SilentProf
Well-known member
Physically he’s far superior to Gibson and Fry at that age. Experience is all he’s missing. Hopefully we tie him down long term and get him the games he needs.
Nathan Wood
- Thread starter Block 86
- Start date
TeaCider
Well-known member
It's not needing protection.
He was bullied by Rotherham, I dread to think what a good team would have done.
Now, it won't have helped that he was playing alongside a poor defender in Spence and McNair isn't the best to cover for him, but he still didn't look ready.
No defender was younger than Wood in the Championship last season, other than 1 Brentford right back who was on the pitch for 4 minutes across 2 games.
That Branthwaite for Blackburn is only slightly older, and he should have been banned after only his second game.
I think he'll come good, but I think he'd benefit more from going on loan than playing a couple of cup matches for us.
There's not a chance he'd be playing for Leeds in the PL either.
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festa5
Well-known member
Yup. Centre backs rarely get a regular game at this level till they hit their 20s. He's an outstanding prospect, the level he is at for his age is excellent.
Gibson went out on loan at York and Tranmere for at least a season. Did him the world of good playing week in week out. Think he was probably older at the time too.
indeedido
Well-known member
Spence is worse than useless at the back and McNair is weak as a kitten without a dominant centre half alongside and in a three.
Wood made a couple of mistakes in a horrendous team performance.
He has the ability to be the best centre back we have produced since Pallister, it would be madness not to sign him up and to introduce him into the team, especially if Warnock plays a 5.
TeaCider
Well-known member
He might well have an easier introduction if we do revert to 3 at the back, though I'd still only have him occasionally coming off the bench.
A loan would be better if we don't.
Either way we should be tying him down on a long term contract.
davidmills
Well-known member
I wonder if the deal is Leeds want to buy him but loan him back to us for season as obviously not ready for Prem League yet.
SilentProf
Well-known member
I don’t see the point in getting him back on loan if he’s not going to be a regular starter.
It’s not about Spence and McNair - They may be useless and poor defenders but the fact is the Rotherham CF pulled into Wood all match and Rotherham as a team targeted him not McNair.
Wood is a great prospect (Almost certainly our best prospect) but CH is an unforgiving position and you need to able to compete / dominate physically.
Wood will be a first team regular in a couple of years it’s just a matter of if it’s with Middlesbrough.
Wood is a great prospect (Almost certainly our best prospect) but CH is an unforgiving position and you need to able to compete / dominate physically.
Wood will be a first team regular in a couple of years it’s just a matter of if it’s with Middlesbrough.
Mendieta14
Well-known member
Couldn't get in the Crewe team and when he did they conceded 4.
BoroMart
Well-known member
agreed, quite often CBs start in the first team at fullback because it's that unforgiving. Certainly Fry had early games at RB, Calum Chambers played RB before playing CB for us, Seb Hines and Tamas Kalas both played RB in the first team before CB. I could see Wood playing some matches in that role in a back 4, or RCB in a 3 for a year before being a proper first team CB
Malaguena
Well-known member
11 starts and 1 sub appearance from when he joined in January - not sure what your definition of "couldn't get in the Crewe team" is but it's different to mine
Were all 4 goals his fault in that one match, presuming you watched it ?
Sheriff_John_Bunnell_ret
Well-known member
He had 2 games. Did well in one. Not so well in another. Britt did well in 2 games and badly in around 20.
Evil
Well-known member
Exactly. We've lost our way with youth, when you see how far backwards players like Howson have gone, Id rather see some youth on the pitch.
Corcaigh_the_Cat
Well-known member
Or the Championship so it would be pointless him coming back here.
Extend his contract and loan him out or sell him if there's interest are the options for me.
Corcaigh_the_Cat
Well-known member
Can't have too much unless they're as good as the 86 lads. They did it in the division below though, had we stayed up in 86 and they had to come in at the higher level who knows what would have happened.
shaun71
Well-known member
Wood is by the far the best prospect weve had in that position for many a year. Hes well in advance of what Dael Fry and Ben Gibson were at that age. Granted he might not be ready for regular Championship football just yet, so hopefully the powers to be will handle his development in the right way.
There was a sizeable clamour to sell Fry just over a year ago, it would be crazy (unless crazy money is offered!) to even think of selling him (both Fry and Wood).
There was a sizeable clamour to sell Fry just over a year ago, it would be crazy (unless crazy money is offered!) to even think of selling him (both Fry and Wood).
indeedido
Well-known member
Tony Mowbray had made over 110 league appearances in this league for Boro whilst still a 21 year old. This equivalent season is the one he broke through starting the season as an 18 year old, making 26 league appearances and being younger than Wood is now.
Jonathan Woodgate played 25 league matches for Leeds in the Premier League the season which he started as an 18 year old.
Willie Maddren was a first team regular in this league in the season he started as a 19 year old.
Tony Adams had played for Arsenal 29 times in the top flight by his 19th birthday.
Rio Ferdinand had played 16 PL matches by the time he started the next season as an 18 year old and played 35 PL matches that season for West Ham.
Sol Campbell started the season at Arsenal an 18 year old and made 34 PL appearances that season.
These are facts. Nathan Wood is not too young at all, it would be madness not to have him in and around this team and let him go.
Jonathan Woodgate played 25 league matches for Leeds in the Premier League the season which he started as an 18 year old.
Willie Maddren was a first team regular in this league in the season he started as a 19 year old.
Tony Adams had played for Arsenal 29 times in the top flight by his 19th birthday.
Rio Ferdinand had played 16 PL matches by the time he started the next season as an 18 year old and played 35 PL matches that season for West Ham.
Sol Campbell started the season at Arsenal an 18 year old and made 34 PL appearances that season.
These are facts. Nathan Wood is not too young at all, it would be madness not to have him in and around this team and let him go.
Sheriff_John_Bunnell_ret
Well-known member
We need to give more opportunities to our young players. The only manager who has done that imo is McLaren.
The trouble is it's always we MUST be promoted this year. So we have two players for every position instead of giving the kids a chance. And we toss off the cups.
The trouble is it's always we MUST be promoted this year. So we have two players for every position instead of giving the kids a chance. And we toss off the cups.
shaun71
Well-known member
Agreed although the likes of Mogga played a lot of his early games at full back. Id have no problem with Wood starting games for us, but he will make mistakes as all young defenders do.