Matt Crooks

No just as in thats what he does. I dont think hes great tbh and we need better to push for the play offs whether thats this season or next. Someone elss said it really well on another thread. Something along the lines of despite the positives from Tuesday such as more posession, sustained pressure. The players we have already with maybe 3 or 4exceptions, and all of Warnocks signings just arent fit or very good. The goals we conceded tell you everything you need to know about this squad. I dont see Crooks becoming a Leadbitter type signing and see him more fading from memory as soon as we get some proper footballers
Couldn't disagree more really, goalscoring midfielders who can also defend, as well as create, are a rare thing.

I think Wilder will see him as a shoe-in over the next season or two.
 
I can't believe its really up for debate, goal scoring midfielders at boro have been rarer than rocking horse poop in recent years and now we look to have one. I'd keep hold of him for as long as we can.

Genuinley been impressed with him though - good on and off the pitch. Reminds me a bit of musto in the early days.
 
goalscoring midfielder? He's got 4 goals not 14. Patterson has got 7 and we let him go after a trial
 
goalscoring midfielder? He's got 4 goals not 14. Patterson has got 7 and we let him go after a trial

Only 4 midfielders have scored more goals in the Championship this season, and even if you include wingers in that tally, which I'd class Paterson as and Crooks most definitely isn't, it's only 9.

That's out of 102 midfielders/wingers that have played in the Championship this season.
 
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He's one of those players that doesnt really have a position. He started the season as a no:10 and now he's an attacking CM and had a go on the wing and upfront. Warnock was gonna play him regardless. He's a passenger for long periods of games. See second half v PNE as a recent example. He's got a couple goals so did/does Wing. so using goals scored to prove what a great player and he is or that we havent had a goalscoring midfielder is just false. his overall game is poor.
 
I think he is our best signing for a long time.
I also think he is about our best player too.
He covers so much ground, uses the ball intelligently all the time and plays most of our best forward balls.
He scores goals and will score more. He's good in the air and has presence and an edge.
I love the lad. Thank God we have him just now.
 
I don't think the fact that warnock decided to use him in a load of different positions (on the wing being particularly baffling) means he doesn't have a position. I think it just means Warnock didn't know what formation he wanted to play, or was trying to make a point he needed more championship carthorses to fill the squad up with.

4 goals by this point of the season from a player who's being asked to do a number of different jobs for us isn't too shabby for my liking. I'd expect double figures by the end of the season. On recent form of our midfielders that is bloody fantastic going.
 
Only 4 midfielders have scored more goals in the Championship this season, and even if you include wingers in that tally, which I'd class Paterson as and Crooks most definitely isn't, it's only 9.

That's out of 102 midfielders/wingers that have played in the Championship this season.
I would wait until the end of the season before declaring him a goalscoring midfielder. He will score some goals, but he won't score the kind of high numbers that would get you classed as a goalscoring specialist.

I'd guess that he will get 7-10 by the end of the season and it's a good return but not the kind of numbers that allows other deficiencies to be ignored.
 
'He's one of those players that doesnt really have a position.'

Yes he does, he's played there the last few games, and played very well. It will be good to see Payero back alongside him. Give them time to settle and see how that goes.
 
He's got good energy, for a big guy to run as much as he does takes some going.

I don't think he utilises his height very well, seems like one of those that often jumps lower than when he is just stood still

Technical tries to overcomplicate some times, when he keeps it simple he's good enough, when he tries something out of his comfort zone he gives it away. Needs the Robbie Mustoe mentality of knowing your skillset and sticking to it rigidly.

Tactically, can go running around a bit too much out of possession, needs to decide if he is a CDM or CAM and learn the role inside out.

Socially, seems a decent guy and respected. Team player

Psychological, maybe starts to run around too much when things aren't going his way.
 
I would wait until the end of the season before declaring him a goalscoring midfielder. He will score some goals, but he won't score the kind of high numbers that would get you classed as a goalscoring specialist.

I'd guess that he will get 7-10 by the end of the season and it's a good return but not the kind of numbers that allows other deficiencies to be ignored.

This is a serious question but do you actually rate any of our players mart? I feel like we've had similar debates over players in the past and every time I end up feeling like although you make some decent points, they're the kind of points I'd level at the very best of the best rather than players who are playing for a championship club hoping to get promoted through the play offs.
 
This is a serious question but do you actually rate any of our players mart? I feel like we've had similar debates over players in the past and every time I end up feeling like although you make some decent points, they're the kind of points I'd level at the very best of the best rather than players who are playing for a championship club hoping to get promoted through the play offs.
Of course, but we don't have any top championship players let alone proven prem. All our players have faults, and some have good abilities. It's more nuanced than just top class or rubbish.

He Crooks is a 6/10 championship player. He wouldn't get in Fulham, West Brom, or Bournemouths first XI, and probably not the bench either. Others, Tav has been a 5 this season but is normally a 7 pushing 8. Bola is a 7 but improving towards an 8. Ikpeazu is a 4. Payero is showing glimpses of an 8+, Sporar is a 8 or 9.

Crooks, I think that's a fair assessment, he's not awful, he has technical limits, but he's a good athlete and honest. He's borderline good enough to be a starter in a play off side. Probably one of the better player in all the bottom half team.
 
For £1m we’ve got something a bit better than Saville was for £8m. If we want to go up we need the next level player again. He’d be a good squad man for sure.
This underlines the gap between ourselves and the top three. He's a pretty central part to our team currently and I agree he's a good player but probably doesn't get in Fulham or Bournemouth's matchday squad.
 
'He's one of those players that doesnt really have a position.'

Yes he does, he's played there the last few games, and played very well. It will be good to see Payero back alongside him. Give them time to settle and see how that goes.
No im saying, he doesnt really come with a position. Like Sporar is a striker but whats Crooks? A forward? A midfielder? Does he play because we're trying to fit him in? For me pretty much. If we could get a better CM partner for Payero, crooks would only make the bench
 
This underlines the gap between ourselves and the top three. He's a pretty central part to our team currently and I agree he's a good player but probably doesn't get in Fulham or Bournemouth's matchday squad.
I think we have to accept that we havent got a squad that is close to either of those two, nor will we.

Outside of that though our squad is pretty competitive I think.
 
I think we have to accept that we havent got a squad that is close to either of those two, nor will we.

Outside of that though our squad is pretty competitive I think.
maybe not, but there are plenty of class players that could play in the prem Jon Swift (Reading), Ben Diaz (Blackburn), Dickie (QPR), Chair (QPR), Souttar (Stoke), Gibbs-White (SU). Loads of players that are clearly better than any of ours. Any of those players would massively improve us in quality, are good enough to play in the top 3 teams, and probably in the prem.
 
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