Guest tractorboy Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Town fan in peace. Just thought I'd make you all feel good and tell you how annoying it is to see Wickham playing, and playing well, albeit for about 60 minutes, for another Championship club. Having had first refusal on him, I can't believe we didn't use it, in January, or even last summer. What impressed you about him on Saturday, and how good was he? Confident on securing champ status? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eaton_Swfc Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 He said in his first interview you lot were in for him but he wanted a step up in his career and chose us instead. But in all seriousness, reyt partnership with Lita. Looked class Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanharper Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Held the ball up well, some Premiership quality touches, put himself about. Unfortunately we didn't create any goalscoring opportunities for him but hopefully we will in the coming games. I didn't actually realise he was that big, expected someone smaller and nippier (I mainly remember him for that great goal for Ipswich when he went the length of the pitch) but he seemed to be more of a skilful target man. Hopefully we'll be able to keep him as long as possible after the initial month, I think he'll really suit our direct style and he should have the goals in his locker to keep us up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEnchanter Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I'm very confident we'll stay up and be comfortable with the force that is Leroy Lita and Connor Wickham upfront. Wickham seemed a class above, some of his movement, ball retention and passing was exquisite. Simple and effective. Hopefully our run of form will continue. You have picked up a lot since we beat you 3-0. Saw your fantastic 4-0 against Middlesbrough the other week, how confident are you of survival? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiJ Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 His hold up play and ability to find a player was a cut above anything we've had this season. 20 years old and yet their are qualities to his game that the likes of Madine (22) are sorely lacking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEnchanter Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 (edited) Like someone said the other day, you can see why we bought Madine for 800k and Wickham was bought for £8Mill. Edited February 11, 2013 by TheEnchanter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesteel Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Madine is taking a bit of a beating and he's no Wickham, but he isn't a target man or shouldn't be relied on as one IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesteel Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 The same kind of striker as Steve Maclean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEnchanter Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I know Madine isn't a target man! Yet he trains everyday with these people at the club, Megson, DJ etc. They always play him as a target man, or he is always with his back to goal. Can't we either adjust the way he is supplied or make it clear that he needs to improve or adjust certain parts of his game to become what he is best capable of. But after numerous appearances this year not much has changed, he goes down like a sack of spuds and spends 80% of the time receiving balls played up to him whilst he is backing into the defender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesteel Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Thats a lower league journeyman then Or 11 goals at this level for Wednesday until he got a second serious injury in two years. He was never the same after the injury at Cardiff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesteel Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I know Madine isn't a target man! Yet he trains everyday with these people at the club, Megson, DJ etc. They always play him as a target man, or he is always with his back to goal. Can't we either adjust the way he is supplied or make it clear that he needs to improve or adjust certain parts of his game to become what he is best capable of. But after numerous appearances this year not much has changed, he goes down like a sack of spuds and spends 80% of the time receiving balls played up to him whilst he is backing into the defender. We want to use him as one, which is why DJ wants him to bulk up. But I don't think he should be used as one until he does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEnchanter Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 We want to use him as one, which is why DJ wants him to bulk up. But I don't think he should be used as one until he does. Same, but then you have to question the people who train him and train with him. If Gary wants to play a certain way then surely he'd tell DJ that he doesn't feel he can do a job as a target man? I don't know why DJ doesn't see that he isn't the player that most of the fans think he should be, does that make him wrong or the fans wrong? It's just frustrating watching a guy who clearly has bags of talent kind of waste away by playing in a way that really doesn't look like it suits him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SallyCinnamon Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Brilliant, best centre forward performance i've seen at Hillsborough in quite some time and he didn't even score! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesteel Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Same, but then you have to question the people who train him and train with him. If Gary wants to play a certain way then surely he'd tell DJ that he doesn't feel he can do a job as a target man? I don't know why DJ doesn't see that he isn't the player that most of the fans think he should be, does that make him wrong or the fans wrong? It's just frustrating watching a guy who clearly has bags of talent kind of waste away by playing in a way that really doesn't look like it suits him. From interviews I get the impression Madine likes battling with centre halves so perhaps he likes the Andy Carroll role, he mentioned he was a favourite of his. But just in my humble opinion he is more of a predatory striker unless he beefs up, but we also have a better predator in Lita. As for Wickham, haven't seen him for us yet, but when I've seen him for Sunderland and England U21s he's looked to attack the space between central defenders with power and looks like a good old fashioned centre forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest phshaw Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 His hold up play and ability to find a player was a cut above anything we've had this season. 20 years old and yet their are qualities to his game that the likes of Madine (22) are sorely lacking. I agree what you say about Wickham but let's not bring Madine into the equation. Madine may be 22 and whilst he doesn't have any outstanding attributes he does a lot of things reasonably well and is still developing. Players develop at different rates, Lineker didn't get near an England squad until he was 25. Wickham on the other hand is the most talented English teenage (he is still only 19) striker in the country and cost a fortune. I expect him to gain many full caps for England and it's going to be an exciting end to the season if we can keep him until May. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEnchanter Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 If Madine cant be a target man - size and some added strength says he should - could someone offer an explanation what he could offer the team? You just need to look through his goals last season and assess the damage he can cause to opposition defences, with his face to goal he has a decent shot on him and scored some good goals. He also has a bit of predatory instinct about him like Bluesteel said. In my opinion he can still be involved in linking up play but primarily we should be looking to feed him on the floor in positions closer to the opposition penalty area and not by hoofing it to him in the centre circle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesteel Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 If Madine cant be a target man - size and some added strength says he should - could someone offer an explanation what he could offer the team? He can be, but shouldn't be relied on as one now. Doesn't mean he doesn't have goals in him though if we create enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tractorboy Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 His hold up play and ability to find a player was a cut above anything we've had this season. 20 years old and yet their are qualities to his game that the likes of Madine (22) are sorely lacking. He's doesn't even turn 20 until the end of March. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theowlsman Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 We now call him The Trolley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bald Owl Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Looked absolute class and for me had some similar traits to the legend David Hirst. Big strong good on the ball and great touch. We'll definitely stay up had this been mid point having only lost 1 in 10 I'd have fancied play offs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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