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Josh Onomah - Sheffield Wednesday

brendanb50

Well-Known Member
Jul 21, 2005
4,484
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At what point when we look at the fact pattern here - that being, every manager is playing him further forward than he/we think he should play...do we stop and conclude that maybe he's not got whatever's required to play CM yet?

Everything I've seen in this kid tells me he has the physique and technical ability to become a very, very good CM. It's just that, at senior level, it's not quite working for him there.

We can put it down to the type of manager he's playing for, at least for a while, but at some point the penny has to drop doesn't it?

I'm really routing for this kid, but it's just not happening. He surely has the raw materials. I'd be inclined to say he should really focus on the tactical part of his game and his decision making.

For instance, long term, is he more likely to make a success of it as a Dembele type of CM or a Wanyama? I used to think the former. I wonder actually if it's the latter? I'd be surprised (personally) if he ended up as a winger, but everyone seems to be playing him there. He's still only 21 so there's time but he needs to kick on, and I'm convinced it's the tactical part of his game that's the issue

At the possibility of a really flawed comparison - the scenario you painted above about his position/versatility/ability reminded me of when James Milner first came on the scene.

Don't get me wrong JM aquitted himself very well at Leeds from a young age then Newcastle onwards at a higher level than Onomah at the time but the way he was utilised for much of his early career rung a bell. He played as an AM, RM, LM and CM and he was sometimes made less effective due to his versatility.

Somewhere he needs an opportunity to focus on where he wants to play or where he can play best, he needs a manager who knows him and trusts him in order to do that IMO, which is very difficult when out on loan. As much as i'd like him to make it with us and think there's time to do so - i don't think we have the luxury of time to bring him through. Just my view at the moment, but i think an eventual permanent move may be the best thing for him.
 

EQP

EQP
Sep 1, 2013
7,960
29,661
Seems that Barry Bannan, the mainstay CM in the Sheffield team, has been hit with a 2-game ban for yellow card accumulation. This might give Onomah the chance back into the 1st team and hopefully as a CM. Upcoming games are

* Saturday December 15th vs Swansea
* Saturday December 21st vs Preston North End
 

cjsimba

Well-Known Member
Dec 5, 2006
2,564
9,454
Came off at HT today after playing centre mid.

Injury or poor performance?
 

Blake Griffin

Well-Known Member
Oct 3, 2011
14,133
38,225


ouch.

strangely though, their fans seemed to think the opposite and they've hardly been shy of criticising him so far:

HT: Swansea 0 #SWFC 0. Best half of football the Owls have produced in ages. Looked organised defensively, worked hard for each other and created a couple of chances, with Joao steering a shot narrowly wide. Onomah and Reach have done well in midfield.
Onomah, Reach and Fox looking very good that half. Pelupessey and Baker need to up it 2nd hslf, but on the whole compared to recently it looks a shade better #swfc
Hahahaha aye, Reach and Onomah linking very well in midfield, and Fox (yeah, ano) making some very tasty runs and covering at the back
Definitely a competent half of football. Bannan’s absence is actually doing us a world of good with Onomah and Reach stepping up and giving us much needed dynamism going forward. Suspect down the flanks when Swansea move the ball at pace, but also more competent in defence.
Half-time sub for #SWFC. Matias is on for Onomah. Can only think Onomah is injured as he played well in the first period.
Onomah clearly played too well un the first. Off he comes lol. #JosOut #swfc
If onomah isn't injured that's a ridiculous decision by Jos, he was very good in the first half #swfc
 

Frozen_Waffles

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2005
3,760
9,505


ouch.

strangely though, their fans seemed to think the opposite and they've hardly been shy of criticising him so far:


Why would a manager come out and publicly criticise a loan player? It seems a really weird decision, I am guessing Spurs will take him back in Jan, this is not the sort of person we want in charge of our young players.

Sounds like he is pushing the blame of the loss away from himself. He really needs a good loan, somewhere they play good football.
 

EQP

EQP
Sep 1, 2013
7,960
29,661
Some quotes about Onomah:

" It's worth watching the match* to see just how much his performance summed up your comment to a tee, first 10 minutes, really nervous, very poor passing giving the ball away on simple passes four or five times, didn't move around too much, then he grew into the game, some really nice flowing passing moves involved three or four players (Pelupessy was key in a lot of those for the fans on here who love to slag him off), good attacking runs from him and he was involved further up the pitch.

Onomah wasn't brilliant but he wasn't terrible either, he was involved in a lot of the key moves of the first half and to take him off with the reasons Jos did is ludicrous and weak from him. Clearly Jos watched the first 10 minutes then fell asleep."



" He needs play in an attacking side. He is talented imo. He picked the wrong club rather than us picking the wrong player. "


Rob O Neil and John Pearson on ifollow were saying all first half how good he was playing. They both agreed it was his best performance since West Brom when again Bannan wasn't playing. They were surprised when he was subbed

It was his best performance since west brom. He definitely shouldn't have been subbed on that performance. Having said that we had more attacking possession in the second half which might illustrate the fine lines between losing and winning. Of course that is if you can call giving away at least one, usually two goals a game a fine line! Back to Onomah. Since his first couple of games when he looked promising, including the forest debacle (which now looks like a relatively decent performance), he has been poor except for WBA and today when Bannan was absent. In between he has been mainly poor. I remember him feigning turning left and right being pursued by a Birmingham player and he ended up running one way and leaving the ball to run the other way and be picked up by his pursuer!!

He started off very badly and gave the ball away with very bad passes in the first 15 minutes but he definitely relaxed into the game and improved a bit, his game would be better served being higher up the pitch though. By the end of the half I'd have given him 6.5 so was surprised he went off.



Most fan agree that he played well, given it was his first start in over a month. Definitely think the ShefWed manager is going to get fired. All the fans agreed that the manager was in the wrong for criticizing Onomah to the press given that he wasn't the worst player on the team.
 

piedpiper

Well-Known Member
Aug 14, 2008
3,758
6,763
Let's just recall him in January. We can find some use for him I believe. Early rounds of the FA cup etc.
 

EQP

EQP
Sep 1, 2013
7,960
29,661
I hope we recall him soon and try and integrate him into the team. We're struggling as it is to keep players healthy and I highly doubt we'll make any purchases in the transfer window. Our January fixtures will truly push the team and we need CM cover during that stretch.

Vs Cardiff - Jan 1st
Vs Tranmere ( FA CUP) - Jan 4th
Vs Chelsea ( LC) - Jan 8th
Vs Manu - Jan 13th
Vs Fulham - Jan 20th
Vs Chelsea ( LC) - Jan 23rd
Vs Watford - Jan 30th
 
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Yid121

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2008
3,463
3,139
I hope we recall him soon and try and integrate him into the team. We're struggling as it is to keep players healthy and I highly doubt we'll make any purchases in the transfer window. Our January fixtures will push truly the team and we need CM cover during that stretch.

Vs Cardiff - Jan 1st
Vs Tranmere ( FA CUP) - Jan 4th
Vs Chelsea ( LC) - Jan 8th
Vs Manu - Jan 13th
Vs Fulham - Jan 20th
Vs Chelsea ( LC) - Jan 23rd
Vs Watford - Jan 30th
Worth it just to start him against Tranmere, a good opportunity, a type of opposition he'll be used to and a game others could do with a rest when not needed
 

Blake Griffin

Well-Known Member
Oct 3, 2011
14,133
38,225
bit of a strange day for josh. didn't start but came on in the 14th min after an early injury, had another very strong game according to twitter but then he himself had to go off injured after 66 mins. their fans definitely seem to be warming to him now and weren't too happy that he wasn't starting, hopefully this latest injury isn't too bad.
 

pook

Well-Known Member
Jul 19, 2009
468
966
Played well today, though he came off injured around the 65th. Likely MoM had he continued on in the same form, according to a mate.
 

allpaths

Well-Known Member
Oct 31, 2014
3,174
8,381
bit of a strange day for josh. didn't start but came on in the 14th min after an early injury, had another very strong game according to twitter but then he himself had to go off injured after 66 mins. their fans definitely seem to be warming to him now and weren't too happy that he wasn't starting, hopefully this latest injury isn't too bad.
poor kid cant catch a freakin' break. hope the injury's not too bad.
 

Matecheck

Free pawn
Sep 25, 2016
307
967
Talking about Josh not being able to catch a break: rumors are Wednesdays new manager will be.....Steve Bruce. Ffs
 
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