Leonard has big boots to fill

[Jon P]

Glad to see Basham (susposedly) rested. Big chance for Leonard to show us why we spent so long pursuing him. Hasn’t done enough for me since joining but hope he proves me wrong today UTB

 

[robbiez666]

Given he's a central midfielder who has struggled to settle in a higher league, so far, it seems rather strange to drop him now in an alien position.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Are they Cap'n Blades?

 

[Sean Thornton]

Given he's a central midfielder who has struggled to settle in a higher league, so far, it seems rather strange to drop him now in an alien position.

Hasn't he played as a defender before?

 

[robbiez666]

Hasn't he played as a defender before?

Yes, he has, but his normal position is central midfield and he's not exactly slotted in seamlessly since his move.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Yes, he has, but his normal position is central midfield and he's not exactly slotted in seamlessly since his move.

It's not alien then.

 

[HydeParkBlade]

I think he could suit the role of an overlapping centre back very well potentially.

 

[Fanny magnet]

I think this is an exciting development
When we signed him I'd hoped that he would be started in the right centre back position.
He can play right back right centre half and defensive midfield
I hope he takes his chance and supports down that right hand side from what I've seen of him he's more than capable and would give us another dimension

 

[robbiez666]

It's not alien then.

It's not his natural position though, is it? We'll see. Just strikes me as slightly strange, but then again there's not a natural replacement for Bash in the squad.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

It's not his natural position though, is it? We'll see. Just strikes me as slightly strange, but then again there's not a natural replacement for Bash in the squad.

Most people wouldn’t have thought Basham’s best position was as an overlapping centre back before he took on the role.

Including CW for the first few matches.

 

[Hamburg Blade]

 

[PittsburghBlade]

He's done well, barely played in and out of the team in a higher division save the judgement for when he's settled in a bit.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Leonard is going to "green-up" and will be dangled from the front of the Kop in a paper mache UFO.

 

[Houso]

Did okay I thought.

 

[Iceybabey]

Did OK. Said I'd expect to see him at some point cover the positions Bash does.

 

[Ranmoorblade]

Glad to see Basham (susposedly) rested. Big chance for Leonard to show us why we spent so long pursuing him. Hasn’t done enough for me since joining but hope he proves me wrong today UTB

I've heard his Mrs was giving birth.

 

[stringer]

I've heard his Mrs was giving birth.

She is.

 

[Grappler]

He did ok really

 

[Wards]

I thought he was very good. Defensively excellent and used the ball better than Basham. If he can continue to get into good positions as Bash often does in that role then he’ll bag a few and I think he’ll prove to be more useful than as a midfield player for us based on what we’ve seen. Not convinced he’s a good enough footballer to play midfield at this level.

 

[EmleyMoorBlade]

Thought the lad did ok today. Was unlucky to get hookriso that we could go 442

 

[Deadbat]

Played well- I have criticised him on games so far - he was one of better players today. Credit where it is due.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

Yes, he has, but his normal position is central midfield and he's not exactly slotted in seamlessly since his move.

He's never been given the chance in central midfield, when ever he's played he's been in for Duffy or Fleck in a more advanced role. I think if he get's a run as the anchor in midfield he would be excellent in that position. Put him in for Evans I'd say !

 

[Bruce Wayne]

He's never been given the chance in central midfield, when ever he's played he's been in for Duffy or Fleck in a more advanced role. I think if he get's a run as the anchor in midfield he would be excellent in that position. Put him in for Evans I'd say !

Dream on, he can't pass a ball 2 yards. Evans far superior, Coutts far superior to Evans. Leonard may have a shot of CB.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

Dream on, he can't pass a ball 2 yards. Evans far superior, Coutts far superior to Evans. Leonard may have a shot of CB.

I think Leonard has got limitations in a more advanced midfield role but as an anchor in midfield, where his more defensive capabilities will come to the fore he'd do a great job for us.

There's no one at the club that can do the Coutts role as well as Coutts (by that I mean Lundstrum and Evans) where he can sit in and dictate the pace of the play. Now we're playing much more functionally without Coutts we need a decent midfield anchor to break up the play of the opposition, witness Forest today as an example, who outplayed us in midfield. We had three ball playing midfield players today chasing shadows, for me without Coutts (or an effective replacement) we need different dynamics in the midfield, to me that means at least one who can win the ball and for me that's Leonard.

 

[Ricky]

Did quite well. Looked comfortable there.

 

[1889]

I thought he did well, overlapped regularly and was the equal of Basham. He was only taken off to allow the change of formation.

Only criticism is, he needs to work on his crossing, he put one ball into the box in the first half that sailed over everyone and landed on the 18 yard line beyond the far post. I'm always left feeling incredulous when I see professional footballers do that, how do they misjudge it so badly?

 

[Harry's Game]

“He did okay” seems to be the phrase on here.

It’s sort of damming him with faint praise but he did genuinely do okay.

But..

Was he any any better than Basham in the role? honest answer.. No

Even more of an honest answer.. He wasn’t quite as good as Basham in the role.

Now I know that back three is not the role he was brought into play but if you aren’t as good as Chris Basham, a decent honest trier, have we actually signed a player to improve the squad? Surely that is the requisite of any player signed in the mid season transfer window.

A question that if we ask it about all the signings from January we might not like the answer.

 

[Snowman]

Did better than he has from the midfield. Still looks like a rabbit in the headlights and slow in decision making. Good mazy run in the first half shows he's got something, just needs the time and confidence to bring it out. Not got the engine of Basham though. I'd take Basham in that position any day.

 

[Bladezz]

Not good enough on the ball for centre midfield. Always said he’s here for the right sided centre half.

 

[Wards]

I thought he did well, overlapped regularly and was the equal of Basham. He was only taken off to allow the change of formation.

Only criticism is, he needs to work on his crossing, he put one ball into the box in the first half that sailed over everyone and landed on the 18 yard line beyond the far post. I'm always left feeling incredulous when I see professional footballers do that, how do they misjudge it so badly?

It was deflected to be fair to the lad