Kieron Freeman - What's the crack?

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Disagree with this to be honest. I’ll probably not explain myself very articulately but I’ll try (+ booze). I only saw the 2nd half I’ll add.

We were playing a changed Championship team (I accept we made changes to even it up) and the game basically played out as if it was a game last year.

Bash and JOC looked like different level athletes today. Billy, Besic & Norwood, whilst not athletic, clearly looked better than Championship players.

So look at the squad players brought in and specifically the wing backs.

Freeman looked comfortable in a very slow paced game against opposition we dominated. Never seemed to be busting a gut to create a goal scoring opportunity, there was definitely no wow, he’s going to challenge for his place.

Compared to Osborn, fair enough, again no wow factor, but we are comparing a player with experience of this team and system throughout with a player who hasn’t (from what I understand) played LWB consistently or played for us for long. However, he certainly looked physically fitter and more of a hopefully to me than Freeman.

The thought of either Enda or Baldock getting injured terrifies me and has down for 2 seasons ! 🤣
 
Roygbiv said:
That's the best I've seen Freeman play since West Brom away last season. Made me remember why there was once a debate between him and George The Greek God Of Athens and The Universe.
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I think it helps that he was in a lineup where there was a larger chunk of first-teamers and in a game the team wanted to win, rather than one that was a reserve side that couldn’t really be arsed about progressing, which is probably all of Freeman’s other starts since last season. He’s always been one to put in the effort when others are doing so, rather than a lead-by-example type.
 
MorettiBlade said:
Apologies first and foremost, if the answer to my question already exists somewhere on the forum. I had a quick browse before hand, as opposed to just posting in a lazy manner.

My thoughts have arisen after hearing Wilder's post match interview this evening really, an interview in which I didn't head any particular praise towards the lad. Wilder for me is a fair man and he is always out there in praise of his players, if they put the work in and do the business. Kieron Freeman for me today, was a stand out player? He wasn't the best on the field maybe, but he worked hard and kept us ticking at times, over on that side of the pitch. So naturally, listening to Wilder's post match interview and hearing praises for Luke Freeman and Ben osborn, I was somewhat perplexed to not hear Wilder give Kieron a bit of positive feedback. Of Ben Osborne and Kieron Freeman, I actually thought that Freeman was the most attacking minded and influencing player in the game? Therefore I am shocked to hear praise for one and not the other.....

Am I missing something here? Is Kieron Freeman freeloading? Is he one of the players who is no longer in Wilder's plans? I may be purely speculating, but could it be that they dont get on any more?

I get that Kieron Freeman isn't the first player on the scoresheet, he doesn't feature first team because he is being kept out and down the pecking order. But for me; all you ask for from fringe players, is that they come in and give a good account of themselves when called upon. Freeman did this today and in the context of Wilder's interview, he probably warranted a mention for his performance, along with the other aforementioned players?

You would have thought this to be quite a frustrating time for Kieron Freeman, what with him being within a sniff of international football with wales last year. This year he is being shirt blocked by a consistent performer and he's no longer in the reckoning really. Nowt he can do about it, other than crack on and wait for the opportunity.

This isn't a knock in the slightest, I don't have any sort of negativity towards the gaffer. Which to be fair, is why I am questioning whether there is something a bit more deep laying that I may be missing? Or am I just reading into everything completely wrong? And just being a complete pillock.
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I think the answer could be that Wilder doesn't give any plaudits for effort and putting yourself around. He expects his players to put a shift in as a matter of course. Maybe he just doesn't put the work in during training? Brilliant headed clearance from him today by the way and I still rate KF highly.
 
I don't rate him as a prem player. OK for games like today but as stated above I think if put in a prem game he'd struggle.

I think he'd do well at most championship clubs but would hope its an area we look to improve on to push George Baldock more.

For me you just need to look at the quality of George Baldock and how he's stepped up in the prem. There was a time where I struggled to pick between them in championship but Baldock development has put him lightyears ahead.
 
Weatewed said:
I think the answer could be that Wilder doesn't give any plaudits for effort and putting yourself around. He expects his players to put a shift in as a matter of course. Maybe he just doesn't put the work in during training? Brilliant headed clearance from him today by the way and I still rate KF highly.
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Nailed it
 
KF is a good footballer, no doubt. Division 2/3 level. Top division though, not sure. Be interesting to see him start a game in place of GB.

GB is a better all-round athlete, very disciplined, good speed of thought and defensively good. When you’re playing against the best in the world week in week out, you need that as a newly promoted club.
 
Freeman just seems so lazy, we all know there is an excellent player in there especially on the ball. But petulant things like that volley at Millwall just looked like he couldn’t be bothered to give 100%.

IF that is true I don’t think CW stands for people not giving 100%. George has been far superior this season and I thank KF for all he’s done but really he should be looking to move on for the good of his career.
 
Might be an unpopular opinion but I think when we hit that magic 40 number and safety is confirmed, it would be worth giving KF a few games here & there. Defensively not as good as Baldock but I’ve always thought he is marginally better in the final third. If he put some effort into pre-season like Lunny (& Baldock for that matter) did last year, then he could be competing.
 
Have to say, he was good yesterday, but that's the best he's been for a season or more so it's not just Baldock keeping him out, it's his own performance level too.

Can say what you like about the team around him, but look at Bash when he came on against Fylde, yeah he was playing with the Kean Bryan XI but he still looked like Bash, oozed quality.

A good game hasn't made me forget games like Derby away last season where he was an absolute shambles defensively and his performances against Barnet, Blackburn, Sunderland and Fylde in the cups. Still think we could do with cover for the league, I think we'd play Bash there over Freeman to be quite honest if we needed to take Baldock out in the Prem for an extended period.

Good lad though, nothing against him, just purely based on the football I've seen.
 
WhittingtonBlade said:
Might be an unpopular opinion but I think when we hit that magic 40 number and safety is confirmed, it would be worth giving KF a few games here & there. Defensively not as good as Baldock but I’ve always thought he is marginally better in the final third. If he put some effort into pre-season like Lunny (& Baldock for that matter) did last year, then he could be competing.
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I can imagine it now!

Knill: Did I hear right boss. You don’t want to beat Norwich and we’re going to play Freeman instead of Baldock. It’s just that it wasn’t George who broke into your post match fridge again and drunk that special German craft beer Klopp gave you. It was me!

No way. When we get 40, Wilder will want 43 and then 46...

Freeman will only play if he’s the best player available for the position. Which is how it should be

I for one am glad there is no room for sentiment.
 
He had been shipped out to Portsmouth on loan
If I remember rightly,CW put him on the the transfer list,summer 2016
He played a blinder in the pre-season friendly at Hallam fc and became a regular 1st team player...40 league matches that season
E25F5365-FCB5-4AEF-BD4D-7E8D9635ACC8.jpeg
 
derekacorah said:
Kieron, don’t worry. You’ll get a contract somewhere else. We all like you, you did well in the promotion season from league 1 and when called upon in the Championship. No need to set an account up asking for praise for an average performance today.
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Kieron Freeman will always be a Blade legend for that single promotion season in League One & as such I find it difficult to throw any criticism his way.
I don't know anyone that has ever scored so many goals from right wing back & the goal against Gillingham virtually kickstarter the promotion.
 



Weatewed said:
I think the answer could be that Wilder doesn't give any plaudits for effort and putting yourself around. He expects his players to put a shift in as a matter of course. Maybe he just doesn't put the work in during training? Brilliant headed clearance from him today by the way and I still rate KF highly.
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I think the answer was in post 12

‘Don‘t really see the mystery here – it‘s not as though he name-checked everyone bar Kieron Freeman. He was specifically talking about players that had had the difficulty of joining a new club and not being in the team, which is why he singled out Luke Freeman and Ben Osborn. Freeman, who did play well but not as well as Osborn IMHO, didn’t fit into that category.’
 
He’s got type 2 (I think) diabetes so he struggles with the fitness side of things. Hence why his weight seems up and down and times.
 
DerbyStar said:
He’s got type 2 (I think) diabetes so he struggles with the fitness side of things. Hence why his weight seems up and down and times.
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Are you sure it’s not Type 1? Type 2 is what my dad got from eating too much cake and generally being a bit of a fat fucker.
 
The form drop-off after Stoke at home last season was alarming. He doesn't look fit enough to play either full back or wing back anymore. Saying that, he'd be an excellent pickup as a wide midfielder for a Championship team.

And he was a major part of the L1 promotion team who should always be remembered fondly
 
Whether it the diabetes or the 'diet', Freeman never quite looks as fit as you'd expect for someone playing in the most physically gruelling position.

He's probably as good, if not better, than Baldock going forward, but much worse in defence. Whether that's because he's so inclined to get forward is another question. He was much better than Osborn yesterday because Osborn played safe. It was down the right where we were dangerous until we collectively pushed them back in the second half. Osborn is not a defender but he's more likely to be in the correct defensive position.
 
I think Freeman is really a player (like most) who can't get upto speed without a run in the team, which unluckily for him he hasn't had. Baldock is better its just a fact but never minded a fully fit Freeman. If Baldock went down I think you have to go Bash at RWB. Although I think he is waste there but Freeman defensively would be exposed at our level !!
 
K. Freeman was great yesterday , unfortunately we have the best player in that position in the league called George !
If he ever got injured tho that could be his big chance as he is well capable of filling it , it must be hard for him not getting a game perhaps he need to move on for his career if hes not happy filling in , he is an excellent player .
 
BushBlade said:
Are you sure it’s not Type 1? Type 2 is what my dad got from eating too much cake and generally being a bit of a fat fucker.
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Obesity is the major cause but it’s not always the case BB. I‘m not overweight and I take regular exercise, but I was diagnosed with type 2 a few years ago. Fortunately I got it back at pre-diabetes levels by reducing carbs and sugar intake. Turned out that I’d got impaired glucose tolerance probably inherited from my grandmother who was a type 1 diabetic and that it’s pretty common. One of my lads and a nephew have also got the intolerance and have been told they could develop type 2 if they don’t control their diets.

That said, in Freeman’s case it’s probably cus he’s a fat fooker.
 
mancunianblade said:
The answer is Basham

No need for a RWB on the bench when we have one in the 11. Jags is on the bench and can play any of the back 3 positions, so if Baldock goes down, Jags comes on and Basham goes out wide
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Yet KF has appeared on our bench alongside Jags in the PL last couple of games
 



guancheblade said:
Yet KF has appeared on our bench alongside Jags in the PL last couple of games
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Basham may well be used in an emergency where there are no other available options (eg Baldock injured midgame with Freeman not on the bench), but in keeping with the round pegs in round holes approach that Wilder highlighted in one of his first interviews after he joined us, Freeman would almost certainly start if Baldock is out.
 
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