The Mail Bag
Kyle Naughton
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Breaking news on Sky:We have been given permission to talk to Kyle Naughton!
It's impossible to get excited about a right back, but I can imagine the Hibbert-haters will be cock-a-hoop!
Hopefully, if the lad arrives, he will get more of a look-in than Jacobsen, but the fact he's only 20 suggests he's one for the future.
I also heard that he can operate right wing, and I think we need better service from that area: Anyone seen this kid play?
Kevin Hudson, Posted 10/07/2009 at 09:48:00
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http://www.sufc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10418~1719053,00.html
If this deal goes through (it will probably take 3 weeks knowing Everton) I believe it will be a great signing. I have seen Kyle Naughton play a number of times and have always been impressed.
http://www.football365.co.uk/story/0,17033,8652_5424374,00.html
Some positive news, with DM still targeting top young players from the Championship. Apparently only agreeing terms with the player stands in the way of him becoming the latest Toffee this summer.
I must add I feel this signing must have been in the offing for a while, hence us letting Jacobsen leaving without a fight.
he can also play right mid and is only 20 so I see him as a quality squad player with versatility not necessarily to replace Hibbo who I think has taken unfair flack from supporters as he was playing well before his injury.
I agree with you on Neville... in fact I would prefer he lead the team from the sidelines if Cahill and Jags are fit.
Also, this constant slagging off of Phil Neville as a CDM really is churlish in the extreme. He had to win over the doubters (myself included) but he became better and better in that role as the season wore on and I believe that’s where he should stay! Pace is a bigger prerequisite than most other skills for a modern-day fullback and, though Neville can put in a wicked cross, he lacks the engine and pace of a Leighton Baines.
My tuppence anyway. The skipper will have competition from Rodwell next year in that role and I for one don’t think we should be signing any new CDM players with those two on the payroll!
I trust Mr Moyes to be able to divine some young talent, and he is taking young English players and developing them! There isn’t another mananger in the Prem who is doing that.
If we pick up a future England international for under £4 million, why aren’t all of us shouting from the rooftops? Imagine what this team will look like in 3 years? Jack Rodwell, Naughton, Gosling, etc. All young and inexpensive. If we profit from Lescott (£15 million??) then so be it.
Have to say everytime I’ve seen him play he’s stood out as someone who could make the step up, and as pointed out the lad’s only 20 so plenty of time for development. A bit more pace in midfield and getting the injured players back/keeping hold of wanted ones and the summer is setting up nicely. (Hope I’m not getting too far ahead of myself here!)
I agree with your comments about Neville. He’s nowhere near the best player I’ve seen but last season he became an integral part of the team. His contribution in midfield became ever more important as our season progressed as did his leadership qualities. Let's be honest, if he became a better player than Reid in his prime people on here would still have a go at him.
Another point is that Baines is our only senior specialist left back. Currently we are light on experienced centre backs, so pushing Lescott there could prove tricky. Who (at a push) can cover there? — Neville. Options are good things. Only if Naughton signs of course...
Defensively, he’s still got areas in which he needs development. Offensively, he’s already better than Neville, Hibbert or Lars. He has good pace but strength as well.
In my opinion, an attacking full back can only ever be effective if the player ahead of him is prone to come in off the wing.
For example, the reason Pienaar and Baines are so good together is because Pienaar always comes inside onto his right foot as opposed to going to the byline. This pulls the opposition full back inside as well, allowing space for Baines to overlap and go to the byline. You can see the same sort of thing with Messi and Alves on the other flank.
What I’m saying is, if we sign this lad, it depends on who we buy for the RM berth if we’ll see the best of him, and consequently, the balancing of the team so that the right flank is a threatening as the left.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2008/oct/28/championship-sheffieldunited
Sounds promising, got a long throw too, Big Fella and Tiger Tim should appreciate that.
You watch someone like Villa step in now 'cause we are dragging our feet as normal. Like Tony Marsh says, be happy when the scarf is above his head!
The Sheff United staff were resigned to losing him reading the programme notes, Walker’s a similar type of player and the general feeling was they’d both be in the Premier League soon whether with SU or not.
He’s quick, strong and a good dribbler of the ball, and very direct with it. He’s probably got a lot to learn tactically and defensively, but as someone mentioned above, he’s also capable of playing on that side of midfield.
One slight problem is that it increases the chances of Neville staying in midfield which decreases the chances of signing a genuinely top class defensive midfielder. I’ll keep hoping we still sign one anyway.
HE HAS NOT IMPROVED and is the same consistently shit player he has always been! He gets paid upwards of £20k per week which is a complete joke for someone of his ability!
A few more please Moyes!... COYB!
We MAY be signing a full back, but we’re signing one who hasn't faced quality opposition in his life.
Yet the footballing Einsteins on here rejoice and think hes a ready made replacement for somebody who despite playing regularly against some of the best players in the world only finished on a losing side twice last season.
Good luck to Naughton if he comes, but this hysteria is ridiculous. You lot haven't seen him play more than a handful of games between the lot of you, but you think we’d signed Messi.
Ask yourselves why we aren't having to fight off any other top clubs for his signature and calm the fuck down... it's embarrassing!
Let me explain why this shouldn't be a problem: Neville was one of our most consistent players last season in playing in this position. People perceive him to be bad at this position because he played centre mid with Lee Carsley a couple of seasons back. They were both similar players and Carsley always did the holding, so Neville had to be creative. and was awful in doing it.
Buying a holding midfielder would have helped, but we have a long term replacement in Rodwell, and maybe even Fellaini. We had no long term player for full back and now Naughton seems to be that prospect.
Basically having Neville playing there until his contract runs out is no problem for me, as he looked very good there last season.
Incidentally, was Dan Gosling not a fullback? If our resources are limited then we’ve just wasted some of them.
I know Osman was on the park somewhere. Now and again I saw him chugging around doing absolutely stuff all. Meanwhile Hibbo was trying to cope with two, sometimes three world class attackers bearing down on him.
That ridiculous early yellow card restricted his tackling. I won’t go on about more deserving yellows that Chelsea did not get.
Top 4, top 4. This is a huge development. Things are looking very promising.
Now Neville... he’s done well in centre-mid and the team has performed, even with the loss of Arteta. Although lacking great skill, he brings leadership to the team and that should not be underestimated — remember, it’s a team game.
And before anyone suggests it’s Dithering Dave, I don’t think that’s the case, it’s the player himself who is holding up the decision making process. If we do miss out though, he is only a young unproven right back, I don’t think we should be too dispondent.
It was a good point that Gosling was supposed to be a full back who can operate on the right of midfield. What happened there? It appears that he was not good enough to play full back after all. I just hope the same does not happen with our new potential signing.
"If Naughton does secure a move to the Premier League, Blackwell believes the 20-year-old can force his way into the England squad for the 2010 World Cup.
Blackwell told the Sheffield Star: "If things go well for him then I would not be surprised to see him on the plane to South Africa.
"I've worked with the likes of (James) Milner and (Aaron) Lennon before and Kyle is right up there with them. That's how good he is.
"He's got terrific ability and if he does go then he goes with my best wishes because he's a smashing lad."
Whilst I agree with you that he should not be an automatic replacement for Hibbert, he provides another option in this area, and when we face a potential 50- to 60-game season, we need cover in every position. I had not noticed the hysteria — only a thread discussing another potential ’youngster’ joining the ranks, with some people getting perhaps a little too excited.
Re Neville in midfield, I’m surprised we finished 5th in the Prem last season with such a muppet playing there all season — I must have missed something?! Don’t get me wrong — we can do better in terms of playing ability (even without buying — Rodwell), but his obvious passion and leadership have been essential to us recently.
On a side note, if Naughton signs, we have the following: Turner, Naughton, Garbutt, Mustafi, Duffy, Gosling, Rodwell, Wallace, Orenuga, Fellaini, Vaughan as a full XI of players under 22 — a long term plan if ever I heard one.
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1 Posted 10/07/2009 at 10:36:21
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Please see the link:-
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_5424288,00.html
Let's hope so, he looks a good prospect!