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Reply | Madsen and Field midfield
at 12:57 17 Aug 2025
Vested interest is a figure of speech. It’s not to be taken literally.
And he most definitely does have a vested interest in playing Madsen. Big money signings get preference of those who are not; it happens time and again in football.
Their fees and their success need to be justified. The problem is when you buy a dud, or the wromg fit. It’s very obvious what is going on, it’s been going on for some time. The first 20 games last season, Madsen as a number 8, until Marti went against Nourry and sidelined Madsen. Now Marti is gone, Madsen is back in a 2-man, playing 8. The role they announced when they bought him. |
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Reply | Eze
at 11:38 17 Aug 2025
Agreed. A firm no from me also. |
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Reply | Madsen and Field midfield
at 09:07 17 Aug 2025
Field was not in the squad. There was a few changes of positions. A couple of which looks a lot like this season…
Colback played left back.
Dembele left wing. Chair number 10. Ashby right wing.
Madsen and Varane in a 2-man CM. |
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Reply | Madsen and Field midfield
at 08:47 17 Aug 2025
I think it’s become pretty obvious Nourry is influencing Stephans picks, and to some degree, I agree, especially with the insistence on bringing through young players. But it gets too much when you have a further vested interest on big money singings - as their failure is your failure.
For all those saying “oh not every signing works out”, that only makes sense with low risk signings, but it doesn’t for marquee signings. From CEO/DOF perspective - and owner perspective - and CV perspective, you cannot just put a collective 6m in the bin (along with Celar) otherwise it really doesn’t reflect well on you and questions will be asked by those supplying the money, and the industry as a whole.
Chief amongst them Madsen, who was was eventually sidelined under Marti - and I suspect that was another ill-fated interaction with Marti and Nourry. Cifuentes saying “I just can’t pick him for the sake of our / his own sanity” and Nourry saying “play him, he needs time to adjust and come good”.
When Marti had left in the final game, Madsen actually was played as part of a 2-man CM at Sunderland… that was a key sign and signal of what was to come this season in the first two games so far.
Problem is, any sane football individual knows you cannot play Madsen as part of a midfield two. So, it becomes obvious that Nourry is pulling many strings. Madsen is a conundrum that the club need to sort out, whilst a good player in his own right, he simply doesn’t fit anywhere across the midfield, including at 10, because off the ball, he has no legs and no press. |
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Reply | Madsen and Field midfield
at 22:33 16 Aug 2025
Thing is, if you put field at 6, we don’t / can’t play out. Which is fine in an Ainsworth side, but doesn’t work in our club model. So he can only play 8, and he isn’t great at that role. His number 8 position will increasingly come under threat of competition, as Varane has taken the number 6 position. Suspect Morgan will be favoured at some point. Morgan and Varane is a promising partnership as suggested last season on the few occasions they paired up. |
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Reply | Madsen and Field midfield
at 22:19 16 Aug 2025
The trouble is Madsen cannot play in the 10 position / or any advanced midfield position because he is slow as a turtle and cannot therefore press. It’s not an option in a side that is meant to be high energy, high intensity pressing from the front. You need legs, stamina, and pace across the first 10 yards. He’s got none of that. Meaning he can only play in a flat midfield 3. And we don’t play that way… |
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Reply | Eze
at 20:53 16 Aug 2025
Most clauses are profit, not full sale.
Sterling was profit, it’s just his fee was so low (circa 1m), and sold for 50m, we banked nearly 10m, based on the profit. (20% of 49m is nearly 10m which is what we received as sell on) [Post edited 16 Aug 20:54]
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Reply | Where Is The Money Coming From?
at 21:20 15 Aug 2025
The club loses money. Multi-millions. That may have come down from 24m to 12m, and I suspect it looks like that at the next set of accounts, but it’s a still a huge loss making business. The money is coming from its primary benefactor- Ruben. Which is why all other shareholders are getting diluted. He is the only one bank rolling the club. That’s where the money is coming from |
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Reply | Carabao Cup Winners thread - victim one - Plymouth Argyle
at 19:09 14 Aug 2025
Point taken, especially given your background and context. But I’m not really here to worry about what a youth team player thinks about my comment. Even if as I said, I was loathesome to post it. What I am seeing is a completely over the top praise on certain players at the Ossie Kakay level, and frankly, likely a lot lower. Just because they are young, doesn’t not make them a top talent as I posted earlier.
I’m more concerned at a club level, throwing several young players into the mix, for the purpose of statistics, or to try and bring about the illusion we are bringing through young academy talents at will. We are not, many of those players, as hard as they worked, are miles off it. Let’s not con ourselves because it sounds good, or because we need to pander to players on socials. And effort of players is the bare minimum, I hoped and expected to see quality. Only Tylon Smyth passed that. Kolli, Vale, Burrell also, but they are first team.
And Nourry, whilst I agree with the overall direction, needs to be called out. Some have got little to no chance of making it at QPR. Perhaps it was a sink or swim moment, by design. But there were some alarming performances. [Post edited 14 Aug 19:10]
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Reply | Carabao Cup Winners thread - victim one - Plymouth Argyle
at 10:55 14 Aug 2025
Sorry but been watching the youth team for 10+ years and regularly posted on this site about it. It becomes quite obvious regarding those who will make it, and those that won’t. He’s firmly in the latter category, unfortunately. Seen him several times, it’s not a one off judgement. He requires exceptional technical ability to make up for his tiny frame and size, and he just doesn’t have that. Reminds me of Aaron Drewe. Tenacious, fast, small, good in the tackle, but lacking in technical ability needed at championship level at least. [Post edited 14 Aug 11:00]
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Reply | Carabao Cup Winners thread - victim one - Plymouth Argyle
at 21:15 13 Aug 2025
Thought he was awful last night, and didn’t want to dig him out, but genuinely surprised if anyone thinks that was a good performance. He was quite literally destroyed, and when he did the ball, his touch was extremely poor , continuously bouncing off him and giving it away for fun.
His height and physicality also seriously goes against him, meaning he has to make it up with exceptional technical ability. He doesn’t have that as evidenced. No chance of making it at QPR, and I’d wager anywhere in professional football unfortunately. |
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Reply | Carabao Cup Winners thread - victim one - Plymouth Argyle
at 21:11 13 Aug 2025
They aren’t getting league 1 or 2 clubs because they aren’t good enough. Can’t think of one player who has played higher in recent years, than the level he originally went out on loan at. Perhaps Arkell-Jude Boyd. All players in recent years have gone out on loan, to the lower echelons, and largely stayed there. There’s a reason for that.
Also, blooding a 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 year olds, in our “new policy” does not suddenly make them a great talent. They may be exposed to higher age groups earlier, which you hope helps their development, but top talent is top talent and it’s a misnomer that coaching radically changes a players natural ceiling and outcome, with a few exceptions aside.
Stephen Duke-McKenna could have played at 18 years old, and I think he did for Everton in the cup, but doesn’t mean he’s actually any good. We could have blooded Charlie Owens and Ossie Kakay earlier at 18, but again doesn’t make them particularly promising talents. Are we are blooding earlier? Yes, which makes total sense and is long overdue. Are they actually top talents? Jury very much out. |
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Reply | Carabao Cup Winners thread - victim one - Plymouth Argyle
at 22:57 12 Aug 2025
Great effort, and cannot be faulted, but there was zero quality on show.
First half was dire, but somehow we went in 2-0 up. Second half equally as bad. I at least expected us to be able to pass the ball around with a few passages of play, but it took until the around 80th minute or so for one triangle and a sequence of about 4-5 passes in a row, without losing it. Which was generally the pattern of our play. We gave the ball away time and time again, continuously turning over possession due to poor touches and technique.
Several players either turned in worrying cameos and there were others who looked totally out of their depth. Aussie boys in CM a real concern for me. Bennie needs to start showing what he has got, because it’s hard to see it. Game passed him by. Pearman very weak. Putman will surely have nightmares. Overall, the two centre halves were the most promising, Smith and Wilkie. |
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Reply | Inside training video
at 21:23 8 Aug 2025
It doesn’t take a football expert to work out he is not yet physically ready. Whilst he has filled out a bit, at 19, he is one of those more unusual types who will need 2-3 more years to naturally bulk out.
He is an unusual case of its not the talent that is lacking, but his thin-framed stature is not (yet) conducive to men’s football, and certainly not the championship.
He’ll not only need to eat quite a few burgers, but also hone his defensive game. He’s an excellent talent, but is far from physically ready. |
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Reply | Rest of the Championship thread 25/26
at 20:54 8 Aug 2025
Ruben personally oversaw the construction of the training ground. Which makes sense given he was putting in 20m + of his own money.
But neither of these two things are the sign of an absent or disinterested owner.
At the same time, Hoos is definitely still running the show day to day, alongside his protege and sidekick Nourry, who he has, and will continue to protect at all costs.
Edit: was meant to be in response to Lassels post. [Post edited 8 Aug 20:57]
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Reply | Sam Field - Centre Back
at 16:43 3 Aug 2025
Well, I do think the #6 role is the single most important position in a team that wants to play passing football. And Varane - whilst excellent defensively like Field - also comes up short. I don’t see him suddenly gaining that part of his game, as most ball-playing DCMs have it naturally, and it’s extremely hard to coach it. He may go from a 5 out of 10, to a 6 or 7. But for our team to be successful playing out and playing through, it needs someone to excel at that deep playing making role.
The number 8 is also important in this style of play as they can’t just be a by stander and must also drop deep and provide an option. So all in all, I don’t like any of our CM options; and if we are to truly execute a passing style, for me it needs a root and branch re-make. As it has done for some time. Until it is fixed, I would personally reign in the so-called passing out the back, as the DOF is not creating a squad capable of executing again his stated vision. Which is another topic, but related. |
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Reply | Sam Field - Centre Back
at 14:48 3 Aug 2025
I don’t disagree that the CM pairing is important.
And Field could still play a role as a box to box 8, a role I have quite liked him playing in recent times, as his energy, legs, and stamina (and goals) have worked well.
The issue is when you play Varane and Field. Neither of whom can turn on the ball and get this team playing. And Varane has pretty much nailed the #6 position, and I don’t believe you can play Field alongside him. We’ve done that loads and it’s drab.
So for me Field’s starting spot in this side - if it is to progress with its stated passing game - is at stake, as I think there are better (and needed) upgrades in that 8 role alongside Varane.
That’s where a new signing would come in and play. Or possibly Morgan takes it. Can’t see Madsen having the all round CM game needed there. |
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