Pace (and skill) alters the whole dynamic.

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Woodwardfan

Woodwardfan
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At last we've got pace and skill and what a difference it makes.

Donaldson and Brooks improve our options against all opposition, home and away.

Lavery was recruited to contribute but never quite got it together. Cole might be added in January. He's young and hungry, don't change the recruitment policy and buy some Fletcher or other past their best and minds on other things.

At the weekend Wednesday reminded me of us without that pace. No way up the middle so always channelling play out to the wide men, long hopeful cross in, headed away.

All credit to our progress without pace in League 1 and again this season and all credit to Sharp and Freeman for getting the goals. Now we will score goals from all departments because we can mix it up - on the break, through the heart of their defence, out wide, to the byeline, from deep, one-twos, threes fours, whatever we like!! Also our squad gives us a great bench despite a list of injured players.

Is this really happening after just one year of the Messiah??
 

Good post and totally agree, if we get Donaldson back asap and can keep Brooks fit I think we will cause huge problems for most teams in this league. Even Leon looked like he had gained a yard on Sunday, albeit their CBs weren't great but still. Plus having the option of Duffy starting or off the bench gives us more skill and trickery to affect a game. Throw an ever improving Thomas into the mix and we have some very exciting elements within our squad.
 
Good post and totally agree, if we get Donaldson back asap and can keep Brooks fit I think we will cause huge problems for most teams in this league. Even Leon looked like he had gained a yard on Sunday, albeit their CBs weren't great but still. Plus having the option of Duffy starting or off the bench gives us more skill and trickery to affect a game. Throw an ever improving Thomas into the mix and we have some very exciting elements within our squad.
Good point that about Thomas. It's easy to overlook him but from the rare glimpses I've seen I think he's going to be a very good player for us. Plenty of pace, likes to take a man on, and is willing to shoot.
 
I see where your coming from , the main problem though is no back up for Fleck or coutts. Maybe Duffy could play there role, but I don't know who else.
 
I see where your coming from , the main problem though is no back up for Fleck or coutts. Maybe Duffy could play there role, but I don't know who else.

Big point and that will be a priority in January.

However Carruthers has plenty to come and may be better that bit deeper in the system. Also Lundstram was the one the management got really excited about when we signed him. Basham in certain games. Whiteman back in January? Don't see Brooks playing deeper. Baldock? Freeman?
 
Donaldson and Brooks are huge difference makers.

They make tough away games far more winnable than they otherwise would've been.

The prospect of adding Devante Cole to the mix and seeing him and Brooks develop in the same team is exciting.
 
Is Brooks actually pacey? Not sure he is to be honest, reminds me very much of Tonge when he first came through playing on the left, beating players for fun with his footwork not with pace. Like Waddle used to for Wednesday.
 
We've now got Brooks, Donaldson and Baldock with pace and Leon is no slouch when it comes to a few metres to get into the box and then use his strength as he dis so well on Sunday!
 
Brooks isn't the fastest but he is a player who can beat his man before he's near him. Not many can beat their man like him and Duffy does. Its a given skill It's some'at yer can't teach.
 
Brooks isn't the fastest but he is a player who can beat his man before he's near him. Not many can beat their man like him and Duffy does. Its a given skill It's some'at yer can't teach.


Watched the recording on Sky after the game and that was the exactly opinion of the pundits.
 
I think Brooks is one of those players that isn't lightening fast in a race for a ball over the top, although probably faster than the average defender. However he looks like he's one of those few players that's able to travel just as quickly with the ball at his feet, not an easy skill.
And the ease with which he seems to just glide past defenders only makes him look faster.

No outrageous piece of skill & an explosion of pace.
More a subtle drop of the shoulder & before you know it he's past his man and running at the next.
 
It's mainly about balance, guile, timing and ability with Brooks, and he's as fast with the ball as he is without it. But he'll get quicker too. He's got plenty of physical development left and he'll gain more power over the next 2/3 years. I said the same about DCL.
 
Donaldson and Brooks are huge difference makers.

They make tough away games far more winnable than they otherwise would've been.

The prospect of adding Devante Cole to the mix and seeing him and Brooks develop in the same team is exciting.


Cole has 7 goals already this season.
 
Pace is very important in the modern game. It's vital that we have it up top from at least one of our strikers and also from our full backs.

As a team, we simply don't play wingers except for the occasional time when Wilder reverts to 4-3-3 if we are chasing a game, so there's not much hope for Thomas in my opinion. Similar to Chapman last year, a good player but our system just won't cater for him.
 

Points well made and I hadn't thought that it's his speed with the ball that is exhilerating and without the ball average maybe.
 
It's mainly about balance, guile, timing and ability with Brooks, and he's as fast with the ball as he is without it. But he'll get quicker too. He's got plenty of physical development left and he'll gain more power over the next 2/3 years. I said the same about DCL.


If he gets stronger and can develop a burst of power over five yards to go with everything else he's going to be some player. He's no slouch now though as him leaving Hunt floundering showed.
 
Pace is very important in the modern game. It's vital that we have it up top from at least one of our strikers and also from our full backs.

As a team, we simply don't play wingers except for the occasional time when Wilder reverts to 4-3-3 if we are chasing a game, so there's not much hope for Thomas in my opinion. Similar to Chapman last year, a good player but our system just won't cater for him.


To my mind Wing-backs are wingers a third of the time, full backs a third of the time and somewhere in between the other third.

To press for a regular game as a starter he will have to show positional instinct and discipline.

As a sub he can play the maverick role he has in his locker. Watching his Hartlepool goals he has loads to offer, a lot of it as an individualist with impact. Brilliant at times;infuriating at other times.
 
I see where your coming from , the main problem though is no back up for Fleck or coutts. Maybe Duffy could play there role, but I don't know who else.
We have Basham,Carruthers and Lundstram to cover Fleck or Coutts who could miss the odd game through suspension or injury at some point but hopefully not both of them
 
I think Brooks is one of those players that isn't lightening fast in a race for a ball over the top, although probably faster than the average defender. However he looks like he's one of those few players that's able to travel just as quickly with the ball at his feet, not an easy skill.
And the ease with which he seems to just glide past defenders only makes him look faster.

No outrageous piece of skill & an explosion of pace.
More a subtle drop of the shoulder & before you know it he's past his man and running at the next.

His first touch gives him an extra half a yard.
 
I wish people would stop comparing David Brooks to Chris Waddle. Given Brooks's Citeh background can we please compare him to Colin Bell instead.

:cool:
 
Brooks isn't the fastest but he is a player who can beat his man before he's near him. Not many can beat their man like him and Duffy does. Its a given skill It's some'at yer can't teach.

Yes, for all the praise rightly directed at Young David it's a good point of note that Duff can do "all that and more". He's got magic feet.
 
I wish people would stop comparing David Brooks to Chris Waddle. Given Brooks's Citeh background can we please compare him to Colin Bell instead.

:cool:

Colin Bell wasn't "pacey" enough. He was "mistaken" in thinking he could let the ball do the work for him. A point lost on most of the pace advocates on this forum.
 
I wish people would stop comparing David Brooks to Chris Waddle. Given Brooks's Citeh background can we please compare him to Colin Bell instead.

:cool:

Without wishing to be confrontational, Colin Bell ? Why? Nothing like.

Bell was a very good player box to box, great athlete. Skills not like Waddle or Brooks, not a particularly big dribbler, not that quick with the ball either. He got there where it mattered though in each box.

As for Waddle, I wasn't his biggest fan.I saw him when he was a teenage sensation for Toon at Rotherham one day. At that time he looked every inch a future world star and I suppose he had a very good career but he never quite had that clinical final cross or pass. He could go either way and he was fairly tall and quick but his brain and his final touch didn't match his eye-catching build ups.

Waddle's goals dried up as he got older and when he didn't take penalties. I'm hoping Brooks has it in him to do the final balls and score goals too. He certainly looks like he can. A game is a long time in football and a month is even longer obviously. All the years in a career take their toll but let me say Brooks looks every bit as good as Waddle did at Rotherham that day and hopefully will be less show and more end product than Waddle ever had.
 
Brooks looks every bit as good as Waddle did at Rotherham that day and hopefully will be less show and more end product than Waddle ever had.

Not quite sure that he "looks" as good. Brooks just has a young lad's hair style whereas Dore Pig sported a fantastic mullet:

upload_2017-9-27_13-40-1.jpegupload_2017-9-27_13-40-9.jpegupload_2017-9-27_13-40-19.jpeg
 

Even Leon looked like he had gained a yard on Sunday, albeit their CBs weren't great but still. .
saying thats ok but lets not forget their centre backs are last 2 years play off standard
lets not sell ourselves short

we have ripped up derby and wednesdays backs of late, and thats been the top 8 standard in here

and you have to say Duffy led their centre backs a merry dance too
 

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