Matt Targett

[The Prophet]

Chris Waugh doesn't seem to think it's a certainty that we'll sign him. He thinks that we might have alternatives in mind.

[Awaymag]

I reckon we sign Targett and keep Lewis.  Dummett will be let go.

[David Edgar]

Like, they're gonna have to be utterly MINT  

[wormy]

I wonder if there's an argument for not signing him if we're looking at other options for immediate competition, considering he left Villa because he wasn't going to be a guaranteed starter. Might just be goodwill to not tie him down if the two parties have conflicting ideas. That's all I can think of.

 

I personally would be more than happy if we just sought a young understudy and told Targett the starting spot is his to lose for at least the next couple of years depending on how both he and the club perform in that time.

[bowlingcrofty]

Pretty sure it’s just Howe ensuring against complacency this season. Almost certain we’ll be in to sign in.

[Emotic]

I myself am convinced that he will in fact be the first official signing of the summer. Howe clearly likes him, he clearly enjoys playing here, his performances have reflected this, and the fans are all onside. Everyone wins.

[STM]

We MUST sign him, even if we want to have a more progressive left back long term.

 

We simply can't afford to let him pass by and take a risk on someone else.

[macphisto]

In the article, Waugh highlights the importance of attacking fullbacks for Howe. That's why we were after Gosens and Digne in January; they want the same attacking quality of Trippier on the other flank.

 

A lot will depend on ASM staying at the club. If he stays then Howe might opt for Targett as they would need a more defensive minded player.

 

Exciting times whatever happens and I trust the club if they look elsewhere. It shows as well that the clubs ambitions for this summer are higher than a lot of people think.

[McCormick]

1 hour ago, The Prophet said:

Chris Waugh doesn't seem to think it's a certainty that we'll sign him. He thinks that we might have alternatives in mind.

Hopefully it’s just a case of not seeming too keen so we don’t get bent over by Villa. Not sure how true the option-to-buy at 15 mil reports are, but you’d really struggle to find someone else as dependable as him for that type of money.

[wormy]

I know he's not breathtaking or owt but I don't feel like Targett is even that much of a slouch offensively to worry about replacing for that reason?

 

Always seems to support well when he's got the opportunity even though, as others have mentioned, it isn't all the time as he's probably been told to be careful with Maxi in front of him more often than not.

[macphisto]

Target is a good player and I wouldn't be against him staying. At the same time he's not the same quality as Bruno or Trippier as a player. Now with the threat of relegation banished, I would fully understand if the club went for a policy of only buying players of a certain quality or potential. Quality over quantity would fit with the notion of evolution over revolution.

 

 

[Guest HTT II]

2 minutes ago, ManDoon said:

Good set piece delivery as well. I think he’s fine going forward 

Lovely ball in for Wood to get onto which he put wide and then a free kick which Joelinton really should have buried. 

[Guest HTT II]

Just now, ManDoon said:

You need key, solid guys in any team. Even superstar teams have “boring” guys. If you can lock off your entire left side with one full back that gives an attacking player so much freedom. 

Exactly, look at what Burn and Targett alone have done to our first-team. Man Had plenty of players like them during their dominance, Liverpool have Milner and as good as Henderson has been, he’s more in the Targett mould than say a Bruno (world-class). He should be our first signing if the summer and a nice little message to others to say look, we can buy this and that player, but we want professionals, solid 7/10 players with good character. 

[macphisto]

21 minutes ago, ManDoon said:

You need key, solid guys in any team. Even superstar teams have “boring” guys. If you can lock off your entire left side with one full back that gives an attacking player so much freedom. 

But if you look at a lot of the top teams, the creativity and attacking play often comes from the fullbacks, Liverpool the prime example. The Hendersons of this world are there to allow the fullbacks to bomb forward.

 

I agree about the balance of players but if Howe sees attacking fullbacks as key players in his system then I can see why he might look elsewhere. Maybe Howe wants the solid players in other areas of the team. 

 

I do think people are underestimating Henderson, he's several levels above Targett. He's not the most glamorous  player but look at his England caps, player of the year, captain of Liverpool (after Gerrard), etc.

 

As I say, happy for Targett to stay but if it is key attacking position for Howe then I can understand him looking elsewhere.

 

 

[James]

Targett is better than Bernard, Elliot, Santon, Domi and Enrique.

 

I therefore see no reason to upgrade 

[olliemort]

3 minutes ago, James said:

Targett is better than Bernard, Elliot, Santon, Domi and Enrique.

 

I therefore see no reason to upgrade 

Dont think hes better than enrique in his latter NUFC days tbf

[Conjo]

Difficult to say who's best between Bernard, Enrique and Targett since they have/had so different qualities. It comes down to what type of player you prefer or what type of system you play imo.

F.ex Targett wouldn't perform as well as Bernard did in SBRs system. Bernard woulnd't perofrm as well as Targett is under the current system Howe plays.

[Big River]

this guy fucks.

[macphisto]

8 minutes ago, ManDoon said:

They do yeah but football is very cyclical, the current penchant for this high press, insanely high fullbacks can always change. Players like TAA and Robertson aren’t that easy to find. While in a rebuild, a player who defends as well as Targett is essential, imo. 

All true but that doesn't change the fact Howe might be after a different type of full back. Targett has played every game apart from Villa and he hasn't scored a goal or had an assist. Some managers would be happy with that if the player is defensively sound whilst others would prefer more of an attacking threat at the cost of the odd defensive lapses.

 

In all fairness to Targett we don't know his instructions, maybe he's been told to hold back because of ASM. I am convinced that if ASM left this summer then we wouldn't sign Targett. 

[TRon]

1 hour ago, macphisto said:

But if you look at a lot of the top teams, the creativity and attacking play often comes from the fullbacks, Liverpool the prime example. The Hendersons of this world are there to allow the fullbacks to bomb forward.

 

I agree about the balance of players but if Howe sees attacking fullbacks as key players in his system then I can see why he might look elsewhere. Maybe Howe wants the solid players in other areas of the team. 

 

I do think people are underestimating Henderson, he's several levels above Targett. He's not the most glamorous  player but look at his England caps, player of the year, captain of Liverpool (after Gerrard), etc.

 

As I say, happy for Targett to stay but if it is key attacking position for Howe then I can understand him looking elsewhere.

 

 

 

That's also why Gerrard was willing to let Targett go despite being an excellent defensive full back. He wanted to upgrade in order to take Villa to the next level. I'm with you, I'd be happy to sign Targett, but at the same time I would expect Howe to want Tripper's equivalent down the other flank. I still think we'll sign Targett for what it's worth, but eventually we will be looking for an outstanding attacking LB.

[David Edgar]

Leicester won the league with Danny Simpson.  

 

We can be flexible here.  If Targett is available and relatively cheap, it seems a no brainer.  You're getting pure reliability at the expense of being rock solid but not elite.

[Optimistic Nut]

1 hour ago, macphisto said:

But if you look at a lot of the top teams, the creativity and attacking play often comes from the fullbacks, Liverpool the prime example. The Hendersons of this world are there to allow the fullbacks to bomb forward.

 

I agree about the balance of players but if Howe sees attacking fullbacks as key players in his system then I can see why he might look elsewhere. Maybe Howe wants the solid players in other areas of the team. 

 

I do think people are underestimating Henderson, he's several levels above Targett. He's not the most glamorous  player but look at his England caps, player of the year, captain of Liverpool (after Gerrard), etc.

 

As I say, happy for Targett to stay but if it is key attacking position for Howe then I can understand him looking elsewhere.

 

 

I think people underestimate how good he is going forward. Think people have been conditioned to having Dummett so long that good defensively = shit offensively. He can defend but he can cross a decent ball too, overlap (shame ASM underuses that outlet) and can be a threat too, he could have scored two at Brentford the other month.

[macphisto]

28 minutes ago, David Edgar said:

Leicester won the league with Danny Simpson.  

 

We can be flexible here.  If Targett is available and relatively cheap, it seems a no brainer.  You're getting pure reliability at the expense of being rock solid but not elite.

It's not about the level of player but more type. Do you buy a player that is not the type you're looking for? This is not about Targett as such but more the principle of buying players to fit a system. 

 

If there is someone out there more suited to what Howe is looking for then it would not make sense to buy Targett; that is if Targett isn't the type of fullback Howe's looking for. The next few years are going to be so crucial to embedding a style of play in the team and it looks like fullbacks are going to be crucial in Howe's style of play.

[greydos]

Even if we want a progressive left back for turning 1-0 wins against “the other 14” into more comfortable 2-0 and 3-0 wins, our team will still need Targett against the top 6.
 

Even with 4 quality signings in the summer, you can’t tell me we can defend better against Man City and Liverpool with a Gosens/Digne at left back rather than Targett. 
 

He’s literally a must sign for me. Plus, Trippier’s a passing attacking fullback, not so much a marauding one. Targett could well get to that level in the next 5 years when he’ll be Trippier’s current age.

 

Get him signed ffs!

[Groundhog63]

Sheer coincidence but I'm watching the 2018 play off final on Sky. 

Wor Matt putting his usual steady shift in for Fulham against his next employers. 

Mitro, having scored 26 (?) goals that season then went on to score......3 in the subsequent relegation from the Prem. 

Rinse, repeat