Freeman/Smith

[stokearab]

Like who? A Conway or GMS. Freeman is a great full back, running from deep, overlapping whoever is in front of him. He's used to playing with the game in front of him and exploiting openings made by others. He doesn't have the instant pace or the trickery that your ideal wide midfielder would have, and I wouldn't say he's skillful enough to create openings like the two aforementioned players did in their time here. I certainly wouldn't want Niskanen II if Niskanen I is anything to go by.

Ok so far so good, assuming we can find a CC or a GMS....no problemo
Who do you play at right back if Freeman gets injured in the first ten minutes?
Please don't answer Lewis Neilson 👍

[tHeArAb]

Ok so far so good, assuming we can find a CC or a GMS....no problemo
Who do you play at right back if Freeman gets injured in the first ten minutes?
Please don't answer Lewis Neilson 👍

As I said, Smith is a decent back up if he wanted to stay & compete with Freeman. If he doesn't, then whoever we signed as his replacement.

[Chick A Saw]

Like who? A Conway or GMS. Freeman is a great full back, running from deep, overlapping whoever is in front of him. He's used to playing with the game in front of him and exploiting openings made by others. He doesn't have the instant pace or the trickery that your ideal wide midfielder would have, and I wouldn't say he's skillful enough to create openings like the two aforementioned players did in their time here. I certainly wouldn't want Niskanen II if Niskanen I is anything to go by.

Are you sure you were at the west end of the Dode in the second half? I thought Freeman did show some trickery and pace, and while he isnt anything like the first 2 you mention, take away those defensive duties and maybe he can make his own name as a RM/RW.

Have to say, someone in the dode had me pishin masel at Niskanen when he was described as the Finnish Billy King!

[tHeArAb]

Are you sure you were at the west end of the Dode in the second half? I thought Freeman did show some trickery and pace, and while he isnt anything like the first 2 you mention, take away those defensive duties and maybe he can make his own name as a RM/RW.

Have to say, someone in the dode had me pishin masel at Niskanen when he was described as the Finnish Billy King!

Maybe he can, but why take him away from undoubtedly his best position right now, when we can fill that role with someone who's best position is actually wide right midfield? He's a superb full back. I'd like to keep him there. He'll will never be a CCFFS or a GMS. I'm sure sure the Dode West could turn him into a KFFFS mind you. 😜

The Finnish Billy King hahahaha!!

[Chick A Saw]

Maybe he can, but why take him away from undoubtedly his best position right now, when we can fill that role with someone who's best position is actually wide right midfield? He's a superb full back. I'd like to keep him there. He'll will never be a CCFFS or a GMS. I'm sure sure the Dode West could turn him into a KFFFS mind you. 😜

The Finnish Billy King hahahaha!!

I dont think anyone is saying this is a must do, just discussing an option to try, and its not that we would be entertaining the thought if the likes of Niskanen and Pawlett were showing as good enough for their place in the team.

In that vein, its not taking him away from that position, its trying a very good player a bit more forward with a quite good option behind him who will need some game time to complete his comeback, in a similar way that some excellent players did in the past.

Yeah, he will never be CCFFS or GMS, but you know who he is, our Sheep! And while McNulty, Pawlett, Niskanen, Levitt, Fuchs, Harkes and before the goals, Clark were getting pelters from the Dode FFS crew, there was always a wave of excitement coming through the area that for second half we were both in.

[tHeArAb]

I dont think anyone is saying this is a must do, just discussing an option to try, and its not that we would be entertaining the thought if the likes of Niskanen and Pawlett were showing as good enough for their place in the team.

In that vein, its not taking him away from that position, its trying a very good player a bit more forward with a quite good option behind him who will need some game time to complete his comeback, in a similar way that some excellent players did in the past.

Yeah, he will never be CCFFS or GMS, but you know who he is, our Sheep! And while McNulty, Pawlett, Niskanen, Levitt, Fuchs, Harkes and before the goals, Clark were getting pelters from the Dode FFS crew, there was always a wave of excitement coming through the area that for second half we were both in.

I'm not sure I've ever suggested anyone is saying it's a must do?

If I can put it a simpler way (since Watt played in front of Freeman for large parts) .....do you think Freeman could've played the Watt role in the second half last night? I don't. We'd be asking him to play with his back to goal half the time. It's not his game. His game is running onto the ball, always having play ahead of him. He reads the game a certain way as a full back. It's a different proposition playing further forward. This 'moving full backs into midfield' seems to have been an obsession with Utd fans for a while, moreso on the left however. I can't really think of any full backs who have progressed to middle of the park come to think of it.

Anyway, it's a bit of a pointless debate as it's not going to happen imo so I'll leave it there. Back to the OP....... Freeman over Smith every day of the week. 👍🏼

[stokearab]

I dont think anyone is saying this is a must do, just discussing an option to try, and its not that we would be entertaining the thought if the likes of Niskanen and Pawlett were showing as good enough for their place in the team.

In that vein, its not taking him away from that position, its trying a very good player a bit more forward with a quite good option behind him who will need some game time to complete his comeback, in a similar way that some excellent players did in the past.

Yeah, he will never be CCFFS or GMS, but you know who he is, our Sheep! And while McNulty, Pawlett, Niskanen, Levitt, Fuchs, Harkes and before the goals, Clark were getting pelters from the Dode FFS crew, there was always a wave of excitement coming through the area that for second half we were both in.

Good post. As you point out I wasn't saying it's a must do, just floating it as an idea. It would also make us more fluid and incredibly strong down the right side. I was a Shedboy then later the ETL when I could get there, so never heard any negativity 😎🧡

[Chick A Saw]

I'm not sure I've ever suggested anyone is saying it's a must do?

If I can put it a simpler way (since Watt played in front of Freeman for large parts) .....do you think Freeman could've played the Watt role in the second half last night? I don't. We'd be asking him to play with his back to goal half the time. It's not his game. His game is running onto the ball, always having play ahead of him. He reads the game a certain way as a full back. It's a different proposition playing further forward. This 'moving full backs into midfield' seems to have been an obsession with Utd fans for a while, moreso on the left however. I can't really think of any full backs who have progressed to middle of the park come to think of it.

Anyway, it's a bit of a pointless debate as it's not going to happen imo so I'll leave it there. Back to the OP....... Freeman over Smith every day of the week. ����

It may be pointless, but i love this kind of thing and find it better than the endless drivel about something insignificant up the road!

Not sure im getting your comparison to Watt as he only spent the last quarter of the game on the right after Niskanen came on the right initially, then swapped over not long after that. That playing with his back to goal is Watts game where he is looking to bring other into the game, like a flying Sheep as was demonstrated last night. I would be looking to Freeman replacing someone like Pawlett or Niskanen where he would be doing exactly what he is doing now from a more advanced position and looking to facing up to his opposing defender and getting into a position to get an effective cross in. Edit to say he is also a credible goal threat, something that playing in a more advanced position, he may benefit from.

You say its a United obsession, but its something that happened in the past where a number of players could comfortably cover a number of positions, something that we were maybe spoilt with. In the last number of years, i think we have been scunnered by lesser managers trying this and ending up with square pegs in round holes. That should not cloud the possibility that a player could do a job elsewhere. A (poor)case in point is Sporle who struggled at LB, but i thought early doors that he could play further forward. Since being played more forward, he has had one decent game at LB, and scored quite a few goals from LM.

[TerryTheTerror]

I think tHeArAb is right, it's a completely different proposition playing right midfield compared to full back. At right back the game is almost always in front of you, it's very rare to receive the ball with someone at your back. Also, the movement off the ball is totally different. It would take anyone a while to fully understand the position.

[ARAbCHNID]

Good opening post Stokey.
I'm loving Freeman, best celebrator when we score. Genuine Arab-ness.
He's only going to get better too & is learning fast.
(Like wandered on Tuesday to give Charles-Cook free rein for his goal.)
Worth remembering he did a Kerr Smith or a Scott Banks by going down south (Southampton) as a prodigious talent.
That was 5 years ago aged 16 but he suffered three injuries in his three years there and Southampton eventually let him go despite having previously extended his contract.
He came back to us, full fitness must have been confirmed and he was loaned to Peterhead for a season & a half (the Covid one) and played 22 games. Good toughening up I guess.
The rest is history in the making

Thanks be to Wicki.