Observation by an Owl.

[blademark]

My piggy colleague made quite an astute comment this morning, saying that our best signing has been Clayton Donaldson.
For a second I was puzzled until he said that his presence on the bench is making Leon play out of his skin. !
He could be right, Leon was like a man possessed on Friday.

 

[Worksop II]

Must mean Wednesday's bench are shite ......

 

[Tunstall Fred]

My piggy colleague made quite an astute comment this morning, saying that our best signing has been Clayton Donaldson.
For a second I was puzzled until he said that his presence on the bench is making Leon play out of his skin. !
He could be right, Leon was like a man possessed on Friday.

Not only Friday,since his return from suspension,Leon has been like a man possessed long may it continue

 

[SwissBlade]

Not only Friday,since his return from suspension,Leon has been like a man possessed long may it continue

You could go back further. He ended the season in great form last season but still seemed to have some niggles. I think the start of this season was frustrating for him and Billy as a partnership, they weren't quite clicking and it seemed that Donaldson would take the place up alongside Billy.

However, Leon has taken his chance and he looks a machine. Lean, fitter, faster, more athletic he's playing for the team.

Not entirely sure its down to Donaldson, but perhaps Wilder wouldn't have dipped into the market had Leon not been suspended, or Lavery and Ched had both been closer to fitness and/ or form.

I think its more likely that Leon has been spurred on by the piggy comments telling us how shite his was/ is.

Its a very nice problem to have, but come December, we will have Lavery, Ched, Hanson and Donaldson all vying for the slots currently occupied by Sharp, Leon, Brooks and Duffy... A very healthy position to be in. I can see Hanson and Lavery both getting out on loan due to lack of game time.

 

[Blade for Sale]

My piggy colleague made quite an astute comment this morning, saying that our best signing has been Clayton Donaldson.
For a second I was puzzled until he said that his presence on the bench is making Leon play out of his skin. !
He could be right, Leon was like a man possessed on Friday.

Say what you like about owls but they are very observant and can spin their necks round 180 degrees to see behind them. They can't however crane their necks upwards 90 degrees which is why they can't see us at the moment.

 

[Westbrook Blade]

You could go back further. He ended the season in great form last season but still seemed to have some niggles. I think the start of this season was frustrating for him and Billy as a partnership, they weren't quite clicking and it seemed that Donaldson would take the place up alongside Billy.

However, Leon has taken his chance and he looks a machine. Lean, fitter, faster, more athletic he's playing for the team.

Not entirely sure its down to Donaldson, but perhaps Wilder wouldn't have dipped into the market had Leon not been suspended, or Lavery and Ched had both been closer to fitness and/ or form.

I think its more likely that Leon has been spurred on by the piggy comments telling us how shite his was/ is.

Its a very nice problem to have, but come December, we will have Lavery, Ched, Hanson and Donaldson all vying for the slots currently occupied by Sharp, Leon, Brooks and Duffy... A very healthy position to be in. I can see Hanson and Lavery both getting out on loan due to lack of game time.

Might have been mentioned elsewhere but I'd love to see Clarke & Donaldson given a chance together, those two up top would be a right handful!

 

[Fulwood Blade]

You could go back further. He ended the season in great form last season

This is it for me too, plus Wilders increasing man management skills.

UTB

 

[bornablade]

The link up play between

Brooks and Donaldson at Sunderland

Brooks and Ched at Sunderland (Ched hit the bar)

Brooks and Leon at Hillsborough

has been awesome.

I think Brooks and Lavery would work well.

Have we seen enough of Brooks linking with Billy yet?

 

[JimPhipps]

My piggy colleague made quite an astute comment this morning, saying that our best signing has been Clayton Donaldson.
For a second I was puzzled until he said that his presence on the bench is making Leon play out of his skin. !
He could be right, Leon was like a man possessed on Friday.

I think your colleague underestimates Big Leon, who has been extraordinary since his return to full fitness last Spring.

 

[blademark]

I think your colleague underestimates Big Leon, who has been extraordinary since his return to full fitness last Spring.

Probably right Jim.

 

[Damski]

Leon richly deserves a goal, for the effort and commitment he's shown the past few games. I'd love to see him slot one in tomorrow night.

 

[Bladesman]

My piggy colleague made quite an astute comment this morning, saying that our best signing has been Clayton Donaldson.
For a second I was puzzled until he said that his presence on the bench is making Leon play out of his skin. !
He could be right, Leon was like a man possessed on Friday.

Leon knows if Clayton comes in he will do a good job. The pressure is on everyone in the first team to perform because there is someone waiting to take their place if they don't.

 

[Brother-Leech]

It's interesting to note that similarly to Leon, basham came back from suspension last year and made himself undroppable. It must be that drive to get back into the team that sets them playing that way.

 

[snootyfenooty]

I think its more likely that Leon has been spurred on by the piggy comments telling us how shite his was/ is.

I think you've inadvertently stumbled on a major difference between us and the pigs. He played for the pigs for 4 seasons and they don't have the decency to acknowledge his past with them. There's no way Unitedites would trash talk one of their ex-players unless he'd shat on them, such as Hammond, and I'm not aware of Clarke falling into this category with the pigs.

 

[SwissBlade]

I think you've inadvertently stumbled on a major difference between us and the pigs. He played for the pigs for 4 seasons and they don't have the decency to acknowledge his past with them. There's no way Unitedites would trash talk one of their ex-players unless he'd shat on them, such as Hammond, and I'm not aware of Clarke falling into this category with the pigs.

I suppose someone like Monty might be in a similar category

 

[Boxer Blade]

I reckon Leon loves it here, how many clubs has he been at? How many of them chanted his name? The fans love him, at the end of most games the player who the fans chant for is Leon, Leon.he must feel great at the moment

 

[snootyfenooty]

I suppose someone like Monty might be in a similar category

He gets vilified by a couple of forum members but I prefer to listen to the reception he gets when he visits the Lane. Same scenario with Warnock.

 

[TJB.]

I think your colleague underestimates Big Leon

I think everyone underestimates Big Leon.

I also think he knows it, which allows him to mug people off, as he did the Leeds defender on Friday.

Long may it continue.

 

[SwissBlade]

He gets vilified by a couple of forum members but I prefer to listen to the reception he gets when he visits the Lane. Same scenario with Warnock.

True. There are very few players that wouldn't be welcomed if they came back. Except Hammond as you say and Neil Collins

 

[PokerBlade]

If anything's held back Clarke in his time it's that too many clubs have tried to play him as a target man when he's a more technical player than that. He leads the line for us, and he's doing a good job chasing down defenders, but he's never been and never will be the Shipperley, knock seven shades out of the defenders, type. Wolves played him up top in a 4-5-1 when they stormed League One and, consequently, he didn't score many that season. We get good movement around him, we win lots of second balls, and while he's in part our "big man up top" that's nowhere near his only focus. We play with two good finishers and we consistently give them a few decent chances per game to do their bit.

This isn't to take away from our strikers, but to an extent I feel like they symbolise how much we've changed. How many times in our recent past have we had that discussion about how Messi wouldn't score many for us? Right now any remotely competent striker would get some joy. Not many would have netted thirty like Billy did, but when you're consistently creating good opportunities you allow the strikers to excel. That's what we're doing for Clarke and our other strikers. We're allowing them to play well.

 

[JBEblade]

Say what you like about owls but they are very observant and can spin their necks round 180 degrees to see behind them. They can't however crane their necks upwards 90 degrees which is why they can't see us at the moment.

Brilliant

 

[Bladepicker]

I suppose someone like Monty might be in a similar category

He gets vilified by a couple of forum members

I think this is a bit unfair. His footballing ability gets vilified - not him himself. I don't think there is a single Blade who wouldn't buy Monty a pint for his efforts for this club. There are just a number of us who would have bought him ten not to play for us again

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

 

[blade too long]

My piggy colleague made quite an astute comment this morning, saying that our best signing has been Clayton Donaldson.
For a second I was puzzled until he said that his presence on the bench is making Leon play out of his skin. !
He could be right, Leon was like a man possessed on Friday.

could be hes enjoying football , he started playing well last 12 15 games of last season
hes just found a role he likes

all the team play with the same gusto

 

[blade too long]

Might have been mentioned elsewhere but I'd love to see Clarke & Donaldson given a chance together, those two up top would be a right handful!

and be the oldest forward line ever, but still more pace than wednesdays got

 

[The Crab]

I think your colleague underestimates Big Leon, who has been extraordinary since his return to full fitness last Spring.

I wasn't too sure when he signed, then I wasn't too sure he could make the jump to the Championship. I've never been happier to have been proven wrong. He's been excellent so far.

 

[Bladesthorpe]

True. There are very few players that wouldn't be welcomed if they came back. Except Hammond as you say and Neil Collins

Why would Collins not be welcomed back, always gave everything for the club and scored some important goals. Good partnership with Harry at the back. Not his fault FLN took a dislike to him.

 

[SwissBlade]

Why would Collins not be welcomed back, always gave everything for the club and scored some important goals. Good partnership with Harry at the back. Not his fault FLN took a dislike to him.

He was useless in every way and was definitely not a good influence. Worst player ever

 

[Damski]

Collins was a perfectly adequate League 1 defender. Nothing more, nothing less. Yon abaht.

 

[Houston_Blade]

I think its more likely that Leon has been spurred on by the piggy comments telling us how shite his was/ is.
.

There were more than enough people on this forum criticising him a few months ago. After the Barnsley game I’m pretty sure there was a post telling us all how shit he is.