Alex Pritchard

[milo]

Nearly 90 games for us and he still runs into blind alleys and he seems unwilling/unable to iron his faults, best for us and him to move on and while we can still get a decent price for him.

I agree. Every manager will get it wrong in the transfer market occasionally but you can't hold onto players out of sentimentality or on the off chance that they might turn it around.

 

[Spur of the moment]

Nearly 90 games for us and he still runs into blind alleys and he seems unwilling/unable to iron his faults, best for us and him to move on and while we can still get a decent price for him.

I'd say his game HAS changed in the last few months. For one thing he is definitely shooting on sight less often, secondly he has developed a nice little dinked cross into the box whereas before, when he attempted to cross (not that often I'll agree), the corner flag was more at risk than anything else.

But the underlying problem remains. Townsend is very much a confidence player and right now his confidence is pretty much totally shot. Fans getting on his back has gotten to him, with the result he now plays much more nervously. He's no longer taking on defenders with conviction, which of course is fatal. Hence he's more prone to losing possession in dangerous situations.

 

[Spur of the moment]

Fwiw physioroom,com has Pritchard due back 7 Jan 2016. At the rate things are going you have to wonder whether he'll be fit enough to be sent out on loan.

 

[Pirate55]

Nearly 90 games for us and he still runs into blind alleys and he seems unwilling/unable to iron his faults, best for us and him to move on and while we can still get a decent price for him.

I was one who wanted to give Townsend a chance. I too was excited by him when he first broke in to the side. But I now think he has had many chances and hasn't delivered. His time is now up and I would love to swap him for a CF cover for Kane. I now look forward to seeing if Pritchard can deliver when he has the chance, which will surely come.

 

[AdamB]

Fwiw physioroom,com has Pritchard due back 7 Jan 2016. At the rate things are going you have to wonder whether he'll be fit enough to be sent out on loan.

I wouldn't want him sent out on loan. He's had enough loan time and needs to spend some time competing with players for starting spots. It wouldn't surprise me to see him above Chadli and Lamela in the pecking order before long, given that he'll work a lot harder than Chadli and I expect him to be more consistent that the current version of Lamela

 

[parklane1]

I'd say his game HAS changed in the last few months. For one thing he is definitely shooting on sight less often, secondly he has developed a nice little dinked cross into the box whereas before, when he attempted to cross (not that often I'll agree), the corner flag was more at risk than anything else.

But the underlying problem remains. Townsend is very much a confidence player and right now his confidence is pretty much totally shot. Fans getting on his back has gotten to him, with the result he now plays much more nervously. He's no longer taking on defenders with conviction, which of course is fatal. Hence he's more prone to losing possession in dangerous situations.

Not for me he is doing the same now as he has always down ( maybe not shooting as much) head down, couple of step overs, run into a blind alley, turn round and come out again. He must be a nightmare to play alongside, players making runs only for them not to receive the ball as he keeps running into blind alleys. Time to move on as its best for us and for him as well.

 

[DubaiSpur]

I don't see why with regards to Pritchard, he's young but he's not some kid still learning the basics, he's arguably more proven than Njie(totally different players I know) so I would group those two together rather than with 18 year old Onomah. Townsend's time looks very close to being up so I wouldn't place him above Pritchard either, I think he will pleasantly surprise a lot of people when he's back fit and up to speed.

Well, the thing is, his situation isn't very different to Onomah's. A young option in a field where, even without Townsend, there are many, many options when the team's fit and rested. I also don't think him being older than Onomah matters much: we have a manager who really believes in the 'if you're good enough, you're old enough' saying, and I don't think the four odd-year difference between Onomah and Pritchard will matter if one of them is good enough to force his way into the side. The problem lies in finding a space for them.

He is only free to talk to clubs outside of England and I don’t see a club outside of England offering him a salary comparable to what he would earn here.

Oh. Okay, that makes sense. But, either way, we lose him in the summer if he won't sign a new contract.

 

[GrimsbyYid]

Even when Townsend "broke in" I thought he looked pretty bad, it was completely overblown because of England performances, but he didn't look great to me, ever since, he's looked worse and worse and worse. He's direct. That's the only positive, but he has an awful shot, average cross, no real skill or technique, worst of all he doesn't have the brain for it. And now it's obvious he has a bad bad attitude. Sooner we sell him the better, just a shame we didn't do it sooner when he still fooled people need we'd have got a good price.

 

[Yoof]

https://twitter.com/x/status/674192083654156288

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

So Physio room were about right then. Is that 3 weeks till he starts training again? I'd assume so, in which case he'll have to undergo a pre season style schedule, all being well I doubt he'll be available for selection until Feb?

 

[milo]

So Physio room were about right then. Is that 3 weeks till he starts training again? I'd assume so, in which case he'll have to undergo a pre season style schedule, all being well I doubt he'll be available for selection until Feb?

I assumed from the Tweet below that he he had been back in training for a couple of week.

pritchard ‏@pritch_93 4h4 hours ago

Last day in the

then back to graft and getting fit back to playing the game I love to play

… https://instagram.com/p/-JJ27Hug5Y/

 

[Jordinho]

I assumed from the Tweet below that he he had been back in training for a couple of week.

He's probably training on his own until he's considered ready for full contact football. We don't want him to do a Sturridge, picking up another injury because he hasn't done his rehab work properly.

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

Let's hope so then, much more encouraging.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

He's probably training on his own until he's considered ready for full contact football. We don't want him to do a Sturridge, picking up another injury because he hasn't done his rehab work properly.

Or in the case of Sturridge be weak mentally... Be unbalanced as you only have one foot.... And of course believe you have made it when you haven't won a thing in the game on your own merit!!!

I actually rate Sturridge but the hype behind him I find astounding. He was being talked of on Sunday as the best striker in the league behind Aguero.

 

[AdamB]

Hope Pritchard does well. Seems to have a decent attitude and another of a core young group who we could keep together for 5-10 years

 

[billyiddo]

Or in the case of Sturridge be weak mentally... Be unbalanced as you only have one foot.... And of course believe you have made it when you haven't won a thing in the game on your own merit!!!

I actually rate Sturridge but the hype behind him I find astounding. He was being talked of on Sunday as the best striker in the league behind Aguero.

His record when fit and playing is exceptionally good, isn't it?

 

[Bedfordspurs]

His record when fit and playing is exceptionally good, isn't it?

It's good yep but he doesn't play more than 2 games on the bounce (I know Im exaggerating)
Land is 82 goals in 210 games that great??? Lukaku has 50 in 100 ish games and Kane is on a better ratio

He is also a player I just don't understand why defenders don't push him on his right foot. He is more one footed than Lamella

 

[billyiddo]

It's good yep but he doesn't play more than 2 games on the bounce (I know Im exaggerating)
Land is 82 goals in 210 games that great??? Lukaku has 50 in 100 ish games and Kane is on a better ratio

He is also a player I just don't understand why defenders don't push him on his right foot. He is more one footed than Lamella

Is that record over his whole career? I think at Liverpool it's a fair bit better (in terms of gpg) - of course the problem is his fitness but that's why it's such a thing - 'his record at Liverpool is great...if only he'd get over his fitness problems he'd potentially be one of the best in the league' which I believe is true

 

[parklane1]

I will probably get slaughtered for this but two of Englands most promising players are injury prone and we suffer for it. Wheelchair is the other one.

 

[milo]

I will probably get slaughtered for this but two of Englands most promising players are injury prone and we suffer for it. Wheelchair is the other one.

The suggestion with Sturridge has been that he does not like playing when he is not 100% fit which is what was rumoured to be behind Klopp's comment about him needing to learn the difference between "what is serious pain and what is only pain" the other week.

I think that Wheelchair is suffering from always being rushed back by Arsenal because they are always in the midst of an injury crisis and are over reliant on him when fit. I think that it was Benitez doing that to Torres that knackered his career.