Bar BS3 Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 No doubt this will be controversial, but is anybody else starting to question if Luke Freeman is actually up to Championship standard..?i hate topics that focus negatively on one single player usually, but I'm just wondering if anybody else shares my concerns about a player that I had very high hopes for this season, yet from what I have seen, should be behind Bobby Reid right now for playing in that role. With no more additions to the squad, I think that a midfield three of Pack, Smith and Reid in the AM role, would help us tighten up based on current form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phileas Fogg Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Interesting question, I still think yes - he's just not reached his best yet. I would like to see him tried on the left of a 4231 as a 3 with Reid and Agard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pommers1965 Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 personally i would play reid over freeman...freeman was terrible yesterday in my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cottsciderarmy Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Freeman hasn't looked up to speed for whatever reason and maybe he's tried to bulk up so he stands his ground more in this league, but it's slowed him down that's for sure. He might also not quite be fit. Also he isn't getting as much freedom as he did in league one, and this comes down to playing against better players and teams, who will have researched him as being one of our more creative players. Personally I think Freeman would be better used in the hole behind the striker, or trying him upfront. Unless you have incredible vision, or you are very strong and a box to box midfielder, a central midfielder in this league is a very difficult position to play in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeAman08 Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 I think the question is can Freeman be good enough? The answer to that is yes. As of this moment, no, he is not good enough.I think a big reason for this is his obsession with trying to beat players 1 on 1. This leads to over dribbling and like a few others at the moment, wants to do the spectacular rather than the simple. Also, as has been mentioned by several on here, he looks to have bulked some. I would guess this was part of his close season routine to deal with the strength of the championship. Thus far it has backfired. He seems to have lost his agility and acceleration as a result and he can't get to where he wants because defenders are faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phileas Fogg Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 I had a random conversation with Ross Wilson of Southampton on a train in May.this guy -> http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34202470He's worked at Watford and looked at Freeman before we moved for him. Apparently a sticking point was that he struggled to stay trim and is prone to putting on weight and that prevented them from moving for him. Shows the importance of fine margins in top level sport.A lot of people say they reckon he's tried to bulk up with muscle since the end of the season, the amount of muscle he'd be able to add in 5 months without a tonne of supplements or steroids would be pretty negligible, especially with hard fitness training in pre season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoons Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Is he good enough .....yes. Does he stand out Like a sore thumb in a struggling team....yes. Is he a luxury we can't really afford at the minute....yes. Personally bobby reids form has made his postion even more questionable. Bobby seems to be the only player on the pitch able to link up with kodja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 His first touch at times is appalling something I hardly ever saw last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Isewater Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Freeman out . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RightUpInCider Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 He is trying too hard.He needs to go back to basics rather than try to do something special every time he gets the ball.A simple ball, not a piece of skill or a killer pass. Get the basics right and the opportunity to do that will come.At the moment Luke, like many other players, is giving the ball to the opposition to often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibs Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Without doubt he is good enough IMO.His confidence is shot to pieces, I thought he looked far more like his old self until he missed that sitter right on half tine yesterday. He has potentially cost us points against Brentford, Preston and MK - and he is feeling the pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 I think he is definitely championship quality. I dont think that position suits him though at this level. He would be better as a wide player in a 3 man attack. He has a great left foot on him but rarely gets in good crossing positions. Him on one wing and agard on the other I think would be a handful for championship defences. His through balls are not of Reids quality and therefore I'd have Reid in the middle in front of Smith and Bryan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-Robbo Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 He wasn't good enough yesterday, but you are judging him on the basis of one of his worst games in a red shirt. He has been better this season and can be effective at this level I think. Like lots of the team, his confidence is low.If you argue that he hasn't got the skills to compete at this level then you'd have to look at replacing about 8 other first team regulars too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marina's Rolls Royce Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Freeman looks like he's put on a stone in weight at least.Both him and Bryan are quality players who have completely lost their mojo currently. They've stopped doing what they do so well.Without Smith's determination and defensive qualities in midfield we are always going to struggle. With nothing on the bench to replace any of the established first team, our stay in the Championship seems very temporary indeed.I'm unclear of how this tail spin can be corrected. IF a new Manager came in now, I can't see how he'd turn it around any more than SC- if you don't have a satisfactory squad in October then you're pretty much out of options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Peacock Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 He wasn't good enough yesterday, but you are judging him on the basis of one of his worst games in a red shirt. He has been better this season and can be effective at this level I think. Like lots of the team, his confidence is low.If you argue that he hasn't got the skills to compete at this level then you'd have to look at replacing about 8 other first team regulars too.I think your last point is correct, maybe not replace 8, but we have a team where too many are struggling to compete at this level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offside Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 He is a shadow of the player he was last season, not just during open play but his delivery from set pieces has also been disappointing. He also seems less mobile. I think he is good enough and will improve, but Bobby Reid has played better so far and deserves his place in the starting 11 when Korey Smith returns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-Robbo Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 I think your last point is correct, maybe not replace 8, but we have a team where too many are struggling to compete at this level.We saw from the first half (and on other occasions) that they can compete.. We haven't got the best squad in the division by any stretch, but man-for-man there is no way we are the worst.If we'd made better, more timely substitutions and continued to press upfield we would have taken three points. Play the wing backs solely as defenders and you will just invite pressure on.The very ordinary Lewington was allowed to advance up their left and pick out a series of players in dangerous positions. I don't question whether the players are good enough at this level, so much as the manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westonred Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 I was going to start this thread a few weeks ago but bottled it bcus he is still the golden boy in most peoples eyes. I think he has been poor all season he looks a stone overweight and doesnt look capable of stepping up to championship football at the moment, he obviously has got the talent but has looked weak so far this season he keeps losing the ball, he bottles out of tackles and is a shadow of the player we had last season. Along with Marlon Pack who is also not good enough for the championship our midfield is letting us down. I do not think that the 352 is the problem, it is our midfield constantly losing the battle and putting our defence under constant pressure in every game . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southvillekiddy Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 He hasn't been anywhere near last season's form and the "high karate kick" and sending off signalled his decline and our decline unfortunately. Someone said he may have tried to "bulk up" for the Championship but the result is he is sluggish. hope he can turn it around. Our midfield, which must include reid in my opinion, would have enough flair for this League. If only we can sort out a relable defence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezo Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 He was fine until he missed the sitter - that seemed to effect his game wildly. Just a little mental toughness will see him through.Those saying Reid - Freeman made a lot of mistakes second half but Reid was completely anonymous - like most he is good with the ball but needs to work on reading the game (which will hopefully come with match practice). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniper Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 I suppose the question we should be really trying to answer is, are any of them (apart from Codger) good enough?At the moment obviously no, but you can't polish a turd, so maybe it doesn't matter what formation, what diet, what training, maybe they aren't and won't ever be good enough for the Championship?! I'd like to be proved wrong though!It makes me wonder what sort of conversations went on with SL and SC pre-season.SL to SC - Are the players we currently have good enough for the Championship?SC - Yes they are? I'd like to think so? We'll have too see?God knows what was said?All I know is, if we stay up then SL now knows what it's all about with regards to the Financials side of things in the Championship, and I blinking hope we don't **** it up again.Personally I hate the Championship as it's too hard to compete in unless you're prepared to spend some serious dosh, and I'm a bloody sore loser but I can't have my cake and eat it, and I wouldn't have changed last season's success for anything, so we are where we are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchay Red Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Not at his best yesterday, but after the Brum game a few of their supporters I spoke to thought he ran the game despite the result. So no doubt he's good enough. Although Reid did well in the first half he faded badly after the break and gave the ball away very cheaply. I'm not sure about him making the step up personally. Hope he proves me wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CITYAREREDANDWHITE Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Fielding Little - Flint - Baker - Williams Smith - BryanAgard - Reid - Freeman Kodjia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 I've little doubt he is good enough.Yesterday in the second half however he was practically our most advanced central player and had two cbs and a cm crowd him out.He had no outlet and I don't think it reasonable to think he could have done any differently, or that Robinson would've - which he didn't, and equally that's no criticism of him. If he had Wilbs(Agard) and Kodjia within 10 yards of him whilst in possession I'm not sure he would've stood out as poor. What I cannot understand is if we want to soak it up and play on the break, and we aren't asking Wilbs to be a reasonable target from clearances, why not have Freeman, Kodjia and Agard together and central to give them something to preoccupy them? Instead we gave their defence probably the easiest 45m they will get this season. It's why I'm loath to blame the players at all for yesterday. We were completely unbalanced. For a team lacking confidence it was inexcusable to lay them to the slaughter. If anything I commend the defence for nearly holding on. I would love to know how much time the ball spend in their half in the second half. It seemed to me it would be shocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 I think Freeman seems to start the season slowly, was he even playing a full 90 mins this time last season, then improves as time goes on? Yes I know it is October but with 3 matches out suspended, plus the one he got sent off in that's almost 4 matches missed. Add in a couple of international breaks and I'm thinking (hoping) he just hasn't got into his swing yet.yup, straws being firmly grasped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidercity1987 Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Most overrated City player I can remember. Good at corners, bringing him lots of assists last season. However for all the tricks and dribbles, his open play output in terms of both goals and creativity is under par.Comparable to Campbell Ryce imo, slows the game too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketh2nd Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 I think some people are forgetting how wilbs great link up play with Freeman , made both of them play so well. Now in a lot of games this season Freeman is getting isolated and people are moaning he isn't good enough. I think Kodjia can play up front by himself then Reid coming in for wilbs . So we can flood the midfield and create chances this wayc. but I highly doubt this will happen as cotts likes to have a big man up top . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
man in the middle Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 yes without doubt he's good enough and so are most of our squad, It's the formation that's letting us down so far. Don't get me wrong I love the way we play attacking football its worked well up to now but we need a plan B something that will win us games when we're in front. We could all see it happening, MK were always going to score next and I'm glad they equalised that late because if not they would have gone on to win it. Where is plan B ? I say try 4.3.3 and I'm amazed we're not trying other formation's in training seeing we have all week to work on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelts Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Interesting question and some good replies!defo not up to speed yet, suspension didn't help, trying way too hard to b clever has to go back to basics simples, he gives the nearly brill pass away far to often giving possession away. Could get better. Might improve! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Honest answer is I'm not sure.However that also applies to six or seven of his team mates as well.Just because he was outstanding last season doesn't mean the question shouldn't be asked though, Reid did fade yesterday but has been vastly superior to him in the last two home games.Hardly anyone would have thought this would happen last season when Reid was on loan in League Two and Freeman was tearing League One sides apart.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.