Lewis Hall

[SUPERTOON]

Wonder if he gets sent back to Chelsea in January (assuming we can cut it short). If we aren’t going to sign if permanently, doesn’t seem much point in keeping him for the season.

[TheBrownBottle]

3 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Wonder if he gets sent back to Chelsea in January (assuming we can cut it short). If we aren’t going to sign if permanently, doesn’t seem much point in keeping him for the season.

There definitely doesn’t if we don’t even play him when we can barely field XI first teamers.

 

If it is a training / attitude issue, then the lad is bad news (and that’s a massive ‘if’).  Especially given his background - if my son got the chance to play for NUFC and didn’t do it because he couldn’t be arsed to get to training on time I think I’d disown him  

[ponsaelius]

Don't think there'd be much point in sending him back, as he doesn't count towards the squad at all now we're out of Europe. Might as well keep him about and see how it goes if we've paid a loan fee for the season.

[ponsaelius]

Btw it could just be a game to bargain the fee down if the obligation isn't going to be met.

[aussiemag]

2 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

There definitely doesn’t if we don’t even play him when we can barely field XI first teamers.

 

If it is a training / attitude issue, then the lad is bad news (and that’s a massive ‘if’).  Especially given his background - if my son got the chance to play for NUFC and didn’t do it because he couldn’t be arsed to get to training on time I think I’d disown him  

the kid has just turned 19. Surely his parents are driving him to training? 

[TheBrownBottle]

Just now, aussiemag said:

the kid has just turned 19. Surely his parents are driving him to training? 

I suspect he’ll be rocking up in a nice shiny car driven by himself if I’m betting on it 

 

 

[aussiemag]

1 minute ago, ponsaelius said:

Btw it could just be a game to bargain the fee down if the obligation isn't going to be met.

doesn’t make sense, because his development is being stunted. I just don’t think the club think he is worth the 30 mill and think they can spend it elsewhere. 

[ponsaelius]

It can clearly be somewhere in-between the two though. They don't think he's ready to play every week yet, but still see the potential. Therefore angling towards avoiding the obligation and getting a reduced fee would make sense considering the current fixed fee is pretty high. Especially since Chelsea will be banking on getting some kind of fee for him in their accounts and probably don't want him coming back next summer.

 

 

Edited December 15, 2023 by ponsaelius

[TheBrownBottle]

3 minutes ago, aussiemag said:

doesn’t make sense, because his development is being stunted. I just don’t think the club think he is worth the 30 mill and think they can spend it elsewhere. 

True - and it could also be the case that the club are seriously reviewing likely funding available for next season based upon potential league finish etc.  Dropping out of Europe entirely midweek has financial consequences 

[The Prophet]

I'd be amazed if we don't sign him permanently. The club always have the big picture in mind.

[KDT]

Didn't he literally just play in our last league game?

[The College Dropout]

I don’t think it’s an intentional ploy to in pre negotiation. The potential impact on the lads mentality is huge and not worth the risk. If it wasn’t a true concern about him.  
 

Im a bit ambivalent to the whole thing. I think he looks a talent but more of a midfielder than FB as his history already suggested. He’s not looked a defender so far and is currently 4th choice LB and 9th choice CM (ok i made that up).  That £30m can surely be used in a higher priority position or for a first team ready player. However, if Eddie and the club want him - I want him too. 

[The College Dropout]

1 minute ago, KDT said:

Didn't he literally just play in our last league game?

Aye he came on in the last 5 minutes. If we didn’t want to keep him and the obligation is appearance based - that doesn’t make sense. 

[Smal]

There's every possibility that he's struggling with moving to a new city at just 18 years old, like. Remember Willock's struggles when he first joined after living in London his whole life? He was a bit older too. I'll withhold getting the pitchfork out for him being last to training for now (if that's even true at all). 

[The College Dropout]

2 minutes ago, Smal said:

There's every possibility that he's struggling with moving to a new city at just 18 years old, like. Remember Willock's struggles when he first joined after living in London his whole life? He was a bit older too. I'll withhold getting the pitchfork out for him being last to training for now (if that's even true at all). 

He’s also learning about becoming a professional at 18.  
 

I remember Howe signing Ramsdale and Solanke and it was really 2 or 3 years too early for them to be effective PL players. Could be similar with Hall. 

[Checko]

From what I read at the time he sounded a very quiet, shy lad who just got his head down and got on with things. Didn't seem the type who was willfully unprofessional.

[KDT]

17 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Aye he came on in the last 5 minutes. If we didn’t want to keep him and the obligation is appearance based - that doesn’t make sense. 

Exactly, just more people making up more stories to suit a narrative they've created in their head.

[r0cafella]

6 minutes ago, Smal said:

There's every possibility that he's struggling with moving to a new city at just 18 years old, like. Remember Willock's struggles when he first joined after living in London his whole life? He was a bit older too. I'll withhold getting the pitchfork out for him being last to training for now (if that's even true at all). 

 

2 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

He’s also learning about becoming a professional at 18.  
 

I remember Howe signing Ramsdale and Solanke and it was really 2 or 3 years too early for them to be effective PL players. Could be similar with Hall. 

Both of these points are valid imo. I think it also makes sense as to why we would have to pass if he’s say 2-3 years away. We simply aren’t in a position because of FFP to wait for players to develop. 
 

[patrone]

All the journos running this "story" after Howe said it's not his decision, in a pre match presser. ?

 

Like did they really expect him to go on at length about the deal.

[TheBrownBottle]

6 minutes ago, patrone said:

All the journos running this "story" after Howe said it's not his decision, in a pre match presser. ?

 

Like did they really expect him to go on at length about the deal.

He gives nowt away, does he?

 

I love that he doesn’t - and still find it a little annoying that we don’t get those titbits.  He’s absolutely right not to, nonetheless. 

[The Prophet]

8 minutes ago, patrone said:

All the journos running this "story" after Howe said it's not his decision, in a pre match presser. ?

 

Like did they really expect him to go on at length about the deal.

 

Pretty much. Total non-story.

[La Parka]

Seeing my conspiracy theory is now getting traction.

 

Interesting. 

[Solitude20]

1 hour ago, aussiemag said:

I would assume with our FFP issues, there are doubts he is worth 30 mill and it could be better spent elsewhere. I raised this months ago.  

I think that’s possible. There could be nothing against Hall, it’s just the circumstances have shown we would be better off spending 30 millions on players who can improve us now rather then spending it on developing a future left back. 
 

The injury crisis and overall results may have changed their mind about the priorities at the moment, and that’s understandable. 

[RobsonsWonderland]

Sometimes it's just fate how you break through.

 

Burn gets injured, it would have been  Targett stepping in.

Targett got injured, Hall could have stepped in.

But then Tino had a run of man of the match performances and now the door is blocked.

 

We could have rested either fullback to give him game time but to be honest there was no easy game to select.

 

If he had played in front of Tino or Tripps and we lost the board would have been up in uproar.

[wormy]

I try to avoid getting all armchair psychologist but I will say it's a very short answer. I guess the reporter specifically said it was a direct question relating to the obligation clauses but it did still surprise me with how effusive Howe can be that he didn't throw a single platitude in. 

 

Obviously none of us know either way. Still wouldn't be surprised to see him at the club permanently next season and I'm entirely behind it if the club are. Still don't think he looked particularly below standard in any of his appearances, but I can't even win a football match on FM anymore let alone real life. I guess he's not doing something as expected if Howe's hooked him at half time three times.