Our main consistent threat in 2nd half of season. Toothless without him. He enjoyed it here, why has he gone? Hope we have Ofiah up our sleeve, but doubt he can cross as well on his wrong foot.
He has gone because a) he was offered more money and longer contract than we believed he was worth and/or b) he didn't want to stay at Charlton.
Describing Small as a cheat code is absolutely hilarious/insane.
Did you see many games this season? Him and Campbell terrorised defenders post December. This denial he was ever any good sounds like post break up comforting.
He had plenty of games where he was very good. But he also had games where he was anonymous.
Typically you knew what kind of game was coming based on whether he got the better of his full back in the first 10 minutes or not.
Most likey leave again next summer to get to his target
This is the first decent contract he has ever been given in his football career. Stop making out he is some money grabbing arsehole. He’s a professional footballer trying to earn a living in a brutal profession.
If you know how much better it is than the one offered by us, then please do share the details. I will bet a gold plated spanner that you don't know, mind.
This is the crux of it really. If rumours were true and he was (this season) on less than 3k a week. Depending on our offer the gap between ours and Preston could've meant he has at least doubled his wage going there.
Sure i read somewhere that Preston were quadrupling his wages.
If so then i'd take that to mean he was on 2.5 or 3k a week here and he's going to be on 10 or 12k there. At a rough guess i'd say we offered him around 7-8k a week to stay. I'm sceptical of our offer though, we probably knew he wouldn't accept it and we made the offer so that we're entitled to some compensation.
Preston….. Hmmm…. Like Living in Sandbanks and choosing to go to Clacton for your Holidays.
Can’t, see him following in the Yann May or Taylor history of leavers we talk about years later.
The southeast is overcrowded & full of ‘me, me, me’ wankers. On £520k a year, I am sure if he wanted to, he could buy a lovely house in a lovely Lancashire village with lots of character and charm.
He could buy up half of Burnley - who cares ?
Or a really nice house in a beautiful Lancashire village, without a Greggs, vape shop, or Nandos in sight… like I said.
You do know nice villages aren’t exclusively a northern thing.
True. But the tired old trope of “the north is a shithole” is lazy and boring. I’m not sure how Small will cope with living inbetween the Dales and the Lakes. Sounds horrible.
Brother lives outside Manchester in a small village and there is that underlying North v South bias…get it when I order a beer up there…the city of Manchester was ok as there are so many southerners
Having slept on it and watched that, I’m strongly of the opinion that if Jones had really wanted Thierry, this move wouldn’t happen. Confidence player, I suspect Thierry likes to play in an expressive way and I don’t think that’s Jones priority way.
I’ll hold judgement on whether it was the right decision to not fight harder for Small once we replace and how we line up. I don’t think it will be a like for like player in terms of style though. As someone else rightly pointed out, Small wasn’t in Jones’ starting plans until injuries dictated.
He turned out though to be one of our main attacking threats from wide and we effectively changed our style of play as a result. It also helped TC massively as when Small played on the right, defensively opposing teams had to shape more to the right to potentially double up on Small.
His replacement must be able to offer similar pace and attacking threat on the right to balance out and draw attention away from TC on the left. Our up turn in form coincided heavily with Small starting at RWB and our drop off in scoring and TC being marked out of games, from Wrexham on, at the end of the season also coincided with him being absent/not fully fit. His replacement is going to be one of, if not the, key signing of the summer, imo.
Having slept on it and watched that, I’m strongly of the opinion that if Jones had really wanted Thierry, this move wouldn’t happen. Confidence player, I suspect Thierry likes to play in an expressive way and I don’t think that’s Jones priority way.
I’ll hold judgement on whether it was the right decision to not fight harder for Small once we replace and how we line up. I don’t think it will be a like for like player in terms of style though. As someone else rightly pointed out, Small wasn’t in Jones’ starting plans until injuries dictated.
He turned out though to be one of our main attacking threats from wide and we effectively changed our style of play as a result. It also helped TC massively as when Small played on the right, defensively opposing teams had to shape more to the right to potentially double up on Small.
His replacement must be able to offer similar pace and attacking threat on the right to balance out and draw attention away from TC on the left. Our up turn in form coincided heavily with Small starting at RWB and our drop off in scoring and TC being marked out of games, from Wrexham on, at the end of the season also coincided with him being absent/not fully fit. His replacement is going to be one of, if not the, key signing of the summer, imo.
If that’s code for something approaching disbelief, exasperation and ridicule then I’m sure it still won’t be sufficient
Let's wait and see, afterall it was a simple thought, merely a suggestion. Especially seeing as KD is seen as more ready at National level than TC, despite TC being bigger, better from what we have seen and more experienced.
You can talk about potential all you like, but he’s helped us enormously, so I say good luck to the lad. hopefully what ever he achieves at Preston they are below us in the league.
Describing Small as a cheat code is absolutely hilarious/insane.
Did you see many games this season? Him and Campbell terrorised defenders post December. This denial he was ever any good sounds like post break up comforting.
Being good and a cheat code are two entirely different things. A league one club spending £15m on a striker is a cheat code. Small is the former of the two adjectives.
Just my take - for a full back, he wasn’t brilliant defensively, and against better opposition in the Championship he’ll need to up his game in that department, especially going to a club who like us will be happy to stay in the division.
Likewise going forward, he’s exciting but wasteful. I’d expect a ‘cheat-code’ to finish the season with better than 3 assists and 2 goals.
Not to be overly negative, he’s only 20 and has bags of potential. He’s going to need nurturing and really looking after mentally to fulfil that promise.
I don’t blame him for leaving for more money, but I also don’t blame us for
He was good, brilliant, cheat code, whatever, he was part of an exceptional team that blitzed the league after December. It’s a performance I’m proud of and I am proud of Small’s contribution. I still think NJ got the best out of him and it will take a good manager to get the best out of him in the future.
I genuinely doubt we will have been promoted without the extended contribution from Small ……or someone very much like him. The failure in January to bring in even a hint of support in wide attacking areas was really weird.
It was a real leap of faith by NJ in a young talent to which I feel Small has paid little respect.
Though both struggled at times notable praise is due to both (Campbell &) Small. Yes it’s valid to argue to his end product but even as an unknown no L1 defence was going to ignore his pace, physical presence & natural skills. With Campbell semi established, Small, as almost a last chance option, unexpectedly provided a hitherto unseen balance to the side opening channels for others to play. Beyond Campbell we literally had no one else to do that.
Having rarely played the role at a senior level for him to churn out circa 30 starts was a great effort. Yes, he needed to be supported/ cajoled by NJ, the coaching staff and above all the stellar performances from Ramsay behind him but Thierry did his job pretty well.
I feel some are doing John Fortune a disservice.I do not dismiss the value of the 4yr deal in Preston. It is the same cost of living journey we travelled with Bauer but I doubt we were too far away from the length of contact, though based on his EFL career to date, amidst a Championship rebuild, I am not sure I’m funding him a £2.3m contract.
The best clue is in the line “ he saw Preston as a best fit”.
I have no doubt he enjoyed his extended sojourn in the attacking third ……but he is by no means the finished article and as of now ……it has to about game time.
Remember after early career promise he couldn’t get a game at a higher status club in Southampton nor seemingly impress at any loan venue. Stuff any uneasy relationship. NJ changed his landscape but as an EFL novice Small needed to observe clear disciplines. It is not a friggin tea party.
Yet for all the potential long term upside did he/ did he not get the starting LB /LWB nod over Josh Edwards?
No he didn’t. Is it going to change going forward? Maybe ….maybe not.
In terms of RW/RWB where he only has 30 games under his belt, you don’t think we might strengthen our Championship attacking options? If so might Small again struggle to win the starting shirt.
Thats a tough call to make and to take particularly if other options are on the table
Equally is the club then really going to pay £11k p/w to someone to sit on the bench?
In truth a club of Preston’s status, with that pay package, feels about right.
It is a real shame because in truth he owes NJ big time - his first 15 EFL game run at LWB supported by Dobson and a 30 game stint in the RW/RWB slot supported by KR. NJs’ polite comment suggests he was not impressed with Smalls’ choice but that’s football.
I can but thank the lad for his contribution, wish him well and hope he gets the right support from Heckingbottom. As a front line selection on such money there are a whole lot of different expectations and pressures to handle.
We will need to adapt our way of playing, not just because we’ve lost Small. 2 mobile forwards and some added midfield creativity might allow us to play a more orthodox 352, although whoever plays RWB will have to be good going forwards as Edwards is more of a defender - admittedly a good one .
We will need to adapt our way of playing, not just because we’ve lost Small. 2 mobile forwards and some added midfield creativity might allow us to play a more orthodox 352, although whoever plays RWB will have to be good going forwards as Edwards is more of a defender - admittedly a good one .
Yeah maybe we will change our way of playing but be good to stick with what have been playing also,having different options and a plan b other than lumping it up there will always help especially in a division were teams will be better on the ball,we need first team signings.
In Preston pubs last night, folks not overly positive about anything football, which is normal. Risdale, Risdale, Hemmings junior, Risdale, money, money and Risdale about sums up the conversations. Oh and TS? Meh. Apparently they are also getting a new pitch and looking to host fights and concerts etc to increase revenue streams. After the boxing at Barnsley and Ipswich maybe CAFC should look to get busier on that front too.
Small made an important contribution, and he had that entertaining factor. I want to thank him for that, and wish him well in the future. Of the players we have remaining at the club probably Kahiem Dixon is his closest replacement.
Describing Small as a cheat code is absolutely hilarious/insane.
Did you see many games this season? Him and Campbell terrorised defenders post December. This denial he was ever any good sounds like post break up comforting.
Both did very well against lower league one opposition, both were kept quiet by the better sides in the league.
Both will continue to develop but neither are anywhere near a 'cheat code' currently.
I liked Small, probably one of my favourite players but as the season went on his indecisiveness when running at teams wasted opportunity after opportunity.
Same goes for Campbell, but Campbell created more good opportunities. They only got 4 assists between them.
For the stat nerds out there: Tyreece Campbell boasts 44 appearances, 3277 minutes played, and 6 goals, while Thierry Small has 39 appearances, 2863 minutes played, and 2 goals, according to Opta Analyst. Campbell also has an xG (expected goals) of 3.2, compared to Small's 2.9, suggesting a slightly higher goal-scoring chance based on his play,
He undoubtedly needs replacing, but I don't think his 3 assists and 2 goals will be too difficult to replace.
Our main consistent threat in 2nd half of season. Toothless without him. He enjoyed it here, why has he gone? Hope we have Ofiah up our sleeve, but doubt he can cross as well on his wrong foot.
I liked Small, probably one of my favourite players but as the season went on his indecisiveness when running at teams wasted opportunity after opportunity.
Same goes for Campbell, but Campbell created more good opportunities. They only got 4 assists between them.
For the stat nerds out there: Tyreece Campbell boasts 44 appearances, 3277 minutes played, and 6 goals, while Thierry Small has 39 appearances, 2863 minutes played, and 2 goals, according to Opta Analyst. Campbell also has an xG (expected goals) of 3.2, compared to Small's 2.9, suggesting a slightly higher goal-scoring chance based on his play,
He undoubtedly needs replacing, but I don't think his 3 assists and 2 goals will be too difficult to replace.
Maybe not if you look at raw numbers, but Small's effectiveness is generally more in the intangibles for me - the fact he keeps players guessing and can bring a spark out of absolutely nothing on occasion means he's a player that is very hard for other teams to plan around and account for, even if it doesn't directly lead to goals.
That kind of "x factor" WILL be harder to replace. Hopefully we've already got a few ideas about how to do it though.
Comments
He has gone because a) he was offered more money and longer contract than we believed he was worth and/or b) he didn't want to stay at Charlton.
If so then i'd take that to mean he was on 2.5 or 3k a week here and he's going to be on 10 or 12k there. At a rough guess i'd say we offered him around 7-8k a week to stay. I'm sceptical of our offer though, we probably knew he wouldn't accept it and we made the offer so that we're entitled to some compensation.
But then the one opting for KD is Steve McLaren
hopefully what ever he achieves at Preston they are below us in the league.
It was a real leap of faith by NJ in a young talent to which I feel Small has paid little respect.
Though both struggled at times notable praise is due to both (Campbell &) Small. Yes it’s valid to argue to his end product but even as an unknown no L1 defence was going to ignore his pace, physical presence & natural skills. With Campbell semi established, Small, as almost a last chance option, unexpectedly provided a hitherto unseen balance to the side opening channels for others to play.
Beyond Campbell we literally had no one else to do that.
Having rarely played the role at a senior level for him to churn out circa 30 starts was a great effort. Yes, he needed to be supported/ cajoled by NJ, the coaching staff and above all the stellar performances from Ramsay behind him but Thierry did his job pretty well.
I feel some are doing John Fortune a disservice.I do not dismiss the value of the 4yr deal in Preston. It is the same cost of living journey we travelled with Bauer but I doubt we were too far away from the length of contact, though based on his EFL career to date, amidst a Championship rebuild, I am not sure I’m funding him a £2.3m contract.
I have no doubt he enjoyed his extended sojourn in the attacking third ……but he is by no means the finished article and as of now ……it has to about game time.
Remember after early career promise he couldn’t get a game at a higher status club in Southampton nor seemingly impress at any loan venue. Stuff any uneasy relationship. NJ changed his landscape but as an EFL novice Small needed to observe clear disciplines. It is not a friggin tea party.
Yet for all the potential long term upside did he/ did he not get the starting LB /LWB nod over Josh Edwards?
No he didn’t. Is it going to change going forward? Maybe ….maybe not.
In terms of RW/RWB where he only has 30 games under his belt, you don’t think we might strengthen our Championship attacking options? If so might Small again struggle to win the starting shirt.
Thats a tough call to make and to take particularly if other options are on the table
Equally is the club then really going to pay £11k p/w to someone to sit on the bench?
In truth a club of Preston’s status, with that pay package, feels about right.
It is a real shame because in truth he owes NJ big time - his first 15 EFL game run at LWB supported by Dobson and a 30 game stint in the RW/RWB slot supported by KR. NJs’ polite comment suggests he was not impressed with Smalls’ choice but that’s football.
I can but thank the lad for his contribution, wish him well and hope he gets the right support from Heckingbottom. As a front line selection on such money there are a whole lot of different expectations and pressures to handle.
Oh and TS? Meh. Apparently they are also getting a new pitch and looking to host fights and concerts etc to increase revenue streams. After the boxing at Barnsley and Ipswich maybe CAFC should look to get busier on that front too.
I want to thank him for that, and wish him well in the future.
Of the players we have remaining at the club probably Kahiem Dixon is his closest replacement.
A big loss presumably dictated by our limited finances. Enjoyed watching him play.
Both will continue to develop but neither are anywhere near a 'cheat code' currently.
Same goes for Campbell, but Campbell created more good opportunities. They only got 4 assists between them.
For the stat nerds out there:
Tyreece Campbell boasts 44 appearances, 3277 minutes played, and 6 goals, while Thierry Small has 39 appearances, 2863 minutes played, and 2 goals, according to Opta Analyst. Campbell also has an xG (expected goals) of 3.2, compared to Small's 2.9, suggesting a slightly higher goal-scoring chance based on his play,
He undoubtedly needs replacing, but I don't think his 3 assists and 2 goals will be too difficult to replace.
That kind of "x factor" WILL be harder to replace. Hopefully we've already got a few ideas about how to do it though.