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Will Smallbone

Saint Garrett

By Saint Garrett
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  • 3 weeks later...
Crouchie's Lawyer

Crouchie's Lawyer

Posted
Posted

Yeah not good at all if this is the case. He has been one of the stand out performers of preseason and the games we have played so far. Really fits RM's system perfectly. Only saving grace is that this likely puts an end to any rumours he may be off but he will be missed if he is out for months. Hopefully this will force Sports Republic's hand to bring in Grimes now too so we have decent cover.

  • Like 7
Dman

Dman

Posted
Posted
  On 15/08/2023 at 09:17, Crouchie's Lawyer said:

Yeah not good at all if this is the case. He has been one of the stand out performers of preseason and the games we have played so far. Really fits RM's system perfectly. Only saving grace is that this likely puts an end to any rumours he may be off but he will be missed if he is out for months. Hopefully this will force Sports Republic's hand to bring in Grimes now too so we have decent cover.

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If true that Downes is incoming, we don't need decent cover. 

Downes / Charles for the more defensive role, Alcaraz / Stu for the more attacking roles. Then you have the likes of Doyle coming through as cover. 

A shame for Smallbone, but i'm not devastated. In fact, i think it might actually help us in a weird sort of way.  

  • Confused 1
egg

egg

Posted
Posted
  On 15/08/2023 at 10:42, Lighthouse said:

Does this guy actually know stuff or is he just another random Twitter account people have decided must be gospel?

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He seems to know stuff - unfortunately on this occasion. 

  • 2 weeks later...
SNSUN

SNSUN

Posted
Posted

Pleased with that. I don't think he's going to pull up any trees long term but he's a tidy passer of the ball, works hard and, probably most importantly for the club overall, is now our academy poster boy.

coalman

coalman

Posted
Posted

Good to see this. Will be interesting to see where he fits into the midfield. Is he competing with Charles/Downes or Alcaraz/StuArmstrong?

CampionSaint

CampionSaint

Posted
Posted
  On 28/08/2023 at 15:45, coalman said:

Good to see this. Will be interesting to see where he fits into the midfield. Is he competing with Charles/Downes or Alcaraz/StuArmstrong?

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I think he would work well with Downes.  After Saturday I would think Charles will continue at CB for the time being.

chiknsmack

chiknsmack

Posted
Posted
  On 28/08/2023 at 15:45, coalman said:

Good to see this. Will be interesting to see where he fits into the midfield. Is he competing with Charles/Downes or Alcaraz/StuArmstrong?

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The idea in possession is that the fullbacks sit in beside the DM while the other two midfielders push up, making a 2-3-2-3. Downes or Charles is the DM, Alcaraz or Arma is the left attacking midfielder, Smallbone or Stu is the right attacking midfielder. Smallbone would be third choice DM if needed.

You'd expect Smallbone to be favoured when defending a lead; the other three are better at carrying the ball and attacking while Smallbone is better at passing and defending.

  • Like 1
Charlie Wayman

Charlie Wayman

Posted
Posted (edited)

Seeing as nobody was really interested in him, what other options did he have? He's no JWP and will struggle to get a starting place with Downes, Charles, 2 x Armstrongs and Alacaraz around. Maybe he can play full back?

Edited by Charlie Wayman
  • Confused 1
SaintsFan86

SaintsFan86

Posted
Posted
  On 29/08/2023 at 09:32, Charlie Wayman said:

Seeing as nobody was really interested in him, what other options did he have? He's no JWP and will struggle to get a starting place with Downes, Charles, 2 x Armstrongs and Alacaraz around. Maybe he can play full back?

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He'll play every game he is fit.

Our midfield will be downes, smallbone and one of alcaraz or the Armstrongs.

LuckyNumber7

LuckyNumber7

Posted
Posted
  On 29/08/2023 at 09:32, Charlie Wayman said:

Seeing as nobody was really interested in him, what other options did he have? He's no JWP and will struggle to get a starting place with Downes, Charles, 2 x Armstrongs and Alacaraz around. Maybe he can play full back?

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Aside from PL Sheffield United having bids rejected for him you mean? Over a 46 game season with injuries and suspensions, all the above will get plenty of game time.

derry

derry

Posted
Posted

Smallbone is the best  passing player in the club whilst we are playing possession football. His natural ability to pass and pass is the glue that will keep the ball. I can see Martin wanting him running the midfield linking with all the other players and constantly available to receive the ball.

chiknsmack

chiknsmack

Posted
Posted
  On 29/08/2023 at 12:06, ErwinK1961 said:

Not a chance Charles is on the bench behind those, he is top quality.

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He's also 19 and in his first year of senior football. We saw what putting a heavy workload on teenagers did to Tino (not so much the ACL which I put down to bad luck rather than overload, but the injury beforehand) and Lavia. He'll get used in the same way we should've used Lavia last year; backup to a senior player (in this case Downes, like Lavia should've started as backup to Romeu), getting more playing time as the season goes on, then taking over as #1 next year.

  • Like 1
Gingeletiss

Gingeletiss

Posted
Posted
  On 30/08/2023 at 00:47, Saint_clark said:

I'm actually warming to the idea of Charles as a CB permanently in this system. 

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No, just no. We have had three seasons of square pegs in round holes, all this RB playing LB, CB’s at LB/RB, MF at RB, WAMF at LB. None of it worked, play the players in their favourite position, it’s not rocket science.

  • Like 2
VectisSaint

VectisSaint

Posted
Posted
  On 30/08/2023 at 00:47, Saint_clark said:

I'm actually warming to the idea of Charles as a CB permanently in this system. 

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I don't, but think he may play CB while Stephens is out. if nothing else we need some height, and although he is not Tall Paul tall he is at least bigger than Holgate.

  • 3 weeks later...
Hatch

Hatch

Posted
Posted (edited)

Can one of the Smallbone fans on here please explain to me what he brings to the table ?

I didn’t rate him in his first stint here and now he has come back and is worse 

Edited by Hatch
  • Like 5
The Kraken

The Kraken

Posted
Posted
  On 15/09/2023 at 20:49, Hatch said:

Can one of the Smallbone fans on here please explain to me what he brings to the table ?

I didn’t rate him in his first stint here and now he has come back and is worse 

Expand  

Useless. Not a defensive midfielder, not an attacking midfielder. Just a beige non entity who gets bypassed all the time. 

  • Like 2
Dman

Dman

Posted
Posted

Shite. 

Thought be looked alright pre-season in that deeper role, but it was because he had better players around him. 

Weak as piss, does little other than pass it 5 yards, shouldn't be starting but is a Martin fan boy, like Mannings 

  • Like 1
S-Clarke

S-Clarke

Posted
Posted

We're hanging him out to dry really, he has no protection around him. Our midfield scares the living shite out of me, he should be an 8 - not a CM. He gets walked all over in there and it's horrible to see.

Stoke got the best out of him when they played him higher up, with two central players behind him. I think they had Ben Pearson and Josh Laurent who played deeper as the holders. We're not going to get the best from him by expecting him to be a 6 or a 'pivot', it's just not his game. We've fucked up the midfield big style.

  • Like 2

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