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Player watch: Josh Onomah

WiganSpur

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
15,974
32,682
Bits and pieces I had seen of him at Villa in the first few games I feared the loan would be a bit of a waste of time, but at least he'd be getting minutes every week, having caught up with a friend who is a Villa fan during the week it sounds even worse and the club should be looking at pulling him out of there as things stand really.

Villa started the season with a few injuries, and SB was throwing in a few of the younger players, but they weren't playing well, were playing a different formation every game, and SB was under real pressure. Despite this, Onomah was doing a pretty decent job. Then a few weeks ago the injured players came back, plus they signed Snodgrass, and they went back to the experienced players in a classic 'two solid centre mids, two wide players' 4-4-2 and have put some wins together and kept it like that.

So Onomah finds himself benched and getting sub appearances in a variety of roles again. My mate says that he's been unlucky because he was arguably the best player in the opening weeks and it's not ability that has kept him out of the team, but he doesn't care that much because they're winning games with this set-up, at least playing a bit better, and because "at the end of the day he's not our player and why should we prioritise developing him for Spurs?"

And that is the danger with loans in my opinion. Send him to a team with a big squad, and a manager without a clear vision and who chops and changes constantly and 'not being their player' can go against you on marginal calls, especially later on in the season when they start looking to the future as you see with many loan deals. I think maybe we need to start doing a Chelsea, and setting up loan deals where the financial details are related to how much they play.
Totally agree. He's done better than expected at Villa when he's played but I did not agree with Villa as a loan destination particularly with Bruce as manager. We should have sent him to a team lower in the league with a smaller less talented squad. Your Brentford's, Barnsley's, Burton, Preston etc. I also wonder if he'd get games at Bournemouth, they're struggling at the moment and they look like they might be in need of some creativity. I think Howe would give him a fair shot.

On the plus side we all know he's got the talent and can produce under pressure now. I think come January if things don't change we should bring him back if possible and find another destination for him. Either that or bring him into the first team fold more, particularly if we don't manage to sign Barkley.
 

Streetspur77

Happy Clapper
Jul 20, 2017
2,792
9,404
Surely if we wanted to have him guaranteed starting then that's what we'd get, we were in control. Maybe they want josh to learn other things like battling for a place when things aren't going your way, and to build some mental toughness

For a loan to be successful doesn't mean you have to be playing every week, look at Harry's various loans, they seem more about building a well rounded player and teaching how to work hard rather then getting things spoon feed to you because you're from the prem

Just an idea
 

cockerel downunder

Well-Known Member
Aug 19, 2008
922
2,208
It’s ironic that our formation this season would suit him much better, as it does sissoko. He was never going to get games in the double pivot but now we have 1 holding and 2 box to box types he could have got some minutes in the more central role
 

EQP

EQP
Sep 1, 2013
7,958
29,657
His highlights against Scotland



Wow. You can tell that he'll thrive in a team where players make good runs. His passing ability is improving each time I see him play. We should really look to secure him a PL loan in January. A team like Swansea or even Bournemouth could do with Onomah in the team.
 

allpaths

Well-Known Member
Oct 31, 2014
3,174
8,381
Wow. You can tell that he'll thrive in a team where players make good runs. His passing ability is improving each time I see him play. We should really look to secure him a PL loan in January. A team like Swansea or even Bournemouth could do with Onomah in the team.
his passing isnt improving, it's always been very good, he's just playing with a lot of confidence and arrogance (in a good way). hopeful he'll bring this attitude next year when he's fighting for minutes in our competative side.
 

EastLondonYid

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2010
7,837
16,145
It’s ironic that our formation this season would suit him much better, as it does sissoko. He was never going to get games in the double pivot but now we have 1 holding and 2 box to box types he could have got some minutes in the more central role
He is improving because he is getting games rather than just minutes...
 

matthew.absurdum

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
3,732
10,120
I love Mousa but I want to see Onomah ahead of him next season. Especially against bus parkers.

I love Poch. But his most annoying management is to put CM players in AMC/Attacking wingers positions, like Onomah, Sissoko, Dembele (two seasons ago) and... well, Dele. Poch needs to put Onomah in the right position....
 

JUSTINSIGNAL

Well-Known Member
Jul 10, 2008
15,980
48,498
I love Poch. But his most annoying management is to put CM players in AMC/Attacking wingers positions, like Onomah, Sissoko, Dembele (two seasons ago) and... well, Dele. Poch needs to put Onomah in the right position....

It's because all these players are not disciplined enough. I love Onomah but until he learns to tackle, track runners and generally stayed disciplined he won't play in CM at the top level.

Everytime I have seen him for Villa he as looked lazy af in his tracking back. That's probably why he has found himself out of the team of late. He's an immensely talented players but needs to scrub up on some of the fundamentals of midfield play before he can develop any further.
 

thinktank

Hmmm...
Sep 28, 2004
45,893
68,893
It's because all these players are not disciplined enough. I love Onomah but until he learns to tackle, track runners and generally stayed disciplined he won't play in CM at the top level.

Everytime I have seen him for Villa he as looked lazy af in his tracking back. That's probably why he has found himself out of the team of late. He's an immensely talented players but needs to scrub up on some of the fundamentals of midfield play before he can develop any further.

Absolutely. It will come though. His all-round game will develop and he'll become more fluid throughout. I think it might just be the way with him that it's his offensive game that needs to click properly first before he acquires the rest.
 

Johnny J

Not the Kiwi you need but the one you deserve
Aug 18, 2012
18,117
47,878
I love Poch. But his most annoying management is to put CM players in AMC/Attacking wingers positions, like Onomah, Sissoko, Dembele (two seasons ago) and... well, Dele. Poch needs to put Onomah in the right position....
Agree apart from Dele, who imo is definitely not a CM.
 

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
I love Poch. But his most annoying management is to put CM players in AMC/Attacking wingers positions, like Onomah, Sissoko, Dembele (two seasons ago) and... well, Dele. Poch needs to put Onomah in the right position....

It’s actually the opposite with Sissoko, he’s an AM who’s been played at CM. Dembele actually started life as a forward, then spent quite awhile as an AM (I actually prefer him there where he can dribble at defenders around their box and not midfielders in the centre circle), and Alli never really had the skill set to play CM well at this level, unless maybe as an 8 in a 3cm system perhaps, but he did mostly play there for MKI believe, I think Poch has created the best role for him possible as a dual 10/auxiliary striker.

His treatment of Onomah has just been inexplicable though.
 
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Spurs 1961

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
6,665
8,739
It’s actually the opposite with Sissoko, he’s an AM who’s been played at CM. Dembele actually started life as a forward, then spent quite awhile as an AM (I actually prefer him there where he can dribble at defenders around their box and not midfielders in the centre circle), and Alli never really had the skill set to play CM well at this level, unless maybe as an 8 in a 3cm system perhaps, but he did mostly play there for MKI believe, I think Poch has created the best role for him possible as a dual 10/auxiliary striker.

His treatment of Onomah has just been inexplicable though.

I think Dele is a number 8, more a striker than a traditional number 10. With Eriksen, Kane and Dele we have a very complimentary three players
 

Cornpattbuck

Well-Known Member
Jul 23, 2013
6,873
15,942
Absolutely. It will come though. His all-round game will develop and he'll become more fluid throughout. I think it might just be the way with him that it's his offensive game that needs to click properly first before he acquires the rest.

Equally think, and many full on youth watchers said the same originally, that he was lacking in composure around the box. Almost certain the wing thing was just a live training exercise to give him a different perspective. This kid and Winks can run our midfield in a season or two to top class standard.
 
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