Sean Longstaff

[Guest]

26 minutes ago, Pilko said:

He's been crap but he's also been unnecessarily ran into the ground. It's blatantly obvious he needs taking out of the firing line for a rest and yet he's getting flogged to death for 95 mins (125 at Blackburn) every single week. We've got options now and he just won't give him a break, not even for 10 minutes, it's mental.

 

Hope he gets sat down for Anderson soon, he needs a break desperately. 

 

Still think he's got a part to play in the squad, but he needs the right midfield partners and rotated in and out to suit.

 

Who's available to replace him?

 

Miley has played the same pretty much since he came in. He needs to be brought out before we burn him out first.

 

Anderson has only been back a week and probably a week or two away from being match fit himself. 

 

We've probably brought Willock back a bit earlier than we'd have liked as well. 

[Pilko]

1 minute ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

Who's available to replace him?

 

Miley has played the same pretty much since he came in. He needs to be brought out before we burn him out first.

 

Anderson has only been back a week and probably a week or two away from being match fit himself. 

 

We've probably brought Willock back a bit earlier than we'd have liked as well. 

 

He brought Miley on and then off again in the cup whilst Longstaff was made to toil on FFS  then he didn't even take a pen!

 

I understand starting him has been a necessity but we've had Miley, Anderson and White on the bench of late who could have given him a break later on in games. Christ even Ritchie could have come on for him in the final 10-15 mins of games like Arsenal where we're already way out of it.

 

He could have started Miley tonight as well. He's got options back but I've no confidence that when Anderson is ready to play 60+ that he'll sit him down. Willock has replaced Miley and Sean's still left to flounder around in this rut, out of form, tired, getting loads of stick. It's just odd.

[Stuy_O]

He lacks technical qualities and always seems about 2 or 3 seconds behind the play, however this is now compounded as his main strength - work rate - has also seemingly abandoned him. He just ambles around the pitch contributing nothing. 

 

He has visibly given up after being robbed of possession in a number of games recently, including an incredible one vs Blackburn where the ref bailed him out.  If he's tired then fair enough but he desperately needs to be dropped, for his own sake. 

 

I don't like ripping into Newcastle players unless they're obviously taking the piss, which I don't think he is, but he's just not good enough to be starting week in week out. 

[Geordie Ahmed]

His career with us has been so strange

 

Came into the side under Rafa, where he looked technically sound and so assured, he then picks up a knee injury and when he's back Rafa has been replaced by Bruce

 

He is pretty shit during that time

 

Howe comes in and rescues him, his role changes from the Rafa stint, playing as a right sided 8 instead of a 6 and he's such an asset. His stamina is incredible and is a big part of that right hand side which gave us a lot of success

 

Even at the start of this season he comes into the side and we immediately benefit from it, picking up good results. He gets injured, comes back and he's poor

 

You think maybe he needs a few games to get going but he's just gotten worse with each game and tonight was a special performance in being utter shite

 

He's weak in the tackle, often chasing shadows, his touch is terrible and his passing is awful. I can't think of a single positive he is bringing to the side

 

At least with the other weak players they offer something (Miggy defensive running, Murphy pace, Burn defending aerial set pieces) but Longstaff it's nowt, absolutely nowt

 

Howe needs to work his magic and get him back to last season otherwise in the summer we need to be ruthless and ditch him

[GEFAFWISP]

Honestly I'd tolerate all of the poor control, passing, shooting and positional play if he stopped being piss weak in any sort of physical confrontation. Soft as shite and embarrassing to watch him lose every 50/50 and do his pathetic flops under minimal duress, he has to toughen up.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

1 hour ago, Ronaldo said:

Tragic. Had talent at one point.

I’m not sure about that. 

[Yorkie]

Howay, of course he did. We were talking about it on a weekly basis less than a year ago. 

[RobsonsWonderland]

He does a lot of running without any outcome... Always a yard to far away from making the tackle or behind the attacking play.

 

If he could make the latter pay out for him.. he could actually score more Kevin Nolan types goals i.e. create the space in the box by being slower than everyone else! 

[Sibierski]

8 hours ago, Ghp said:

He is slow in both football intelligence and in footballing ability. He is so weak on the ball and has no recovery pace when he inevitably loses possession. First one that needs replacing in the summer.

He’s already been replaced by Tonali. 

 

Just needs moving on in general so we can generate funds for that elite RW.
 

Don’t even need to replace his squad place as Bruno / Tonali / Miley / Anderson / Willock / Joelinton is more than enough in the middle. It’s only a CM needed if Joelinton is decided to be moved on.

 

Edit: Even Hall is a natural CM, but guess he’s probably being viewed by Hall as a LB.

 

 

Edited March 12, 2024 by Sibierski

[Guest]

Think I'm being overly harsh on the likes of him & Burn. We signed Burn because we needed a CB to help us stay up, we overachieved last season with him left-back, and with FFP an issue, we're having to keep players like him, Lascelles, Krafth on longer than we probably want. 

 

Similarly with Longstaff and Dummett, we've these home-grown quotas and these are the best of years of Academy neglect. 

 

They can't be starting more than 15-20 across all comps next season though if we're to get to where we want to be. 

[Terrymac1966]

10 hours ago, Decky said:

 

Genuinely couldn't believe what I was seeing when this happened. 

Yes he squatted down mid attack but heyho he didnt influence anything on the night so why not?

[Gallowgate Toon]

Watching the extended highlights and so many infuriating things in those clips  passes well short, flopping out of tackles, jogging about when they were on the counter etc.

 

I hope he's alreet. Regardless of current form, he's a good lad and been brave in talking about his past issues with mental health.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

2 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said:

Think I'm being overly harsh on the likes of him & Burn. We signed Burn because we needed a CB to help us stay up, we overachieved last season with him left-back, and with FFP an issue, we're having to keep players like him, Lascelles, Krafth on longer than we probably want. 

 

Similarly with Longstaff and Dummett, we've these home-grown quotas and these are the best of years of Academy neglect. 

 

They can't be starting more than 15-20 across all comps next season though if we're to get to where we want to be. 

TBF Longstaff wouldn’t be starting this season if Tonali didn’t love a flutter. 

[gbandit]

It says a lot that a 17 year old who hasn’t fully developed physically is a better option than Sean. Miley is better at receiving the ball, shielding it and passing it. He’s got better creative vision. Once Miley develops a bit more physically then there’s absolutely no way Sean should be getting a game for us other than some sub appearances. If we could sell him, I would but I don’t think it’ll be easy. We need a Nottingham Forest to do something really stupid 

[mondonewc]

I'm more than happy to concede he shouldn't be part of the future if we want to be a top team, but the criticism and hate towards him is way over the top, same with Burn. They're both living everyone's dream, maybe that's part of the problem, and subconsciously at least, possibly there's some jealousy or resentment towards them for that, regardless the over the top reaction from some is just shit support to be against them so much, there's no need for it! 

If the price was right I'd be happy to sell him to help us grow, at the same time though he's good enough to be a squad player for us next season with the limitations of FFP.  

[OverThere]

He's in a bad run of form, probably worn out as he has played almost every game. He's a useful member of the squad and would be part of the rotation if we hadn't had all of these injuries. People are looking for a scape goat: yes he is playing like crap now but there are few alternatives.

[Shearergol]

40 minutes ago, mondonewc said:

I'm more than happy to concede he shouldn't be part of the future if we want to be a top team, but the criticism and hate towards him is way over the top, same with Burn. They're both living everyone's dream, maybe that's part of the problem, and subconsciously at least, possibly there's some jealousy or resentment towards them for that, regardless the over the top reaction from some is just shit support to be against them so much, there's no need for it! 

If the price was right I'd be happy to sell him to help us grow, at the same time though he's good enough to be a squad player for us next season with the limitations of FFP.  

I’m not jealous of him at all. I’m jealous of the likes of Bruno and Isak. I just think Longstaff makes us shitter than we really are. I hope he gets a massive contract at Bayern or something and has an amazing life, it’s not personal.

[huss9]

1 hour ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

Watching the extended highlights and so many infuriating things in those clips  passes well short, flopping out of tackles, jogging about when they were on the counter etc.

 

I hope he's alreet. Regardless of current form, he's a good lad and been brave in talking about his past issues with mental health.

agree.

i think he may be one of those that needs to move from him his home town club.

there's too much pressure on him here - both from fans and from himself.

needs to get away.

[HawK]

He needs a break, he's played nearly all the minutes of every game since he came back from injury.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

He definitely needs a break, but his average level of performance is still only going to be good enough for our reserves. 
 

As a long-time sceptic I’m biased, but the signing of Tonali suggests the club know what Longstaff’s level is. 

[HawK]

Agreed, it's not just one thing. He hasn't progressed as much as we thought he would. If anything he seems to have gone backwards.

[pubteam]

Each time longstaff takes a dive I reckon Eddie should fine him. He's not cute like Bruno, he can't get away with it, he's just a 6ft oath dropping like a sack of spuds.

[LFEE]

Not a big Longstaff fan but not going to be critical  of him playing through the pain barrier with injections every game until he gets his operation in the summer.

 

Questions can start to be asked if he continues to play 90mins but it’s not like we have many alternatives so not the biggest surprise if he does either.

[Groundhog63]

2 hours ago, pubteam said:

Each time longstaff takes a dive I reckon Eddie should fine him. He's not cute like Bruno, he can't get away with it, he's just a 6ft oath dropping like a sack of spuds.

"I swear, on my honour ref, he fouled me" 

[Conjo]

He is what he is, but the main things that annoy me are:

1. He's so stiff and lacks good balance. If his back is facing the opposition goal, someone is cutting off the passing lanes towards our own goal and someone is closing him down from behind, he's physically unable to turn and pass the ball sideways or forward and reverts to the flop & pray for a FK. Every single time without fail.

 

2. He reacts so slow to situations, especially when out of possession. Against Chelsea I don't think he reached a ball first once unless it was passed straight into his feet.

 

3. So easy to play & dribble past

 

#1 was an issue last season too, but although not excellent last season, I feel #2 & 3 were much less of an issue last season.

 

Really looking forward to getting Tonali back. Think we'll see a better version of both him (after having trained with the team so long & focusing on improving his general game) and Longstaff when there isn't so much pressure on the latter.