The new Tom Cannon

[GreasyChipBeattie]

OK, here goes.
I was never his biggest fan.
In fact I used to almost take pleasure in slating him, such was the frustration I felt watching him.
Forget the price tag, he just didn't seem interested and had little to nothing about his game that made me think, 'He might come good one day'
Well 3 so far this season, and a lot more to his game has meant a major rethink for me.
I don't know who said what, whether it was a Wilder hand round his shoulder, or a performance based bonus in his contract that he needs to activate to buy himself a mansion in Scotland, but I'm liking what I see.
It's a bit frustrating that we haven't seen much of it previously, but he looks stronger and more determined than ever before, winning headers, making good runs, confident finishing.
Add to that, the fist clenched, 'Come on' focus he showed to (Peck?) at Blackburn and I reckon we've got that player we were all hoping for when he signed.
Well done Tom, and thanks for stepping up to the plate. It's great to see.

 

[Younger Dryas Blade]

I thought you was going to post this up judging by the thread title.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

OK, here goes.
I was never his biggest fan.
In fact I used to almost take pleasure in slating him,

I credit you with admitting to this and you aren't alone. Lots of football fans share this attitude and I find it so fucking weird!

 

[Stretch]

He's definitely looked better so far this season, but to be fair the rest of the team hasn't really clicked consistently yet, so he may just stand out a bit more.

Fair play though, he is finding the back of the net and working harder than I have seen before. That's all I can ask from a striker really.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

I credit you with admitting to this and you aren't alone. Lots of football fans share this attitude and I find it so fucking weird!

Likewise mate, I hate to see the levels of vitriol towards 'our own' that is sometimes shown.
I tend to reserve mine for the conversations I have with a mate after the game, more to vent my frustration than hurt someone's feelings.
That's not to say I'm not fucking weird in lots of other ways like

 

[Northyorksblade]

Likewise mate, I hate to see the levels of vitriol towards 'our own' that is sometimes shown.
I tend to reserve mine for the conversations I have with a mate after the game, more to vent my frustration than hurt someone's feelings.
That's not to say I'm not fucking weird in lots of other ways like

I remember people cheering when he was subbed a couple of times. How on earth does that help a player whose confidence is low?

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

One of the best strikers I've seen in a Blades shirt, this season

 

[Dkc]

I remember people cheering when he was subbed a couple of times. How on earth does that help a player whose confidence is low?

Because some people don't come primarily to support the team. They come to have a few drinks and moan about the team. It's a way of getting rid of your frustrations with life, and it's always been that way. To be honest it's hard to be a happy clapper for 90 mins and never criticise anyone in a red and white shirt. But sometimes the criticism goes overboard and is undeserved.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Likewise mate, I hate to see the levels of vitriol towards 'our own' that is sometimes shown.
I tend to reserve mine for the conversations I have with a mate after the game, more to vent my frustration than hurt someone's feelings.
That's not to say I'm not fucking weird in lots of other ways like

Look, football forums were specifically invented so fans could vent their spleen about 22 useless fucking wankers kicking a bag of wind about.
I don’t care what people punching a keyboard say about my team, so long as they don’t take that bullshit into the stadium.

 

[ISZA ⚔️]

Nailed on he has a stinker tomorrow.

 

[Red Wing Blade]

When Cannon first arrived we weren't playing well and continued to be outplayed by nearly every opponent we came up against, despite hitting 90+ points. We managed to take the lead against the run of play then shut up shop and defend the lead for the last parts of the game. Cannon was often brought on late as a sub, playing up top alone with the team having no attacking intent and no service to him. He didn't score and that was no surprise given the tactics and that he only got between 10 to 20 mins a game. He never really saw a decent run in the side as a starter and when he did he was up top alone, which doesn't suit him.

Cannon scores when he's up top with a partner and coincidentally he's had that when he's scored this season. Bamford suits him more than Campbell as he can be unselfish and create chances for Cannon and holds up the ball better.

I'm not saying Cannon wasn't dreadful at times but some of it was circumstantial and sometimes just bad use of a player by shoehorning him into a role that didn't suit him, but then again, he's not the only one that happened to.

I dream of the day when we set up a team to suit individual player strengths and let them play their natural game with instinct, rather than forcing them all to play the same way. You don't ask David Beckham to play like Ryan Giggs, and you don't ask Ryan Giggs to play like David Beckham.

 

[MadDad38]

Much better to decide on a system and buy players to suit it though.

 

[BadgersBigToe]

Because some people don't come primarily to support the team. They come to have a few drinks and moan about the team. It's a way of getting rid of your frustrations with life, and it's always been that way. To be honest it's hard to be a happy clapper for 90 mins and never criticise anyone in a red and white shirt. But sometimes the criticism goes overboard and is undeserved.

Mrs BBT’s description of football matches…a place where grown men can go to stand, point, shout and swear

 

[metalblade]

He has improved this season but let's be reyt he could hardly have got any worse, yes tactics and formations haven't always helped him so you have to ask why did we buy him if our style wasn't going to suit him. Comes down to square pegs for round holes at this club once again.

 

[KMC-1889]

He’s scored against bottom of the league relegation contenders, it’s not a shock as that’s who he’s always scored against.

The issue was paying £10m for a forward that’s never going to be able to play in the top half of the championship when we were pushing for promotion.

 

[sportsmanblade]

it helps playing him upfront in a two tbf, hes took all his goals well

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

He’s scored against bottom of the league relegation contenders, it’s not a shock as that’s who he’s always scored against.

The issue was paying £10m for a forward that’s never going to be able to play in the top half of the championship when we were pushing for promotion.

Bottom of the league or not, he's playing more aggressively, looks stronger, and the goals he scored from open play were great finishes.
He even caused the penalty at Cardiff that he scored.
I think he's (potentially) better than a lower half Champ forward.

 

[Ron_Justice]

He’s scored against bottom of the league relegation contenders, it’s not a shock as that’s who he’s always scored against.

The issue was paying £10m for a forward that’s never going to be able to play in the top half of the championship when we were pushing for promotion.

*£10M if he comes good.

 

[Ron_Justice]

I'll reserve my judgment for a while yet, needs to get double figures from non-penaltys, and maintain the levels of aggression and desire we've seen this season, then I'll start thinking there's a player there.

The 'we don't play to his strengths' only carries him 30% of the way there, his job is reading the play and positioning himself in the right place at the right time. Bare minimum. So far this season, he's managed to do just that. Carry on, and we'll have a player on our hands.

 

[KMC-1889]

*£10M if he comes good.

This is a myth that needs to die. It’s £10m. It’s in our accounts, it’s in leicesters accounts. The add ons could take it to just over £11m.

He’s costing us £2.75m per year over the 4 year deal, not including signing on fee, agent fee or wages.

 

[Eddiecolquhounsleg]

Mrs BBT’s description of football matches…a place where grown men can go to stand, point, shout and swear

She sounds like a keeper.

 

[luffenhamblade]

Look, football forums were specifically invented so fans could vent their spleen about 22 useless fucking wankers kicking a bag of wind about.
I don’t care what people punching a keyboard say about my team, so long as they don’t take that bullshit into the stadium.

You may be able to treat it that way, but all you need to do is look at the issues with social media and see that, if so, you are a real rarity. There is zero reason some people need to be so vitriolic. Yes, they come across as twats, but they also shout so loudly that they push others off the platform.

 

[AdamSufc1997]

Back to the old Tom cannon today

 

[Blade In Flame]

What we imagined

What we actually got