January 2023 - Transfer Talk - Stick or Twist

Like I said - just the impression I had never having seen him play

 

He's the sort of player that does work you don't notice, breaks up play, moves the ball on to others, anchors midfield. The stuff that doesn't always get the praise it deserves. 'Putting your foot in' is generally not part of the game anymore.

 

He generally blocks passing lanes and shields the defence, we noticed big style against Burton how easily they ran through midfield when he wasn’t there. As you say he could do with a Callum Camps type midfielder next to him rather than a ‘tackler’. Out of the opposition we’ve played this season I can’t say I’ve seen anyone more of a tackler than Smallwood and I bet he’s up there in the tackles and interception stats.

 

Yes I'm not disagreeing with any of it and appreciate the job he does. Just saying I was expecting something different. Not better, just different.

 

What were you thinking expecting of him that he doesn't do?

 

As I have said I was expecting a more obvious enforcer type. I'm not complaining in any way about what we have got

 

The problem with what you propose is the fact the club would no longer be carefully managing Eisa's return. That responsibility would then shift to the loan club.

Hughes and team clearly see a talent in Eisa and they want to carefully phase him back in. Clubs want players ready to hit the ground running. If they took a punt on Eisa and loaned him until Jan, they would throw him into the thick of it. This would likely increase his risk of further injury, something Hughes and team wouldn't want.

 

Was shite.

 

One of our own etc

 

Best overall stats out of that bunch.

 

Love that as well as 13 goals, Cook is also the 6th best defender in the league! haha

 

Not for me Tony in the old definition of the “ enforcer” type midfield general. LO’B has more refinement than that. I don’t think they exist anymore perhaps?. All depends on the definition I suppose ?

 

Oh for a Micky Kennedy the guvnor

 

Or a Chris Kamara.

 

Imagine both in the same team.................... ouch

 

Yes that the old fashioned enforcer I had in mind Chippy, McCall wasn’t far off the same category at his pomp?

 

McCall was much more akin to Gary McAllister. Influential and clean.

Kennedy was a dirty two hat, probably the lovechild of Billy Bremner, who went through the back, committed snidey fouls behind the refs back, regularly punched people and thought nothing of kicking a player up in the air and punching him in the head on the way down. Until he came face to face with Kammy.