Regan Slater

[Chabuddy G]

So... right wing back for 45 mins today. Put some delicious balls in against an (albeit largely second choice) SPL side and was impressive in a new position to him.

I suspect he lacks something to be a centre mid above League One level, but so would Baldock.
So is this Slater’s future? Plenty of midfielders become full backs it’s not the most random positional change.

 

[What the Hecky]

Was a lovely cross for the goal, I know little about the lad, but when I have seen him he has looked like a good player. Shall certainly be interesting to see how this goes for him, as you say we have plenty of midfielders and if he can prove to be cover for Baldock he will certainly move closer to the team.

 

[Tarqs]

Was a lovely cross for the goal, I know little about the lad, but when I have seen him he has looked like a good player. Shall certainly be interesting to see how this goes for him, as you say we have plenty of midfielders and if he can prove to be cover for Baldock he will certainly move closer to the team.

Sounds like you know little about the game too.

It was a Berg shot parried back to sharp for open goal.

 

[What the Hecky]

Fuck sake I meant Sharps header meh potato tomato

 

[Bladezz]

I don’t see Slater playing in the PL in a position he hasn’t played in before. He did by all accounts look very confident there. But that is our issue the progression we’ve made it is so difficult for the youngsters to keep up.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Might be wrong, but I just got a sense from his inclusion there that we just wanted a body in the role till Baldock and the new RWB when they join are available. The cross for Sharp was very good. At other times he gave away possession cheaply. Can’t see this as a long term move for him, and I suspect when he’s loaned out it will be as a midfielder.

 

[Chabuddy G]

Might be wrong, but I just got a sense from his inclusion there that we just wanted a body in the role till Baldock and the new RWB when they join are available. The cross for Sharp was very good. At other times he gave away possession cheaply. Can’t see this as a long term move for him, and I suspect when he’s loaned out it will be as a midfielder.

I don’t know, it could’ve easily been Jags or Rodwell at the back and Basham RWB as it has been before when Baldock and Freeman were injured. This was notably different and maybe there’s no more to it but I sense a bit of a potential project there. I thought he looked promising, he’s way off our midfielders so is this his potential path into the first team?

Trent used to be a centre mid

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I don’t know, it could’ve easily been Jags or Rodwell at the back and Basham RWB as it has been before when Baldock and Freeman were injured. This was notably different and maybe there’s no more to it but I sense a bit of a potential project there. I thought he looked promising, he’s way off our midfielders so is this his potential path into the first team?

Trent used to be a centre mid

It’s a friendly aimed at getting people back used to playing their usual positions – we weren’t going to shunt Basham over to a role we don’t play him in any more. I’m not saying players don’t switch to different positions – that would be absurd. But I don’t see this as a drastic change for Slater, more a temporary fit in a game we had extremely reduced options.

 

[Bladesman]

He is our own Besic. He likes a good slide tackle does Slater.

 

[Chabuddy G]

It’s a friendly aimed at getting people back used to playing their usual positions – we weren’t going to shunt Basham over to a role we don’t play him in any more. I’m not saying players don’t switch to different positions – that would be absurd. But I don’t see this as a drastic change for Slater, more a temporary fit in a game we had extremely reduced options.

And I'm not saying you're wrong, but I do think Slater's avenue to the first team is going to have to be somewhere other than CM because we have players that are frankly much more talented than him infront of him. It' s up to him whether he wants to change things up and try something different, it could pay off, it might not.

 

[saw516]

It’s a very good point you make about Trent, he said himself in an interview he preferred playing in midfield as a youngster but knew his chances of breaking through were slim to none. When the coaches offered him the option of trying rb he went for it as he saw it as his best chance of breaking through. Who’s to say slater isn’t thinking the same, if he’s a bright lad he could be seeing it as his potential way in. He’s not going to get ahead of the midfield but one knock or loss of form for Baldock and the door is open if he’s been training the position

 

[guancheblade]

I don’t see Slater playing in the PL in a position he hasn’t played in before. He did by all accounts look very confident there. But that is our issue the progression we’ve made it is so difficult for the youngsters to keep up.

You obviously haven't read Deadbat's match report

 

[Chabuddy G]

You obviously haven't read Deadbat's match report

With all due respect I don’t care what Deadbat says, I saw him play quite well with my own eyes

 

[Sam64]

I thought he was fine, don't want him playing in the PL there but I think there's something there for the future (or in the opening rounds of the cups)

 

[guancheblade]

With all due respect I don’t care what Deadbat says, I saw him play quite well with my own eyes

So why mention other people's opinions if you only need your own? And you can't say "by all accounts" if you're choosing to ignore the ones that don't back up your point.

 

[Chabuddy G]

So why mention other people's opinions if you only need your own? And you can't say "by all accounts" if you're choosing to ignore the ones that don't back up your point.

Not at all I’m just saying Deadbats match report isn’t the one source of the truth

 

[Houso]

He was fine going forward, but defensively you could see it was a very foreign position to him. Got caught out of position a couple of times which led to chances for a weak Dundee United side.

All told, he was understandably solid going forward (I commented on the excellent cross at the time), but he'll take a fair old while to get used to the position defensively. And I don't see what opportunity he would get to do so. I mean, it's not going to be with us in the Premier, no club will take him on loan to do so, and there's little quality in under 23s.

He needs a Championship loan really either way as he's getting on for a young un.

 

[Chabuddy G]

He was fine going forward, but defensively you could see it was a very foreign position to him. Got caught out of position a couple of times which led to chances for a weak Dundee United side.

All told, he was understandably solid going forward (I commented on the excellent cross at the time), but he'll take a fair old while to get used to the position defensively. And I don't see what opportunity he would get to do so. I mean, it's not going to be with us in the Premier, no club will take him on loan to do so, and there's little quality in under 23s.

He needs a Championship loan really either way as he's getting on for a young un.

He needs to make a decision where his future lies soon and where he wants to play. It's clear as spring water that he's not going to make a career as a centre mid here, he couldn't even establish himself as a first teamer at Carlisle and Scunny. If he wants to be one, fine, might as well go now. If he is willing to work with the coaches and change positions I'm sure it's something that would excite them (Knill loves owt like that)

It's a good point you make about getting used to the position defensively but similarly to Baldock, he turned into a right back at a similar age. He used to be a winger. And Baldock's defensive play has come on leaps and bounds.

Interesting one Slater. He's at a crossroads now.

 

[stringer]

Interesting one Slater. He's at a crossroads now.

He's also not yet 21, so the fact he wouldn't get in United's midfield right now doesn't mean he's worth moving on

 

[Chabuddy G]

He's also not yet 21, so the fact he wouldn't get in United's midfield right now doesn't mean he's worth moving on

He's 21 in a week. If he was to have a future here at centre midfield I would've expected him to have some sort of impact in any one of his 2 league 2 spells, but he didn't

 

[stringer]

He's 21 in a week. If he was to have a future here at centre midfield I would've expected him to have some sort of impact in any one of his 2 league 2 spells, but he didn't

As I say, not yet 21 And has played twice the amount of senior football that Norwood played at the same age.
(Interestingly, they both were on loan at Carlisle and Scunny at roughly similar stages in their career, albeit Scunny were in the Championship when Norwood went there)

 

[Deadbat]

As I say, not yet 21 And has played twice the amount of senior football that Norwood played at the same age.
(Interestingly, they both were on loan at Carlisle and Scunny at roughly similar stages in their career, albeit Scunny were in the Championship when Norwood went there)

Not sure I have been brought into this?!

He did ok the other night with a few decent moments and touches (great cross for Sharp) mixed with some poor positional play but it was against Dundee United reserves which is akin to playing a non league side. Not amazing but not pod. He was ok and will be pleased in an unfamiliar position he did not met anyone down.

In terms of the Norwood comparison, Norwood was player who was at Man Utd, the best team in the country at the time and played on loan at Champ sides Scunny and I think Coventry in one season around the same age 21.

Slater turns 21 in a few weeks and has struggled to be a regular or make much impact at two teams in the bottom division and indeed a mid table/side near the bottom.

2 years ago he seemed a great prospect but I think the club will be disappointed he did not make an impact at the bottom end of the football league and has not kicked on as the club would have hoped.

I was surprised he was brought back inn the fold but Wilder still rates him then it's fine by me as he knows more than any of us. However I am thinking is more about numbers at the moment than him suddenly being seen as close to the first team. Ditto for Sam Graham who could not get in the Notts County team regularly.

I would be surprised if Slater is anywhere near the opening day squad as it is. I think the best move is to get him back out on loan again and see if he can get regular games and consistency so hopefully we can find another League 2 club who might take him.

He only has a year left so for him and a few others even at 20-21, it's an important year if they want to stay at a United but more likely carve out a League career.

He may go and surprise us and be kept around but that would be more of an inditement of us being unable to secure more players.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Deserves to start in the PL for his mention in this song:

 

[stringer]

Not sure I have been brought into this?!

He did ok the other night with a few decent moments and touches (great cross for Sharp) mixed with some poor positional play but it was against Dundee United reserves which is akin to playing a non league side. Not amazing but not pod. He was ok and will be pleased in an unfamiliar position he did not met anyone down.

In terms of the Norwood comparison, Norwood was player who was at Man Utd, the best team in the country at the time and played on loan at Champ sides Scunny and I think Coventry in one season around the same age 21.

Slater turns 21 in a few weeks and has struggled to be a regular or make much impact at two teams in the bottom division and indeed a mid table/side near the bottom.

2 years ago he seemed a great prospect but I think the club will be disappointed he did not make an impact at the bottom end of the football league and has not kicked on as the club would have hoped.

I was surprised he was brought back inn the fold but Wilder still rates him then it's fine by me as he knows more than any of us. However I am thinking is more about numbers at the moment than him suddenly being seen as close to the first team. Ditto for Sam Graham who could not get in the Notts County team regularly.

I would be surprised if Slater is anywhere near the opening day squad as it is. I think the best move is to get him back out on loan again and see if he can get regular games and consistency so hopefully we can find another League 2 club who might take him.

He only has a year left so for him and a few others even at 20-21, it's an important year if they want to stay at a United but more likely carve out a League career.

He may go and surprise us and be kept around but that would be more of an inditement of us being unable to secure more players.

We were both wrong about Norwood - Scunny were in League One when he was there on loan. He didn’t turn out too badly in the end.
As for ‘struggling to be a regular’, Slater played 41 games in a season for Carlisle. He then got injured before Christmas at Scunthorpe, and it’s not easy to ‘make an impact’ from the sidelines.
The kid’s still only 20 years old and I can’t quite get my head around the rush to move him on because he isn’t deemed ready to play for the first team right now.
I see posters bemoaning the lack of homegrown players coming through in one thread, and then others hurrying to release kids in others because they’re not first-team, Premier League regulars by the time they’re 21...

 

[Deadbat]

We were both wrong about Norwood - Scunny were in League One when he was there on loan. He didn’t turn out too badly in the end.
As for ‘struggling to be a regular’, Slater played 41 games in a season for Carlisle. He then got injured before Christmas at Scunthorpe, and it’s not easy to ‘make an impact’ from the sidelines.
The kid’s still only 20 years old and I can’t quite get my head around the rush to move him on because he isn’t deemed ready to play for the first team right now.
I see posters bemoaning the lack of homegrown players coming through in one thread, and then others hurrying to release kids in others because they’re not first-team, Premier League regulars by the time they’re 21...

Of course we want home grown players to come through but they have to be good enough. The age thing does not matter in some ways. Hackford being brought through at 16 here is clearly seen to be ahead of many 17-20 year olds in the y18/23s.

Look at Greenwood/Foden at such uoung ages (albeit at juggernauts) but displacing experienced players.

It's nothing personal at him when I don't see him bring close to the 1st team. It's just an opinion based on evidence/what I've seen.

Slater is 21 in a few weeks. He has regressed a bit in the last few years when you hoped he would go the other way after Wilder really hyped him up. He started well at Carlisle but then was in and out and ditto at Scunny.

I would expect him (or any young player) to be successful and a regular at least at League 1/Champ level before he is going to be near our first team at this level we are now. Not sure that is wildly controversial. After 2 loans at Lg 2 where he has not maybe stood out it's not trying to get him out of the door by suggesting his next loan is crucial. If he does not push on wherever he goes next time United will release him next summer when his contract is up. That's the cut throat business of football. He'll know that too.

Smith and Norrington Davies have slowly moved up the leagues in loans and seem to be progressing but they too will have to really push on to have a chance here. Again they'll know that too.

Where we are now in the Prem, there are many young players same age as some of those above on loan from Prem clubs excelling on loan deals at Champ clubs (look at Ben White and Matthew Clarke at Brighton as examples)

Our best achieving loan player was Norrington Davies at Rochdale.

We are now at a level where the bar is raised and sadly our youth set up is not where it needs to be (we moved up so quickly the 1st team 100% rightly were priority). We are the only EPL team who are not category 1 academy status and that will affect our ability to attract and develop young players so we have to change that if we want to compete in youth production.

 

[bromtom]

To be fair to players going out on loan, we don't particularly know what they're going into. Sometimes they encounter a manager who is tactically stubborn and plays a particularly crap style of football, which leaves them perhaps out of position or underutilized, or the players around them don't do them any favours and they become the scapegoat.

If I were in charge, I think with them not having to be registered, I'd be picking a couple, say Hackford, RND, and Slater and just chucking them in at the deep end and see if they come up. If they grab the chance and push on, great, if not the window is long, send them out.

Foden never went out on loan, he got chucked into a Champions League game at 17, I'm not comparing our players to a kid who looks to be a slot in replacement for one of the best players ever to play in the Premier League, but still.

 

[Houston_Blade]

If you look at the model employed by a lot of PL teams with loaning youngsters out it’s 2-3 and maybe even 4 year process working through the leagues. The likes of Foden are the extreme cases, however they are 1 in 100 players.

Generally kids aren’t thrown in at 17 anymore, it’s 21/22 now with 2 or 3 seasons of league football behind them.

 

[Beans]

Just dropping in to say I'm enjoying our very own version of "he's 28 until he becomes 29"

 

[Tarqs]

Just dropping in to say I'm enjoying our very own version of "he's 28 until he becomes 29"

Superb stuff, off to drop by on this convo ha ha

 

[guancheblade]

Just dropping in to say I'm enjoying our very own version of "he's 28 until he becomes 29"

I'm with Graham on this one