Tom Lawrence

[Kev Gee]

Experienced Championship player who did well for Derby despite their struggles.

As long as he isn't asking for silly wages then he's worth talking with to show him our aims and see what his views are.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

I can't think of anyone outside of Khadra to be honest. Davis only started once against us and I don't recall anyone else from a Premier League club playing that we'll against us on both occasions

He played against us more than once though when you throw the play-off cameos in.

 

[S64 Blade]

If he plays on the left he'd be a better option than Fleck who turned up about twice last season. Suspect he plays a bit further forward though. Is Doyle direct competition for Norwood or could we accommodate both in the team?

I can see Doyle playing in the Fleck role tbh. Box to box and more license to get forward than Norwood’s role. Plus, Norwood played well last season (post Slav). Fleck’s had about two good games in two years, like you say.

 

[Torrix1889]

He played against us more than once though when you throw the play-off cameos in.

Hemmingham clearly said the player "tore us apart both times".....which points to Khadra rather than Davis.....Davis played superbly against us in the League match at BDTBL but that was it...

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

I can't think of anyone outside of Khadra to be honest. Davis only started once against us and I don't recall anyone else from a Premier League club playing that we'll against us on both occasions

I'm racking my brains but can't think of anyone above Khedra rattled us in both games. The only others I can think of who had decent games, that fit the PL Loan criteria, are van Der Berg (Liverpool/Preston) and Colwill (Chelsea/Hudds...scored the winner at lane and had a shout for a pen away) but "tore us apart" is a stretch.

If we did sign Khedra and/or Lawrence, it might suggest one of Ndiaye or Berge is off.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Hemmingham clearly said the player "tore us apart both times".....which points to Khadra rather than Davis.....Davis played superbly against us in the League match at BDTBL but that was it...

He still did bulldoze his way through numerous players in the play-off games on a couple of occasions.

I would love it to be Davis, so maybe just clinging onto the hope. He's the centre forward we've needed since big Leon went off the boil that January.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

I can't think of anyone outside of Khadra to be honest. Davis only started once against us and I don't recall anyone else from a Premier League club playing that we'll against us on both occasions

if we signed him & Lawrence then maybe there's an option of playing wingers in some games. Its going to be a tough midfield to get a game in if they pull those two off & add in Coulibaly & Doyle

 

[CaptainMorgans]

if we signed him & Lawrence then maybe there's an option of playing wingers in some games

Which might also suggest a shift to a back 4. Not sure how comfortable I'd be in that given our defensive options.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

Which might also suggest a shift to a back 4. Not sure how comfortable I'd be in that given our defensive options.

Watching the videos of the pre-season drills there's a lot of defenders joining the attack so I think we'll stick to 3 but gives us the option of 2 in games we need to break teams down. We're were very one dimensional last season, if that didn't work we struggled to break teams down

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

..

 

[CaptainMorgans]

The quote was PL player who tore us apart. Therefore it can’t be him.

Yes, you're right. My bad.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

The snobbery How anyone can think he isn’t worth a punt on a free is beyond me.

It’s not snobbery, some of us just don’t see why others are excited to pay big wage money to land him.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Yes, you're right. My bad.

Sorry mate I saw someone else replied so deleted it.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

I can see Doyle playing in the Fleck role tbh. Box to box and more license to get forward than Norwood’s role. Plus, Norwood played well last season (post Slav). Fleck’s had about two good games in two years, like you say.

Doyle so far in his career tends to come over to the right from centre rather than the left.

 

[dc_blade]

Which might also suggest a shift to a back 4. Not sure how comfortable I'd be in that given our defensive options.

More likely to be the sort of 3-4-3 we saw at the back end of last season.

Lawrence is a "winger" but really he's a right-footed attacking midfielder who likes to play wide left and cut inside.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

More likely to be the sort of 3-4-3 we saw at the back end of last season.

Lawrence is a "winger" but really he's a right-footed attacking midfielder who likes to play wide left and cut inside.

I can’t seem to remember us playing 3-4-3 for me it felt like Berge was playing further forward but MGW & NDiaye seemed pretty central throughout the games. MGW roaming around. Maybe 5-2-2-1

The way NDiaye finished the season he would be my number one striker going into this season.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

If you look at his goal scoring history from last season and his career as a whole he's scored 9 or 10 in three of his total seasons including last season. In the other seasons he's scoring 6 as a rule. He played 30 games last season and scored 9 goals so even with the odd penalty in the mix, 1 in 3 is a cracking ratio for an attacking mid in an average team that would have finished 17th without the points deduction. With our budget being what it is, we'd be fools not to be interested and let him sign for a rival to boot.

Well you’re doing him a huge favour there as his Derby record is 1 in 5 over the last 5 seasons so he’s not close to 1 in 3 even including his penalties. Let’s also be fair and say you’d hope he gets better quality chances so split the difference to 1 in 4, hopefully.
There also doesn’t appear to be any of our rivals still in the running so I think he should be lowering his wage demands from the rumoured £40K/week.

 

[adamawdhali]

He might not be a starter you’ve got to remember in regards to the shape we play. 5 subs allowed next season and he’s a free transfer so seems smart business

 

[dc_blade]

I can’t seem to remember us playing 3-4-3 for me it felt like Berge was playing further forward but MGW & NDiaye seemed pretty central throughout the games. MGW roaming around. Maybe 5-2-2-1

The way NDiaye finished the season he would be my number one striker going into this season.

I'd accept 3-4-2-1 as a friendly amendment

Seems to me both Lawrence and Khadra are skillful attacking players who can play wide but can also play more centrally and would fit pretty well with that system we adopted at the end of the season.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

He might not be a starter you’ve got to remember in regards to the shape we play. 5 subs allowed next season and he’s a free transfer so seems smart business

So then we go back to his wages, if it is 40/week then are we spending that on benchwarmers? If he’d take 20k then it makes more sense.

 

[adamawdhali]

So then we go back to his wages, if it is 40/week then are we spending that on benchwarmers? If he’d take 20k then it makes more sense.

I don’t think anyone knows his wage demands. We don’t like paying big wages so if he wanted £40k a week I don’t think there’s a chance we’d be looking at him. All players took a wage cut when relegated and then another one after failing to get promotion and so £40k a week would probably make him one of our top earners which I just don’t think we’d be in for him if that was the case

 

[Lightsoot]

Im surprised that a handful seem opposed to Lawrence joining. We need more flair and goals from midfield / forward areas. Lawrence is an established Championship player coming off an impressive season for Derby, who is out of contract.

Wages wise he won’t be cheap. But Hecky & the Board sound firm on tightly managing our budget, so Lawrence may have to lower his expectations if he wants to come here.

Based on his career, it seems like he’ll blow hot and cold. However anything like the season he just produced for Derby will make him an excellent addition to the squad. Providing the numbers add up, Lawrence should only improve us.

I get the impression that United are currently in pole position to land him. Fingers crossed.

 

[SufcBilly]

If Hecky wants him that’s good enough for me.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

I'd accept 3-4-2-1 as a friendly amendment

Seems to me both Lawrence and Khadra are skillful attacking players who can play wide but can also play more centrally and would fit pretty well with that system we adopted at the end of the season.

I’m getting far too excited with the possible & maybes . If we pull off 2/3 more of the quality we’ve brought in so far then we’ve got a squad that can do well in this league (possibly a stronger squad than we had in the prem!)

 

[BiggerBladeThanThou]

On Lawrence;

Rangers offering silly money
TL prefers to be in North England
Apparently dad is sick and that’s the reason
We remain his preferred option
Can only see McG signing for them helping that

Sorry if mentioned already.

 

[Harrisblade]

I don’t think anyone knows his wage demands. We don’t like paying big wages so if he wanted £40k a week I don’t think there’s a chance we’d be looking at him. All players took a wage cut when relegated and then another one after failing to get promotion and so £40k a week would probably make him one of our top earners which I just don’t think we’d be in for him if that was the case

As you say, no-one will know any players wages, let alone what they will accept to carry on playing under a contract for another team after a free transfer (is he being tracked by numerous high paying clubs)
Any figure just has to be high enough to sound unreasonable, doesn't have to be anywhere the truth

 

[dc_blade]

I’m getting far too excited with the possible & maybes . If we pull off 2/3 more of the quality we’ve brought in so far then we’ve got a squad that can do well in this league (possibly a stronger squad than we had in the prem!)

It's fun isn't it? If we get Lawrence over the line I think we've already had a belter of a window and there's still weeks left to uncover another gem or two. I'm seriously impressed with the level of ambition the ownership is showing this summer.

 

[Snowflake]

Im surprised that a handful seem opposed to Lawrence joining. We need more flair and goals from midfield / forward areas. Lawrence is an established Championship player coming off an impressive season for Derby, who is out of contract.

Wages wise he won’t be cheap. But Hecky & the Board sound firm on tightly managing our budget, so Lawrence may have to lower his expectations if he wants to come here.

Based on his career, it seems like he’ll blow hot and cold. However anything like the season he just produced for Derby will make him an excellent addition to the squad. Providing the numbers add up, Lawrence should only improve us.

I get the impression that United are currently in pole position to land him. Fingers crossed.

Don’t most attacking players blow hot and cold ? I remember MGW having indifferent games.

 

[Espania blade]

IMO we will go with a four at the back (sometimes Three etc), Ten games in we will have a new midfield pairing with Fleck and Norwood dropping down to the bench, I'm also wondering who might leave from the back, my feeling is Baldock could be the one to go, we have number of players htat could fill that position, obviously Bogle would be the preferred choice .
Just been watching the clips of "the blades training in Portugal, Jebbison keeps catching the eye, not sure on last seasons performance if he is quite ready but defo' looked very sharp in training.

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

IMO we will go with a four at the back (sometimes Three etc), Ten games in we will have a new midfield pairing with Fleck and Norwood dropping down to the bench, I'm also wondering who might leave from the back, my feeling is Baldock could be the one to go, we have number of players htat could fill that position, obviously Bogle would be the preferred choice .
Just been watching the clips of "the blades training in Portugal, Jebbison keeps catching the eye, not sure on last seasons performance if he is quite ready but defo' looked very sharp in training.

If you’ve been watching those clips from Portugal you’ll know there is zero chance we move to a back 4.

The training, the recruitment, all geared towards 3 at the back.