- Oct 19, 2004
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Totally bossed the first 26 min, Utd incredibly lucky to be level thanks to a very good free kick, although we haven't actually created much. Our work, approach play and pass and move is very good to watch.
Walkes at LB is a strange one, we could really do with some width that side and a proper overlapping FB like Ogilvie,
There really wasn't a weak link out there. But I don't get why Walkes is being played everywhere but CM ?I really like the look of him, his tenacious but has oodles of class on the ball. Maybe he doesn't zip it about quick enough for our style or something but I don't think he should be playing in the defence and especially not LB, I'd like to see him played alongside Stylianides or maybe in the middle of a CM3.
I thought Sterling showed up Harrison in the game when he came on, but I'm not sure how much that had to do with Sterling coming on against tired legs.
That was the first I saw of Sterling though and I liked what I saw, looked lively, athletic and fully capable of making his own chances.
I believe we played Walkes at LB due to the fact he is strong and one of our most experienced players and they wanted that for this game. He has played LB quite a few times mainly last year. However the other option would have been to play Muscatt who has been playing LB more regularly for us. He likes go get forward and makes overlapping and underlappinhn runs with Azzaoui and they have built up a decent understanding. However as he isn't as good as KWP I think they may have thought he'd be the weak link. Though I do like Muscatt. I'm not sure if you know as you mentioned him, but Ogilvie is too old for this.
I think this is for various reasons. Firstly the coached really rate Walked I believe and last year with our midfield as good as it was there was no where for him to play. They probably looked at his side and that he was decent on the ball and started working him in at LB rotating with Ogilvie.
Secondly this season now with CCV either playing for u21s or USA we have missed one of our best CBs. we have about 3 DMs or players that sit excluding Walkes and at the time only had one CB who could play (JT) howver he was still developing in u16s. Therefore CB was the best and only place for him to fit him. The need for his size and experience was more urgently needed as then Maghoma got injured and we were playing 3 natural DMs (including him) across the back four or drafting Tanganga in.
Though I have criticised him quite a bit I do actually think he is decent on the ball and accept he is a developing CB however my main issue of him is he has too many Kaboul moments. He always seems like he thinks he is better than he I'd probably as he is decent on the ball and can be a decent pass so makes so many lazy passes and regularly gets us caught out as a result. Combined with his learning of a new position he can get exposed quite a bit and it can be frustrating to watch Howver he has put in some decent performances recently and his ability on the ball, tenacity plus physique (size and speed) make him a decent and potentially good CB. However as you have noticed with CCV and Maghoma there I doubt he will make it for us there especially as he is older than them.
Will he make it in DM like you suggest I doubt it again. He could potentially make a good one but he hasn't played there in ages, and you like Stylianides, Amos had been playing well and I really like Owens. He also wouldn't get moved there as we would be a CB short again and none of those would be as able as him. I believe he is 18 and Veljkovic is 19 and MV should be playing now and Walked is nowhere near so I think he'd struggle to find a route into the first team that way but we will see
y MOM though was our # 4 which I gather was Luke Amos: won everything it seemed and was everywhere in the 2nd half. Brilliant stuff and my pal with me late on then started to comment on the # 4 winning everything. Great performance I thought.
Also, and I don't know him and it was my first time of seeing him play, but to me Marcus seemed not quite 'connected' to the other lads, he seemed a little distant.
Walkes appears to be the player they look to when it comes to organising the defensive side of the team out on the pitch. He played a lot last season in midfield even though he was a 1st year in the Academy.
Very, very impressed with Maghoma and CCV. Fuck off buying Reid when we have these two coming through. Amos looked neat and tidy and also had a good game.
Thought Reid was a free? Plus the FUTS factor...jobsaGoodun
Chris Miller (Windy) tweeted earlier :
Luongo confirms #Spurs have a buy-back clause: “They could buy me for what they sold me for." Surprised we didn't in Jan with that in mind.
Short term that could have been a very good idea - Luongo was certainly a standout player in the Asian cup. But not sure how we regard him longer term versus the likes of Winks, Onomah et al
Chris Miller (Windy) tweeted earlier :
Luongo confirms #Spurs have a buy-back clause: “They could buy me for what they sold me for." Surprised we didn't in Jan with that in mind.
Short term that could have been a very good idea - Luongo was certainly a standout player in the Asian cup. But not sure how we regard him longer term versus the likes of Winks, Onomah et al
Does such a clause have a date by which it must be activated? It would be great if he could stay with the team if they manage to get promoted to the Championship. We would have a better idea of what kind of player we have on our hands and it would give us more time to shift out the players that aren't in the plans anymore.
The term 'free' can be misleading. Big sign on fee and higher that usiual wages are often what happens
Depends on how the clause was written - but likely to be valid foir as long as he is at Swindon.
IMO he'd boss the Championship sides, and indeed lower PL sides, so no point in waiting to get him back if we wanted him - our need for him is really this season ( he would be ideal to give Mason or Bentaleb a rest) or as an alternative next season as I think we will need to buy or loan in one CM next season whilst we develop Winks or Onomah.
However Luongo is not proven at higher levels at PL (or indeed lower PL) so would be a risk to bring back for next season - arguanbly we would want a more experienced alternative. But if one was not available we could do a lot worse than Luongo who would fit in without any delays.
Yes, I know
BC didn't say: Why bother acquiring Reid, what with the incremental costs associated with even a free transfer.
He said: Fuck off buying Reid...
He may have meant the former, he said the latter and it doesn't read ambiguously