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Will Smallbone |
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SC92 
Davey Langan 
Joined: 08 Oct 2019 Status: Offline Points: 830 |
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 Posted: 14 Mar 2023 at 9:59pm |
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I watched some of the Stoke game tonight. Playing well. Last two games I've seen him play should of scored in each game at least once.
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Green Cockade
Liam Brady 
Joined: 22 Jan 2020 Location: Belfast Status: Online Points: 2501 |
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Posted: 15 Mar 2023 at 6:57am |
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I saw the last fifteen minutes of the Stoke game last night and Smallbone was impressive. Watched the Wigan v Coventry game before it, Keane was Wigan’s best player, McClean put in a strong shift as always. Luke McNally was very good for Coventry, Sean Maguire showed some flashes of form but was subbed at half time, no doubt not fully fit yet.
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kevin100
Ray Houghton
Joined: 01 Jul 2020 Location: Mallow Status: Offline Points: 3187 |
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Posted: 23 Mar 2023 at 9:50am |
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Positive start last night linked up well with Doherty. That cross for O’Dowda was pure quality just floated into the box. If O’Dowda tried to miss it he couldn’t. Sort of quality ball we have been missing!
Good to see him have a positive impact and I hope he plays a big part in this campaign. Has ability this lad.
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The O'Shea
Jack Charlton
I know everything and I’m NEVER wrong Joined: 16 Aug 2013 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 8832 |
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Posted: 23 Mar 2023 at 9:57am |
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Looks like a proper all rounder. Good competition between himself and Knight for the more advanced midfield spot. Both athletic, Knight probably a bit better at taking on players and Smallbone a more crisp passer. It's a decent problem to have.
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We're decent enough..
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SeaSharp
Liam Brady
Joined: 09 Jun 2022 Location: Ingerlund Status: Offline Points: 1301 |
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Posted: 23 Mar 2023 at 10:01am |
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There's not even a debate there for me. We need a player like Smallbone. We've enough lads that can run around a bit and not enough who can put a quality ball into the box or play a nice through ball.
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John Nice
Ray Houghton
Joined: 10 Sep 2021 Location: Wexford Status: Online Points: 4790 |
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Posted: 23 Mar 2023 at 10:23am |
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What it does is give us the opportunity to play Knight in the deeper role in rotation with Molumby. I think Knight's ultimate position will be as an 8, he doesnt offer enough in either a creative sense or in a goalscoring sense as a 10. We have Smallbone now who can play as the most advanced of a midfield 3 (and hopefully in time Azaz will be blooded as his understudy). We then have Cullen, Molumby, Knight for the 2 deeper roles and hopefully we will see the likes of Hodge/Coventry/Connell emerge as further viable alternatives there. Browne's a good lad and I'd have him in the squads for now, but he shouldnt ever be starting for Ireland imo, he can provide a bit of energy off the bench and get himself in to the box. Hendrick's days are surely numbered if he is only coming on as a sub for our secondish XI (I'd have had him starting rather than Browne last night), he'll likely see out this campaign as a back up with a bit of experience to help the young lads along. Things are slowly moving in the right direction., Smallbone and Ferguson are another big step in the right direction.
Edited by John Nice - 23 Mar 2023 at 10:25am |
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Idah Dream!
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Shedite
Jack Charlton
Joined: 09 Dec 2011 Status: Offline Points: 9678 |
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Posted: 23 Mar 2023 at 10:28am |
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Yeah very impressed with him last night, looks a great player
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Trap junior
Robbie Keane
YBIG Minister of Doom & Gloom Joined: 25 Jan 2010 Location: Irish Riviera Status: Offline Points: 37897 |
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Posted: 23 Mar 2023 at 11:26am |
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Saw him once or twice for Stoke and was impressed. Likes to have a crack at goal from outside the box too.
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Pied Piper to: Baldrick, Brendan 88, 9Fingers, Borussia and more...
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Eoink21
Liam Brady
Joined: 30 Aug 2019 Status: Offline Points: 1132 |
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Posted: 23 Mar 2023 at 11:34am |
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Agree with all this. Knight needs to nail down the 8 position. He has dropped a division and his goal contributions return is only marginally better with 2 goals and 3 assists in 30 games to date compared to the same in 38 games last season. If he doesn't have any more for the next 8 games then the return stays the same. I know he's still young but those numbers really would have to be better. His legs in beside Cullen would be useful and Smallbone offers the ability to find pockets of space and pick out good balls in those spaces. Realistically if you are a 10 or the advanced midfielder in that system you need to drag left and right out of the strikers' way quite a bit and link up with the wing backs. He did that well with Doherty. Will be interesting to see if he pulled to the other side a bit with a flat pair behind him. I think that front 3 offers quite a bit and suits the system. It's not perfect but within the system and with the pick we have then Smallbone behind Obafemi and Ferguson feels like what we need.
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darman28
Liam Brady
Joined: 08 Jan 2012 Location: Sligo Status: Offline Points: 1122 |
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Posted: 23 Mar 2023 at 11:36am |
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Yes it was an impressive debut for him. Defo adds something different in general play plus he is a regular set piece taker for Stoke now and I think he will be when he plays for us. I don't think there is another right footed set piece taker close to him in our squad. We had Cullen, Browne and a few others trying to take corners and they were generally poor. Defo staked a claim for game time against France. |
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Hatsoff
Phil Babb 
Joined: 20 Mar 2023 Location: Dublin Status: Offline Points: 37 |
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Posted: 23 Mar 2023 at 11:53am |
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i think he has to start for us.
Agree about set pieces. Also seems to have remarkable stamina. Covers lots of ground
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Greenie50
Liam Brady
Joined: 06 Sep 2021 Status: Offline Points: 1098 |
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Posted: 24 Mar 2023 at 12:24am |
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In the lead up to this game I was more interested in seeing how Smallbone did rather than Ferguson. That AM position has very much been a missing piece in the squad, & he looks like he could nail down that position which is great. Very pleased he hit the ground running. Really seems to have a natural understanding with Doherty. Offers the type of interplay that gets the best out of Doherty. Noticed it for Stoke, & it was on display last night too - he's a very strong runner. Not outright pacey, but eats up ground quickly. Deserved MOTM too. To call him a major upgrade on Hourihane would be an understatement.
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50%lesssugar&salt
Liam Brady
Joined: 02 Sep 2017 Status: Offline Points: 1005 |
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Posted: 24 Mar 2023 at 12:42am |
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Yeah, if he was playing against us every week he would have some amount of goals.
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Hatsoff
Phil Babb
Joined: 20 Mar 2023 Location: Dublin Status: Offline Points: 37 |
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Posted: 24 Mar 2023 at 9:12am |
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yeah he has brilliant stamina.
He should be starting for us every game. He's a bit of an all rounder: creative and technical but also gets tackles in and wins ball
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John Nice
Ray Houghton
Joined: 10 Sep 2021 Location: Wexford Status: Online Points: 4790 |
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Posted: 01 Apr 2023 at 4:34pm |
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Continues his good form with a goal!
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Idah Dream!
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You Tell Me
Jack Charlton
Joined: 05 Sep 2010 Status: Online Points: 6331 |
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Posted: 01 Apr 2023 at 4:38pm |
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Nice placed finish from the edge of the area.
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J89
Ray Houghton
Joined: 25 Mar 2018 Status: Offline Points: 3112 |
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Posted: 22 Apr 2023 at 4:35pm |
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Grabs an assist from a corner.
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J89
Ray Houghton
Joined: 25 Mar 2018 Status: Offline Points: 3112 |
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Posted: 15 Jun 2023 at 8:19pm |
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Don't know how reliable Jacque Talbot is but he's reporting that Bournemouth, Hull, Sunderland, and two unnamed PL clubs have interest in Smallbone. Has a year left on his Southampton contract unless there's a clause to extend it.
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The O'Shea wrote: