Luke Thomas - Bolton Wanderers

[whoareyaaa]

1 hour ago, filbertway said:

I think he's fine in a 4. I think his complete lack of any outstanding physical attributes are completely shown up when he's a WB personally.

I think this is his downfall, needs to become stronger and more aggressive I think he has the ability just a bit weak.

[dmayne7]

17 minutes ago, whoareyaaa said:

I think this is his downfall, needs to become stronger and more aggressive I think he has the ability just a bit weak.

Definitely the physical side that's killed him. Actually think it's fair to see why he was so highly regarded as with an extra yard of pace and a bit of bulk, he could have been a top class full back. The caveat to that is it also relied on him continuing to show the defensive nous and attacking threat that he first showed when coming through, which sadly slowly disappeared.

[whoareyaaa]

1 minute ago, dmayne7 said:

Definitely the physical side that's killed him. Actually think it's fair to see why he was so highly regarded as with an extra yard of pace and a bit of bulk, he could have been a top class full back. The caveat to that is it also relied on him continuing to show the defensive nous and attacking threat that he first showed when coming through, which sadly slowly disappeared.

Yup physically and mentally he is weak and lost his confidence, if he can improve on that he will be a good LB/WB.

[Sankey93]

Not good enough get rid. 

[lcfc_forever]

2 hours ago, filbertway said:

The whole having Salah in his pocket was a ridiculous thing though wasn't it. We played a back 10 that game and Salah had limited space and 2 or 3 players to contend with regularly.

 

It was a fine team defensive display but that wasn't down to Thomas doing a Kaamark style man marking job.

He was good for the first half of that season as well, not just the Liverpool game. And while some of the praise may have been OTT, he deserves credit for playing so well against one of the world's best attackers. 

[OntarioFox]

Unfortunately my abiding memory of him will be him seemingly having a chronic fear of opposition players wearing red, and being the prime culprit for both embarrasments at the City Ground. I thought he'd have learned his lesson the first time and would be up for a local Derby, being from Syston, but he looked even worse and more scared the second time out.

 

Rodgers ruined him. A perfect example of a player regressing under his appalling man management.

[mozartfox]

I thought Celtic would have been an option. He would find the SPL very easy to adapt to.

[majaco]

I hope he has a decent career building on being an FA Cup winner.

 

He was over-hyped by many because he wasn't Chilwell (who had, imo,relieved ridiculous negativity from some of the fan base despite his high level of ability).

 

 

[RoboFox]

33 minutes ago, majaco said:

I hope he has a decent career building on being an FA Cup winner.

 

He was over-hyped by many because he wasn't Chilwell (who had, imo,relieved ridiculous negativity from some of the fan base despite his high level of ability).

 

 

I think it wasn't Chilwell's ability that gets him flack from the fanbase, rather the fact that he's an absolute pecker.

[Muzzy_no7]

Seems a good lad and may well eventually be a top league 1/ bottom half of the championship full back but he has to leave one way or another this summer. 

Hes never been good enough for us wherever we’ve been and contrary to what some are saying on here he’s never looked ‘solid’ or ‘good going forward’. 
 

Maybe it was always going to be tough for him as we had Ricardo, Justin and England international, chilwell etc but he was constantly exposed for both strength and pace. 
 

Can’t see anyone paying a fee for him unfortunately. 
 

If we renew him just to sell, the club that wants him would likely only then want to loan him anyway. 
 

Just let him leave on a free. 

[Tielemans63]

Such a shame he didn't kick on. Looked to have real potential when he first broke through. Remember a home game against Liverpool at the KP, and he was excellent in his one on one duels with Mo Salah - there is a player in there.

 

I feel for him as he came through as the rot was well and truly setting in. Rodgers left him exposed a few times, asking him to play as a wingback which he patently could not do. I really think his confidence took a battering and he's never really recovered it. Going to Sheff Utd looked like a bad move, and so it proved.

 

He looked pretty competent with England U21s too. I'm sure he'll have a decent career.

[RobHawk]

I remember with chilwell, he went away one summer and worked on his fitness and physicality. He came back that season and really kicked on in his career. 

 

It feels like that never happened with Luke and he's stalled and then gone backwards. He now doesn't fit Enzos style of play so really needs to move on. 

 

He needs a fresh start and somewhere he can settle down and play week in week out.  Bolton could be great for him and wherever he ends up I wish him all the best. 

[Lesta2014]

Career path that will probably echo Joe mattocks by the looks of things 

[Ashley]

Wages could be a problem if he's really on what I've been told he's on. 

 

Looked brilliant when he burst onto the scene here. As mentioned 3 good games since for us since. Liverpool, Man U away and FA Cup final. Looks poor now unfortunately.

[J.Lisemore]

Never bulked up when it was key to. He's clearly got the ability but he's not physical enough to cope in certain situations and ends up bullied. Doesn't seem he's had the best guidance to be honest. 

[Wymsey]

Did he really want to leave Leicester?

[HankMarvin]

9 hours ago, AKCJ said:

What keeping a young player in a poor team as opposed to loaning him out to a good team does to a mf.

 

He should have gone out on loan years ago. He'd be a proper asset to the club and worth a lot had he had experience as a youngster in the same way the likes of Barnes, Chilwell and KDH did.

Chilwell played 8 games for Huddersfield 

[alanf0x]

1 hour ago, Ashley said:

Wages could be a problem if he's really on what I've been told he's on. 

 

Looked brilliant when he burst onto the scene here. As mentioned 3 good games since for us since. Liverpool, Man U away and FA Cup final. Looks poor now unfortunately.

Nothing surprises me with Rudkin and his academy boys!!!

[weller54]

2 hours ago, RobHawk said:

I remember with chilwell, he went away one summer and worked on his fitness and physicality. He came back that season and really kicked on in his career. 

 

It feels like that never happened with Luke and he's stalled and then gone backwards. He now doesn't fit Enzos style of play so really needs to move on. 

 

He needs a fresh start and somewhere he can settle down and play week in week out.  Bolton could be great for him and wherever he ends up I wish him all the best. 

Chilwell got very lucky in his career somehow/somewhere along the line.   So ridiculously overrated!!

[frany104]

Get him gone for any amount really. He’s nowhere near good enough. 

[SafewayFox]

1 hour ago, HankMarvin said:

Chilwell played 8 games for Huddersfield 

Some people’s obsession with “loan them out” always baffled me but love that Chilwell fact.

 

Easy to say now but we really under appreciated Chilwell and gave Thomas a lot more love due to him not being Chilwell, I can’t defend his fanboy antics after the Chelsea game.

 

For every comment about Thomas having Salah in his pocket, I personally think of him being rinsed by Pepe.

 

1 hour ago, weller54 said:

Chilwell got very lucky in his career somehow/somewhere along the line.   So ridiculously overrated!!

I think history will show that we probably underrated Chilwell as a fan base.

 

He is made of biscuits but other than Ricky P and Fuchs he’s been our best FB in the past decade IMO.

[sm1]

Always sad to see a local boy not make it. Wanted by West Ham at the beginning of the season and now linked to Bolton, he's really regressed as a player. 

[AKCJ]

10 hours ago, HankMarvin said:

Chilwell played 8 games for Huddersfield 

From Chilwell himself...

 

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/chilwell-recalls-his-big-break-in-yorkshire

[deep blue]

13 hours ago, J.Lisemore said:

Never bulked up when it was key to. He's clearly got the ability but he's not physical enough to cope in certain situations and ends up bullied. Doesn't seem he's had the best guidance to be honest. 

I think this is spot on, especially when you compare with how Chilwell worked on bulking up and his athleticism that summer.  I wonder whether Thomas has missed the boat or whether, with the right guidance, it may not be too late for him to work on those things and improve himself this summer.  I would like to see him succeed.

[Bluearmyfox28]

£3m-£4m sale with a 20-30% sell on clause seems realistic depending on wages, or do we think even that quantity is unrealistic? Like others have stated pure profit on FFP and PSR so would not be surprised if the club are pushing for his sale as well as the likes of Kristensen, Soumare and Souttar.