Matt Done

[moDtheGod]

I think sacrificing them is a bit much but we do need to appease the footballing gods.

This deserves more love.

 

[BushBlade]

Where's the money gone? (Where's the money gone?)
Where's the money gone? (Where's the money gone?)...

That was a pleasant interlude. I remember as a teenager my mate telling me that song made him cry when he was a kid. It was years later that I realised at the time it was in the charts his dad had been banged up.

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

Has Adkins stated he doesn't rate Done?
In an interview, broadcast or written?

Assumptions or presumptions.

Amateur Psychology via Richard Gross perhaps?

 

[DronnieBlade]

Has Adkins stated he doesn't rate Done?
In an interview, broadcast or written?

Assumptions or presumptions.

Amateur Psychology via Richard Gross perhaps?

^^^^^^^

This.

Whenever Done has been fit he has played. Few sub appearances when he was first getting over pre-season injury but mostly starts since then.

And for what it's worth, selling Done would be Madness at this stage.

UTB

 

[Toledo Blade]

That was a pleasant interlude. I remember as a teenager my mate telling me that song made him cry when he was a kid. It was years later that I realised at the time it was in the charts his dad had been banged up.

I lost my virginity to this record in 1971 in Shrewsbury where I was stationed. I remember arriving back at camp late, put on a charge and receiving 7 days jankers. But WOW it was worth it.

 

[Treeton Blade]

The last two games Done has been fantastic, he really puts a shift in from start to finish. The problem is both him and Sharp get no support from midfield, it can not be easy for any forward who has to scavenge for tit bits of the opponents defenders. I would keep him no problem

He was far from fantastic at Colchester

 

[TonyAgana]

The Maguire money will have gone some way to covering the fee but I suspect Brayford's on 3 or 4 times the wages Maguire was on. Point is though that money IS being re-invested in the squad. May be not invested wisely with some of the purchases in the last 18 months but invested nonetheless.

We can't sit here and decide which bit of money went here, which bit went there. We have no clue. How could we possibly factor in the increased offer that was made to Maguire which he turned down? Who got those pound coins? Where would they have gone if we hadn't signed Brayford?

I'm not disagreeing with you regarding money being re-invested, by the way; I'm just stating we can never unravel the finances.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Yeah Sharp and Done up top together doesn't seem to be working very well at the minute either, don't think they've got a goal between them since they were paired together a few games ago...

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

Yeah Sharp and Done up top together doesn't seem to be working very well at the minute either, don't think they've got a goal between them since they were paired together a few games ago...

For fuck's sake, don't be tweeting Jimbo with that.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

We can't sit here and decide which bit of money went here, which bit went there. We have no clue. How could we possibly factor in the increased offer that was made to Maguire which he turned down? Who got those pound coins? Where would they have gone if we hadn't signed Brayford?

I'm not disagreeing with you regarding money being re-invested, by the way; I'm just stating we can never unravel the finances.

Agree completely but I think we can safely say that money is being re-invested in the 1st team squad, exactly as Jim et al said it would be.

Take last Summer for example, there was Clough's compo and the new pitch. In the past, any funds from player sales would have been consumed in these kind of activites, not now, and that's the kind of thing people are forgetting.

 

[BushBlade]

I lost my virginity to this record in 1971 in Shrewsbury where I was stationed. I remember arriving back at camp late, put on a charge and receiving 7 days jankers. But WOW it was worth it.

Was it in the back of a Toledo?

 

[Sothall_Blade]

We can't sit here and decide which bit of money went here, which bit went there. We have no clue. How could we possibly factor in the increased offer that was made to Maguire which he turned down? Who got those pound coins? Where would they have gone if we hadn't signed Brayford?

I'm not disagreeing with you regarding money being re-invested, by the way; I'm just stating we can never unravel the finances.

Agree completely but I think we can safely say that money is being re-invested in the 1st team squad, exactly as Jim et al said it would be.

Take last Summer for example, there was Clough's compo and the new pitch. In the past, any funds from player sales would have been consumed in these kind of activites, not now, and that's the kind of thing people are forgetting.

We know that Murphy was sold for a reported £1.5M in mid-August.
We know that the club said he was sold only because he asked to leave not because we needed to sell before we could buy.
We know that nobody has been signed for a transfer fee since mid-August.
(I know you will say that Hammond has been signed since on large wages but that's offset by our previous top-earner Doyle leaving).

So if all the Murphy money is going to be re-invested in the first team, most of it should now be available to the manager without any further sales.
Yes, there is a need to offload as many fringe players as possible.
There can be no excuse for "sacrificing" yet more key first team players before new signings can be made.

To be fair, United haven't said they need to do this but some fans seem to be making that assumption.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

I get the impression from Adkins recent interviews, that he doesn't particularly rate Done. I wouldn't be surprised if he is sacrificed in the JTW in order to make space for another striker who's better suited to link up with Billy Sharp.

What does everyone else think?

Good post.

We'd have to get decent money but I'd be looking to replace him with a better link player.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Agree, split the striker role between him and Billy, if possible. Although I suspect it will end up with one of them sulking because they're not getting enough game time.

???

Billy is a far far better footballer than Done.

It would be madness or suicide or suicidal madness for them to job share.

 

[BushBlade]

???

Billy is a far far better footballer than Done.

It would be madness or suicide or suicidal madness for them to job share.

It would be madness to play them in their best position?

I'm thinking of Webber/Kabba under Warnock who often replaced one another from the bench. At some point Billy is going to lose form/get injured/need a rest.

Both Done and Sharp are central strikers, that is their best position. As you've said yourself they don't link well. So the options are to either play one or the other, play one out of position or have a strike pairing that isn't a partnership. Or sell Done.
As I said in my previous post, Done might not like being second fiddle to Billy and, as I said in another post, Billy will always get the nod over Done when he's fit. If he doesn't, he has to go. It's what happens when you change managers.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

It would be madness to play them in their best position?

I'm thinking of Webber/Kabba under Warnock who often replaced one another from the bench. At some point Billy is going to lose form/get injured/need a rest.

Both Done and Sharp are central strikers, that is their best position. As you've said yourself they don't link well. So the options are to either play one or the other, play one out of position or have a strike pairing that isn't a partnership. Or sell Done.
As I said in my previous post, Done might not like being second fiddle to Billy and, as I said in another post, Billy will always get the nod over Done when he's fit. If he doesn't, he has to go. It's what happens when you change managers.

I agree it might be his best position but he's a very distant second fiddle to Billy.

I think he was very much a Clough player (obviously) but he's now in Adkins team and I don't think he fits.

Fwiw I've been saying this from the start of the season: I couldn't see a place for him in the scheme of things.

It might be worth keeping him as a back up for Billy (and of course he scores goals) but if Adkins sells him and gets in a replacement he has my full support.

Done was part of the solution at Wigan but I think he was part of the problem at Colchester.

My crystal ball had him being subbed in the 60-65 minute mark. He was subbed on 64.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

We know that Murphy was sold for a reported £1.5M in mid-August.
We know that the club said he was sold only because he asked to leave not because we needed to sell before we could buy.
We know that nobody has been signed for a transfer fee since mid-August.
(I know you will say that Hammond has been signed since on large wages but that's offset by our previous top-earner Doyle leaving).

So if all the Murphy money is going to be re-invested in the first team, most of it should now be available to the manager without any further sales.
Yes, there is a need to offload as many fringe players as possible.
There can be no excuse for "sacrificing" yet more key first team players before new signings can be made.

To be fair, United haven't said they need to do this but some fans seem to be making that assumption.

Agree with that, we need to reduce the size of the squad regardless and I have no doubt money is available, regardless of whether or not we do this month. If Adkins doesn't (or can't) bring these two permies in by the end of the month, it won't be because we can't afford it IMO.

He's not looking to offload (or sacrifice) the likes of Done, it's the Scougalls, Higdons, Kennedys who aren't even making the match day squad and seemingly, never will.

 

[Grappler]

When Port Vale took us to the cleaners at their place, earlier this season, we hardly looked like scoring, apart from one close range rocket from Billy (crossed in perfectly by Sammon), which the Vale keeper dealt with (good keeper). When Matt Done came on, we looked busier, and when we finally pulled one back, it was because an effort on goal was knocked back out by their keeper, and who was there, ready to pounce? Matt Done. The third goal against Wigan last week, Billy fires a rocket, the keeper palms it out, who was ready to pounce? (so ready, in fact, that he was already mid air), Matt Done.

Done has the credentials to back up his first team slot, he can score at this level. Getting rid of a goal scorer is not something we should look to be doing in my opinion.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

The last two games Done has been fantastic, he really puts a shift in from start to finish. The problem is both him and Sharp get no support from midfield, it can not be easy for any forward who has to scavenge for tit bits of the opponents defenders. I would keep him no problem

It’s funny how people see the game differently. Many have said that Done struggled against Colchester and only came to life for the last 20 minutes or so at Wigan.



I think the Done and Sharp partnership shows signs of working at times but it depends on the pattern of the game, the opposition tactics etc.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Done does operate under radar a little bit. He generally doesn't get criticised much because if he plays it generally means Sammon doesn't.
But I do feel he is a more of replacement for an injured Billy Sharp than a partner to him.
This team needs a new spine down the middle of it, centre back, centre mid and yes a new striker.

 

[Booker4]

I really like Done like probably most of us do, and I still think that since our budget is so tight that we could have spent the £500,000 we spent on Billy on a target man of decent quality and played Done or McNulty off him. Now we've had to wait until January to sort it out. That said Billy's being great to be fair and we all love him. Can't see Done leaving that said, but you just never know with football. Adkins doesn't praise Done that much in comparison to Billy, that's plain to hear.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

I really like Done like probably most of us do, and I still think that since our budget is so tight that we could have spent the £500,000 we spent on Billy on a target man of decent quality and played Done or McNulty off him. Now we've had to wait until January to sort it out. That said Billy's being great to be fair and we all love him. Can't see Done leaving that said, but you just never know with football. Adkins doesn't praise Done that much in comparison to Billy, that's plain to hear.

Adkins has already mentioned, as do most managers, that some players need praise some don't and in any case, it's what he says behind closed doors and in training that matters.

I expect Billy boy could be a bit of a mardy arse and Done probably just gets on with it but that's just the snapshot opinion I get from watching them.

 

[Booker4]

Adkins has already mentioned, as do most managers, that some players need praise some don't and in any case, it's what he says behind closed doors and in training that matters.

I expect Billy boy could be a bit of a mardy arse and Done probably just gets on with it but that's just the snapshot opinion I get from watching them.

Yeah maybe so. Don't get me wrong I love Adkins, truly think he's a breath of fresh air and as you say we don't know what's said privately. bit I do get the impression that Done isn't valued in the same light as Billy, but I guess that's understandable because Adkins signed Billy and he's clearly the forward Adkins wanted the most.

 

[Darthblade]

I'll just throw one example back, where do you think Brayford's fee and wages came / are coming from ?

I'm only guessing here ...... but the money from the sale of Maguire and / or part of the "game changing investment"

UTB & FTP

 

[Toledo Blade]

Was it in the back of a Toledo?

Sorry to say it was not, The Toledo name is associated with where I worked for a long period in Ohio, I wish it had been in the back of a Toledo but if I remember correctly the record was on a record player in her parents house, even worse was that I did not last the full record of 2mins 35 seconds.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Yeah maybe so. Don't get me wrong I love Adkins, truly think he's a breath of fresh air and as you say we don't know what's said privately. bit I do get the impression that Done isn't valued in the same light as Billy, but I guess that's understandable because Adkins signed Billy and he's clearly the forward Adkins wanted the most.

I agree. I think in an ideal world Adkins would swap Done for a different type of player. In the meantime he will try to maximise his potential.

He does start him, so it's not like he's persona non grata.

I reckon the key weakness in Done's play is his failure to link with teammates. It happened with Billy and Che at Wigan - he didn't make really simple runs.

But he scored twice.

Another one of our incomplete players.

 

[Deaneandagana]

Bassett sold Martin Kuhl & Tony Philliskirk, and we got Agana & Deane, what more do you want??

Deane & Agana - get it right!

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

I agree. I think in an ideal world Adkins would swap Done for a different type of player. In the meantime he will try to maximise his potential.

He does start him, so it's not like he's persona non grata.

I reckon the key weakness in Done's play is his failure to link with teammates. It happened with Billy and Che at Wigan - he didn't make really simple runs.

But he scored twice.

Another one of our incomplete players.

In his defence, he's only being playing as a striker for less than 2 seasons and with about 6 different partners in his time with us !

 

[robbiez666]

People describe Billy as a natural goalscorer and predator but that's Matt Done for me. If there's a lose ball in the area he always seems to be in the right place at the right time and he has great reactions. I think it would be highly foolish to consider selling him. I also think the lack of creativity in midfield is the reason why the partnership struggles. They feed off scraps.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

In his defence, he's only being playing as a striker for less than 2 seasons and with about 6 different partners in his time with us !

For me the player he worked best with for literally about half an hour in one game was Davies. One kept going wide, the other in the box, and they'd swap - in the end it was Davies who crossed for Done to finish.