Sam Clucas

[oafc1955]

What a signing this lad is!! He was head and shoulders above everyone on that pitch yesterday. 
He can definitely be a Jack Byrne, John Sheridan or a Sam Surridge for us.

He is so assured in possession and just oozes class.

He’s already shown he can play in a number of positions but he has to play in our midfield where he completely ran the show yesterday.

He’s going to be massive for us when he gets up to full fitness and will be key to bringing out the best in our younger players who will really benefit from playing alongside him.

We will need to look after him and keep him fit because he could well be the difference between us getting a playoff spot or going up automatically.

[TheBigDog]

43 minutes ago, oafc1955 said:

What a signing this lad is!! He was head and shoulders above everyone on that pitch yesterday…he has to play in our midfield where he completely ran the show yesterday.

 

Good signing I agree but he wasn’t the best player on the pitch yesterday… that was Norwood by a country mile

[Londonboy]

4 minutes ago, TheBigDog said:

Good signing I agree but he wasn’t the best player on the pitch yesterday… that was Norwood by a country mile

 

Didn't see the game but Norwood was back to his best by all accounts.

First name on the team sheet if fit every week for me.

Although some seem to not recognise or accept his class and would prefer GN9 or Drummond to start ahead of him.....baffling to me

[oafc1955]

15 minutes ago, TheBigDog said:

Good signing I agree but he wasn’t the best player on the pitch yesterday… that was Norwood by a country mile

Then you weren’t watching properly. There’s not doubt in my mind he’s going to make the difference!

If he stays fit then IMO he’ll be POS come May!!

 

[mcfluff]

28 minutes ago, Londonboy said:

Didn't see the game but Norwood was back to his best by all accounts.

First name on the team sheet if fit every week for me.

Although some seem to not recognise or accept his class and would prefer GN9 or Drummond to start ahead of him.....baffling to me

Well, yes. Because Norwood wasn't playing, then wasn't great. Last season he was poor at the end of the season so can see why plenty wanted Fondop to continue starting and not sure how you could think that is a bad thing. You play your in form players.

 

Simple. 

 

While Norwood is playing well and scoring he starts. If he drops off and someone else is doing it, they start

[TheBigDog]

55 minutes ago, oafc1955 said:

Then you weren’t watching properly. There’s not doubt in my mind he’s going to make the difference!

If he stays fit then IMO he’ll be POS come May!!

 

We’re talking about yesterday though and you are entitled to your opinion but ‘head and shoulders above everyone’? Nah…

 

I think it’s you who wasn’t watching properly

[yarddog73]

1 minute ago, TheBigDog said:

We’re talking about yesterday though and you are entitled to your opinion but ‘head and shoulders above everyone’? Nah…

 

I think it’s you who wasn’t watching properly

I thought Caprice had his best game for us yesterday and normally would have picked up MOM any other week, Norwood was sublime though on and off the ball. Clucas, Sutton, Ogle all get special mentions.

[disjointed]

27 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

I thought Caprice had his best game for us yesterday and normally would have picked up MOM any other week, Norwood was sublime though on and off the ball. Clucas, Sutton, Ogle all get special mentions.

Caprice was so far away from the player that got subbed at half time earlier in the season when he looked looked like a stranger that had wandered on to the pitch. Well done that man. 

[Hemel latic]

Clucas oozed class. He's looks really fit and mobile, belies his 34 years, Great eye for a pass and makes himself available for the ball. Already signs of a great partnership with Conlon and Lundstram in midfield. I was worried Conlon and Clucas wouldn't be able to play in the same team but that appears to be mistaken, Conlon was able to play higher up the pitch with Clucas in the team and looked better for it. The way the midfield three found space and made themselves available for the ball was really encouraging.  

[Gaz_Oafc]

Good that we're arguing over who's been the best for the right reasons and not who's the least shit!

 

I'd also like to put Kitchings name forward who I thought was finished here at one point.

[disjointed]

6 minutes ago, Gaz_Oafc said:

Good that we're arguing over who's been the best for the right reasons and not who's the least shit!

 

I'd also like to put Kitchings name forward who I thought was finished here at one point.

The wing back role suits Kitching, if we play a flat back 4 it stifles him, fair play to him for coming back to be an integral part of the team. 

[Bobby and Bert]

For me (as a former Defender in my playing days), Ogle was superb yesterday. He never put a foot wrong. His passing and reading of the game in front of him was excellent, as was his runs forward with the ball. He won most of the aerial duels, even though he's not tallest. How he came to be playing in a division lower last season is incredible. He is consistant every game and always gives 100%.  But when Norwood scores his 1st hat trick since 2013 and plays has he did then he has to be MOM.

Looking forward to games now but the stand out must be v York on Boxing day. Must be a big crowd for that.

As for Clucas. I spoke to a Stoke City relative today and he was impressed that Latics had got him. He said he rarely had a bad game at Stoke and if he stays fit he could well make the difference for us.

[Dave_Og]

7 hours ago, Bobby and Bert said:

For me (as a former Defender in my playing days), Ogle was superb yesterday. He never put a foot wrong. His passing and reading of the game in front of him was excellent, as was his runs forward with the ball. He won most of the aerial duels, even though he's not tallest. How he came to be playing in a division lower last season is incredible. He is consistant every game and always gives 100%.  But when Norwood scores his 1st hat trick since 2013 and plays has he did then he has to be MOM.

Looking forward to games now but the stand out must be v York on Boxing day. Must be a big crowd for that.

As for Clucas. I spoke to a Stoke City relative today and he was impressed that Latics had got him. He said he rarely had a bad game at Stoke and if he stays fit he could well make the difference for us.

A Hull supporting mate said much the same re Clucas

[LightDN123]

For some bizzare reason, Clucas is a player I have followed since he was at Hereford. 
 

If we can keep him fit, he could be the signing which takes us to the next level. Him Conlon and Lundstram have more than enough to allow us to control games. 
 

It’s an interesting time. 

[the_mighty_bosh]

He's a player that I don't want to go overboard about until he's got a good number of games under his belt (10 games plus of similar quality).

 

That said, the dummy for the 3rd goal on Saturday (and the assist at Tranmere) show awareness that's well above this level.

[LightDN123]

If he is still the player he has been for the last 10 years and he stays fit, he will take the piss in this league. 

[longtimeblue]

Looks good for 34, too. I'd have guessed mid-20s looking at his interview. 

[Dickie Down]

I thought he and Conlon worked very well together on Saturday, often in quite a low key manner.

 

He looks in very good shape and it will be interesting all round if he does well.

 

Given his contract is to the end of the season, a good season would probably take him back to the EFL. Hopefully with us!

 

All in all seems a very good piece of business all round.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

It's a good example of the calibre of player we can now attract in comparison to last summer. Players definitely want to be playing for a team that looks like it's going places and the restructure by MM demonstrates that. I know we brought in Norwood, and to some extent Raglan, but the rest of the signings just weren't at that same level. Anyone who were coming in from L1 or L2 were either washed up, injury riddled and just looking for a last payday. I've been really impressed with almost every signing and even some such as Conlon are beginning to show what they bring to the table.

 

It's fine splashing the cash, but there has to be something tangible behind it to buy into in order to get players you need to get you out of the division. 

[deyres42]

46 minutes ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

It's a good example of the calibre of player we can now attract in comparison to last summer. Players definitely want to be playing for a team that looks like it's going places and the restructure by MM demonstrates that. I know we brought in Norwood, and to some extent Raglan, but the rest of the signings just weren't at that same level. Anyone who were coming in from L1 or L2 were either washed up, injury riddled and just looking for a last payday. I've been really impressed with almost every signing and even some such as Conlon are beginning to show what they bring to the table.

 

It's fine splashing the cash, but there has to be something tangible behind it to buy into in order to get players you need to get you out of the division. 

Joe Garner entered the group chat...

[LightDN123]

2 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Joe Garner entered the group chat...

Joe Garner is our 5th choice striker currently. Still baffled how he got a two year deal. 

Edited November 18, 2024 by LightDN123

[daniel]

1 minute ago, LightDN123 said:

Joe Garner is our 5th choice striker currently. Still baffled how he got a two year deal. 

He got one and a half but I do tend to agree on that one. I’ve praised MM for his signing's but this one hasn’t been the best. 
One thing I will add though is that Garner doesn’t look like he’s just come for 1 last pay day. When he plays he puts in max effort and has shown he can be a decent option at times. It’s the injuries that seem to he catching up with him. I don’t expect to see him all that much for the remainder of the season. 

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

1 hour ago, deyres42 said:

Joe Garner entered the group chat...

 

1 hour ago, daniel said:

He got one and a half but I do tend to agree on that one. I’ve praised MM for his signing's but this one hasn’t been the best. 
One thing I will add though is that Garner doesn’t look like he’s just come for 1 last pay day. When he plays he puts in max effort and has shown he can be a decent option at times. It’s the injuries that seem to he catching up with him. I don’t expect to see him all that much for the remainder of the season. 

 

This essentially. TBF, when Norwood was out in February he stepped up, scored some important goals and was playing through the pain barrier to get through the end of last season. He's a decent pro and can still play a part in those tight 1-0's when you just need to manage out a game and get the result.

[Lukers1]

4 hours ago, daniel said:

He got one and a half but I do tend to agree on that one. I’ve praised MM for his signing's but this one hasn’t been the best. 
One thing I will add though is that Garner doesn’t look like he’s just come for 1 last pay day. When he plays he puts in max effort and has shown he can be a decent option at times. It’s the injuries that seem to he catching up with him. I don’t expect to see him all that much for the remainder of the season. 

As big Joe said..

 

” you can’t have enough strikers in a squad”.

 

It only takes a couple of injuries in a week. Joe is a proven goal scorer and would just drop into the attack if needed and probably score

[Littlemoor Lad]

4 hours ago, LightDN123 said:

Joe Garner is our 5th choice striker currently. Still baffled how he got a two year deal. 

I'd still have Garner over the other Joe

He'll more than prove his worth if we end up in the play offs but let's hope we can better that.