Agree with this mate. His best performances for us were as a makeshift centre back. Him and Sanderson were good and you could see the partnership. He was also decent at full back. I even think he did a half decent job on occassion as a second number 10, scrapping to win second balls. I think CM is his weakest position personally. You need so much awareness to play in there and the old saying 'you need eyes in the back of your head'. Luke falls short in that area for me. Watch players like Neil (and I know he is splitting opinion at the minute), he is always scanning the whole pitch and is seeing things. He is aware of where the play is going to, that is something Luke doesnt have and will stop him being a player for the higher levels, in my opinion anyway. So much emphasis is on where the next 2 or 3 passes should be. I would be tempted to keep him for 1 more season, as we cant change everything all at once. He isnt the worst sub to bring on instead of a forward when defending a 1 goal lead. He also could do a job, on odd occassions, when suspensions kick in. Just my opinion.
Whether by luck or design some of the stuff this account has been tweeting about has come to pass if I’m not mistaken.
Something along the lines of "Alfie Mawson signing for a club, but I can't say who as he's asked me not to. It won't be Stoke though"
Mawson would be a quality signing as long as we could keep him fit. Nixon did say we were in for a free centre back so it would make sense.
Be him or hector who was mentioned on here earlier in the week, I have nothing to back this up like just seems the most likely if what Nixon says is true
Mawson still only 28 and was so highly rated previously. Could be another Pritchard-esque signing if its him. He only played 11 games on loan at Bristol City last year, unsure why so few
3 of them are weak as piss and slow though, and Embleton started as a 10 so he’s having to cover even more ground. That’s not a dig at Embleton because he’s not a centre midfielder at all and he’s been forced to play there so you can’t really complain about him.
I like Matete - think there's a lot of potential there. Personally think a loan move would be a bad idea though. We've got good coaches at the club and if he's going to improve it'll be a max of playing at a high level and good coaching. A loan to L1 wouldn't develop him imo.
Agree. L1 loan for the season to get some games under his belt. Ideally a team that a) plays decent football and b) will be in the top 6. Somewhere like an Oxford or MK Dons