Will Smallbone

[Lee On Solent Saint]

41 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I've always thought his delivery was on par with JWP, certainly from the right side or free kicks in and around. He's got a similar technique. 

Destined to become our next poster boy by the sound of it.

[aintforever]

Will be good to have him and Tella around the squad next season. Add a bit of championship experience plus they might add a bit of positivity around the place not being associated with this season’s shit show.

[JRM]

1 hour ago, aintforever said:

Will be good to have him and Tella around the squad next season. Add a bit of championship experience plus they might add a bit of positivity around the place not being associated with this season’s shit show.

Definitely ready made replacements once we've sold a few (if we can get rid of some of our unwanted wasters) 

[Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd]

4 hours ago, aintforever said:

Will be good to have him and Tella around the squad next season. Add a bit of championship experience plus they might add a bit of positivity around the place not being associated with this season’s shit show.

Tella isn't coming back!

 

[JRM]

40 minutes ago, Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd said:

Tella isn't coming back!

 

Why not? 

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

On 02/05/2023 at 18:42, aintforever said:

Will be good to have him and Tella around the squad next season. Add a bit of championship experience plus they might add a bit of positivity around the place not being associated with this season’s shit show.

Watched a couple of games with Smallbone on TV this year and do like his forward intent. Can't be compared to JWP and similar to Tella, he still strikes me as a lightweight who can be easily pushed off the ball, but would certainly want him as an option next year. As for Tella, it's up to us whether he moves on and perhaps that depends on how much Burnley et al value him.

[AlexLaw76]

On 02/05/2023 at 18:42, aintforever said:

Will be good to have him and Tella around the squad next season. Add a bit of championship experience plus they might add a bit of positivity around the place not being associated with this season’s shit show.

LOL

Tella is not coming back

[Saint Garrett]

13 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

LOL

Tella is not coming back

Based on what? He certainly will be, up to the club to accept or reject what Burnley offer, it’s not solely up to him 

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, Saint Garrett said:

Based on what? He certainly will be, up to the club to accept or reject what Burnley offer, it’s not solely up to him 

Based on him smashing the championship and we never ever stand in the way of players WANTING out, let alone when we will clearly need cash.

[bpsaint]

3 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Based on him smashing the championship and we never ever stand in the way of players WANTING out, let alone when we will clearly need cash.

Do we clearly need cash? I’d have thought the money raised from selling far more high profile targets will keep us going for at least two seasons, along with parachute payments. Fail to gain promotion by then though and we’re in trouble.

[AlexLaw76]

2 minutes ago, bpsaint said:

Do we clearly need cash? I’d have thought the money raised from selling far more high profile targets will keep us going for at least two seasons, along with parachute payments. Fail to gain promotion by then though and we’re in trouble.

you are aware we are about to take an enormous hit in TV money, let alone sponsorship and match day reductions.

That is without considering the loans and other non-playing related services to finance.

We have been making a loss for years, and the last 2 transfer window disasters will have done nothing to treat that.

https://footballeconomyv2.blogspot.com/2023/05/budget-limits-have-cost-saints.html?m=1

Edited 8 May, 2023 by AlexLaw76

[Saint Garrett]

2 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

you are aware we are about to take an enormous hit in TV money, let alone sponsorship and match day reductions.

That is without considering the loans and other non-playing related services to finance.

We have been making a loss for years, and the last 2 transfer window disasters will have done nothing to treat that.

https://footballeconomyv2.blogspot.com/2023/05/budget-limits-have-cost-saints.html?m=1

We also (as far as we know) have an owner who has money, and will financially back the club to a different level that we’ve ever seen before. 

Add into that the sales of JWP, Lavia, ABK, Adams, KWP probably at a minimum, it will be up to us whether Tella leaves or not. If we get offered upwards of £20m and he wants out, then I’m not sure we’ll stand in his way but I doubt we’d make it easy for him. I’m fully expecting him to be at the club in August. 

[Master Bates]

"I don’t think anything has been announced yet so I’m not sure what’s going on down there,” 

“I’m not thinking too much about my future while I’m out here with Ireland. I’ll wait for Southampton to appoint a manager and like everyone else have a conversation with him to see where he sees me.

“What’s important for me next season is to carry on playing football.”

[westmidlandsaint]

By all accounts he's had a good season at Stoke. A seasons experience playing in the Championship I'd rather have him in the middle than Diallo

[qwertyell]

1 minute ago, westmidlandsaint said:

By all accounts he's had a good season at Stoke.

Not by the accounts on Stoke forums.

"I assume Southampton have just watched him prove that he can't play to the required standard in the championship over 46 games. Very sensible decision for them to offload him before other people notice he couldn't do it regularly in the championship and lose value."

"I know he’s young and that was his first proper season in professional football but he’d have to improve at a remarkable rate to warrant any sort of money being thrown at Southampton to buy him."

"I really hope we don't, offers very little apart from a couple of games where he suddenly looked like a footballer."

"This would be a massive gamble. He had 40 odd games to make an impression.

He did not improve the team in any way, in fact, there is a strong argument to suggest he made us worse, and he only was effective in a handful of those games.

He showed he is capable but doing that in half a dozen games in a season is not going to help us at all. He would have to improve dramatically.

Not surprised at all if Southampton want get rid. We gave them the opportunity to gauge his capability at this level.

We put way too much faith in him last season which was contributed to our failings."

"My main issue with this, is how much Neil loved him, despite him being generally just ordinary. He'd be fine as a squad option, but you know Neil would have him as one of his first picks, and he just isn't that good. That wouldn't bode well for a good season, in my opinion. We need someone with running power or proper creativity to play in that position and he has neither. "

"William Smallbone, he just ambles about the pitch, yes he can pick the odd pass but he's a football player, it's the least he can do.

I just always seem to be screaming for him to get fucking stuck in, and he shirks the big tackles, ducks out of fucking headers, and he always seems just a bit too late to get a foot in.... most underwhelming if it happens."

[Badger]

Stoke supporter I know says he had some good games, but their purple patch and run of form was largely due to another midfielder on loan, Ben Pearson from Bournemouth.

Pearson sounded like an ideal DM for the Championship. Probably surplus at AFCB but as he’s about 27 we probably won’t consider him. And if AFCB do sell it would probably be £1.5m to Stoke or£5m to us. 

[Badger]

26 minutes ago, qwertyell said:

 

"William Smallbone, he just ambles about the pitch, yes he can pick the odd pass but he's a football player, it's the least he can do.

I just always seem to be screaming for him to get fucking stuck in, and he shirks the big tackles, ducks out of fucking headers, and he always seems just a bit too late to get a foot in.... 

This is how I saw him, does some of the pretty stuff from time to time, but no real presence or aggression. Sort of player that  goes missing easily 

 

But probably an upgrade on Ely, not that that’s the standard we should be setting 

Edited 8 June, 2023 by Badger

[Nolan]

Will Smallbone has been through much adversity on and off the pitch but is finally seeing hard work pay off | The Irish Sun (thesun.ie)

[Saint86]

1 hour ago, qwertyell said:

Not by the accounts on Stoke forums.

"I assume Southampton have just watched him prove that he can't play to the required standard in the championship over 46 games. Very sensible decision for them to offload him before other people notice he couldn't do it regularly in the championship and lose value."

"I know he’s young and that was his first proper season in professional football but he’d have to improve at a remarkable rate to warrant any sort of money being thrown at Southampton to buy him."

"I really hope we don't, offers very little apart from a couple of games where he suddenly looked like a footballer."

"This would be a massive gamble. He had 40 odd games to make an impression.

He did not improve the team in any way, in fact, there is a strong argument to suggest he made us worse, and he only was effective in a handful of those games.

He showed he is capable but doing that in half a dozen games in a season is not going to help us at all. He would have to improve dramatically.

Not surprised at all if Southampton want get rid. We gave them the opportunity to gauge his capability at this level.

We put way too much faith in him last season which was contributed to our failings."

"My main issue with this, is how much Neil loved him, despite him being generally just ordinary. He'd be fine as a squad option, but you know Neil would have him as one of his first picks, and he just isn't that good. That wouldn't bode well for a good season, in my opinion. We need someone with running power or proper creativity to play in that position and he has neither. "

"William Smallbone, he just ambles about the pitch, yes he can pick the odd pass but he's a football player, it's the least he can do.

I just always seem to be screaming for him to get fucking stuck in, and he shirks the big tackles, ducks out of fucking headers, and he always seems just a bit too late to get a foot in.... most underwhelming if it happens."

Given this is stoke fans, those quotes really don't carry much weight. A genuinely clueless set of supporters if ever there was one! 😂

[Mr Nimbus]

8 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

Given this is stoke fans, those quotes really don't carry much weight. A genuinely clueless set of supporters if ever there was one! 😂

They were pretty correct about Nathan Jones tbf 

[West end Saints]

1 hour ago, qwertyell said:

Not by the accounts on Stoke forums.

"I assume Southampton have just watched him prove that he can't play to the required standard in the championship over 46 games. Very sensible decision for them to offload him before other people notice he couldn't do it regularly in the championship and lose value."

"I know he’s young and that was his first proper season in professional football but he’d have to improve at a remarkable rate to warrant any sort of money being thrown at Southampton to buy him."

"I really hope we don't, offers very little apart from a couple of games where he suddenly looked like a footballer."

"This would be a massive gamble. He had 40 odd games to make an impression.

He did not improve the team in any way, in fact, there is a strong argument to suggest he made us worse, and he only was effective in a handful of those games.

He showed he is capable but doing that in half a dozen games in a season is not going to help us at all. He would have to improve dramatically.

Not surprised at all if Southampton want get rid. We gave them the opportunity to gauge his capability at this level.

We put way too much faith in him last season which was contributed to our failings."

"My main issue with this, is how much Neil loved him, despite him being generally just ordinary. He'd be fine as a squad option, but you know Neil would have him as one of his first picks, and he just isn't that good. That wouldn't bode well for a good season, in my opinion. We need someone with running power or proper creativity to play in that position and he has neither. "

"William Smallbone, he just ambles about the pitch, yes he can pick the odd pass but he's a football player, it's the least he can do.

I just always seem to be screaming for him to get fucking stuck in, and he shirks the big tackles, ducks out of fucking headers, and he always seems just a bit too late to get a foot in.... most underwhelming if it happens."

Really strange selection of quotes. 

 

I recognise these as I read through the same message board yesterday. 

 

There are loads, the majority, praising him. 

 

Why have you gone through selecting only ones that are critical? 

 

 I can't be bothered to go back through it, but, for instance there are some (I think after Coventry game?) saying Coventry fans described it as best midfield performance all season and was like an extra man. 

Loads rave about his positioning, movement and passing. Lots critical of his finishing. 

Not saying he is great but I could find more posts on here, if I was equally as selective, saying Mane is useless! 

[Saint86]

57 minutes ago, Mr Nimbus said:

They were pretty correct about Nathan Jones tbf 

Fair point, although the broken clock adage springs to mind.

Also I'd manage to block that whole escapade out - thanks for that 😭.

[qwertyell]

35 minutes ago, West end Saints said:

Really strange selection of quotes. 

There are loads, the majority, praising him. 

Why have you gone through selecting only ones that are critical? 

It was responding to a post that claimed "by all accounts" he'd had a good season at Stoke by providing some dissenting opinions for context.

I assumed that was obvious and didn't need spelling out. 

 

[suewhistle]

4 hours ago, westmidlandsaint said:

By all accounts he's had a good season at Stoke. A seasons experience playing in the Championship I'd rather have him in the middle than Diallo

... and Elyounoussi..

[iansums]

3 hours ago, qwertyell said:

It was responding to a post that claimed "by all accounts" he'd had a good season at Stoke by providing some dissenting opinions for context.

I assumed that was obvious and didn't need spelling out. 

 

No, it wasn't obvious, you should have spelt it out.

[Chez]

Unless someone comes in with an offer, he will be here next season and then we can all see first hand whether he looks any good at this lower level.  Unless he can't get a game of course. I am guessing that he played in the Alcaraz position (so will be behind him) most of the time at Stoke and not within a CM paring? 

 

[VectisSaint]

6 hours ago, qwertyell said:

Not by the accounts on Stoke forums.

"I assume Southampton have just watched him prove that he can't play to the required standard in the championship over 46 games. Very sensible decision for them to offload him before other people notice he couldn't do it regularly in the championship and lose value."

"I know he’s young and that was his first proper season in professional football but he’d have to improve at a remarkable rate to warrant any sort of money being thrown at Southampton to buy him."

"I really hope we don't, offers very little apart from a couple of games where he suddenly looked like a footballer."

"This would be a massive gamble. He had 40 odd games to make an impression.

He did not improve the team in any way, in fact, there is a strong argument to suggest he made us worse, and he only was effective in a handful of those games.

He showed he is capable but doing that in half a dozen games in a season is not going to help us at all. He would have to improve dramatically.

Not surprised at all if Southampton want get rid. We gave them the opportunity to gauge his capability at this level.

We put way too much faith in him last season which was contributed to our failings."

"My main issue with this, is how much Neil loved him, despite him being generally just ordinary. He'd be fine as a squad option, but you know Neil would have him as one of his first picks, and he just isn't that good. That wouldn't bode well for a good season, in my opinion. We need someone with running power or proper creativity to play in that position and he has neither. "

"William Smallbone, he just ambles about the pitch, yes he can pick the odd pass but he's a football player, it's the least he can do.

I just always seem to be screaming for him to get fucking stuck in, and he shirks the big tackles, ducks out of fucking headers, and he always seems just a bit too late to get a foot in.... most underwhelming if it happens."

Bit like on here for most of our players. By all accounts (well at least not the ones on the Stoke Forum) he had a very good second half of the season after a sticky start.  

[Toussaint]

Get Small-bone and big Willy signed up and stop dicking around ffs!

[hypochondriac]

3 hours ago, Chez said:

Unless someone comes in with an offer, he will be here next season and then we can all see first hand whether he looks any good at this lower level.  Unless he can't get a game of course. I am guessing that he played in the Alcaraz position (so will be behind him) most of the time at Stoke and not within a CM paring? 

 

I'd put him in the squad initially as backup and see if he can force his way in. 

[Master Bates]

Saints in talks with Smallbone over contract extension 

[SNSUN]

1 hour ago, Master Bates said:

Saints in talks with Smallbone over contract extension 

If anyone needs an extension it's Smallbone.

[Master Bates]

2 hours ago, SNSUN said:

If anyone needs an extension it's Smallbone.

 

[Chez]

4 hours ago, Master Bates said:

Saints in talks with Smallbone over contract extension 

he's impressed someone then. Has anyone on here actually seen him play for stoke?

Edited 8 June, 2023 by Chez

[chiknsmack]

17 hours ago, Badger said:

17 hours ago, qwertyell said:

"William Smallbone, he just ambles about the pitch, yes he can pick the odd pass but he's a football player, it's the least he can do.

I just always seem to be screaming for him to get fucking stuck in, and he shirks the big tackles, ducks out of fucking headers, and he always seems just a bit too late to get a foot in.... most underwhelming if it happens."

This is how I saw him, does some of the pretty stuff from time to time, but no real presence or aggression. Sort of player that  goes missing easily

JWP circa 2018.

[mickn]

9 hours ago, Master Bates said:

 

I'm not sure I like the colour of your shirt

[Charlie Wayman]

When we get the chance to offload dross from the playing staff like Smallbone why do we always end up offering them a new contract instead? If Stoke want him let him go for free and get him off the wage bill.

Edited 9 June, 2023 by Charlie Wayman

[Charlie Wayman]

On 07/06/2023 at 18:53, Stu Man Do said:

His value will never be higher for us short of a miraculous prem season there which feels unlikely. He’ll also be into the last year of his contract further reducing his value. We either need to decide he won’t make it here/ he wants to leave or tell him he’s here for the next season.

 

On 07/06/2023 at 18:50, chuz said:

Because he’s got two years left on his contract so it’s sell now or get very little in a years time. Post Bosman not so easy for clubs….

Point well made.

[Saint Fan CaM]

7 hours ago, chiknsmack said:

JWP circa 2018.

Some would say JWP circa 2022/3.

[saintwbu]

Wasn’t there a game for Stoke this season where he got 4 assists or something? There have definitely been some good periods for him in a Stoke shirt, think he won player of the month? Also think he set up a goal on his Ireland debut. Worth considering also that last season was his first season of regular football in his career, in a pretty average Stoke team. It wouldn’t surprise me if he plays a big part next season. 

[SNSUN]

 

4 hours ago, saintwbu said:

Wasn’t there a game for Stoke this season where he got 4 assists or something? There have definitely been some good periods for him in a Stoke shirt, think he won player of the month? Also think he set up a goal on his Ireland debut. Worth considering also that last season was his first season of regular football in his career, in a pretty average Stoke team. It wouldn’t surprise me if he plays a big part next season. 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/12020/12839344/republic-of-ireland-3-2-latvia-evan-ferguson-strikes-on-first-international-start-as-hosts-edge-to-home-win

 

He played well on his senior debut for Ireland and.... he's a set piece taker which we could be lacking soon. I'm not saying that justifies keeping him but in a summer where our midfield is likely to be decimated it would make sense to keep him at least a season IMO.

[Dman]

Handy player to keep around, championship experience which is also very useful - But I'd much prefer Alcaraz and even S Armstrong (in the 3 games he's fit a season) to start ahead of him. 

[West end Saints]

39 minutes ago, Dman said:

Handy player to keep around, championship experience which is also very useful - But I'd much prefer Alcaraz and even S Armstrong (in the 3 games he's fit a season) to start ahead of him. 

I hope Stu leaves.

If nothing else to stop the optimism that he will play like the last good game he had, about 3 years ago, rather than the lazy, light weight, liability in possession player who may turn a game with a decent run, but is more likely to turn a game by giving the ball away leading to a goal against! 

He has been useless for years now. Get rid ASAP. 

 

 

I feel better now! 

[Saint Matty 76]

“Will Smallbone coming back is like a new signing. He’s someone who really cares about the club, wants to be here and wants to prove to everyone that he’s ready to make an impact,” Martin said.

He came back later than everyone else because he had internationals. I tried to sign him at Swansea and we couldn’t as we had too many midfielders, so he knows how we feel about him."

Think it's safe to say we're going to see a lot of Smallbone this season, and he was very good today.

[ally_uk]

Yeah agreed I thought he was super today moved the ball around really well and showed alot of energy. 👏 

[revolution saint]

Agreed, I thought he was good too.  Good vision and moves the ball quickly - for a side that's going to be possession based I think he'll do well.   

[Fatboy40]

21 minutes ago, Saint Matty 76 said:

he was very good today.

Really? He certainly liked going sideways with the ball, just like at Gotzepe him paired with JWP was so dull.

[Give it to Ron]

25 minutes ago, Fatboy40 said:

Really? He certainly liked going sideways with the ball, just like at Gotzepe him paired with JWP was so dull.

Yes were you blind he ran the game maybe quit your dislike of certain players and watch what they do in a game. He played well today. Was positive and played forward unlike crab JWP at times

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

On 09/06/2023 at 15:07, West end Saints said:

I hope Stu leaves.

If nothing else to stop the optimism that he will play like the last good game he had, about 3 years ago, rather than the lazy, light weight, liability in possession player who may turn a game with a decent run, but is more likely to turn a game by giving the ball away leading to a goal against! 

He has been useless for years now. Get rid ASAP. 

 

 

I feel better now! 

I am an amateur at appraising players and their contribution to the team but Stuart Armstrong is a class act. He takes the game to the opposition, he can score goals, is articulate, intelligent and a good role model within the club. The Celtic fans loved him and I think he could have a fantastic influence at this level. COVID may not have helped him but I bet Martin is delighted to have him about because he would always say something sensible. At some point we have to draw a line and say this is what we've got to work with lets go for it.

[West end Saints]

3 or 4 years ago I would have agreed but sorry but I don't see anything from the last couple of years to say he offers very much at all to the team. 

Recently his bring dispossessed led to more goals against than he contributed for us. At his best I loved his driving runs, (but was concerned that they were often too deep and led to problems). 

 

He seems a lovely guy and this isn't personal. 

 

He only scored two goals last season, two the year before and four the year before that. 

Charlie got 4 in less than half of a relegation season, so hopefully we can move on. 

Also, without getting back to the Elyounoussi arguments about how good attacking players when defending, he is very weak and lazy, sometimes loses possession and watches the game, again the likes of Charlie or WS put a lot more effort in. 

Think it is time to wish him well and move him on. 

The only argument to keep would be if you want an older head on the bench maybe? 

 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

49 minutes ago, Sergei Gotsmanov said:

I am an amateur at appraising players and their contribution to the team but Stuart Armstrong is a class act. He takes the game to the opposition, he can score goals, is articulate, intelligent and a good role model within the club. The Celtic fans loved him and I think he could have a fantastic influence at this level. COVID may not have helped him but I bet Martin is delighted to have him about because he would always say something sensible. At some point we have to draw a line and say this is what we've got to work with lets go for it.

All that and lovely hair too. 🙂