Lundstram

[Bugboyblade]

Not a championships player. He's too slow and ponderous. Could get away with the lack of pace if he had a quick footballing brain but doesn't seem to have that either. He's 23 and played over 140 games so he's neither young or inexperienced. Nothing against him and not trying to make him into a scapegoat either. A squad player at the very best could see him going back to oxford on loan. UTB

 

[blades78]

His defending for two goals was pathetic and went missing for their second when they played a through ball straight through the middle of midfield. Not impressed, although the standard of opposition was higher than he'll face this season.

 

[Balham Blade]

He's not the most mobile so playing him in a midfield two with Carruthers is asking for trouble. We were horribly exposed by midfield runners past night and "putting a tackle in" isn't the solution: these are Premiership/international players and they'd just pass round any tackles, leaving us with another man out of the game.

Lundstram didn't have a great game but let's be honest: he (like the defence) was left high and dry by the front 4.

 

[Berlin Blade]

I agree he doesn't look like a world beater at the moment, but take into consideration the following:

- He's been here two minutes.

- We've been spoilt in the last year with a really good, well oiled machine in midfield with Fleck/Coutts/Duffy/Basham.

- We keep being told on here that £2/3/4/5 million is 'nothing these days'. He cost a few hundred grand.

- He's obviously got a good attitude towards the game, after being released by Everton as a youngster and working his way back up the football pyramid. Those types of players often improve and get to the top, especially when they're still young. Attitude is the prime determining factor of success usually.

- Being brought on against strong opposition (Middlesborough were playing Premier League football last year while we were in League One, remember) and they've spent a shit tonne of money since. What impact is a substitute holding midfielder supposed to have in that situation? He's not a headline grabber. We changed the system to chase the game and he's the holding midfielder. Him being brought on did contribute to the team looking a bit more threatening and solid towards the end of that game.

- I feel he's been stitched up a little bit with the games he's started. In both cup games we've played a really weird 11 where 6 or 7 of the players are either making debuts or are playing unfamiliar positions. I think if he was playing in a confident team with 10 of our best players around him playing a consistent system that they're familiar with, he would shine and look like a completely different player.

One of the most annoying things about modern day football for me is knee jerk fans reactions. They don't take into consideration any of the above and completely write off players after 2 games. There are so many other factors that dictate the performance of players, and thankfully Wilder has proven that he can manipulate those factors better than most other managers, and I predict that he will do again with Lundstram.

There's obviously a chance Wilder will abandon Lundstram down the line like he did with Hussey, but I think with Hussey he just felt the job was too big to turn him round and it was too much effort, especially he just saw that there was better value in the market (Lafferty, Stevens both free) but I'd bet that if he really needed to, he could have turned Hussey into a half decent left back too.

Like I say, a chance that Lundstram won't adapt and will be let go, but what I can't get my head around is why anyone would rejoice in him having a slow start?

 

[chapelblade]

If I remember correctly, Keith Eddy had a slow start but became a very good player for United and New York Cosmos.

 

[Iceybabey]

I thought his weighted through ball to Lav's gave him a little boost and I saw something in the lad. I reckon he'd play better with or in our 3 of Fleck, Coutts and Duffy.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

I think his game time opportunities will be few and far between,just used as a late sub more often than not.

Also think that the "we will only sign better players that we already have" went out the window with him.

 

[ucandomagic]

If his role is to be DM protecting the back 4 then he needs to go back to school.

Goal 1 v Leicester him and Freeman were both right in front of Gray, Lundstram's job was to cover outside but he just dived in where Freeman was covering and let Gray walk outside and score.

Goal 2, Ulloa receives the ball in the centre circle from their keeper - exactly where DM should be. Lundstram is lost upfield. Ulloa is in a 10 yard vacuum, brings it down, makes a cuppa, slips it to King also unchallenged who splits an exposed back 3 with a perfect pass to Slimani.

Can't blame him for Goal 3 - for some reason Baldock completely abandoned Slimani for a 2 yard unchallenged tap in.

Goal 4, instead of just standing strong Lundstram just waves a leg as somebody walked by him - can't remember who. Mind you Musa wouldn't have scored if JOC hadn't been sent up top to play CF by then.

Going forward he looked OK - so my question is what was his job? I think we desperately need a dedicated DM. Our defence looked quite strong for 50 minutes v Leicester but Leicester and Cardiff before showed that we can't allow people to run at us.

Hopefully Derby haven't got the pace of Gray or Mendes Laing - and Irn Bru man will provide a bit more cover.

UTB

 

[Norderner]

10 minutes v Brentcelona, and a game v the administration thieves and he's castigated for life? FFS some of our fan base are right fannies. Needs a season before you write him off.

 

[Maidenhead]

Not a championships player. He's too slow and ponderous. Could get away with the lack of pace if he had a quick footballing brain but doesn't seem to have that either. He's 23 and played over 140 games so he's neither young or inexperienced. Nothing against him and not trying to make him into a scapegoat either. A squad player at the very best could see him going back to oxford on loan. UTB

So the professionals obviously think a lot more of him than the amateur pundits on here.

He's only been here 2 minutes, give the lad a chance.

 

[Pierre's PC]

So the professionals obviously think a lot more of him than the amateur pundits on here.

He's only been here 2 minutes, give the lad a chance.

Unfortunately Evans has taken this years quota of "give him time" everyone else has to be up and running instantly.

 

[blade too long]

weve had has had been said been a well oiled machine at the back well drilled and ticking over nicely

Lundstram is having to fit in and will look awkward for several games as its a differentset up to that he played at Oxford
If wed pay 20 million for him Id expect a quick adaptation into the team , but he was just shy of that amount by 19 800000 quid

We play a very fluid system that allows both centre backs to get forward and this means covering the gaps left , its going to need him to make some adjustments
thats why hes looked exposed occasionally,

200 minutes of game time might not be enough

I believe it took last years team 4 full games to find a bit of rythym

Wilder will know by mid september if hes fitting the bill but in chris,s opinion he thinks he muct be capable of getting up to speed with how we play , we have to let him catch up

 

[BushBlade]

If his role is to be DM protecting the back 4 then he needs to go back to school.

Goal 1 v Leicester him and Freeman were both right in front of Gray, Lundstram's job was to cover outside but he just dived in where Freeman was covering and let Gray walk outside and score.

Goal 2, Ulloa receives the ball in the centre circle from their keeper - exactly where DM should be. Lundstram is lost upfield. Ulloa is in a 10 yard vacuum, brings it down, makes a cuppa, slips it to King also unchallenged who splits an exposed back 3 with a perfect pass to Slimani.

Can't blame him for Goal 3 - for some reason Baldock completely abandoned Slimani for a 2 yard unchallenged tap in.

Goal 4, instead of just standing strong Lundstram just waves a leg as somebody walked by him - can't remember who. Mind you Musa wouldn't have scored if JOC hadn't been sent up top to play CF by then.

Going forward he looked OK - so my question is what was his job? I think we desperately need a dedicated DM. Our defence looked quite strong for 50 minutes v Leicester but Leicester and Cardiff before showed that we can't allow people to run at us.

Hopefully Derby haven't got the pace of Gray or Mendes Laing - and Irn Bru man will provide a bit more cover.

UTB

Is that his role though? DM in front of a back four? Looked to me like we were playing three at the back for most of the game.

 

[ucandomagic]

Is that his role though? DM in front of a back four? Looked to me like we were playing three at the back for most of the game.

I meant back 3 - and yes, that was my question - what is his role? If it is meant to be protective then he wasn't very good at it. If it isn't meant to be, then it is an area that we seem to need to be thinking about as we conceded 3 goals as a result.

 

[BushBlade]

I meant back 3 - and yes, that was my question - what is his role? If it is meant to be protective then he wasn't very good at it. If it isn't meant to be, then it is an area that we seem to need to be thinking about as we conceded 3 goals as a result.

Similar to Coutts I think. He's not really a DM either. For the first one I don't think either Freeman or Lundstram were quite right but they were caught quickly and facing a player Bournemouth have apparently offered £30m for. Second one he was caught upfield because we lost possession too easily and got caught on the break. It happens, midfielders have to get forward to support the attack. Fourth goal was poor all round and you can't blame it all on Lundstram.

Was he good? No. Was he playing his second game in a side with many changes against a side from a higher division who had come to make sure they didn't slip up against us? Yes.

 

[Ricky]

- Being brought on against strong opposition (Middlesborough were playing Premier League football last year while we were in League One, remember) and they've spent a shit tonne of money since. What impact is a substitute holding midfielder supposed to have in that situation? He's not a headline grabber. We changed the system to chase the game and he's the holding midfielder. Him being brought on did contribute to the team looking a bit more threatening and solid towards the end of that game.

You've imagined that because he didn't come on at Boro. Duffy, Brooks and Evans did. His only league appearance was v Brentford.

- I feel he's been stitched up a little bit with the games he's started. In both cup games we've played a really weird 11 where 6 or 7 of the players are either making debuts or are playing unfamiliar positions. I think if he was playing in a confident team with 10 of our best players around him playing a consistent system that they're familiar with, he would shine and look like a completely different player.

You're right there, very harsh to judge him on those games in a weakened, unfamiliar team where he had to take on most of the midfield defensive responsibility, which isn't really his game.

But that does lead me to question why we've spent decent money on him. A solid defensive player is what we lack in there and it seems wasteful to spend it on someone who isn't that, and is similar to what we've already got.

 

[Stretch]

Murphy was gash for a whole season; Coutts didn't look good enough for league 1 until Wilder got hold of him; Bash got off to a poor start etc etc and these are just recent examples. We have had scores of players over the years who take a while to settle and adapt, then sudddenly boom!

Let's give him half a season at least eh before we flay him alive?! He is only back up as things stand and the Leicester game showed him and reminded us [if anyone needed it] how good Coutts is on the ball. That's the level he will be working towards.

 

[super_pig]

there's two ways it can go with us
hero to zero. deG.. Higdon
or zero to hero Coutts, Leon
i think we really like a zero to hero story so even though people are slagging him off they are secretly hoping he will come good so they can say 'when he first came he was crap' .. i do it as well

 

[bonobo]

Honestly I don't know how people can write a player off already, 2 games in, unsettled line ups, having to support 2 attacking midfielders, one against recent Premier League champions. We have players in the squad, who have taken whole seasons to come good....let alone 5 minutes, we have all witnessed this countless times, so why be so determined to define Lundstram already ? Oxford lot, said he was slow, a big unit, with a great range of passing, who often plays too deep...sounds a bit like Coutts. Minutes before the first goal on Tuesday, I was saying how impressed I was, but he was really caught short for that goal and then did seem to lose the plot. What is maybe more of concern in general, is that with our signings, seem to relying on most of them to 'find their feet' and maybe he represents another signing without pace....but we see , with any new signing, i always have a lot of optimism...and I would like to see Lundstram having a full league game next to Coutts of Fleck in our regular lineup...

 

[TTMeysh]

I've said this before, defensive midfielder is a very hard position to gain positive fan plaudits for, as the succession of defensive midfielders castigated by our fans over the years tends to demonstrate.

In the old days, your holding player became a cult favourite by kicking their flair player up in the air. These days, it is all about positioning, blocking runs etc which is unglamorous even when you get it right and -crucially - is all about playing in, and being comfortable with, a system that all the players are bought into and understand. So no surprises that he hasn't looked great so far particularly in the Leicester game in what charitably could be described as an 'experimental' team selection.

My guess is we will evolve a different set-up for the team for tight away fixtures in which Lundstram could be an important player for us.

 

[oxfordunited]

The sooner you lot realise that he isn't a defensive midfielder, the sooner you will understand his value.

What a talent, but barely a defensive bone in his body.

 

[GrayBlade]

The sooner you lot realise that he isn't a defensive midfielder, the sooner you will understand his value.

What a talent, but barely a defensive bone in his body.

I think we've already seen that he's not the best defensively, but where would you say his best position is then?

He doesn't seem to have that much pace, not enough to beat a man anyway, and so if he can't tackle, defend or effectively track-back but isn't quick enough to be a real attacking threat, what are his strengths then apart from having an eye for a pass?

I'm not knocking the kid by the way, young players take time to settle and show their best, and I hope he comes good.

 

[stringer]

I think we've already seen that he's not the best defensively, but where would you say his best position is then?

He doesn't seem to have that much pace, not enough to beat a man anyway, and so if he can't tackle, defend or effectively track-back but isn't quick enough to be a real attacking threat, what are his strengths then apart from having an eye for a pass?

I'm not knocking the kid by the way, young players take time to settle and show their best, and I hope he comes good.

Since you've essentially described Paul Coutts, maybe that's your answer!

 

[Bladesway]

Think he's played pretty well so far but then again I've not got an agenda.

You'll be hounded out inside a month

 

[oxfordunited]

He is a quarterback. His passing from deep is exceptional and technically he is top drawer.

You need a team to be set up to facilitate that though. I'm not surprised he isn't shining at Branmal Lane. No doubt he is good enough to, but I'd say you need more than he can offer.

 

[Roygbiv]

I'm not sure why some are classing him as a defensive midfielder at all. He is basically a younger version of Coutts . I imagine the plan is for him to eventually overtake Coutts in that position but from what we have seen there is a huge gap between them at the moment.

 

[Harrisblade]

Unfortunately Evans has taken this years quota of "give him time" everyone else has to be up and running instantly.

Nicely put, but still bollocks

 

[sheffielder]

I'm not sure why some are classing him as a defensive midfielder at all. He is basically a younger version of Coutts . I imagine the plan is for him to eventually overtake Coutts in that position but from what we have seen there is a huge gap between them at the moment.

Looks a confidence thing for me. Just needs time to settle

 

[Roygbiv]

Looks a confidence thing for me. Just needs time to settle

I think it's insane to write him off right now. He's only ever played with the 2nd string barring one sub appearance when we had everyone behind the ball

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

He'll be reight.