Leon Clarke

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Wilder has spoken of the important role Leon plays in the squad and as a few of us expected, the role he has to play this season.

Linky: http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk...big-player-for-us-says-chris-wilder-1-8677583

Clarke, who scored six goals in as many appearances during last season’s League One title-winning campaign, looks set to partner fellow striker Billy Sharp when United make their long-awaited return to the Championship this weekend following Wilder’s handsome tribute.

“Leon is a leader,” the United manager said. “There’s no doubt about it. If you go into that changing room, just because he’s not high-fiving everyone and cracking jokes left right and centre, that doesn’t mean he’s not. That’s just his personality. Make no mistake, he leads from the front and he’s a popular boy in there.”

There's no doubting he was bang in form at the end of last season and I'll think he'll have a big role to play with a good run of fitness.

 

[Reedy1889]

Watching our last match I felt sorry for big Leon, he was getting into some really good attacking positions but nobody could pick him out. As with Billy, give them an opportunity in front of goal & 9 out of 10 times they'll score. It's all about the service (well mostly)

 

[BushBlade]

Wilder has spoken of the important role Leon plays in the squad and as a few of us expected, the role he has to play this season.

Linky: http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk...big-player-for-us-says-chris-wilder-1-8677583

Clarke, who scored six goals in as many appearances during last season’s League One title-winning campaign, looks set to partner fellow striker Billy Sharp when United make their long-awaited return to the Championship this weekend following Wilder’s handsome tribute.

“Leon is a leader,” the United manager said. “There’s no doubt about it. If you go into that changing room, just because he’s not high-fiving everyone and cracking jokes left right and centre, that doesn’t mean he’s not. That’s just his personality. Make no mistake, he leads from the front and he’s a popular boy in there.”

There's no doubting he was bang in form at the end of last season and I'll think he'll have a big role to play with a good run of fitness.

Doesn't surprise me. I still think he could have his best season in the championship yet. He seems to have grown up and got a lot fitter than his 'Harvey' days. I suspect he's realised how lucky he is to be a footballer, how lucky he is to be playing for a club like we are right now, how lucky he is to get another chance at a decent level and how quick the clock ticks.
And like all players, he'll have an ego and I think he'd like to be a player that we're still talking about twenty years later, for the right reasons.

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

Towards the end of last season, Leon was firing on all cylinders and would've given any Championship defender a tough time. Physically dominating, excellent with & without the ball, brought others into play and clinical with his chances.

I think he could be a surprise player for us next year.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

He's my fav player,if he stays fit and gets as many starts as the other attackers,he'll be joint leading scorer.

 

[FTPE]

Ive noticed that before. When he talks about leaders and characters he always mentions Clarke.
Which i thought was odd since he looks like a sulky Anelka.

 

[Isar]

Towards the end of last season, Leon was firing on all cylinders and would've given any Championship defender a tough time. Physically dominating, excellent with & without the ball, brought others into play and clinical with his chances.

I think he could be a surprise player for us next year.

Totally agree, when he plays he will make a positive impact, I reckon he be relishing the chance to take on Championship defenses.

 

[WORKSOPBLADE]

Expect Stevens to create for him.

 

[WalkelyFan]

Ive noticed that before. When he talks about leaders and characters he always mentions Clarke.
Which i thought was odd since he looks like a sulky Anelka.

I can't find it now - but there is a bit of a back story that may contribute to that. He has overcome a lot of difficulties not of his own making.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

In Wilder I trust but I disagree with him about Clarke. We need more fire power, Clarke has a relatively poor record at Championship level, it's harder now than back when he was in his prime. I don't expect him now in his 30's to buck that trend. Sharp will get goals given the opportunities but there is nothing backing him up, Ched is a gamble that is already failing, Lavery is not an out and out striker, Hanson is not good enough. Finding a good striker is paramount, hope Wilder finds one.

 

[Bladeinleeds]

In Wilder I trust but I disagree with him about Clarke. We need more fire power, Clarke has a relatively poor record at Championship level, it's harder now than back when he was in his prime. I don't expect him now in his 30's to buck that trend. Sharp will get goals given the opportunities but there is nothing backing him up, Ched is a gamble that is already failing, Lavery is not an out and out striker, Hanson is not good enough. Finding a good striker is paramount, hope Wilder finds one.

Don't necessarily disagree - Clarkes record is far superior in league one. And if there was a guaranteed scorer wilder may go for it. And only time will tell if Evans can get his body and form right again.

However, if you watch some of the positions clarke took and the quality of the his finishing when he was finally up and running last year then I've no doubt if he gets decent service he will score goals in the championship - as will billy.

Look at the season review vid grayblade posted and you can't help but be impressed - he's scored goals I don't think our other strikers would do.

 

[TCsLoveChild]

In Wilder I trust but I disagree with him about Clarke. We need more fire power, Clarke has a relatively poor record at Championship level, it's harder now than back when he was in his prime. I don't expect him now in his 30's to buck that trend. Sharp will get goals given the opportunities but there is nothing backing him up, Ched is a gamble that is already failing, Lavery is not an out and out striker, Hanson is not good enough. Finding a good striker is paramount, hope Wilder finds one.

"Ched is a gamble that is already failing" FFS words fail me. the seasons not even started and you are calling him a failure. Think you are mixing up what you want to happen with what has or has not happened yet. Why not try giving the lad some support. Jesus

UTB

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Don't necessarily disagree - Clarkes record is far superior in league one. And if there was a guaranteed scorer wilder may go for it. And only time will tell if Evans can get his body and form right again.

However, if you watch some of the positions clarke took and the quality of the his finishing when he was finally up and running last year then I've no doubt if he gets decent service he will score goals in the championship - as will billy.

Look at the season review vid grayblade posted and you can't help but be impressed - he's scored goals I don't think our other strikers would do.

Time will tell, still think we should splash the cash on a championship striker.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

"Ched is a gamble that is already failing" FFS words fail me. the seasons not even started and you are calling him a failure. Think you are mixing up what you want to happen with what has or has not happened yet. Why not try giving the lad some support. Jesus

UTB

Why do I want it to happen? I would nothing more than Ched to be the player of old but he isn't. Injured 70% of last season, injured pre-season so you could call it an educated guess on my behalf. We need a quality striker to back Sharp up end of. 2016/17 is over now, Saturday we enter a new level and IMO we don't have the firepower to prosper.

 

[TCsLoveChild]

Why do I want it to happen? I would nothing more than Ched to be the player of old but he isn't. Injured 70% of last season, injured pre-season so you could call it an educated guess on my behalf. We need a quality striker to back Sharp up end of. 2016/17 is over now, Saturday we enter a new level and IMO we don't have the firepower to prosper.

Sounds like your glass is always entirely empty. Season hasn't even started yet and you are writing players off and guessing we are not good enough for this level. I'm glad you are not giving the team talks.

UTB

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Sounds like your glass is always entirely empty. Season hasn't even started yet and you are writing players off and guessing we are not good enough for this level. I'm glad you are not giving the team talks.

UTB

WTF Again "my glass is always empty" just because I don't believe we have enough up top you keep coming out with these BS phrases. Tell you what to save you replying again, I'm a pig on the wind up, now that's better isn't it your lord Bladeyness.

 

[Stretch]

He is going to have a decent season, of that I am quietly confident.

He scored 4 of our best goals last season, Chezzy, Northampton and Port Vale (?) away and the one v Bradford at home. Goals that any striker in any league would have been proud of. God knows how many he could have scored if he hadn't been injured.

 

[bladesmanluke]

Leon to get the winner on the 24th of September. If that's all he does all season, it will be enough

 

[DronnieBlade]

I have perhaps been Leon's harshest critic at times.

Let's give him the benefit of the doubt and see if he can reproduce the form of the last 6 games of last season.

If not .....................

UTB

Ps having said the above, I'm still to be convinced he and Sharp can be effective as a pair. Would be curious to know how long Wilder will give it before he himself would have to accept defeat on this one !

 

[sufcboy95]

Feel that the last 10 games may have papered over the cracks. As for the majority of the season before he got injured he was garbage.
Hope he can replicate the form he showed after the injury though

 

[Grizzly blade]

Why do I want it to happen? I would nothing more than Ched to be the player of old but he isn't. Injured 70% of last season, injured pre-season so you could call it an educated guess on my behalf. We need a quality striker to back Sharp up end of. 2016/17 is over now, Saturday we enter a new level and IMO we don't have the firepower to prosper.

Coutts spent all of one season injured....and most of the following season. Is he the player of old?
It might be said that looking to be in the form of his career, and rumblings of an international call up that he's just hitting his peak.
Who are you to presume or assume that Evans isn't the player he was?

Does this team create chances? Yes.
Are Clarke, Evans, Sharp, Lavery, Brooks capable of putting the ball in the net? Yes.

So by virtue of that, we need to create enough scoring chances for the forwards to put the ball in the net. Even last season we missed plenty. So provided we create a similar amount of chances we will score goals.

Now, if you are talking about wanting a player who can create his own goals, or have a strike rate of finishing over 90% of the chances he gets then you may as well stop there.
They are either very very expensive and of the realms of the premier league money, or so very rare that they take some finding before everybody else. Clubs might unearth one Once in a generation and even then they need time to develop.
One simply doesn't take a lad from the lower leagues and instantly have a championship/premier league forward. Vardy for instance arrived via Fleetwood before making his name.

 

[Pinchy]

Feel that the last 10 games may have papered over the cracks. As for the majority of the season before he got injured he was garbage.
Hope he can replicate the form he showed after the injury though

He had a niggling injury immediately he arrived, which he played through. There was never a time he was both fully fit and garbage.

 

[sufcboy95]

He had a niggling injury immediately he arrived, which he played through. There was never a time he was both fully fit and garbage.

Little injury or not, he still missed sitters and just walked around all afternoon

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Coutts spent all of one season injured....and most of the following season. Is he the player of old?
It might be said that looking to be in the form of his career, and rumblings of an international call up that he's just hitting his peak.
Who are you to presume or assume that Evans isn't the player he was?

Does this team create chances? Yes.
Are Clarke, Evans, Sharp, Lavery, Brooks capable of putting the ball in the net? Yes.

So by virtue of that, we need to create enough scoring chances for the forwards to put the ball in the net. Even last season we missed plenty. So provided we create a similar amount of chances we will score goals.

Now, if you are talking about wanting a player who can create his own goals, or have a strike rate of finishing over 90% of the chances he gets then you may as well stop there.
They are either very very expensive and of the realms of the premier league money, or so very rare that they take some finding before everybody else. Clubs might unearth one Once in a generation and even then they need time to develop.
One simply doesn't take a lad from the lower leagues and instantly have a championship/premier league forward. Vardy for instance arrived via Fleetwood before making his name.

I thought we had an unexpected £7m come our way this summer, add to the budget set for this season should get us a CF better than we already have. That's if the club will spend it.

 

[Pinchy]

Little injury or not, he still missed sitters and just walked around all afternoon

You are well named. Perhaps add "silly little" as a prefix?

 

[Pinchy]

I thought we had an unexpected £7m come our way this summer, add to the budget set for this season should get us a CF better than we already have. That's if the club will spend it.

The club will spend it. Football clubs don't run on thin air and Nick Montgomery running in a giant hamster wheel to generate electricity.

Congratulations on this season's first "splash the cash". I'm eagerly anticipating "speculate to accumulate" and "take a punt". All excellent ways of spending someone else's money.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

The club will spend it. Football clubs don't run on thin air and Nick Montgomery running in a giant hamster wheel to generate electricity.

Congratulations on this season's first "splash the cash". I'm eagerly anticipating "speculate to accumulate" and "take a punt". All excellent ways of spending someone else's money.

Thanks.

 

[sufcboy95]

You are well named. Perhaps add "silly little" as a prefix?

Hahaha what a tool. Comimg from someone who's lack of brain doesn't allow for other people's opinions

 

[Grizzly blade]

I thought we had an unexpected £7m come our way this summer, add to the budget set for this season should get us a CF better than we already have. That's if the club will spend it.

Maybe we did get an extra £7m....and I would suggest that amount of money has already been spent. Now I realise some might not like that dose of reality, but there it is. This club will have lost somewhere between £4-7m last season. We have gone up, and will gain some extra income through match day revenues and TV money.
But wages and costs have also gone up.
So instead of us balancing the books and selling some of our younger talent like last season with DCL, Adams, Ramsdale...this seasons bumper sell on monies might mean we can hang on to some of the players we already value by paying them more.
We have brought 6 players in so far, some had no fee, while others did. I suspect in transfer fees we have spent around £3m so far, and that by the end of this window we will have spent nearer £5m with loan and transfer fees.

So even though we went up, the increases of revenue from promotion alone will NOT cover the monies spent so far. Hope that clears that up and puts this mythical pot of sell on millions into perspective for some of you.

 

[LSF]

Little injury or not, he still missed sitters and just walked around all afternoon

Deary fuckin me! That passes as your opinion on Leon?
Very balanced.