Nick Woltemade

[HMSIllustrious]

Delap would be a terrible choice imo but someone whose profile could fit to Eddie‘s vision for us. Think he‘s also a mercenary type while I got the idea Nick has a soft spot for us…real shame if true.

[Jack14Bojangles]

3 hours ago, Barnes23 said:

Very good today I thought, some excellent link-up play and more aggression in his game, too. Really hope we can make it work with him. 

I completely agree.

 

Nick played a good game today. I especially noticed his improved robustness and tackling ability. Today's performance also demonstrated his strength in attack. His ball distribution in the forward line is exceptional; unfortunately, some other players on the team are limited in that area.

 

 

Edited March 22 by Jack14Bojangles

[mouldy_uk]

I’m desperate for him to do well, but no way was that a ‘great’ performance.
 

I think he was made to look ‘good’ due to some pretty poor performances around him. 

[TaylorJ_01]

Fundamentally, he's just not a good fit for the premier league, let alone in midfield.

 

He's weak, lanky and slow and I don't know any players in the league like that, who are considered top players.

 

He's had 12 shots on target in 1600 minutes of play  less than Hall

[El Prontonise]

2 minutes ago, mouldy_uk said:

I’m desperate for him to do well, but no way was that a ‘great’ performance.
 

I think he was made to look ‘good’ due to some pretty poor performances around him. 

 

Yeah if that was great, then we are even worse trouble than I thought we are.

[JasMann]

Yeah he should have just played down to the level of the brainless runners around him. Very silly of him imo 

[El Prontonise]

Just now, JasMann said:

Yeah he should have just played down to the level of the brainless runners around him. Very silly of him imo 

 

Ohh look we've got a fan boy of his.

 

He's been shite for most of the season.

[JasMann]

The entire team has been shite all season, at least he’s contributed something. Fan boy? Grow up 
 

I think he’s a good player yeah. Obvs he’s doing pretty well for a guy who hasn’t got a position. 

[Jack14Bojangles]

3 minutes ago, El Prontonise said:

 

Yeah if that was great, then we are even worse trouble than I thought we are.

Yes, I guess that's the case. Just look at some of the other players:

Murphy - Apart from good aggression and work rate, he has little to offer. His crosses are so bad, they only occasionally find their target. Murphy has about as much game intelligence as a loaf of white bread.

Willock - Very few good plays, otherwise it's all hot air.

Elanga - He's getting into better form, but so far he's delivered far less than Woltemade.

Osula - He tries, but he's ineffective.

Wissa - A complete failure, partly due to his injury. He was signed as a finished product, but he hasn't shown any of that yet.

Tonali - Could be so good, but he shows flashes of brilliance and inconsistency. Far too inconsistent. He's made a few too many mistakes this season.

Ramsey - Could show so much more, but he displays his quality far too rarely. Another underperformer.

Trippier - Always committed, but he's well past his prime, far too slow.

Pope and Ramsdale – both goalkeepers are of average Premier League caliber.

Gordon – plays with a knack for brilliance and insanity. Incredibly fast. But unfortunately, he has some weak games.

 

Bright spots: Hall, Thiaw, Miley, Bruno, Joelinton, Barnes. Maybe Botman too.

Burn, for me, is an absolute leader with unwavering determination. A header specialist at 2.01 meters.

 

Yes, you're right, Toon probably has a bigger problem than Woltemade. But it's so easy to make him the scapegoat.

[Jack14Bojangles]

I think the stint with the national team will do him good. He'll also use the FA Cup break to train under Eddie.

Nick will come out of the break stronger, especially if he's used in an attacking role.

[wong989]

56 minutes ago, El Prontonise said:

 

Ohh look we've got a fan boy of his.

 

He's been shite for most of the season.

He's a player who requires a change in our tactics. If we want to evolve beyond only creating chances by winning the ball in the opponents half we need some technically gifted players, which he is. But he needs his wingers and a midfielder playing closer to him and the team playing at a higher tempo. This passing slowly around the back line then humping it down the wing is just crap football in general, but to do it after spending 70 million on a striker and then calling him crap because he isn't that player is stupid. Almost the whole has been shite, as has Eddie for the most part. 

[El Prontonise]

14 minutes ago, wong989 said:

He's a player who requires a change in our tactics. If we want to evolve beyond only creating chances by winning the ball in the opponents half we need some technically gifted players, which he is. But he needs his wingers and a midfielder playing closer to him and the team playing at a higher tempo. This passing slowly around the back line then humping it down the wing is just crap football in general, but to do it after spending 70 million on a striker and then calling him crap because he isn't that player is stupid. Almost the whole has been shite, as has Eddie for the most part. 

 

I agree with most of that you'll find in the pre match thread saying similar about the change in formation needed.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

A lot also depends on if Gordon stays and insists on playing centrally. If so then it'll be difficult to play Woltemade where he should be played. 

[TRC]

1 hour ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

A lot also depends on if Gordon stays and insists on playing centrally. If so then it'll be difficult to play Woltemade where he should be played. 

Play City’s formation, the league will shift that way eventually. It’s ideal for all of our players and solves us having poor wingers. Harsh on Harvey though

[Infinitely Content]

Was having a look at our transfer history and I think wikipedia summed it up nicely about big Nick.

 

 

Edited March 23 by Infinitely Content
image replacement

[El Prontonise]

7 minutes ago, Infinitely Content said:

Was having a look at our transfer history and I think wikipedia summed it up nicely about big Nick.

 

We can't see that due to our useless government.

[alexf]

I think we gave up on him as a striker too easily. Yes it certain games, particularly away games it simply doesn't work when he was isolated upfront and getting zero service. 

 

But when he first arrived and when we got good crosses into the box he was scoring goals. 

 

I know the goal came from us pressing and a mistake but the rest of our play was poor. Yesterday I think would have made more sense to go back to Gordon left, Murphy Right and Nick through the middle. The problem however was the midfield with no Bruno or Tonali or Miley it would have meant Willock starting and as we saw he was horrific when he came on.

 

So yeah, away from home I get going with the fast runners and trying to be counter attack, but we don't have the space at home if teams sit deep.

[r0cafella]

12 minutes ago, El Prontonise said:

 

We can't see that due to our useless government.

[Slim]

Wissa with full pre season will be like a new player. 

[Nucasol]

5 minutes ago, Slim said:

Wissa with full pre season will be like a new player. 

That’s if he doesn’t come back from summer looking more like Sherman Klump than Buddy Love. 

[Lush Vlad]

I didn't think he was particularly good and I don't like him in that midfield role.  But we lost any semblance of control we had, once he went off.  At least he occasionally puts his foot on the ball.

[Kimbo]

44 minutes ago, Slim said:

Wissa with full pre season will be like a new player. 

I think that injury took his pace, and he doesn’t have the talent to adapt.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

1 hour ago, alexf said:

I think we gave up on him as a striker too easily. Yes it certain games, particularly away games it simply doesn't work when he was isolated upfront and getting zero service. 

 

But when he first arrived and when we got good crosses into the box he was scoring goals. 

 

I know the goal came from us pressing and a mistake but the rest of our play was poor. Yesterday I think would have made more sense to go back to Gordon left, Murphy Right and Nick through the middle. The problem however was the midfield with no Bruno or Tonali or Miley it would have meant Willock starting and as we saw he was horrific when he came on.

 

So yeah, away from home I get going with the fast runners and trying to be counter attack, but we don't have the space at home if teams sit deep.

 

I don't think there's really any intention to convert Woltemade to a midfielder, Howe is just struggling because he believes we need the intense Gordon press from the front at the moment. 

[HMSIllustrious]

39 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

I didn't think he was particularly good and I don't like him in that midfield role.  But we lost any semblance of control we had, once he went off.  At least he occasionally puts his foot on the ball.

I don’t get that, in first half he had lots of good touches, wasnt disposessed, was in a lot of duels and should have had two assists, why is that not good? Unless you just expect him to be rapid, he has done everything he was asked for I guess.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

3 minutes ago, HMSIllustrious said:

I don’t get that, in first half he had lots of good touches, wasnt disposessed, was in a lot of duels and should have had two assists, why is that not good? Unless you just expect him to be rapid, he has done everything he was asked for I guess.

 

I thought he had a really good game and it was definitely a mistake to bring him off when we did. The game was opening up and he would've got in even more dangerous positions.