ElDiablo Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 That's a bit strong, like. The novelty of having a reliable centre back is probably playing a large part in that. Meh, this season has largely been built on being solid at the back first and foremost, so I don't see it as that unreasonable. It seems like he's been ever-present too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Howaythetoon Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Not long after we signed him I was in Birmingham and a few Villa fans I talked to rated him as a footballer, but said he was used all over the place and therefore didn't show any consistency, that and they were shit and no-one stood out. Almost everyone rated him, but were surprised we went in for him. He's had a very good season, and has been one of our best players. I'd keep him for the PL as a squad player, I think he's good enough.Should we go up of course. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikon Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Been our most consistent player I really like him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 He's so far ahead in what Taylor would've offered us. What's impressed me most about him is his distribution from the back, calm and composed but can also ping an accurate 30 yard pass. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanji Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 He's our best CB for sure and I'd love to continue to see him play under Rafa, who's taken Clark's game to another level. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ_NUFC Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 He's so far ahead in what Taylor would've offered us. What's impressed me most about him is his distribution from the back, calm and composed but can also ping an accurate 30 yard pass. Steven Taylor? Our current partnership is miles ahead of even Williamson-Colo, I'd say. Controversial, but both of our incumbents have age on their side and hopefully can only improve, fingers crossed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
xLiaaamx Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 He's so far ahead in what Taylor would've offered us. What's impressed me most about him is his distribution from the back, calm and composed but can also ping an accurate 30 yard pass. Steven Taylor? Our current partnership is miles ahead of even Williamson-Colo, I'd say. Controversial, but both of our incumbents have age on their side and hopefully can only improve, fingers crossed. One of those two is an atrocious footballer and it's not even a compliment to suggest someone is better than him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 If you didn't read that and ascertain that he was talking about them as a partnership you've got bigger problems than I thought, like. I was glad to see both men leave NUFC but they were inarguably a very solid pairing last time we were in this division. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 He's so far ahead in what Taylor would've offered us. What's impressed me most about him is his distribution from the back, calm and composed but can also ping an accurate 30 yard pass. Absolutely, he's got good distribution. Must say I think Lascelles is gradually improving, too. You never feel confident when he's about to play a forward pass, but he did find Diame a few times over the course of Brighton/Huddersfield. Still, that straight-line ground pass to the final third is something you have to work for a lot more in the PL. We're (obviously) going to need midfield reinforcements to enable us to build attacks from deep, because you just don't get the time and space that you do in the Championship. Diame isn't amazing at holding the ball up, but if you give him more than an inch, he's got a bit of brute force and a turn of pace to make himself available for that pass in this league, and he usually retains possession. He's a useful withdrawn 'target man', or however you want to describe it, and I imagine it's the main reason Benitez prefers him to Perez from the start. And Lascelles has played his part in bringing Diame into recent games, having (not so long ago) treated the ball like a bit like a bomb. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Err I think Lascelles and Clark's biggest issue in the PL will be plain ol defending. In an ideal world, I reckon Rafa would want an elder CB coming in or competing with Lascelles. He seems to trust both Lascelles and Clark a fair bit at this level. I think he'll want to try and stick with them but knows they're inexperienced. Can't rely on experience from the GK most likely so I do expect CB reinforcements. Generally, I wonder if we'll bring in older players. Certainly at CB and CM we have some talented but youngish players. Then a huge drop in quality or faith as back-up. I expect Rafa will want experienced players to come in and remove the backups from the squad and compete with the younger lads. Talking 26-32 years old. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smal Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 At what point do you start describing a player as "experienced"? Clark is 27 and has made almost 200 senior appearances now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 At what point do you start describing a player as "experienced"? Clark is 27 and has made almost 200 senior appearances now. Clark has no experience of being in a good top defence. I would feel uncomfortable with him as our most senior CB. Or currently most talented/best CB. At times he has had to carry Jamaal in the Champo and he won't be able to in the PL. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanji Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I think Rafa sees a future star in Lascelles - hence the captaincy (leadership) and when he's on, he's really a mountain of a player. His youth and inexperience are the reasons why he can be so inconsistent with his mistakes that have been quite costly to us. He's a decent footballer and has been a threat on set pieces, etc. Clark is playing his best football under Rafa and I think could very well do a job in the PL as he's a bit of a late bloomer, as TCD says above, he's been playing for shit managers and shit teams its been impossible for him to stand out. If we sign a top 1st choice to partner Lascelles or Clark we'll have a fine rotation imo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawK Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Err I think Lascelles and Clark's biggest issue in the PL will be plain ol defending. In an ideal world, I reckon Rafa would want an elder CB coming in or competing with Lascelles. He seems to trust both Lascelles and Clark a fair bit at this level. I think he'll want to try and stick with them but knows they're inexperienced. Can't rely on experience from the GK most likely so I do expect CB reinforcements. Generally, I wonder if we'll bring in older players. Certainly at CB and CM we have some talented but youngish players. Then a huge drop in quality or faith as back-up. I expect Rafa will want experienced players to come in and remove the backups from the squad and compete with the younger lads. Talking 26-32 years old. ? http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/12/19/00/3B7E2C0A00000578-4046626-image-a-28_1482107356870.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I think Rafa sees a future star in Lascelles - hence the captaincy (leadership) and when he's on, he's really a mountain of a player. His youth and inexperience are the reasons why he can be so inconsistent with his mistakes that have been quite costly to us. He's a decent footballer and has been a threat on set pieces, etc. Clark is playing his best football under Rafa and I think could very well do a job in the PL as he's a bit of a late bloomer, as TCD says above, he's been playing for s*** managers and s*** teams its been impossible for him to stand out. If we sign a top 1st choice to partner Lascelles or Clark we'll have a fine rotation imo. Agree on all of this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenham Mag Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I think with a decent run under his belt next season he'll be in the England squad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I think with a decent run under his belt next season he'll be in the England squad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I think with a decent run under his belt next season he'll be in the England squad. Why not? Colback was in there a couple of years ago and Clark's actually decent. If he can put in anywhere near these performances it's hardly crazy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinho lad Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I think with a decent run under his belt next season he'll be in the England squad. Why not? Colback was in there a couple of years ago and Clark's actually decent. If he can put in anywhere near these performances it's hardly crazy. http://www.fai.ie/sites/default/files/styles/headshot/public/thumbnails/image/1131208.jpg?itok=TN8Qymjd Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 And... I knew that. I just knew. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 It's the Cockney accent man. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shays Given Tim Flowers Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Ciaran Clark, pretty much John Bull when it comes to quintessentially English names. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
triggs Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 It's the Cockney accent man. He's from Birmingham isn't he? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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