Xavier Simons

[Rival Son]

11 minutes ago, barrycowdrill said:

non of the other midfielders we have / had (inc Thomasson) could do it effectively.

I’d argue a fully fit Dempsey could do this, at League One level. Whether that will happen is another debate.

[waffer cup 07]

I think we could have discovered a gem in Simons. One that could attract a big fee in a couple of years.

[fester58]

1 minute ago, waffer cup 07 said:

I think we could have discovered a gem in Simons. One that could attract a big fee in a couple of years.

think simmons and erahon are playing a level below where there capable of a definate improvemment on previous years, would like to see sheehan pushed into the no10 role as i think hes more than capable of playing there

[Stig]

54 minutes ago, Eddie said:

It makes me question whether I actually understand football at all when GT has just moved up to the championship for probably £1m+ and Simons has moved down to L1 for a reported £300k.

It’s no slight on GT, and I’m well aware that there are all sorts of different factors in why moves happen, but the football I’m watching says that it’s just fundamentally the wrong way round.

In fairness to Thomason, in the short amount I've seen of Simons, they seem like different midfielders. Thomason provided more goal threat, which actually we could do with from an attacking midfielder if the number 10 doesn't work.

[Steejay]

42 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

To be fair couldn’t George have played the ten role in front of Simmo and Erhahon, I reckon it would have suited him well and what a formidable three that would have been.

It’s only 10 o’clock and you’ve already suggested two positional changes for different players.

You just love a bit of flexibility, no matter how absurd it is. 😁

[barrycowdrill]

35 minutes ago, Rival Son said:

I’d argue a fully fit Dempsey could do this, at League One level. Whether that will happen is another debate.

Hmm I think he’s got as good a chance of anyone we have but don’t think he’s cute enough 

[Dr. Feelgood]

17 minutes ago, barrycowdrill said:

Hmm I think he’s got as good a chance of anyone we have but don’t think he’s cute enough 

It's the Alice band isn't it. I'm sure he'd change it if you asked nicely. 

[barrycowdrill]

Just now, Dr. Feelgood said:

It's the Alice band isn't it. I'm sure he'd change it if you asked nicely. 

I knew I’d set myself up for that kind of response when I wrote it 🤣

I mean he’s a handsome man in a square chiselled Lord Farquhar kind of way but still not cute enough for me 

[gonzo]

I'm thinking this lad could move to no10 and get Tutu in the Campo role?

[Eddie]

GT would be better in net than in the no.10 role

[gonzo]

9 minutes ago, Eddie said:

GT would be better in net than in the no.10 role

With his underpants full of fireworks and his cat roaming about with its head stuck in a glass bottle.

[Wanderlust]

20 minutes ago, gonzo said:

I'm thinking this lad could move to no10 and get Tutu in the Campo role?

Or Taylor.

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, barrycowdrill said:

No chance. That No 10 role needs a certain type of player. Decent touch, vision, close control, can play in tight areas, on the half turn and can thread passes through, eye of the needle stuff. 
 

whilst we might not have yet found the answer for that in either Randall or McAtee non of the other midfielders we have / had (inc Thomasson) could do it effectively. You need a proper player in there. You can’t try and shoe horn someone in

Thomasson had some attributes but non that would’ve made that role work effectively 

Agree completely.  I've heard mention of Burstow being in the 10 role should Dalby cement the no.9 role, but not in a month of Sundays.  Yes play with 2 strikers up top if preferred, but the 10 role is very different and Burstow isn't that type of player even though just having him on the pitch means we'd win more headers.

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, waffer cup 07 said:

I think we could have discovered a gem in Simons. One that could attract a big fee in a couple of years.

I think what will mean he largely goes under the radar will be his lack of goals.  Players that get the attention tend to be in the headlines for scoring either regularly or spectacularly - eg Rathbone, Keillor Dunn, Harvey Knibbs, Louie Barry, Will Collar, Rob Apter.  Defensive/solid midfielders don't get the same coverage and I bet none of us had heard of him.

PS None of that explains how we got £1mil for Tomo!

[Dr. Feelgood]

1 minute ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Rathbone, Keillor Dunn, Harvey Knibbs, Louie Barry, Will Collar, Rob Apter. 

I've literally never heard of any of these.

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

14 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

I've literally never heard of any of these.

Louie Barry was probably the league's best player in the last couple of seasons

[Dr. Feelgood]

2 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Louie Barry was probably the league's best player in the last couple of seasons

Good for him.

Well, I just looked him up.

A Villa player, on loan to Sheff U.

He could deliver my milk tomorrow & I'd still not know him.

[gonzo]

Crawley did well to tie Will Collar in to a new contract...

[Johnnyrotten]

26 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Good for him.

Well, I just looked him up.

A Villa player, on loan to Sheff U.

He could deliver my milk tomorrow & I'd still not know him.

The same goes for players in every league.  I watch MOTD and the players names and appearances may as well be from the Norwegian league for all they mean to me.  

If there's one thing I prefer about L1 to higher divisions (and there aren't many) its that I can relate to the players more, as they have generally come up through the systems in the UK and they know about the teams they are playing for and against.  Players are signing for Bournemouth for £40mil and they hadn't heard of them till their agent told them they were offering more money than AC Milan.  They'll come over for 2 years, take the money and never give them another thought, they certainly won't be turning up at future gatherings like we see now with McGinlay, Kelly and even Gardner etc. 

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

22 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Good for him.

Well, I just looked him up.

A Villa player, on loan to Sheff U.

He could deliver my milk tomorrow & I'd still not know him.

Okay 🤷‍♂️

[Casino]

10 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Players are signing for Bournemouth for £40mil 

a point we need to remember when we go on about 300k being paid for players

its absolute chicken feed

[waffer cup 07]

2 hours ago, Casino said:

a point we need to remember when we go on about 300k being paid for players

its absolute chicken feed

Just shows the money in the Premiership. Obviously you don't need a big stadium and large support. The money just rolls in.

[bwfc6ix]

Watching Simons on Wednesday reminded me of MJ Williams. Could some similarities with the two. Think Simons is on that team sheet week in week out now and its just a fight for who plays alongside. 

[Whitesince63]

5 hours ago, Steejay said:

It’s only 10 o’clock and you’ve already suggested two positional changes for different players.

You just love a bit of flexibility, no matter how absurd it is. 😁

What’s absurd about it? I think George would do a better job there than what we have now though I probably was a bit “flexible” earlier on ACD for the 10 role! 🤷‍♂️

Players often develop and move positions so it’s not absurd at all it happens all the time so I might have more than two ideas by 10 o’clock tonight. 🤣

[meanderson93]

11 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

What’s absurd about it? I think George would do a better job there than what we have now though I probably was a bit “flexible” earlier on ACD for the 10 role! 🤷‍♂️

Players often develop and move positions so it’s not absurd at all it happens all the time so I might have more than two ideas by 10 o’clock tonight. 🤣

Thomason would look absolutley dreadful in that role. His close control and intelligence for working in the spaces that a 10 needs to would have him looking foolish, to be frank he's absolutely nowhere near the ability of Randall or even McAtee. He ran about a lot and never shyed away, those are his qualities, as a footballer he was always lacking.