I think he will be a good signing, possibly in the mold of Josh Cullen. I know he is on loan now but could he be one for the future either by signing permenantly or by getting a second season loan (like Josh).
He looks strong, fast and quick thinking which is something that I think we have missed in our midfield this season.
Not sure he looks particularly quick in that video, but has to be an upgrade on Prats and Watson!
He looked good for Swindon when we played them, feel sorry for Swindon fans with us pinching two of their best players. Feel like the sort of thing that happens to us
Swindon fans were already raging at losing Doyle and Wellens strung some ok results together and been competitive then that happens to them
Serves them right for beating us that season we had a whip round for them when we won the league
Our last loan (Bielik) from Arsenal was very good and helped us get promoted through go playoffs, hope for a deja-but although rather an automatic please.
Bow said "if we play a diamond he's a 10 or an 8" "He's like Shinnie" and "I want to turn him into a box to box midfielder".
How are people getting he's gonna play the Pratley role from that? Literally listed every midfield role except the Pratley role.
Agreed, no way will he be doing the dirty work in midfield
Indeed I'm still struggling to see how he'll fit in our team, especially if we play 442 as we now have 2 wingers that you'd expect to be regular starters in most matches.
His best chance is if we play a diamond with DJ as one of the strikers, as with Millar on the left he can play at the top of the diamond. Or a 433 with 3 midfielders
Bow said "if we play a diamond he's a 10 or an 8" "He's like Shinnie" and "I want to turn him into a box to box midfielder".
How are people getting he's gonna play the Pratley role from that? Literally listed every midfield role except the Pratley role.
If we pay attention to Bowyer, he makes it very clear with his intentions. He's pretty consistent and often it's easy to guess what he'll do next.
And yes, he's no doubt going to use Matt Smith in the Shinnie role ........ Smith has the same reverse pass and killer ball ability as Shinnie. Shinnie himself was a big miss when he was out 6 weeks with injury.
Bowyer's not going to risk again being left short if Shinnie gets injured - he's now got a ready made 'double'; a 'like-for-like' with whom to rest Shinnie or to replace from the bench; or vice versa.
Shinnie's also 31 and maybe Bow thinks Smith has the young legs to cover more ground box to box - which is what he loves most in a midfielder, apart from scoring goals, of course!
”should hit the ground running” (Bowyer) = Trips over his own feet
“he’ll complement our team and the way we play” (Gallen) = Won't get picked, but he'll say nice things when he's standing on the touchline
Seriously though, Welcome Matt. I think this may be the first time in our history that we've had two players with identical names (I'll check later). Good job we have a numbering system to distinguish him from Matt Smith (V895).
We've had two David Campbells IIRC. I saw the second one play but not the first.
I remember the first David Campbell was a young centre half who came through the youth system here. Broke into the 1st team as a teenager and established himself quickly.
Then got destroyed by the bullying of his manager, Andy Nelson.
And quit football at 21 or something.
Didn't he go to school at the Roan in Blackheath? His namesake came from Forest I think or is my memory playing tricks again.
Edit; @aliwibble memory was good at least on the ex Forest Campbell (Brian Clough was the manager) signed for £75k in 1987.
Yes, a few years older than me. Worked in the city and made his fortune.
I played with him in the same team at Wyborne Primary School - his Dad had played for Hearts and they lived in Footscray Road. He was a brilliant player, not even sure why he gave up so early maybe injury. Anyway, became a millionaire with deals in the City
He gave up because he believed he had a better future working in the City (he was right).
Forgot about him. Went from being a main starter in the Swindon team to MIA at Charlton. Strange that two January signings have both been rarely used since they signed, him and Schwartz struggling to make the bench.
Not being picked doesn't make him a bad player, he's not had a run to be judged fairly either way. We know Shinnie is a good player but clearly Gilbey is a better fit in the way Adkins wants to play - he's quicker making him more suited to pressing high up the pitch and supporting the front three.
A bit below the belt. We missed Shinnie when he was injured and did not have a replacement. This kid was bought in to play if he was out again. He wasn’t and is now out of favour under a new manager. It does not make the decision wrong.
Different system under Adkins. Not really surprising that some players who appear not to fit Adkins systems are not being used.
That's very true. The recruitment in Bowyer's 1st 3 transfer windows was very much round pegs for round holes. Despite the fact that the 3rd window was, by championship standards, lacking in quality, through no fault of Bowyer or Gallen. The 4th window doesn't count.
The 5th and 6th one seemed to be a bit more of get as many good players as we can and we will work the rest out later.
Maybe it was just for numbers, flexibility, necessity, they didn't get the final piece of the jigsaw? I have no idea.
There are mitigating circumstances of course but it makes a massive difference when you our under a cap on the number of players in the squad and you have 2 or 3 that you can't, or won't, pick.
Comments
"Very good technician & passer of the ball. Midfielder with good game insight"
So technically good and has a football brain...sounds promising
Swindon fans were already raging at losing Doyle and Wellens strung some ok results together and been competitive then that happens to them
Serves them right for beating us that season we had a whip round for them when we won the league
How are people getting he's gonna play the Pratley role from that? Literally listed every midfield role except the Pratley role.
Rob Beckett discovered a possible love child on a recent TV series ... could this be another one?
Indeed I'm still struggling to see how he'll fit in our team, especially if we play 442 as we now have 2 wingers that you'd expect to be regular starters in most matches.
His best chance is if we play a diamond with DJ as one of the strikers, as with Millar on the left he can play at the top of the diamond. Or a 433 with 3 midfielders
And yes, he's no doubt going to use Matt Smith in the Shinnie role ........ Smith has the same reverse pass and killer ball ability as Shinnie.
Shinnie himself was a big miss when he was out 6 weeks with injury.
Bowyer's not going to risk again being left short if Shinnie gets injured - he's now got a ready made 'double'; a 'like-for-like' with whom to rest Shinnie or to replace from the bench; or vice versa.
Shinnie's also 31 and maybe Bow thinks Smith has the young legs to cover more ground box to box - which is what he loves most in a midfielder, apart from scoring goals, of course!
Stats say only 3 assists. Clearly not good enough.
That worked out well for both players !!
We missed Shinnie when he was injured and did not have a replacement. This kid was bought in to play if he was out again. He wasn’t and is now out of favour under a new manager. It does not make the decision wrong.
Different system under Adkins.
Not really surprising that some players who appear not to fit Adkins systems are not being used.
The 5th and 6th one seemed to be a bit more of get as many good players as we can and we will work the rest out later.
Maybe it was just for numbers, flexibility, necessity, they didn't get the final piece of the jigsaw? I have no idea.
There are mitigating circumstances of course but it makes a massive difference when you our under a cap on the number of players in the squad and you have 2 or 3 that you can't, or won't, pick.