Luke Thomas

[shen]

On 05/05/2021 at 00:54, Analysethis said:

Its an expected response from a blinkered individual. Its also hilarious how you attempted (and failed) to dissect my posts and conveniently left some of my positive comments out. I`ll attempt to simplify it for you.

 

LT is in my opinion, a potential England full-back. He is extremely raw but as far as natural full-backs go, I have seen him play well in certain games, especially with Barnes playing in front of him in a 4 so notice the potential. However, he is now not doing enough to be a regular in a potential Champions League squad. He is way too raw at this stage of his development. If you look at a fair comparison with a player who plays in his position and one that he has played one more game than in Christian Fuchs, you will see what I mean...

 

I say we buy someone instead. Not long after my post of a few days ago, we have been linked with the likes of Gosens. To me that is no surprise. Rodgers will always back his players and boost confidence as thats what he does. However, I have no doubt we will buy another left back next season. I would personally prefer to have Gosens in and Castagne as his back up until JJ comes back into the side. With Riccardo, Castagne, JJ and potential a Gosens, I wouldn't keep LT around next season for another bit part season. It would have to be a loan but only to a lower league prem club or play-off chasing Championship club. 

 

Lets see if I am way off the mark on this one over the forthcoming months but I think we all need to chill a bit and cut LT a break and let the lad develop in time and not be fast-tracked because he has potential.

Besides starting off the reply in rather condescending fashion, I am a little bemused by you comparison to Fuchs and your views on the LB/LWB position going forward.

 

Fuchs mainly played LB in the past (which is also where Thomas has shown his promise according to yourself), but this season he's almost exclusively played as the left-sided centerback in a back three. You can really only compare Thomas to Albrighton, Justin, Castagne, Pereira or Schlupp who've played LWB for us.

 

If we were to bring in a new LB/LWB like Gosens, where would that leave Thomas? Even if we sent him out on loan, his prospects here would be slim. We've only just acquired Justin and Castagne, so that would mean selling Pereira or for one of these four to be injured, before we can offer Thomas first team football. I think we both agree that for a 'potential future England international' that's not exactly reassuring.

 

1 hour ago, happy85 said:

Luke Thomas not playing tonight 

 

right call from BR

Source? Have the team sheets been leaked again?

[happy85]

2 minutes ago, shen said:

Besides starting off the reply in rather condescending fashion, I am a little bemused by you comparison to Fuchs and your views on the LB/LWB position going forward.

 

Fuchs mainly played LB in the past (which is also where Thomas has shown his promise according to yourself), but this season he's almost exclusively played as the left-sided centerback in a back three. You can really only compare Thomas to Albrighton, Justin, Castagne, Pereira or Schlupp who've played LWB for us.

 

If we were to bring in a new LB/LWB like Gosens, where would that leave Thomas? Even if we sent him out on loan, his prospects here would be slim. We've only just acquired Justin and Castagne, so that would mean selling Pereira or for one of these four to be injured, before we can offer Thomas first team football. I think we both agree that for a 'potential future England international' that's not exactly reassuring.

 

Source? Have the team sheets been leaked again?

Yes been leaked. Thomas for Ricky the only change

[shen]

6 minutes ago, happy85 said:

Yes been leaked. Thomas for Ricky the only change

Annoying that this keeps happening. Why give our opposition free information?

I hope Ricky performs a bit better following this rest - he's been pale version of his usual self and honestly a weak link since his return from injury

[Whys it always me]

7 hours ago, happy85 said:

Luke Thomas not playing tonight 

 

right call from BR

Couldn’t agree more we’ve been brilliant down the left haven’t we. You called it correctly I mean we look ****ing class the senior players have made all the difference in that half 

Edited 7 May 2021 by Whys it always me

[adam]

Wrong thread 

Edited 7 May 2021 by adam

[Jimmy]

Albrighton completely abandoned Soyuncu defensively once Evans went down the back 3 should have been ditched, but if he still goes with it Thomas needed to play

Edited 7 May 2021 by Jimmy

[moore_94]

Luke Thomas moaners absolutely fuming, great work and ball into Vardy

 

Only decent thing to come out of this crap

 

https://streamgg.com/ib/DBEVhJvMoI

[Facecloth]

Great play in the build up to Albrightons goal.

[shen]

#ThomasOffersNothingGoingForward

[Whys it always me]

I’m assuming happy85 will be along shortly to tell us Thomas isn’t ready and offers nothing and it’s all his fault we’ve lost. 

[Facecloth]

On 01/05/2021 at 10:10, Facecloth said:

Thomas has started 9 league games this season and come on as a sub in another. 

 

Of those 9 games, we've won 5, drawn 2 and lost 2. One of the loses incidentally was Arsenal at home where we seemed to fall apart as a team when Barnes got injured (not that that's an excuse). His one sub appearance was West Ham away. We were losing 3-0 at ht when he came on, it ended up 3-2. 

 

Maybe he's not such detrimental to the team as you think.

@happy85 I'll just add to this, that's a game we were losing badly that Thomas has come on at we've come back into, like the West Ham game. So he has a 55% win rate in games he's started, and a 100% win rate for the period of matches he's been subbed into.

[Ric Flair]

Only decent player for us tonight, admittedly not very difficult. 

[smitha]

Just now, Ric Flair said:

Only decent player for us tonight, admittedly not very difficult. 

Not hard but Perez was decent, did more in his cameo than Maddison.

[Blue-fox]

Just now, Ric Flair said:

Only decent player for us tonight, admittedly not very difficult. 

Can’t believe he brought him on in that game, if his confidence is a bit low at the minute you don’t bring him onto a game where getting arses handed to us on a plate 

[Whys it always me]

1 minute ago, Blue-fox said:

Can’t believe he brought him on in that game, if his confidence is a bit low at the minute you don’t bring him onto a game where getting arses handed to us on a plate 

He had nothing to lose 

[Analysethis]

7 hours ago, shen said:

Besides starting off the reply in rather condescending fashion, I am a little bemused by you comparison to Fuchs and your views on the LB/LWB position going forward.

 

Fuchs mainly played LB in the past (which is also where Thomas has shown his promise according to yourself), but this season he's almost exclusively played as the left-sided centerback in a back three. You can really only compare Thomas to Albrighton, Justin, Castagne, Pereira or Schlupp who've played LWB for us.

 

If we were to bring in a new LB/LWB like Gosens, where would that leave Thomas? Even if we sent him out on loan, his prospects here would be slim. We've only just acquired Justin and Castagne, so that would mean selling Pereira or for one of these four to be injured, before we can offer Thomas first team football. I think we both agree that for a 'potential future England international' that's not exactly reassuring.

 

Source? Have the team sheets been leaked again?

It was condescending mate after a bit of a weird exchange with someone who doesn't really read all posts but I wont waste any more energy there.

 

What I have said about Thomas is he is an outstanding prospect. I hear your point on Fuchs and its completely valid as he has played as part of a three. But even still, or me the person who plays on the left would need to give us more than Thomas can at the moment. If we roll back the clock to Fuchs in the season we won the league, he was awesome. I am not comparing them as players to knock Thomas, just to state that we need complete players here and now and cant afford to see if a talent can make it. I think a season loan to the right club will do wonders for the lad, as has happened with Dewsbury-Hall.

 

BTW if you look tonight at Ricarrdo. He looked completely ineffective and hasn't been his normal self after a terrible injury. Because he isnt at his best, we looked gave very little danger on that side until Albrighton was switched there. Im just pushing for top players that can perform now in position and I think its a tad early for the lad.

 

Just to end on Thomas, we looked better and more balanced when he came on. Albrighton at LB was a weird call and I would have kept Thomas in from the players Brendan had available.

[Vestan Pance]

Great work for the first goal. A terrible night for the team but I'm still convinced this lad will be a top player for us.

[Facecloth]

10 minutes ago, Analysethis said:

It was condescending mate after a bit of a weird exchange with someone who doesn't really read all posts but I wont waste any more energy there.

 

What I have said about Thomas is he is an outstanding prospect. I hear your point on Fuchs and its completely valid as he has played as part of a three. But even still, or me the person who plays on the left would need to give us more than Thomas can at the moment. If we roll back the clock to Fuchs in the season we won the league, he was awesome. I am not comparing them as players to knock Thomas, just to state that we need complete players here and now and cant afford to see if a talent can make it. I think a season loan to the right club will do wonders for the lad, as has happened with Dewsbury-Hall.

 

BTW if you look tonight at Ricarrdo. He looked completely ineffective and hasn't been his normal self after a terrible injury. Because he isnt at his best, we looked gave very little danger on that side until Albrighton was switched there. Im just pushing for top players that can perform now in position and I think its a tad early for the lad.

 

Just to end on Thomas, we looked better and more balanced when he came on. Albrighton at LB was a weird call and I would have kept Thomas in from the players Brendan had available.

And where do you think that compete player is going to come from midway through a season? We've been unlucky with injuries in recent seasons to our full backs and Thomas has probably has to step up a little earlier than Rodgers wanted, but I know he's always been impressed by him and often had him involved in first team training. Justin looked pretty shocking early in the season but he's grown from having to play more. We know he's not the complete player, he's 19 and only just reached double figures in league games. If you want someone to be disappointed in, be disappointed in the fact Thomas looks better at left back than a season Belgium International apparently sign because he could play on both sides. If Castagne was half the player at left back we thought we were getting Thomas wouldn't be playing as much.

[shen]

8 minutes ago, Analysethis said:

If we roll back the clock to Fuchs in the season we won the league, he was awesome. I am not comparing them as players to knock Thomas, just to state that we need complete players here and now and cant afford to see if a talent can make it. I think a season loan to the right club will do wonders for the lad, as has happened with Dewsbury-Hall.

 

BTW if you look tonight at Ricarrdo. He looked completely ineffective and hasn't been his normal self after a terrible injury. Because he isnt at his best, we looked gave very little danger on that side until Albrighton was switched there. Im just pushing for top players that can perform now in position and I think its a tad early for the lad.

 

Just to end on Thomas, we looked better and more balanced when he came on. Albrighton at LB was a weird call and I would have kept Thomas in from the players Brendan had available.

Yes, but again, Thomas has looked mostly good to very good at left back with someone (e.g. Barnes) ahead of him. Using Fuchs as a marker for Thomas in a 3-5-2 makes little sense when Fuchs played in a 4-4-2 behind Albrighton for 95% of that season.

My issue with sending out Thomas on loan is that it poses the question of who he is replacing when he returns? Will he be limited to brief cameos and cup matches thus stunting his progression?

The main reason I'm in here tempering the criticism of Thomas is exactly because Ricardo has been a shadow of his former self. Our best current lineup is Albrighton/Castagne on the right and Thomas on the left. It's not great, but it's a damn sight better than what we saw today!

[Analysethis]

1 minute ago, Facecloth said:

And where do you think that compete player is going to come from midway through a season? We've been unlucky with injuries in recent seasons to our full backs and Thomas has probably has to step up a little earlier than Rodgers wanted, but I know he's always been impressed by him and often had him involved in first team training. Justin looked pretty shocking early in the season but he's grown from having to play more. We know he's not the complete player, he's 19 and only just reached double figures in league games. If you want someone to be disappointed in, be disappointed in the fact Thomas looks better at left back than a season Belgium International apparently sign because he could play on both sides. If Castagne was half the player at left back we thought we were getting Thomas wouldn't be playing as much.

Im not talking about doing something mid-season though am I!? I'm talking about next season and Gosens is one that is seemingly a realistic target. For the record, I`d have kept Thomas in the side tonight for balance.

 

I also agree the Castagne situation is worrying. He does look amazing as a RB in a back 4, less effective as a wing back in a 352 and below average on the left side of defence, the position we signed him for. I`d have Castagne starting at right back with Riccardo and him alternating throughout next season and JJ and another (hopefully Gosens) on the left.

[WigstonWanderer]

In a sea of mediocrity, I thought the lad did well when he came on.

[shen]

1 minute ago, Analysethis said:

I`d have Castagne starting at right back with Riccardo and him alternating throughout next season and JJ and another (hopefully Gosens) on the left.

So which of those four would you sell for when Thomas returns from a season long loan? We can't have 5 fullbacks fighting for 2 starting spots.

[moore_94]

2 minutes ago, Analysethis said:

Im not talking about doing something mid-season though am I!? I'm talking about next season and Gosens is one that is seemingly a realistic target. For the record, I`d have kept Thomas in the side tonight for balance.

 

I also agree the Castagne situation is worrying. He does look amazing as a RB in a back 4, less effective as a wing back in a 352 and below average on the left side of defence, the position we signed him for. I`d have Castagne starting at right back with Riccardo and him alternating throughout next season and JJ and another (hopefully Gosens) on the left.

Realistically though JJ isn't going to be playing much football for us before 2022 if Ricardo is anything to go by, so even if we do sign Gosens, an injury to him and we are back to where we are right now without even having the option to use Thomas if he gets sent out on loan

 

I do think it is an option we could look at in January, but until we see JJ is fully back from his injury I wouldn't even entertain the idea of sending Thomas out on loan

[shen]

3 minutes ago, WigstonWanderer said:

In a sea of ineptitude, I thought the lad did well when he came on.

corrected it for you

[Analysethis]

4 minutes ago, shen said:

Yes, but again, Thomas has looked mostly good to very good at left back with someone (e.g. Barnes) ahead of him. Using Fuchs as a marker for Thomas in a 3-5-2 makes little sense when Fuchs played in a 4-4-2 behind Albrighton for 95% of that season.

My issue with sending out Thomas on loan is that it poses the question of who he is replacing when he returns? Will he be limited to brief cameos and cup matches thus stunting his progression?

The main reason I'm in here tempering the criticism of Thomas is exactly because Ricardo has been a shadow of his former self. Our best current lineup is Albrighton/Castagne on the right and Thomas on the left. It's not great, but it's a damn sight better than what we saw today!

It may sound like I am criticising Thomas by I genuinely am not, I am a fan. Its just this is all happening too soon for him. He isn't ready today but he is certainly solid enough for a lower Prem club or a Play-off chasing championship club. I could see him in a season learning so much that we have no option but to keep him in the first team squad. For now though, I would prefer someone with a better all round game today like a Gosens and if we believe what we read the club is thinking the same way. If we do indeed sign someone then there is no point in keeping LT here for now which is the point I have been making all along.

 

I agree with your Barnes point. The problem is if Brendan persists with a 352, I even worry where Barnes fits in if we play Iheanacho. I really hope we do go back to a 433 formation which is where we are more effective.

 

I think Riccardo will be fine next season after some rest and a pre-season. I'm sure he will return to his best. As for Catsagne, I hope he stays away from LB!