I've been thinking of the role Freeman has played this season, a couple of impressive cameos but nothing to particularly make you sit up and take notice bar the odd good performance in the cup games.
It mirrors the season Lundstram had with us in the championship before becoming a regular starter. Could be that Wilder & Knill are looking to next season with a tweak in formation which will see freeman start more games to give us some much needed creativity up front and make some chances. He's the only player in our squad at the moment who looks to be able to do what Duffy did for us in the Championship.
I think all the talk of him moving on may be premature. It seems strange to me that we let Callum Robinson go out on Loan for example but not Freeman. Maybe I'm wrong and it's just wishful thinking as I like him as a player.
First thing, I love your avatar! That's Bamboozle isn't it? I owe my education to that Academy.
When Luke Freeman was at Stevenage I thought he was one of the very best young players I'd seen for a long time. There was one game at the Lane I recall when he was running rings around our players and we just couldn't get the ball off him. I wish we'd have snapped him up back then. We'd have got him for a song and he was clearly in his prime at that point.
To me he's not looked the same player since. Certainly not since we signed him. Whether that's down to the system we play him in or just his form, or motivation, I don't know. But I think improving the effectiveness of our midfield, in an attacking sense, will be a priority for us for next season and whilst this ought to be playing to Freeman's strengths he hasn't done much to show that he's capable of being the man to do that. I don't wish to be harsh on the lad, but if I was Wilder I think I'd be nervous about putting my trust in him to deliver the goods at Premier League level. If you look at the types of player we are already rumoured to be signing, like John Swift of Reading, I think that's only going to push Freeman further down the pecking order.
The analogy with Lundstram is an interesting one - but I also think it's very rare and unusual that a player who doesn't feature much at all at Championship level is suddenly elevated to first team status at Premier League level. I'm pretty sure Chris hasn't been keeping Freeman under wraps so he can use him next season to spring a surprise on the Premier League. I don't think he did that with Lundstram either. I think Lundstram probably worked very hard on his physique and his fitness last season to emerge a much stronger and more capable player - and he got his chance - fair play to him. I don't see lightning striking twice in the same place tbh and I think it's far more likely that Freeman will be released and probably head back South, where he has spent most of his career.
Anyhow, we shall see I suppose. I just think we need some fresh options in that midfield and that will inevitably mean cashing in on some of the existing ones, even though they may be very good players, so that a new order can be brought through.
