Player watch: Josh Onomah

[yankspurs]

I'm calling it now, Josh Onomah will break into the 1st team this season! This pre-season will be his to show Poch and most everyone that he has the ability and ethic to start and perform for us.

Well with us missing about 9 players for the first few games, this is his chance to show Poch something at CM.

 

[Clark28]

I'm calling it now, Josh Onomah will break into the 1st team this season! This pre-season will be his to show Poch and most everyone that he has the ability and ethic to start and perform for us.

really hope so, there were times during Villa games where he was playing amazingly well.

 

[DanielJohnCosta]

really hope so, there were times during Villa games where he was playing amazingly well.

about 10% of the matches, the other it was pretty average, to the point he was a sub on most occasions for a championship side.

 

[double0]

He really now has to knock that door down. I have a die hard Villa fan as a colleague, season ticket holder, he says Onomah can be extremely good one game, best player on the pitch, then disappears for 4 games he reckons Jo is inconsistant.

However raves about Grealish.

 

[coy-spurs1882]

He really now has to knock that door down. I have a die hard Villa fan as a colleague, season ticket holder, he says Onomah can be extremely good one game, best player on the pitch, then disappears for 4 games he reckons Jo is inconsistant.

However raves about Grealish.

it is because he was not played consistently at his best position

 

[nicdic]

I still believe in Onomah big time. COYO

 

[yido_number1]

I still believe in Onomah big time. COYO

I think for him to make it he needs to start believing in himself and impose himself more on games.

 

[danielneeds]

I still believe in Onomah big time. COYO

He needs to make a Kane-like leap really. I know he's got talent, but I need to see something from him in a first-team match, either here or on loan.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

He needs to make a Kane-like leap really. I know he's got talent, but I need to see something from him in a first-team match, either here or on loan.

It's so much harder when you're not a striker though. When you're a striker you can bumble about and play shit for 85 minutes, but if you score it's all forgotten and you've "shown" something that everyone can hang their hat on, a split second can render a shit performance a great one.

Onomah played OK in some of his starts and early appearances - like against Dortmund - nothing spectacular, just OK, but that "OK" needed to be built on by the manager, those early "OK" cameos should have been foundations and building blocks to more. But as we saw, Pochettino passed up chance after chance to put Onomah into games, when we were 3/4/5-0 up with 30 minutes to go etc, or ever start him in a cup game in midfield net to a Wanyama/Dembele etc. Took to the US last summer, after he'd been MOTM in the U20 WC final, playing in midfield, and didn't give him a single minute in midfield in friendlies that meant nothing, played him RW.

We never know, none of us, whether a kid will make that leap, because it does need more than ability, of which Onomah's has never been in doubt. And I know he's got facets of his game that need working on. But you can never tell from just ad hoc minutes in ad hoc sides spread over years. You need some proper kind of chance and even then you need the character and a shitload of luck.

 

[Hengy1]

I still have faith Onomah will make it

 

[danielneeds]

It's so much harder when you're not a striker though. When you're a striker you can bumble about and play shit for 85 minutes, but if you score it's all forgotten and you've "shown" something that everyone can hang their hat on, a split second can render a shit performance a great one.

Onomah played OK in some of his starts and early appearances - like against Dortmund - nothing spectacular, just OK, but that "OK" needed to be built on by the manager, those early "OK" cameos should have been foundations and building blocks to more. But as we saw, Pochettino passed up chance after chance to put Onomah into games, when we were 3/4/5-0 up with 30 minutes to go etc, or ever start him in a cup game in midfield net to a Wanyama/Dembele etc. Took to the US last summer, after he'd been MOTM in the U20 WC final, playing in midfield, and didn't give him a single minute in midfield in friendlies that meant nothing, played him RW.

We never know, none of us, whether a kid will make that leap, because it does need more than ability, of which Onomah's has never been in doubt. And I know he's got facets of his game that need working on. But you can never tell from just ad hoc minutes in ad hoc sides spread over years. You need some proper kind of chance and even then you need the character and a shitload of luck.

I think you make some good points here, and there's always a bit of luck needed when it comes to opportunities for young players. At some point though, Onomah's just got to force it through sheer bloody will though. It'll be interesting to see what happens with him this summer, with all the WC players away. If we see Sissoko playing in the double pivot again, well, it'll be head in hands time all round.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I think you make some good points here, and there's always a bit of luck needed when it comes to opportunities for young players. At some point though, Onomah's just got to force it through sheer bloody will though. It'll be interesting to see what happens with him this summer, with all the WC players away. If we see Sissoko playing in the double pivot again, well, it'll be head in hands time all round.

That’s it though isn’t it? What chance Onomah when your manager has spent two years trying to justify his 50m purchase (fee/wages) instead of giving that chance to a kid who could not possibly have been worse for the team.

 

[danielneeds]

That’s it though isn’t it? What chance Onomah when your manager has spent two years trying to justify his 50m purchase (fee/wages) instead of giving that chance to a kid who could not possibly have been worse for the team.

Sissoko's an odd one really. He was obviously bought with the intention of taking up one of the AM spots, transitioning the ball up the pitch, with pace and power. But when it's become apparent that he doesn't have the technical skills to play in tight spaces that our AMs need, Poch has tried to find another role for him.

It's all about trust really. Poch went out of his way to compliment Sissoko's work ethic, and ability to follow instructions. Onomah's got to find a way to show Poch that he's got those facets too, by hook or by crook.

 

[gavspur]

I really hope Poch gives him the trust and belief this year, he’s exactly the type of deep midfielder we and England are in need of. The role he played last summer for the under20’s is the role he needs to be playing in now. He’s done what was asked of him by Poch, he went on-loan, he hasn’t moaned, and now he’s back and wants to play for us.

 

[Trix]

Will be interesting to see where he gets chances now though, considering we have pretty much signed the player that was keeping him out of his preferred position at Villa.

 

[beats1]

Will be interesting to see where he gets chances now though, considering we have pretty much signed the player that was keeping him out of his preferred position at Villa.

Jack grealish didnt play CM for Villa he played AM in a 4231

I have seen some say it was 433, it wasnt

Steve preferred Whelan and Hourihane in CM over Onomah then again, we all know why as he wasted a lot of talent at Villa. Lansbury a very good CM in the championship was ruined last season as well

 

[Trix]

Jack grealish didnt play CM for Villa he played AM in a 4231

I have seen some say it was 433, it wasnt

I disagree, but if you are correct, which one of Villa's other superstars kept him out of championship sides CM spot?

 

[beats1]

I disagree, but if you are correct, which one of Villa's other superstars kept him out of championship sides CM spot?

Onomah is a CM

Look at the team sheets, Hourihane and whelan would always play behind Grealish sometimes even onomah when not pushed out wide like against Leeds

I dont watch much footy these days and cant tell you who is who anymore when it comes to players abroad like malcolm who i know fuck all about but I watch a lot of championship games and Grealish is an AM

Its clear to understand why they played as well, they added muscle, which is typical of a Bruce team

 

[Trix]

Onomah is a CM

Look at the team sheets, Hourihane and whelan would always play behind Grealish sometimes even onomah when not pushed out wide like against Leeds

I dont watch much footy these days and cant tell you who is who anymore when it comes to players abroad like malcolm who i know fuck all about but I watch a lot of championship games and Grealish is an AM

Its clear to understand why they played as well, they added muscle, which is typical of a Bruce team

I know Onomah is a CM, my disagree was that Grealish was playing as an AM last season.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Onomah is a CM

Look at the team sheets, Hourihane and whelan would always play behind Grealish sometimes even onomah when not pushed out wide like against Leeds

I dont watch much footy these days and cant tell you who is who anymore when it comes to players abroad like malcolm who i know fuck all about but I watch a lot of championship games and Grealish is an AM

Its clear to understand why they played as well, they added muscle, which is typical of a Bruce team

I know Onomah is a CM, my disagree was that Grealish was playing as an AM last season.

Whenever I saw them, it always looked more like a 4141 type format, just a very oddly set up one, with a very attacking AM and a very defensive DM in the 4.

Grealish is an AM, but the scary thing is, so was Sissoko, didn't stop Pochettino playing him as some kind of a CM though, so I have absolutely no confidence that he doesn't see Grealish as some sort of Dembele, dribbling CM replacement.

Poch's notion of "midfield" worries me enormously.