Nathan Thomas

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AlanWrightsShinyHead

AlanWrightsShinyHead

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Anybody know the situation with him?

Other than his start in the league cup v Walsall he's yet to even make the bench for us. I didn't go to that game but obviously he scored and sounded like he did OK, and he made no secret of his desire to be in the squad for the next game at Boro.

It's no secret that Wilder picks his team on merit and isn't afraid to admit it if a signing of his proves to be a mistake, but we paid a significant fee for this lad when you consider the fact that he was a non-league player and there were bigger clubs than us interested in him so he clearly has something about him.

Is he not cutting it in training? Is it an attitude thing? Is he likely to go out on loan to get regular games? Could he be the short term answer to our current striker shortage??

Discuss....
 



AlanWrightsShinyHead said:
Anybody know the situation with him?

Other than his start in the league cup v Walsall he's yet to even make the bench for us. I didn't go to that game but obviously he scored and sounded like he did OK, and he made no secret of his desire to be in the squad for the next game at Boro.

It's no secret that Wilder picks his team on merit and isn't afraid to admit it if a signing of his proves to be a mistake, but we paid a significant fee for this lad when you consider the fact that he was a non-league player and there were bigger clubs than us interested in him so he clearly has something about him.

Is he not cutting it in training? Is it an attitude thing? Is he likely to go out on loan to get regular games? Could he be the short term answer to our current striker shortage??

Discuss....
Click to expand...
Work in progress.

Give it a bit of time for Wilder and Knill to carve a player out of him. One for the future.

Patience dear boy !

UTB
 
I went to the game.

He was pretty good, then pretty bad, then pretty good etc etc. He's not frightened to run at defences, good dribbler with a few tricks and step overs but his decision making was very inconsistent. He was shooting when he should have passed and passed when he should have shot. He also seemed confident as though he was trying to impress.

He's liable to do something exciting to create a goal but 5 minutes later make a basic mistake losing possession in a bad area so we concede a goal,

He's definitely talented but Wilder obviously doesn't want to risk him yet unless we're really desperate. He's only young, didn't cost much, so we can afford to stay patient with him.
 
He is coming from a little further back than the rest of the squad in terms of experience and there is only so much space on the bench.
Sounds as though he has a good attitude and certainly got a good mentor in CW, who will be assessing his readiness. The way things are going with injuries at the moment he might not have to wait too long for his opportunity.
 
From what I've seen of him, and I am an expert after seeing a few minutes of this Youtube clip, he'll be a cracking player soon enough.

 
Another factor is that Wilder seems very keen on the 3-5-2 formation.

So we have 2 wing backs (attacking fullbacks) encouraged to get forward.

It would appear that Thomas is an out and out offensive player, so unless he works on his defensive abilities he'll only get a game when we switch to 4-4-2, so we can use him as a winger.
 
I think we should loan him out to a league one club until January with a recall clause. No point in him sitting on the bench with the odd ten minutes at best IMO
 
He looked good in the cup, but it has to be fitness. Lundstram who only moved one division, has looked like it's really hard for him at the moment, he looked absolutely knackered during the Leicester match. Even though United were in the same division last season, we played the same so we have a squad who is used to it and are extremely fit. Thomas is up two divisions from a team that got relegated.

Also look how often Brooks plays, who is obviously fit and ready, Wilder has clear ideas about when and how long to play players.

He'll be in eventually. Hopefully after the international break.
 



He chose us because he felt he'd get more game time which is all credit too him, he obviously wanted to play rather than sit on his arris and collect his wages

Not sure who the bigger clubs are that were after him though......surely you don't mean Middlesboro

Richer yes
Bigger....never have been and never will be
 
Kozzy_is_my_Dad said:
From what I've seen of him, and I am an expert after seeing a few minutes of this Youtube clip, he'll be a cracking player soon enough.

Click to expand...


Like your good self Kozzy, it doesn't take me long to understand whether a player has something special.

Taking into account the gap in quality, the potential to make that leap, young Thomas definitely has the skill we'd hope to see. Preferring his left foot, but never shy of using his right when called upon, the guy was a canny piece of business. Could either be a new Colin Morris or whatever the opposite of that memory might be. Do like the look of him at this stage, could be a brilliant acquisition if he responds.
 
It's looking like we've signed him for the same purpose Middlesbrough wanted him - as a development player. It's just that we've given him the number 8 shirt.

He's likely to be in the squad soon with the injuries to Lavery and possibly Evans. He can play up front but is the only natural winger we've got, and that in addition to the fact he's only just signed means we're not in a position to loan him out just yet. I can see him going out on loan in January though if he's not forced his way in by then.
 
He'll get his opportunity - early days yet. All this preparation in getting him up to speed will only help him. I think he's got the ability to step up.
 
I wouldn't loan him straight out unless he's working with a manager who he can learn from, there aren't many in League One. Jackett, Paul Cook, Rosler maybe.

He'll learn more on the training pitch with Wilder and Knill for 6 months than he would in League One for two years. Just look at Coutts and Freeman (oh yes, that again)

Patience is key
 
Don't really know how he can force his way into the team because where would he play? I don't think he can play as a central midfielder and as for an advanced midfielder we already have Duffy, Carruthers and the emergence of Brooks who naturally play there and are duly fighting it out for that place.

For the times where we may switch formation that accommodates a winger I'd say he'll not get much game time in the longer run which won't help his development will it. Unless (and I think this is unlikely) Wilder plans to switch permanently to a different formation in the future and has just used 3-5-2 because that best suited the players at the club when he first arrived last summer?
 
I've just spent five minutes trying to come up with another Blades player past or present with the initials NT and can't think of one.
 



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