I can't think of a more underwhelming potential signing, unless he can play predominantly as a holding midfielder. We really could do with some ballers in midfield.
Sean Longstaff
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He's defensively solid, has deep playmaker capabilities and he's English, earning comparisons with Carrick. This combination is a rarity, and if he lives up to what he's shown so far he'll be one of the best English midfielders in the country. The comparision with Rooney is because he also was a rare talent, and we bought him for that and not what he had already acheived.
PS Beckham played for Preston when he was 20, doesn't mean much.
Hope we sign him.
I doubt anyone thought differently at first.
Now we're half hoping it's genius scouting from our guys, and If we want him I hope we get him
The only young English player you can say is a rare talent like Rooney is Sancho.
I think @luke511 may be being a touch hyperbolic in the wording, but we actually have a drought of players like him in England. Its why Delph and Livermore manage to wangle call ups to the national team. We just stick CBs there, like Dier and Rice. He is very good for his age and a player profile most teams in the league are crying out for.
He looks great technically, has a bit of bite and work rate to match and is a sort of player in style and position, the type England rarely produces, Huddlestone, Carrick, later years Scholes, even Shelvey to a certain extent these are players we see every so often in England, the regista who relies on poise and guile instead of defensive solidity, Longstaff is one of those rare players, just because he isn’t Iberian shouldn’t take from his talent, a player who can play 50 yard passes with both feet is rare anywhere mostly.
You can't think of a more underwhelming midfielder because you haven't heard of this one or watched him play. He looks very interesting from the clips (albiet there are few).
I reckon this deal could be off now due to Newcastle's imminent take over.
I’ve been told it’s his agent most likely wanting a new contract for him though he isn’t 100% sure
Young Beckham was probably not as good as a young Rooney, but I could be wrong because I was barely an infant when Becks was 20. If Longstaff was a talent like Rooney, he surely wouldn't be playing for Blackpool at 20.
Anyway, Noble is also defensively solid, energetic and an even better passing range, but he is average.
Midfield play goes far beyond passing off both feet which everyone seem to be creaming themselves for. Does he have the guile, the technique, finesse and control in tight spaces?
He probably provides penetration, but how assertive is he in possession and how is his positional sense?
I will admit that the first time I watched him, I had to check Newcastle's XI to see who was pinging those passes but as I said, being a quality midfielder goes beyond passing range.
At Newcastle he has been playing in a double pivot so we do not even know if he can play as a Regista.
I've actually watched him once or twice, and his passing was decent. He was on the pitch against Chelsea or Leicester I think.
I reckon it would be an underwhelming 'signing' considering the circumstances. We desperately need some balance and quality in central midfield. I'd take a winger like James, wouldn't want us to sign a player on McTominay's level especially in such important position.
For some reason becuase he's British everyone here has decided every 21 year old British player who isn't a household name is at Mctominay's level, as if he's some sort of representative of 21 year old British midfielders. We need balance and quality. Maybe this kid will add to that. I mean, the supposed quality we signed in Fred turned out to be a bit of a trainwreck last season.
The reason I don't mind going for Longataff this stage is because players can improve here.
They don't need to come in and make the instant impact - players that have a good basic ability can improve here.
He has a good basic ability with the ball at his feet making long range passes - something mctomminay is not good at - hopefully he can improve that here.
They don't need to come in and make the instant impact - players that have a good basic ability can improve here.
He has a good basic ability with the ball at his feet making long range passes - something mctomminay is not good at - hopefully he can improve that here.
Oh no what will we do if he hasn't played as the lone deep lying playmaker for Newcastle.
I imagine scouting a player probably gives one a better indication than random guesses.
At this point with Longstaff it is a random guess.
Excuse me, but are you insane?
Have you seen Rooney play?
Not for the club it isn't.
Random signings can go well too. You seem to be in depression in this thread at the idea of this unknown signing.
Better get this deal done before this Newcastle takeover happens.
This is absolute rubbish. Which club in the world plays half a dozen teenagers?
Seriously, people need to stop talking utter shite about Academy players.
I generally agree with the last sentence but, Longstaff is less proven then some of our teenagers.
Manchester United, worked in the past.
When?
1992
Thanks, I should've explained myself a bit more when I said rare talent, didn't expect the word 'rare' would confuse so many people.
See above, I mean he has a combination of talents that don't often see in English midfielders, similar to Rooney's combination of talents you didn't often see in English forwards at the time. Shame I have to spell it out so clearly.
Nope
It is still a ridiculous point after you spelled it out.
Don't know what to tell you. By playing a bunch of teenager from our academy we build a dynasty that lasted 20 odd years or so. There was no end to teenager seeing game time from 1992-2012, most coming through our own ranks.
Going nowhere if the takeover is real
Nope.
Explain how it's a ridiculous point? It's funny how you have such a strong opinion about a player you know nothing about.
It is funny that people have such strong opinions about a player who has not played much senior football expect one season in League One.
Good explanation there.
McTominay wasn't really playing DM for us though, he played box to box in Herrera's role. Fred and Matic were often the deepest midfielders when McTominay was playing.Too expensive if he costs more than £20m. I think Scott McTominay is our best DCM. Based on Squawka stats for last season (normalized to 1800 minutes - the peach numbers).
Played box-to-box but does not do assists. That's still a DCM; just not the sitting DCM.
1st table has errors in player ages. 2nd table below is correct:
Explanation. Pink and green are copied Squawka stats. Peach numbers are normalized to 1800 minutes for fairer comparision.
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Realistically if we signed him it wouldn't be as an automatic starter straight away and it wouldn't be for a huge fee. I don't see where the negative is on this.
The Newcastle takeover could play a big part in whether he's actually available though now.
The Newcastle takeover could play a big part in whether he's actually available though now.
Guess I missread it, walked right into that one.
Anyway I do belive Longstaff is the sort of midfielder we should be looking for, if we picked him up a year ago over Fred we would be in much better shape today, but does not look likely that Newcastle is selling any time soon.
McTominay's level would be a positive I'd say, Longstaff could be worse. Anyway, we really could do with a top quality central or attacking midfielder imo. I'd rather Rice than Longstaff because Rice is a defensive midfielder. I'm open to signing Longstaff too, though I'm not exactly excited about a potential transfer.
He's very similar to Carrick in terms of how he carries himself on the ball. His technique and passing style is very similar. This isn't an argument for comparative quality, obviously; only to say that there are stylistic similarities.
So on the normalised scale McT has the most passes completed and way more than most of the other midfielders?Played box-to-box but does not do assists. That's still a DCM; just not the sitting DCM.
1st table has errors in player ages. 2nd table below is correct:
Explanation. Pink and green are copied Squawka stats. Peach numbers are normalized to 1800 minutes for fairer comparision.
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