Before I start on this I have to point out that I’ve been one of Puncheons biggest critics over the last 18months, but not because I’ve an axe to grind about him persé it’s more to do with our clubs love affair with certain players regardless of how they are actually playing. We only need to look at the contract given to Jonniesta the other month; most other clubs would’ve sacked off a similar player after the injuries his had, or at least let his contract wind down before then seeing if he deserved another one.

I appreciate that that’s what makes us perceivably different, in that we have more of a family ethic, but that will only get us so far. If we really want to make that push forward into being midtable regulars then we have to leave the sentiment behind; and this is where I’m now with Punch.

I also fear that sentiment is Steve Parrish’s achillies heel, he wants to be progressive, wants to get in Managers who have the same belief/ideas and then seems to have this reluctance to let certain players move on because they were ‘once’ a great player for us (or in Jonniestas case hardly ever). In order to push through with the ‘transition’ (god I’m begging to despise that word) it calls for hard decision making and to follow the ideology through regardless. At the minute he seems to be caught between the two.

I keep hearing that we owe it to Punch because of the player he’s been for the last 3 years? Why? He’s getting paid bloody well for having been poor this last 18months…or even more. He may be local, but that doesn’t give him a divine right to be in the side, making a player who’d been playing poorly Captain has now painted us into a corner as it makes him harder to drop, which means the team, trying to adapt to a new system are having to carry a player not on their game (though it could be argued more than one are being carried), but this is about Punch.

I really can’t see any future for him playing in C midfield. He doesn’t have the vision, tenacity in the tackle or speed of thought to move the ball quickly enough now (as was demonstrated by RLC); his dead ball delivery is also woeful. So I can only see him giving us an option out on the wing.

I’d love to see him back on form, but we can’t afford to keep on carrying players that show no sign of getting out of the rut that they’re in. We have players coming back to fitness in both Cabaye and McArthur who though not perfect for the system will certainly give the middle of the park the tenacity and bite that we’ve missed in both pre-season and against Huddersfield.

Maybe a spell on the bench will kick start something in him, otherwise I can see him gone before the season is out.

Apologies for the rambling

Anyone think he deserves a place in the first team let along captaincy?

If he wasn't a Croydon boy he wouldn't be captain. People focus on this too much.

Last season he was poor. He was the only play not to improve under Sam.

Gives the ball away too often, and hangs on for it way to long when he gets it.

I like Punch but he shouldn't be captain and I don't think he should be a starting player anymore.

Before I start on this I have to point out that I’ve been one of Puncheons biggest critics over the last 18months, but not because I’ve an axe to grind about him persé it’s more to do with our clubs love affair with certain players regardless of how they are actually playing. We only need to look at the contract given to Jonniesta the other month; most other clubs would’ve sacked off a similar player after the injuries his had, or at least let his contract wind down before then seeing if he deserved another one.

I appreciate that that’s what makes us perceivably different, in that we have more of a family ethic, but that will only get us so far. If we really want to make that push forward into being midtable regulars then we have to leave the sentiment behind; and this is where I’m now with Punch.

I also fear that sentiment is Steve Parrish’s achillies heel, he wants to be progressive, wants to get in Managers who have the same belief/ideas and then seems to have this reluctance to let certain players move on because they were ‘once’ a great player for us (or in Jonniestas case hardly ever). In order to push through with the ‘transition’ (god I’m begging to despise that word) it calls for hard decision making and to follow the ideology through regardless. At the minute he seems to be caught between the two.

I keep hearing that we owe it to Punch because of the player he’s been for the last 3 years? Why? He’s getting paid bloody well for having been poor this last 18months…or even more. He may be local, but that doesn’t give him a divine right to be in the side, making a player who’d been playing poorly Captain has now painted us into a corner as it makes him harder to drop, which means the team, trying to adapt to a new system are having to carry a player not on their game (though it could be argued more than one are being carried), but this is about Punch.

I really can’t see any future for him playing in C midfield. He doesn’t have the vision, tenacity in the tackle or speed of thought to move the ball quickly enough now (as was demonstrated by RLC); his dead ball delivery is also woeful. So I can only see him giving us an option out on the wing.

I’d love to see him back on form, but we can’t afford to keep on carrying players that show no sign of getting out of the rut that they’re in. We have players coming back to fitness in both Cabaye and McArthur who though not perfect for the system will certainly give the middle of the park the tenacity and bite that we’ve missed in both pre-season and against Huddersfield.

Maybe a spell on the bench will kick start something in him, otherwise I can see him gone before the season is out.

Apologies for the rambling

I'm not so sure this is correct, as was pointed out on holradio he had a pass completion of 91% sat...BUT, that's easy to attain when passing sideways and backwards. The system demands this at times but where I would agree is that in THAT role he has to be passing the ball a lot quicker, as well as either breaking/passing 'through the lines'.

He does neither very well