Matt Done. Striker or Midfielder?

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Woodwardfan

Woodwardfan

Woodwardfan
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Listed on club website as a midfielder ( while Baxter is listed as a striker!).

When he played up front for us he was a real live-wire and scored 8 goals in 16 appearances for us. At Rochdale he scored 14 in 70 appearances but was only converted to a front-runner for them during last season when he formed a fruitful partnership with Henderson.

After Davies arrived Done's starts were limited, partly due to a niggling injury, though he was on the bench not out of the squad.

Is he a winger or a striker? Or both?

I reckon he's plenty good enough to be our lone striker, but would rather see him complementing a striker in partnership.
 

Barnsley fans will tell you he wasn't a midfielder when played there...
 
Woodwardfan said:
Listed on club website as a midfielder ( while Baxter is listed as a striker!).

When he played up front for us he was a real live-wire and scored 8 goals in 16 appearances for us. At Rochdale he scored 14 in 70 appearances but was only converted to a front-runner for them during last season when he formed a fruitful partnership with Henderson.

After Davies arrived Done's starts were limited, partly due to a niggling injury, though he was on the bench not out of the squad.

Is he a winger or a striker? Or both?

I reckon he's plenty good enough to be our lone striker, but would rather see him complementing a striker in partnership.
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Me too. I hope we've seen the last of the lone striker thing. 4-4-2 still has a place in football. I wouldn't mind a loan striker though...
 
JohnDenver said:
Barnsley fans will tell you he wasn't a midfielder when played there...
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Talking to Barnsley fans , they don't seem to have a good word for Done . It could be they see him as Keith Hill bastard son . His pedigree to date is Rochdale , Barnsley , and SUFC , but i feel he could play at a much higher level.

Known to be a bit inconsistent , but another player who has class , knows were the net is , and runs his bollocks off for the cause . If we keep him ( which i hope we do ) , we will see a better player next season , as his true potential will shine under Adkins . Although a fan of Billy Sharp , with Done , do we really need Sharp , and we should spend money were its needed on a high quality leader CB.

You never know Higdon and Done may be our answer up front . Time will tell on Higdon , and if he doesn't cut the mustard he will be out . I cannot see Adkins taking any prisoners .

UTB
 
Left back for a lot of his time seemingly and gradually moved forward. I'd have him up top partly as he doesn't give defences a moments peace
 
I think Adkins' choice of formation will determine where he plays.

If he's going to go with the 4-2-3-1, he may want the wide players to cut inside and score goals, which means Done could be starting on the right. Real width and crosses will then come from the full backs.
 
Patrick Suffaux said:
Wide forward or free role, he's such a good footballer he can take on varying roles. Floating no. 10 or false no. 9 even.
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Yup, just get him up front and let him make defenders' lives a nightmare. He reminds me of Craig Mackail-Smith who helped Peterborough to a Div1 promotion through manic work-rate and no small amount of ability.

Find him the right partner and we'll score plenty.
 

Pinchy said:
Me too. I hope we've seen the last of the lone striker thing. 4-4-2 still has a place in football. I wouldn't mind a loan striker though...
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Sorry but you have to call it 4-1-3-2 or 4-1-2-1-2 or 4-4-1-1. 4-4-2 just isn't fasionable anymore
 
Intelligent with the ball, good finisher and never gives defenders a moments peace. Once he times his runs to stay on side a bit better you have a 20+ goals a season striker imo.
 
Didn't he start off as LB, then went to LM, now he's a striker?

Personally he's a striker for me.
 
Mmmm, bloke scores goals for fun, what do you think?
 
Woodwardfan said:
After Davies arrived Done's starts were limited, partly due to a niggling injury, though he was on the bench not out of the squad.
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He couldn't do 90 minutes because of injury so was on the bench but didn't start. I know the We Hate Clough brigade will blame him for it but his hand was forced here.
 
Woodwardfan said:
Listed on club website as a midfielder ( while Baxter is listed as a striker!).

When he played up front for us he was a real live-wire and scored 8 goals in 16 appearances for us. At Rochdale he scored 14 in 70 appearances but was only converted to a front-runner for them during last season when he formed a fruitful partnership with Henderson.

After Davies arrived Done's starts were limited, partly due to a niggling injury, though he was on the bench not out of the squad.

Is he a winger or a striker? Or both?

I reckon he's plenty good enough to be our lone striker, but would rather see him complementing a striker in partnership.
Click to expand...

If the rumours we hear about Billy Sharp are true and Murph is on his way, then Done can possibly play that wide left roll?

Until we know what way Adkins will play there are numerous players who don't fit into a pattern at all - Che Adams being another.

Would like to see Che and Done in the same team as they make things happen, but up top seems a bit of a gamble - will it work, won't it work?. We have to hit the ground running come August and if we have to wait for Adkins to "decide" what his best players are and what his best formation is, then by October we will be stuffed again and give the detractors plenty of ammunition to have a go.

Square pegs in square holes and if it means some favourite players have to miss out and possibly move out because of that, then so be it. We have absolutely no place for experimentation or sympathy to some of Cloughs players.

As for Done, definitely a dilemma - Good luck Mr Adkins - one of many problems to solve.

UTB
 
If i were Adkins, i'd look to play Done, Murphy and Adams all roaming and interchanging behind a lone striker. All three can play all three roles so it'd be a nightmare for defenders not knowing where they're popping up. Having those three in the side would be so effective on the counter away from home, and would force teams to camp on the edge of their own box when we're at home. Imagine if Hooper was the lone striker infront of those three. Bash and Wallace in the middle, Brayford and Harris at full back and we're two good centre halves away from having a top 8 championship side.
 
Fulwood Blade said:
If the rumours we hear about Billy Sharp are true and Murph is on his way, then Done can possibly play that wide left roll?

Until we know what way Adkins will play there are numerous players who don't fit into a pattern at all - Che Adams being another.

Would like to see Che and Done in the same team as they make things happen, but up top seems a bit of a gamble - will it work, won't it work?. We have to hit the ground running come August and if we have to wait for Adkins to "decide" what his best players are and what his best formation is, then by October we will be stuffed again and give the detractors plenty of ammunition to have a go.

Square pegs in square holes and if it means some favourite players have to miss out and possibly move out because of that, then so be it. We have absolutely no place for experimentation or sympathy to some of Cloughs players.

As for Done, definitely a dilemma - Good luck Mr Adkins - one of many problems to solve.

UTB
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The timing of the change of manager could have been better but it could have been a lot worse.

Any new manager has to be given time to assess the squad. Adkins will have a healthy budget to spend for this league but that's not to say he can afford to waste any money.

Can he rely on Morgan to give an objective opinion? Yes. Will that view, indeed concept of the way to play the game match his own and that of his management team? Highly unlikely, he has to judge for himself. Videos of games playing under the Clough regime were a particular way of playing - not much use now. Morgan seemed to identify with Clough and Garner and their way of playing. Or was he the man who blew the whistle in the end?

No, I'm afraid Adkins has to bide his time, work with all the squad and gradually make up his mind about which players can contribute. In truth we have numerous players in the named squad of 20 on the club website who can do a job at this level, indeed probably 18 or so, depending on your personal opinions of players. They are not so bad that they can't form a solid squad.

We do not need 4 or 5 new signings and actually only 2 would be essential - central defender and prime striker. Adkins will look at fitness records and injury prognoses and will be in no doubt which 2 signings are most needed. He will also look at the qualities and strengths of existing players and know what type of striker and central defender he needs.

We have game changers already but Clough didn't give them licence to express themselves. We do need the leader up front though and the big leader at the back.

Higdon may be the big surprise as the season unfolds but he can't be relied upon to "hit the ground running" in August. Done can do various jobs, as can Murphy and Adams. McNulty will be a different man under the different manager but again can't be relied upon to lift off straight away.

Basham can complement any new central defender, as can Collins. Kennedy will be around to contribute at the back hopefully.

Ball winning midfielder, organiser, experienced leader there? Coutts can do two of those roles. Will Adkins fancy him? Who knows, I'd guess yes. So Basham could complement him in central midfield if he has the brain and the creativity; a big "if". Basham in central midfield? You will say yes, I say no; interesting. I hope so because we are short there unless Scougall prospers. Maybe a third signing is essential but Basham does have a lot of fans in that area.

Anyway, I'm off to the lounge to watch the World Cup final. Adkins has a 3 year contract and will not rush into spending silly money. October detractors will not worry him into gambling budget away.
 
Fulwood Blade said:
If the rumours we hear about Billy Sharp are true and Murph is on his way, then Done can possibly play that wide left roll?
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Maybe but he had been played out wide at Rochdale, and it was when he was moved to a central role that he really started to knock them in.
 
Woodwardfan said:
The timing of the change of manager could have been better but it could have been a lot worse.

Any new manager has to be given time to assess the squad. Adkins will have a healthy budget to spend for this league but that's not to say he can afford to waste any money.

Can he rely on Morgan to give an objective opinion? Yes. Will that view, indeed concept of the way to play the game match his own and that of his management team? Highly unlikely, he has to judge for himself. Videos of games playing under the Clough regime were a particular way of playing - not much use now. Morgan seemed to identify with Clough and Garner and their way of playing. Or was he the man who blew the whistle in the end?

No, I'm afraid Adkins has to bide his time, work with all the squad and gradually make up his mind about which players can contribute. In truth we have numerous players in the named squad of 20 on the club website who can do a job at this level, indeed probably 18 or so, depending on your personal opinions of players. They are not so bad that they can't form a solid squad.

We do not need 4 or 5 new signings and actually only 2 would be essential - central defender and prime striker. Adkins will look at fitness records and injury prognoses and will be in no doubt which 2 signings are most needed. He will also look at the qualities and strengths of existing players and know what type of striker and central defender he needs.

We have game changers already but Clough didn't give them licence to express themselves. We do need the leader up front though and the big leader at the back.

Higdon may be the big surprise as the season unfolds but he can't be relied upon to "hit the ground running" in August. Done can do various jobs, as can Murphy and Adams. McNulty will be a different man under the different manager but again can't be relied upon to lift off straight away.

Basham can complement any new central defender, as can Collins. Kennedy will be around to contribute at the back hopefully.

Ball winning midfielder, organiser, experienced leader there? Coutts can do two of those roles. Will Adkins fancy him? Who knows, I'd guess yes. So Basham could complement him in central midfield if he has the brain and the creativity; a big "if". Basham in central midfield? You will say yes, I say no; interesting. I hope so because we are short there unless Scougall prospers. Maybe a third signing is essential but Basham does have a lot of fans in that area.

Anyway, I'm off to the lounge to watch the World Cup final. Adkins has a 3 year contract and will not rush into spending silly money. October detractors will not worry him into gambling budget away.
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USA were brilliant and so is Womens' football which is the game played more like it should be.

My late night rambling needs a slight review as the 20 named players on the club website include Wallace, Brayford, Baxter and Kennedy who have availability issues as may Cuvelier. We have a couple of development players who deserve a chance but I can see Adkins taking the loan route for say 2 or 3 players as well as those couple of key signings. The loans will buy the manager time while things evolve.

Wallace is key but surely can't be fit enough to play week in week out.

Adkins will need a fit squad of at least 22 to start the season.
 
I can't work Done out at all. Supremely talented but wildly unconventional. As others have said his best position might be feeding off scraps in a 4-4-2 but that seems like an anachronism.

Fast.
Extremely lively in an ADHD sort of a way.
Poaches goals with all parts of his anatomy, including his hands and arms.
Very classy first goal cutting inside and passing into the far corner as though none of the opposition players were even on the pitch.
Incredible nuisance goal against Peterborough(?) annoying a lumbering centre back and then playing a 1-2 off the keeper.
Outside the box generally not so sure about him.
An explosive mixture of talent and energy but how to get the most out of him?
Build a team with the sole or main purpose of getting Done to score?
Didn't Spurs do something similar one season when Clive Allen got 40 or 50?
But what's Plan B?

Looking forward to seeing how it plays out.
 
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