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Last season he was nicking the ball, breaking fast, getting up the pitch, then finishing chances. He's not getting into the box at all this season and he's not breaking fast up the pitch at all either. 

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Hasn't he only just returned to the team after being injured and out of favour?  I remember him being fairly anonymous and poor earlier in the season, granted, the same as most of our players.  He's now playing in a slightly deeper role, for a new manager and I think he looks fine.  If a bit lightweight at times and shirking a few tackles.   

 

I really don't think he looks like a totally different player in his all round game and can't understand where that notion is coming from.  Perhaps if he did play further up the pitch, then he'd start getting chances again and getting into the box a bit more.  But does Howe ever play with a 3 man midfield or a conventional number 10?  I don't see it happening any time soon. 

 

 

Edited by Lush Vlad

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Who's to say he didn't have more freedom to do that under Bruce, with him usually having two midfielders behind him and probably a lot of others sitting deep playing BruceBall.  Plus the fact he was usually in a more advanced role, then surely he is going to have more opportunities to break into the box, plus the fitness wouldn't be such an issue, as he doesn't have to run as far?  

 

I thought he made a few of these runs against Brentford, anyway?  Not so much against Arsenal.  But until the last 15-20 minutes.  We didn't really commit men forward full stop.  

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1 minute ago, ManDoon said:

Play 4-2-3-1 and have him as the ten. Or play 4-3-3 and ditto.

 

I'd play him as the most advanced midfielder in a 3 tbh. Don't see him as a number 10 at all. Especially when we have one who has barely been played there in Almiron.

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I still like him and think there is a player in there. But he has the speed and fitness to press and then just stops, rarely attempting a tackle. Really lightweight and seemingly scared to get stuck in.

 

When he is in our third, he is basically a traffic cone. Players walk past him easier than Jonjo after a session on the beers. 
 

Still decent enough on the ball and got forward with and without it the few chances he got. But the fact he seems to do everything a second too slow is starting to annoy me now. 

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Just now, Smal said:

He looks depressed 


I did think that when he came off. Thought he was just being a typical sulky fucker as he was subbed off. 
 

I do love how fans opinions on players is basically “absolute shite” or “the best defender/midfielder/striker we’ve had since X” :lol: 

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A distinctly "meh" performance. He can't play in a midfield two, doesn't get stuck in as much as he should. The fact that Shelvey is our best CM atm (and fair play, he's played out of his skin since Howe came in) should say something.

 

 

Edited by Sifu

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Loves to get caught in possession or otherwise give the ball away. Noticed especially against Arsenal, but gave it away several times again tonight.

 

When we can’t get and keep the ball, we can’t play someone who is always turning it over.

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Thought he played well tonight. Had a couple of decent runs with the ball and put in a solid defensive shift. 

Knew he'd come in for a lot of criticism this season as his goals were never going to continue. Hopefully he's getting closer to being fully fit and keep improving. 

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Guest neesy111
6 minutes ago, Nobody said:

Thought he played well tonight. Had a couple of decent runs with the ball and put in a solid defensive shift. 

Knew he'd come in for a lot of criticism this season as his goals were never going to continue. Hopefully he's getting closer to being fully fit and keep improving. 

 

He's soft as shite, always out muscled when he's in possession around bodies.  He was better going forward but gives away the ball far too much.

 

He can't play in a midfield 2.

 

 

Edited by neesy111

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8 minutes ago, Nobody said:

Thought he played well tonight. Had a couple of decent runs with the ball and put in a solid defensive shift. 

Knew he'd come in for a lot of criticism this season as his goals were never going to continue. Hopefully he's getting closer to being fully fit and keep improving. 


 

He’s influenced nothing in a game this season mate , I’m struggling with him a bit personally but hoping he comes back to what we saw last season , he’s just never in the game .

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36 minutes ago, Nobody said:

Thought he played well tonight. Had a couple of decent runs with the ball and put in a solid defensive shift. 

Knew he'd come in for a lot of criticism this season as his goals were never going to continue. Hopefully he's getting closer to being fully fit and keep improving. 

 

That was the warning sign in relation to signing him.

 

He wasn’t performing like a player who scored a bagful of goals, he just seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

 

3(?) of the goals were pretty much just him walking off the bench and scoring.

 

Maybe I’m misremembering, but I don’t recall him really bossing any particular games.

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His first game after he signed at home to Southampton he was class. Same with a few other games too but this season, he looks just so slow? Maybe it's fitness because we all know for a fact he is not as slow as he showed at times tonight. He needs to stay in the latter 2 thirds, if he's going to play in a midfield 2 he needs a top quality holding midfielder as Shelvey is not that, Hayden is not good enough and Longstaff is utterly finished. I do still really like him and think there's a really canny player there but he does need to pull his finger out at times a bit more whether that's fitness or just a motivational issue.

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It was interesting that Howe moved him out of the middle after the red card and asked Joelinton to cover inside. Looked like that to me anyway. Possibly worried about how often he lacked awareness and gave the ball away. 
 

He did show some good moments today, mainly his running with the ball to relieve pressure. 

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Just now, AyeDubbleYoo said:

It was interesting that Howe moved him out of the middle after the red card and asked Joelinton to cover inside. Looked like that to me anyway. Possibly worried about how often he lacked awareness and gave the ball away. 
 

He did show some good moments today, mainly his running with the ball to relieve pressure. 

 

He's a good footballer with the ball at his feet, running at players. He shouldn't be pressed however inside our own third. He needs to be further advanced, driving us forward, linking up attacks/counters or making a late run to support Wilson when the ball is out wide. It's where his goals came from last year. But to me he just looks slow and unfit, hope that's the case and he's not gone backwards as a player as I still love the lad.

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I have ranted about him since Saturday and I ain't stopping. He is absolutely useless. Gives away needless fouls especially around the box, hardly wins the ball and does little moving forward. Yes he did create the odd chance today but he's a passenger in midfield at the moment. Almiron or Hayden can partner Shelvey. Take this guy out of the team for a while.

 

 

Edited by nufcjb

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