Deadbat
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Midfielders
Oliver Norwood Norwood was a player who I always liked when I saw him play for other clubs. A good passer, busy and combative. I was not sure he was the sort who would be the hub of a midfield and always saw him as a role player. This was shown in promotions in Brighton and Fulham when there were probably several other ‘star’ men. He did well for both clubs but then was deemed not good enough then these sides went up. It is surprising for two sides who have both not exactly convinced at top level that he was not given a chance to play a single minute in the Premier League. Fulham really struggled this year and not sure all the big money signing has done any better than players like Norwood and McDonald who barely/did not play at all.
After United’s poor start and Evans/Lundstram not convincing and Coutts still some way off; United opted to make a change early on moving Evans out and bringing in Norwood. Both were loans to a view to a permanent. It was surprising only us and Hull were after him and the fee was reported as less than 1.5 million. We realised later what a bargain this was. Norwood came in and instantly looked the part against Hull with a cultured performance spraying the ball around showing great touch and range. He was the quarter back role we had not seen since Coutts but his passing range was even better. He continued his excellent start with another man of the match performance in a game against Norwich. He continued his fine form at Bolton and then a superb performance against Villa, scoring a free kick and assisting on another goal. He played every game after this apart from a cup game against Barnet. He somehow staved off a suspension despite some daft bookings – his tackling is a weakness and sometimes he dives in.
Overall, his performances were a very high level. In most games he showed his superb range of passing and controlled the midfield superbly. He averages over 68 passes per game – the most in the league. He took a great free kick and corner and was a threat all season in this area. Some of his passes were sublime – the cross-field ball in the game versus Wednesday was something else. He often took the ball over the centre backs and played that pinged ball across the field with a penchant for using the outside of his foot. Most games he had more touches than any other player. He scored a tremendous goal at Brentford and was involved in so many attacking moves/goals in other games. His ‘ping’ type pass became a real feature of our performances. He would do ok defensively too, shielding the back four and picking up loose balls and setting us going the other way.
As we slowly moved up the league his performances rightly drew rave reviews and neutrals sensed he was suddenly a key man in our form. He even became captain and started to become a leader in our side (the times when Sharp was not playing). He had the odd rotten game (Birmingham) but his form remained consistently good for most of the season.
He has so many positives. His control, skill and passing are consistently good. He never hides. He always wants to get the ball and make us tick. If given time he can really hurt teams. He led the team in assists with 13. The only knocks are that he does not shoot that great for someone with such great technique or score enough goals, he maybe does not carry it enough and lacks mobility (so if players press him, he struggles sometimes) and his tackling is poor. It is interesting players have not kept him at the top level maybe they see this lack of pace/movement and defensive deficiencies could be a problem. I have seen quick and mobile midfielders run past him at times. Some also felt Fleck maybe did not always work alongside him but think this improved as the season went on. However, his poise, control and overall passing means he will get a chance to prove himself at United in a higher level. He is a class act on the ball and never panics and always takes his time to find the right pass.
Be interesting to see how he copes with the higher level. Everyone is better and faster but also, he may get more time on the ball than maybe this level also. I think he will be fine as long as he had legs around him and people running off; his talent with the ball means he can always be effective really as he just moves it short and long with such unerring accuracy. He is a lovely footballer to watch and keeps United so fluid. He was a big part of the success and the fact he had been through it before (twice) will surely have helped. Still only 28 and his best years maybe are coming around about this time.
Grade A- (Last season NA)
John Fleck Overall, I am not sure he had quite as good a season as last year or the year before. He had some good spells but some indifferent spells before finishing the season really well. He often starts well or struggles when he has had time off/injuries. This proved the case as he was slow to start the season and off the pace. He came to life in the game at Bolton and scored and then started to slowly improve. His overall performances were more like the Fleck of old for a period with driving runs, snapping at players and linking all over the field. He did have some oddly poor games and not sure he was that consistent even as United hit the top 6. He frustrated me at times with his inconsistency. He would have great games but then would have another really poor game where he was anonymous. Like Norwood he was a regular in the side as those two were mainstays with Duffy, McGoldrick and Dowell rotated in front of him with the odd game from Bash in the middle too.
He was strangely off form when West Ham allegedly made a big 8-million-pound bid that was turned down and even with his off-colour form at times; clubs were still interested in him as he is clearly quite a unique player. Maybe Norwood did not suit him as much as there was a big gap between them both as Norwood often picked it up deep and passed rather than move it on and then find him so he could run with the ball.
He finally got a call up from Scotland but travelled all over the World and never played a minute. He came back and he seemed off the pace again and it seemed whenever we had breaks, he struggled to get going again. Some even spoke about him having some time out of the team but we have no one quite like him. Slowly, he started to pick his form up and I felt after the Villa game he went on a really good run of form. He started to drive at defences, go on those mazy dribbles and overall was a real attacking threat. He picked off other teams’ attacks and was more aggressive generally. As we went on a long unbeaten run (he was poor when we finally lost at home to Bristol City) he started to really get back to that linking play with Duffy, O’Connell, Stevens, McGoldrick etc. He was buzzing around again and the games over Easter he was excellent.
At times I still feel he does not quite assert himself enough. He has lots of ability, can run with the ball and is a fierce tackler too. He is a busy player who can get box to box and when on form, he as everything you want in a midfielder. He needs to be way more consistent though and the way he finished the season, he needs to start next season the same and carry it on and not have drop offs. H can cross the ball well and commits defenders with his penetration. He should score more goals (2 is a bit pathetic really) and really needs to ensure he is on it every game but is a player that has a chance to do well in the Premier League.
He needs to come back super fit after the summer and be at it from the start. We cannot afford to have those lacklustre not quite at its games. He needs to be firing – with tackles, chase backs, interceptions and then be able to run with it, commit men and push teams back. He undoubtedly been a big part of our three-year run. He is a regular week in, week out and another that symbolises the driving, passionate and under rated (skill) aspect of this group.
Grade B (Last season B+)
Mark Duffy We keep thinking we will have a player that might push him out of the team but after a number of options and signings were tried in this area; we all keep coming back to Duff. He is a huge part of what we do. When he plays in that number 10 and he is on song; we were tough to stop. We started with an odd workmanlike, methodical midfield but he was put back in at QPR and then after this was near enough a regular when fit. Woodburn did not really push him at all so he continued to be the key man in this area. Having McGoldrick helped as he had another great ball player that would also come deep and allow him to move into different areas. He has played 32 games for us this season and despite a few injuries or a bit of loss of form at times; he has continued to be a key man. He scored six goals which may not seem great but is double the three he got last year. He scored a few crackers too. The ones v Villa and Forest were great finishes from range but he also scored some one on one goals with deft footwork in one on one situations at Rotherham and Wigan.
He was not always on his game but even when he had poor games (Rotherham at home) he would still give you that moment of piece of magic. It showed the drop off when he did not play and even Dowell who did ok was a drop off. There is not really a player quite like him and when we look for that player that can rival him and maybe replace him; it will not be easy. He lacks pace but has never been that quick so not sure it will make that much difference at a higher level. He never seemed to play a long stretch and Wilder maybe managed his minutes and when we went on the run winning at Leeds and WBA he did not play. However, after a few so-so games in late March, we were desperate to get him back and after he came back in, we never looked back.
Still lovely on the ball, he moves out of tight openings, probes and finds little pockets of space as he moves us forward. Sometimes his passing was sloppy and it did not work but he never hid at all. He always wants to get on it and find those little moves and runners who advance and he just find gaps when there does not seem to be any. Another player I love watching and even when you think he maybe is getting on and won’t be such an important player, he keeps coming back and showing what a big part of what we do. Without him we do look a different team and there is a drop off. The story Wilder tells of him coming from Prescott Cables is one that has been repeated but what a moment for him if he can play at Anfield against his boyhood club next season.
Grade B+ (Last season B+)
Paul Coutts His injury played a huge part in the previous season slipping away. He had been superb to start the season and was our best player up to when he got injured. He battled back but must have looked at the likes of Evans, Leonard and Lundstram and felt he could definitely improve us if he got back fit. Norwood came in and two of the above moved on and the new signing did fantastically. A player that like Coutts, was a quarterback, player maker type, if meant Coutts could take his time coming back. He had a surprise appearance against Villa on the bench and this buoyed the crowd. He then played at Sheffield FC on the Monday night and did ok. He was mostly on the bench and made his bow at Blackburn as we helped see things out and his ball retention, passing was shown to the fore. He did seem to lack mobility and was quite slow at times in the limited action we saw. A few times players burst away from him and when he had it, could not quite accelerate away from people (I know he was never fast but was doing that previously just over a few yards and using good upper body strength to get away but this seemed to have gone). When he did play off the bench you would hope he would start to get to the pace but it never really happened. He played at Forest, with Norwood, but it did not work and he was off the pace. He then had a few other sub games and did against Blackburn in the win but was awful in the game against Barnet. He came on in the game against Millwall and really struggled again with the pace and seemed to completely lack mobility. Wilder then preferred Lundstram in the run in as cover or a late sub to give some defensive play/physicality to see things out.
I watched him play a full game for the u23’s against Wednesday and I worried after this if we would ever be the same player after watching him carefully even at this level. The injury maybe has taken more out of him than we thought. Even against kids at this level, he struggled and whilst he could still pass, he could not get up and down the pitch and was hassled out of it a lot. He lacked the mobility, strength and stamina that means unless the stands in a small area of the pitch then his skills are rendered mostly useless. In the sub games that is all he has done, stayed in a 10-15-yard circumference and just played wall passed. Norwood is not the most mobile but runs around a lot and cover a lot of ground compared to what we have seen of Coutts. May be harsh as he has not started games but then you wonder why – the team were doing well but have had drop off and he still was not turned to.
He maybe needs a proper preseason and needs more games but he is not going to get it here. Norwood and Fleck are clearly better players at the current time. Many want him back in the team but he had to earn it and who are you leaving out? It is sad to see him move on but Wilder will have seen him train, play and make that decision (contract up). I think after everything he went through and what a key player, he was for us, that makes it so sad but there is no room for sentiment in this game and as I have alluded to with the likes of Moore, Wright, Freeman, Stearman, Clarke, we have to keep progressing. Are we really in a position to wait another 6 to 12 months for a player the wrong side of 30 and one that has had lots of injures before especially at a higher level? If Wilder felt he was going to be an asset for us he would have played him a lot more but only seemed to trust him for the odd 5-10 minute cameo to see games out. He did not use him to try and change games or give him a start alongside the other midfielder; even preferring Bash (Leeds) and sometimes Lundstram (Brentford) rather than Coutts. I kind of felt that he knew he was leaving when I saw him celebrate with the team. He was part of it and right at the front and up there with Stearman for amount he was drinking but maybe he knew that he may not be here longer term and wanted one last hurrah! We have to remember for a season and a half he was a big part of this three-season progression. He was one of our top 3 players in League One and then maybe our best player for the first 4 months of the 17/18 season.
Grade C- (Last season A-)
Oliver Norwood Norwood was a player who I always liked when I saw him play for other clubs. A good passer, busy and combative. I was not sure he was the sort who would be the hub of a midfield and always saw him as a role player. This was shown in promotions in Brighton and Fulham when there were probably several other ‘star’ men. He did well for both clubs but then was deemed not good enough then these sides went up. It is surprising for two sides who have both not exactly convinced at top level that he was not given a chance to play a single minute in the Premier League. Fulham really struggled this year and not sure all the big money signing has done any better than players like Norwood and McDonald who barely/did not play at all.
After United’s poor start and Evans/Lundstram not convincing and Coutts still some way off; United opted to make a change early on moving Evans out and bringing in Norwood. Both were loans to a view to a permanent. It was surprising only us and Hull were after him and the fee was reported as less than 1.5 million. We realised later what a bargain this was. Norwood came in and instantly looked the part against Hull with a cultured performance spraying the ball around showing great touch and range. He was the quarter back role we had not seen since Coutts but his passing range was even better. He continued his excellent start with another man of the match performance in a game against Norwich. He continued his fine form at Bolton and then a superb performance against Villa, scoring a free kick and assisting on another goal. He played every game after this apart from a cup game against Barnet. He somehow staved off a suspension despite some daft bookings – his tackling is a weakness and sometimes he dives in.
Overall, his performances were a very high level. In most games he showed his superb range of passing and controlled the midfield superbly. He averages over 68 passes per game – the most in the league. He took a great free kick and corner and was a threat all season in this area. Some of his passes were sublime – the cross-field ball in the game versus Wednesday was something else. He often took the ball over the centre backs and played that pinged ball across the field with a penchant for using the outside of his foot. Most games he had more touches than any other player. He scored a tremendous goal at Brentford and was involved in so many attacking moves/goals in other games. His ‘ping’ type pass became a real feature of our performances. He would do ok defensively too, shielding the back four and picking up loose balls and setting us going the other way.
As we slowly moved up the league his performances rightly drew rave reviews and neutrals sensed he was suddenly a key man in our form. He even became captain and started to become a leader in our side (the times when Sharp was not playing). He had the odd rotten game (Birmingham) but his form remained consistently good for most of the season.
He has so many positives. His control, skill and passing are consistently good. He never hides. He always wants to get the ball and make us tick. If given time he can really hurt teams. He led the team in assists with 13. The only knocks are that he does not shoot that great for someone with such great technique or score enough goals, he maybe does not carry it enough and lacks mobility (so if players press him, he struggles sometimes) and his tackling is poor. It is interesting players have not kept him at the top level maybe they see this lack of pace/movement and defensive deficiencies could be a problem. I have seen quick and mobile midfielders run past him at times. Some also felt Fleck maybe did not always work alongside him but think this improved as the season went on. However, his poise, control and overall passing means he will get a chance to prove himself at United in a higher level. He is a class act on the ball and never panics and always takes his time to find the right pass.
Be interesting to see how he copes with the higher level. Everyone is better and faster but also, he may get more time on the ball than maybe this level also. I think he will be fine as long as he had legs around him and people running off; his talent with the ball means he can always be effective really as he just moves it short and long with such unerring accuracy. He is a lovely footballer to watch and keeps United so fluid. He was a big part of the success and the fact he had been through it before (twice) will surely have helped. Still only 28 and his best years maybe are coming around about this time.
Grade A- (Last season NA)
John Fleck Overall, I am not sure he had quite as good a season as last year or the year before. He had some good spells but some indifferent spells before finishing the season really well. He often starts well or struggles when he has had time off/injuries. This proved the case as he was slow to start the season and off the pace. He came to life in the game at Bolton and scored and then started to slowly improve. His overall performances were more like the Fleck of old for a period with driving runs, snapping at players and linking all over the field. He did have some oddly poor games and not sure he was that consistent even as United hit the top 6. He frustrated me at times with his inconsistency. He would have great games but then would have another really poor game where he was anonymous. Like Norwood he was a regular in the side as those two were mainstays with Duffy, McGoldrick and Dowell rotated in front of him with the odd game from Bash in the middle too.
He was strangely off form when West Ham allegedly made a big 8-million-pound bid that was turned down and even with his off-colour form at times; clubs were still interested in him as he is clearly quite a unique player. Maybe Norwood did not suit him as much as there was a big gap between them both as Norwood often picked it up deep and passed rather than move it on and then find him so he could run with the ball.
He finally got a call up from Scotland but travelled all over the World and never played a minute. He came back and he seemed off the pace again and it seemed whenever we had breaks, he struggled to get going again. Some even spoke about him having some time out of the team but we have no one quite like him. Slowly, he started to pick his form up and I felt after the Villa game he went on a really good run of form. He started to drive at defences, go on those mazy dribbles and overall was a real attacking threat. He picked off other teams’ attacks and was more aggressive generally. As we went on a long unbeaten run (he was poor when we finally lost at home to Bristol City) he started to really get back to that linking play with Duffy, O’Connell, Stevens, McGoldrick etc. He was buzzing around again and the games over Easter he was excellent.
At times I still feel he does not quite assert himself enough. He has lots of ability, can run with the ball and is a fierce tackler too. He is a busy player who can get box to box and when on form, he as everything you want in a midfielder. He needs to be way more consistent though and the way he finished the season, he needs to start next season the same and carry it on and not have drop offs. H can cross the ball well and commits defenders with his penetration. He should score more goals (2 is a bit pathetic really) and really needs to ensure he is on it every game but is a player that has a chance to do well in the Premier League.
He needs to come back super fit after the summer and be at it from the start. We cannot afford to have those lacklustre not quite at its games. He needs to be firing – with tackles, chase backs, interceptions and then be able to run with it, commit men and push teams back. He undoubtedly been a big part of our three-year run. He is a regular week in, week out and another that symbolises the driving, passionate and under rated (skill) aspect of this group.
Grade B (Last season B+)
Mark Duffy We keep thinking we will have a player that might push him out of the team but after a number of options and signings were tried in this area; we all keep coming back to Duff. He is a huge part of what we do. When he plays in that number 10 and he is on song; we were tough to stop. We started with an odd workmanlike, methodical midfield but he was put back in at QPR and then after this was near enough a regular when fit. Woodburn did not really push him at all so he continued to be the key man in this area. Having McGoldrick helped as he had another great ball player that would also come deep and allow him to move into different areas. He has played 32 games for us this season and despite a few injuries or a bit of loss of form at times; he has continued to be a key man. He scored six goals which may not seem great but is double the three he got last year. He scored a few crackers too. The ones v Villa and Forest were great finishes from range but he also scored some one on one goals with deft footwork in one on one situations at Rotherham and Wigan.
He was not always on his game but even when he had poor games (Rotherham at home) he would still give you that moment of piece of magic. It showed the drop off when he did not play and even Dowell who did ok was a drop off. There is not really a player quite like him and when we look for that player that can rival him and maybe replace him; it will not be easy. He lacks pace but has never been that quick so not sure it will make that much difference at a higher level. He never seemed to play a long stretch and Wilder maybe managed his minutes and when we went on the run winning at Leeds and WBA he did not play. However, after a few so-so games in late March, we were desperate to get him back and after he came back in, we never looked back.
Still lovely on the ball, he moves out of tight openings, probes and finds little pockets of space as he moves us forward. Sometimes his passing was sloppy and it did not work but he never hid at all. He always wants to get on it and find those little moves and runners who advance and he just find gaps when there does not seem to be any. Another player I love watching and even when you think he maybe is getting on and won’t be such an important player, he keeps coming back and showing what a big part of what we do. Without him we do look a different team and there is a drop off. The story Wilder tells of him coming from Prescott Cables is one that has been repeated but what a moment for him if he can play at Anfield against his boyhood club next season.
Grade B+ (Last season B+)
Paul Coutts His injury played a huge part in the previous season slipping away. He had been superb to start the season and was our best player up to when he got injured. He battled back but must have looked at the likes of Evans, Leonard and Lundstram and felt he could definitely improve us if he got back fit. Norwood came in and two of the above moved on and the new signing did fantastically. A player that like Coutts, was a quarterback, player maker type, if meant Coutts could take his time coming back. He had a surprise appearance against Villa on the bench and this buoyed the crowd. He then played at Sheffield FC on the Monday night and did ok. He was mostly on the bench and made his bow at Blackburn as we helped see things out and his ball retention, passing was shown to the fore. He did seem to lack mobility and was quite slow at times in the limited action we saw. A few times players burst away from him and when he had it, could not quite accelerate away from people (I know he was never fast but was doing that previously just over a few yards and using good upper body strength to get away but this seemed to have gone). When he did play off the bench you would hope he would start to get to the pace but it never really happened. He played at Forest, with Norwood, but it did not work and he was off the pace. He then had a few other sub games and did against Blackburn in the win but was awful in the game against Barnet. He came on in the game against Millwall and really struggled again with the pace and seemed to completely lack mobility. Wilder then preferred Lundstram in the run in as cover or a late sub to give some defensive play/physicality to see things out.
I watched him play a full game for the u23’s against Wednesday and I worried after this if we would ever be the same player after watching him carefully even at this level. The injury maybe has taken more out of him than we thought. Even against kids at this level, he struggled and whilst he could still pass, he could not get up and down the pitch and was hassled out of it a lot. He lacked the mobility, strength and stamina that means unless the stands in a small area of the pitch then his skills are rendered mostly useless. In the sub games that is all he has done, stayed in a 10-15-yard circumference and just played wall passed. Norwood is not the most mobile but runs around a lot and cover a lot of ground compared to what we have seen of Coutts. May be harsh as he has not started games but then you wonder why – the team were doing well but have had drop off and he still was not turned to.
He maybe needs a proper preseason and needs more games but he is not going to get it here. Norwood and Fleck are clearly better players at the current time. Many want him back in the team but he had to earn it and who are you leaving out? It is sad to see him move on but Wilder will have seen him train, play and make that decision (contract up). I think after everything he went through and what a key player, he was for us, that makes it so sad but there is no room for sentiment in this game and as I have alluded to with the likes of Moore, Wright, Freeman, Stearman, Clarke, we have to keep progressing. Are we really in a position to wait another 6 to 12 months for a player the wrong side of 30 and one that has had lots of injures before especially at a higher level? If Wilder felt he was going to be an asset for us he would have played him a lot more but only seemed to trust him for the odd 5-10 minute cameo to see games out. He did not use him to try and change games or give him a start alongside the other midfielder; even preferring Bash (Leeds) and sometimes Lundstram (Brentford) rather than Coutts. I kind of felt that he knew he was leaving when I saw him celebrate with the team. He was part of it and right at the front and up there with Stearman for amount he was drinking but maybe he knew that he may not be here longer term and wanted one last hurrah! We have to remember for a season and a half he was a big part of this three-season progression. He was one of our top 3 players in League One and then maybe our best player for the first 4 months of the 17/18 season.
Grade C- (Last season A-)
