Shay was out.

Last season especially showed the need for squad players. Especially when you are expecting to go the distance in both cup competitions.

 

He's good at what he does - unfortunately, mcinnes doesnt seem to fancy that. If he had scouted him properly, he would have known what kind of player Gleeson was and not wasted a significant wage on him. 

I think the real issue is Ferguson slotted in a lot easier than anyone expected. No chance in a million years did we sign a bit part Hamilton youngster as a member of the first XI.

[Tord31]

Sunderland signed McGeouch on the 2nd July.  We signed Gleeson almost a fortnight earlier on 19th June... 

 

Dont let facts get in the way.

 

And we actually signed Gleeson much earlier than that (similar to Ash Taylor this year his actual trip up north was weeks earlier).

 

We burned a lot of effort on McGeouch regardless. It might yet prove useful though this summer.

[Betty Swallicks]

Its worth keeping Ball to play at RB in training to give Curtis Main some confidence.

 

worstsemiperformanceever

[craegDAMH]

Its worth keeping Ball to play at RB in training to give Curtis Main some confidence.

 

worstsemiperformanceever

 

Given Arnason was at fault for every goal I'd say he had a worse semi performance 

[Betty Swallicks]

Given Arnason was at fault for every goal I'd say he had a worse semi performance 

 

Debatable imo.

 

Armason looked like a centre half having a shit game.

Ball never looked like a rb..... or footballer.

[StandFree1982]

Debatable imo.

 

Armason looked liked a centre half having a shit game.

Ball never looked like a rb..... or footballer.

 

there's no debating at all.

 

First Goal - Arnason headed the ball back into the Dons box, causing the confusion in the first place.

Second Goal -  Arnason fell over

Third Goal  - Arnason boots the ball off Main

[Betty Swallicks]

there's no debating at all.

 

First Goal - Arnason headed the ball back into the Dons box, causing the confusion in the first place.

Second Goal -  Arnason fell over

Third Goal  - Arnason boots the ball off Main

 

We agree that he was poor all 3 goals, Ball at fault for one (the "stopping" debacle the likes of which I've not seen by a Dons player in 40 years) but overall Ball had a worse game.....IMO.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=987z2u5-3Bw 1min 20secs.   

[Donstar83]

He's apparently turned down our contract offer.

 

*just noticed it's in the transfer chat*

[Tord31]

Good. Save me having a meltdown. Not the quality required and as said previously id have been more disappointed with this (signing as one of the two centre mids required) than Taylor or Main

[strachanmcgheegoal]

Don’t disagree. Probably now moves our recruitment priority from 1 CM to play alongside Ferguson to better 2 CMs since we’ve no cover.

 

That assumes Gleason continues to be unfancied and apparently unfit.

[Ten Caat]

Paving the way for a much much better talisman-esque midfield general to sign.

 

Well come on Pops....don't keep us in suspense. 

 

You must have a midfield hero tucked up your stripey pyjama top that you haven't yet unleashed on us as incoming?

[Andy_123]

With the right players around him I think Ball would be a useful player.

 

Sitting in front of the back 4 doing the dirty work is his thing, and he’s quite good at it. Anything else, not so much.

[Betty Swallicks]

In his interviews Ball has always struck me as a smug cunt who thinks he is far better than he actually is (likely because he comes from Welwyn Garden City and spent time at the huns).

 

I presume he was offered a small take it or leave it wage and spat the dummy.

 

Hopefully that is that and he fucks off or comes grovelling back for his squad player pay.

[CityCentre]

He is absolutely awful, cannot believe people think he is anything else.

[StandFree1982]

He is absolutely awful, cannot believe people think he is anything else.

 

He's not awful.

 

He's not very good, but he's nowhere near the awful category. 

 

Some examples: 

 

Brilliant - Jess, Bett

Very Good (on their day) - Severin, Nicholson, Bisconti, McLean

Good - Shinnie

Squad Player / Average - Ball 

Awful - Kerr, McDonald, Pepper

[DelMonte]

He is absolutely awful, cannot believe people think he is anything else.

Sums up your standard of posting. No backing up of your point, just a lazy comment.

[Tord31]

.

[RUL]

In his interviews Ball has always struck me as a smug cunt who thinks he is far better than he actually is (likely because he comes from Welwyn Garden City and spent time at the huns).

 

I presume he was offered a small take it or leave it wage and spat the dummy.

 

Hopefully that is that and he fucks off or comes grovelling back for his squad player pay.

 

I don't think he's good enough. Wouldn't want him blocking a youngster path into the team.

[RUL]

He's not awful.

 

He's not very good, but he's nowhere near the awful category. 

 

Some examples: 

 

Brilliant - Jess, Bett

Very Good (on their day) - Severin, Nicholson, Bisconti, McLean

Good - Shinnie

Squad Player / Average - Ball 

Awful - Kerr, McDonald, Pepper

 

Shows how standards have dropped. We used to have Brian Grant as a squad player but he'd be up with those very good players now.

[Hewitt a the pies]

Aye average.

Hopefully we can get someone different in who's a bit more comfortable on the ball(no pun intended). He seemed to take an age to turn when receiving a pass facing his own defence.

[redone]

Shows how standards have dropped. We used to have Brian Grant as a squad player but he'd be up with those very good players now.

Brian Grant was far more than just a squad player. And deservedly so. Very under-rated player.

[maryhilldon]

Shows how standards have dropped. We used to have Brian Grant as a squad player but he'd be up with those very good players now.

I don't remember Grant as a squad player, he was first XI.

[Betty Swallicks]

Brian Grant is up there with Bobby Corror for folk incorrectly slagging.

 

Different types of players but both were excellent at what they did.

[redone]

Shows how standards have dropped. We used to have Brian Grant as a squad player but he'd be up with those very good players now.

Brian Grant was far more than just a squad player. And deservedly so. Very under-rated player.

 

Maybe the first few seasons he was with his he was probably on the fringes of the first team , often one of the subs , in the days when there were only 3 subs. But in the late 80s and the first half of the 90s he was a first team regular in the starting eleven.

[maryhilldon]

Brian Grant is up there with Bobby Corror for folk incorrectly slagging.

 

Different types of players but both were excellent at what they did.

I don't think ive ever heard someone slagging Grant.

[Ten Caat]

Grant was only a squad player in his first couple of seasons after he joined from Stirling as a youngish loon. Once he established himself in the team he was a first pick for years.

 

Ball would be a first pick had he joined up...but likely only for the coming season as Dean Campbell will be a first pick in a year's time, at which point Ball would have become a (very useful) squad player.

 

Anyway immaterial now. We look elsewhere. But not at all convinced about this Gorrin loon at Motherwell if that is who we are chasing

[King Street Loon]

Shows how standards have dropped. We used to have Brian Grant as a squad player but he'd be up with those very good players now.

 

 

Brian Grant is up there with Bobby Corror for folk incorrectly slagging.

 

Different types of players but both were excellent at what they did.

As other s have mentioned above.

Once established at the club Grant was nothing but a near enough first name on the team sheet.

[Guest]

To be fair:

 

Last two cup semi finals Ball was minging in both.

 

Loses concentration and at times his distribution is really really bad. He's good for games against Celtic/Huns or a better European team because he's a big physical guy you can use to anchor and flood the midfield. That's all he is though. Very limited and not a necessary signing if he's commanding starting XI wages.

[jamiesd]

Brian Grant, an unsung hero.  In the 90-91 season he was immense in the run in up till the last game at Ibrox.  Great servant to the club

[jamiesd]

double post