Ben Brereton Diaz

[Giant]

To be honest, it’s very good to see a player who was bereft of confidence start to show what a good player he is. It’s also credit to Mowbray for sticking with him when the player was becoming something of a laughing stock. I for one hope that he continues to progress and prove all the doubters wrong, because in these days of instant gratification when there is little room for patience and a long term view of life, it’s great to see that this is the most productive approach to most things.

[tomphil]

5 minutes ago, darrenrover said:

I think he must have been on something for 2 years and now he's been weaned off it. How else can you explain the difference?

Developing a bit of mon strength and maybe that's helping his mental side of it and he's decided to go shit or bust ?

The lack of fans could have something to do with it though and i don't mean because of any stick. If he got any it was very minimal but he must've known himself he wasn't doing well enough but a bit of a less pressurised enviroment has probably helped.

Then again the higher tempo pressing style suits this team better all round in general.

[Ossydave]

21 minutes ago, darrenrover said:

I think he must have been on something for 2 years and now he's been weaned off it. How else can you explain the difference?

I can.

Fans.

Bearing in mind this is a young fella who's played most of his better days at u19/20 level where he stood out as brilliant. 

Of course he needs to get over that stage fright if he wants to really progress, but as it stands, its doing him wonders for him without the added pressure.

[Paul Mani]

It was always very dangerous to write him off. VERY highly rated around the youth circuit and expected to go into big things.

Tell you what, you wouldn’t wanna play against him, Arma and Elliott would you!? Pace, power, finishing and an eye for a pass! 

[roversfan99]

Ultimately for 2 years he was understandably criticised because he looked totally out of place on a football pitch. Youth football is not a strong indicator of anything, Jason Lowe was England under 21 captain.

Recently he has looked a much improved player and has seemingly found a best position, whereas Gallagher has no suitability playing wide, it suits Brereton in a 3 in that the onus on goalscoring is lessened, he can run with the ball, he doesnt have much defensive responsibility and he can hold the ball up against players who arent necessarily as physically imposing.

He has to start scoring to really nail down his place in the line up over time and even start to think about coming close to living up to the price tag, but there are definitely some green shoots.

 

[Roverinbelfast]

The concern is now, he starts to shine and leaves at the end of next season on a free... That would just be our luck lol 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Ultimately for 2 years he was understandably criticised because he looked totally out of place on a football pitch. Youth football is not a strong indicator of anything, Jason Lowe was England under 21 captain.

Recently he has looked a much improved player and has seemingly found a best position, whereas Gallagher has no suitability playing wide, it suits Brereton in a 3 in that the onus on goalscoring is lessened, he can run with the ball, he doesnt have much defensive responsibility and he can hold the ball up against players who arent necessarily as physically imposing.

He has to start scoring to really nail down his place in the line up over time and even start to think about coming close to living up to the price tag, but there are definitely some green shoots.

 

Running with the ball from around half way in centre field is his strength. Nobody likes defending against players who can do that. It asks the back four questions they don't always have the answers to.  Playing with his back to goal or out on the touchline isn't his strong point. If the goals are coming I'm not overly bothered who's scoring them. Having said that it's always advantageous to have the goals spread around the team. If he can reproduce that performance against an 11 man Reading I'll start believing.

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, Roverinbelfast said:

The concern is now, he starts to shine and leaves at the end of next season on a free... That would just be our luck lol 

You might just have actually hit on why he's pulling his finger out.

[Exiled in Toronto]

2 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Running with the ball from around half way in centre field is his strength. Nobody likes defending against players who can do that. It asks the back four questions they don't always have the answers to.  Playing with his back to goal or out on the touchline isn't his strong point. If the goals are coming I'm not overly bothered who's scoring them. Having said that it's always advantageous to have the goals spread around the team. If he can reproduce that performance against an 11 man Reading I'll start believing.

The last couple of games, when he gets the ball in midfield I’m now expecting him to turn his man, run at the back four and pass to a teammate. His assists today were terrific I thought, plus a few where the shooter missed.

[Vilesinner]

3 hours ago, Ossydave said:

I can.

Fans.

Bearing in mind this is a young fella who's played most of his better days at u19/20 level where he stood out as brilliant. 

Of course he needs to get over that stage fright if he wants to really progress, but as it stands, its doing him wonders for him without the added pressure.

I can. He is physically far stronger and no longer s kid.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

11 minutes ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

The last couple of games, when he gets the ball in midfield I’m now expecting him to turn his man, run at the back four and pass to a teammate. His assists today were terrific I thought, plus a few where the shooter missed.

I hated playing as a defensive midfield player when the opposition had a player who could carry the ball like that. You were always in two minds - should I stay with the guy I was supposed to be marking or try and get to the ball carrier and block the threat. Of course the smart ones knew that and I soon as you left your man to block their run they passed it to the guy you had just left.

Edited October 24, 2020 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[47er]

3 hours ago, Roverinbelfast said:

The concern is now, he starts to shine and leaves at the end of next season on a free... That would just be our luck lol 

And you're illustrating why this was never a good buy. In the situation we were, it was crazy to spend all that money on a player who might come good in 2 or 3 years.

We needed a striker who was up for it from day one, whereas we've been carrying him for 2 seasons till now.

 

[47er]

On 27/09/2020 at 03:46, Hasta said:

Excellent today and heavily involved in the game having been pretty average so far this season. Not a goalscorer.

More a goalmisser in fact.

[Roverinbelfast]

7 minutes ago, 47er said:

And you're illustrating why this was never a good buy. In the situation we were, it was crazy to spend all that money on a player who might come good in 2 or 3 years.

We needed a striker who was up for it from day one, whereas we've been carrying him for 2 seasons till now.

 

As things stand currently it was a terrible buy. I don't think anyone can say otherwise. The stats don't lie. I also don't hold the manager to ransom on that, you win some and loose some when buying players. 

Brereton was definitely a project signing. With the long term goal being able to sell him on for much more than we paid

[47er]

Just now, Roverinbelfast said:

As things stand currently it was a terrible buy. I don't think anyone can say otherwise. The stats don't lie. I also don't hold the manager to ransom on that, you win some and loose some when buying players. 

Brereton was definitely a project signing. With the long term goal being able to sell him on for much more than we paid

Just trying to imagine the furore there would have been if we'd signed Jordan Rhodes for £7M only to be told not to expect much from him till the third season with us!

Agree with comment above, it looks like he was bought to improve and cash in.

[Roverinbelfast]

4 minutes ago, 47er said:

Just trying to imagine the furore there would have been if we'd signed Jordan Rhodes for £7M only to be told not to expect much from him till the third season with us!

Agree with comment above, it looks like he was bought to improve and cash in.

Yeah. The signing was strange to say the least. Especially when money is meant to be tight. But it is what it is. I would love him to come good, but he is still a long way away from justifying the price tag

[Admiral Nelsen]

21 minutes ago, 47er said:

And you're illustrating why this was never a good buy. In the situation we were, it was crazy to spend all that money on a player who might come good in 2 or 3 years.

We needed a striker who was up for it from day one, whereas we've been carrying him for 2 seasons till now.

 

Counterpoint: our squad that season was always likely to stay up comfortably but was much more than a 7 million pound striker away from being top 6 contenders. 

Obviously we were all hoping for more from him before now, but seems to me that our need is much greater now we have a squad who on paper can challenge rather than when we were a nailed on mid-table side.

[philipl]

Much more confident about Brereton than I have ever been about Gallagher.

I rewatched highlights of the Watford game and must admit I thought Foster had dropped a clanger letting that one in on Wednesday night's viewing.

But in fact it is an amazing strike by Ben with bend bouncing just in front of the keeper and going through a ball's width gap between diving keeper and post.

I urge everyone to look at the camera angle behind the goal and not go wow!

[Ossydave]

9 hours ago, 47er said:

And you're illustrating why this was never a good buy. In the situation we were, it was crazy to spend all that money on a player who might come good in 2 or 3 years.

We needed a striker who was up for it from day one, whereas we've been carrying him for 2 seasons till now.

 

So just draw 30m out and sign Ollie Watkins instead next time yeah?

 

[47er]

1 hour ago, Ossydave said:

So just draw 30m out and sign Ollie Watkins instead next time yeah?

 

Yes, brilliant comment---well done! 

[MarkBRFC]

Did Brentford pay £30m for Ollie Watkins?

[47er]

13 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Youth football is not a strong indicator of anything, Jason Lowe was England under 21 captain.

Ronnie Clayton made his first team debut at the age of 16 and became the England captain!

I don't know what that has to do with anything---I just like it!

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

 

1 hour ago, Ossydave said:

So just draw 30m out and sign Ollie Watkins instead next time yeah?

 

 ??

Brentford signed him for £1.2m from Exeter.  

[Ossydave]

7 minutes ago, Hoochie Bloochie Mama said:

 

 ??

Brentford signed him for £1.2m from Exeter.  

Yes, at which stage he wasn't the finished article 

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

Just now, Ossydave said:

Yes, at which stage he wasn't the finished article 

You don't need to spend £30m to get a ready-made Championship striker do you?