TM unlike SP is building a solid defence and midfield first.
No more trying lots strikers only for them to be discarded after a few months when found wanting.
Better++
John Fleck is only 23 years old. He has many years ahead of him and I believe when given a more attacking role he will flourish and produce the goods. He has great technical ability and can pick a pass out of nowhere. With the signing of Vincelot I'm hoping we will see Fleck further forward and with an addition of a good pacey striker or two I'm sure Fleck would link up well with them.
I have seen nothing breathtaking in Finch so far,but he is now a year more experienced and probably bigger and physically stronger, he was thrown into the team to early last year and struggled for it.
Lets see how he goes this year.
Now we have a defensive midfielder will Fleck be playing more forward? I think when Mowbray first came in and Fleck was a lot further up the pitch he played a lot better and was making runs into the box.
Fleck has never convinced me. No more so than Thomas.
Thomas' best attribute is his positional play and reading of the game, I wouldn't write him off just yet.
Can distinctly remember Thomas being involved in the build up to 2 goals last season by being in the opposition's half. For a football writer I think you need to watch the game a bit more, friend.So sitting in a deep central position whilst at the same time being too scared go over the halfway line translates to good 'positional play and reading of the game'. Goalscoring aside - which isn't actually the defining attribute of a midfield player - Fleck has shown his superior passing ability on numerous occasions, whereas Thomas is consistently anonymous in every department.
So sitting in a deep central position whilst at the same time being too scared go over the halfway line translates to good 'positional play and reading of the game'. Goalscoring aside - which isn't actually the defining attribute of a midfield player - Fleck has shown his superior passing ability on numerous occasions, whereas Thomas is consistently anonymous in every department.
Fleck has never convinced me. No more so than Thomas.
Thomas' best attribute is his positional play and reading of the game, I wouldn't write him off just yet.
Can distinctly remember Thomas being involved in the build up to 2 goals last season by being in the opposition's half. For a football writer I think you need to watch the game a bit more, friend.
Can distinctly remember Thomas being involved in the build up to 2 goals last season by being in the opposition's half. For a football writer I think you need to watch the game a bit more, friend.
Can distinctly remember Thomas being involved in the build up to 2 goals last season by being in the opposition's half. For a football writer I think you need to watch the game a bit more, friend.
I'm not your friend, pal.
Yet another one of the shite productions from our "fantastic academy". Should close it down a.s.a.p as all it produces is piles of shit like Finch.........
I'd give Thomas another year. Can't be costing much, still only 21 and got a decent defensive midfielder to shadow this year, along with a manager that can actually help him develop if he's able.
Don't feed the troll boys
He's on a heck of a lot more money than you'd think. Not as much as Michael Doyle was on, mind...
What the fuck is Thomas still doing hanging around like a bad smell? Lets not forget we are talking about a player who has now played around 100 or so games-if he hasn't produced by now, i'm afraid it's not going to happen.
Yet another one of the shite productions from our "fantastic academy". Should close it down a.s.a.p as all it produces is piles of shit like Finch.........
Thomas is on a make or break season I admit. But going back to Wolves away he was instrumental in us holding our own that day. Both clubs were a credit to League 1 football that day and looked the two teams everyone would have to beat.
You don't really mean close the Academy down do you? It has produced Wilson and Maddison amongst others. Finch is too early to judge as he was pitched in before he was ready.
Thomas is on a make or break season I admit. But going back to Wolves away he was instrumental in us holding our own that day. Both clubs were a credit to League 1 football that day and looked the two teams everyone would have to beat.
Wolves kicked on and we went backwards. Thomas has lost form and confidence due to being overplayed; probably from taking a battering from fans like you.
I wouldn't like to rely on Thomas, but back as a squad player; if he can get back on track to where he was in the Wolves game we will have a good player on our hands. Not flash, but one that reads the game, keeps it simple and gives people simple options and tidies up when necessary.
He is worth sticking with for this season.[/QUOTE
Yes I do mean close it down. Lets think back over the years and think of the players who have done well from the academy, been sold for a decent profit and gone on to play regularly in the top flight. I'm not talking about the likes of Mcsheffrey or Davenport who played 5 or 6 games for West Ham, I mean regular top flight Football. I can only think of Kirkland and possibly Wilson this season maybe.
So on that basis it's a waste of time.
Yes I do mean close it down. Lets think back over the years and think of the players who have done well from the academy, been sold for a decent profit and gone on to play regularly in the top flight. I'm not talking about the likes of Mcsheffrey or Davenport who played 5 or 6 games for West Ham, I mean regular top flight Football. I can only think of Kirkland and possibly Wilson this season maybe.
So on that basis it's a waste of time.
The success of an academy doesn't necessarily boil down to how many players player in the PL or how much money they make you, especially for a FL club. It should be about providing your club with a steady flow of players and at the moment we have:
Burge
Phillips
Willis
Haynes
Thomas C
Thomas G
Finch
Maddison
Who all featured in and around the first team last season with and additional 1 or 2 (Lawton and the centre back) pushing this season. It only costs us £500k to run the academy, but I'd bet that to bring in 10 ex. PL academy kids who are no better than the players listed above would cost considerable more than that by the time you've factored in compensation and their higher wage demands. And forgottibg about money, it's always nice to see local lads who support the club coming through into the first team.
If you are relying on the above names to progress and move forward it's just not going to happen. How many others have we seen who get into the first team in a blaze of glory and end up on the scrap heap?
Burge, Willis,Haynes,Phillips,C Thomas and Finch are all average at best. Jury still out on Maddison and G Thomas as we haven't seen enough of them.
Think Pead,McSheffrey,Whing,Thornton,Clark and feel free to add your own.
If you are relying on the above names to progress and move forward it's just not going to happen. How many others have we seen who get into the first team in a blaze of glory and end up on the scrap heap?
Burge, Willis,Haynes,Phillips,C Thomas and Finch are all average at best. Jury still out on Maddison and G Thomas as we haven't seen enough of them.
Think Pead,McSheffrey,Whing,Thornton,Clark and feel free to add your own.
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