Player Watch - Djed Spence - Genoa

[Ghost Hardware]

Frimpong is probably who I would go for too. Counts as HG too I believe?

Explosive, absolutely rapid and a good dribbler too. Downside with him is his height.

Didn’t even think about the HG thing but makes sense. Your right about hight but in every other department he’s just much better IMO, feel like he’s even faster then Spence as well. Looks a really exciting talent who's really developed in the Bundesliga. To me, at 21, he seems like the best choice.

 

[Nayim60yards]

my younger self would have went round to his house and kicked his c**t in ?

His coat?
Or did you mean...?
I'll get my c**t.

 

[sausage]

It's one tweet after Warnock joined twitter. It's harmless banter. Really don't see the issue?

If Paratici and Conte have done their due diligence and still want him then so be it.

For me, it's very much about one fact: Wing backs are one of the most important roles in Conte's system. Not one we should be gambling on in what could be his one and only full season with us.
Is Spence going to be a starter for us? Not impossible, but unlikely, I'd say. He'll have to either sit around a bit and try and impress, or wait for a chance (like Doherty), or go out on loan. How is he going to react to that? Well, that's the concern. I can't help but feel that people who are being a bit dismissive of it are ignoring the timeline, and maybe forgetting that Warnock is a pussycat compared to Conte.
(quotes spoilered to save page space)

Spoiler: Warnock's Spence Quotes, 2020-2021

Warnock was always a big fan of Spence, and said this about him in Jul 2020

"He does have enormous ability, and when you've got ability like that it's criminal if you don't get to the very top. But as I said to him in that first couple of weeks, he'll only have himself to blame if he doesn't get to the very top."
“He has quite a few things to brush up on at the minute, and I’m sure he will try. He’s a very good trainer and works hard.”

Neil Warnock: 'If Djed fails to make it to the very top, he'll only have himself to blame'

THERE have not been too many good news stories at Middlesbrough this season, but the emergence of Djed Spence has provided a rare ray of light amid…

www.thenorthernecho.co.uk

So very outward in his praise, but careful to measure his application and underline that you don't get to being a top PL player (and stay there) without self-discipline.

In the summer of 2020, Warnock said:

"I remember having a chat with Nathaniel Clyne at Palace," he said.

"Wolves wanted him, who were in the Premier League at that stage. I said to him you're better off having another season and getting some games and experience under your belt.

"Djed is like that. And no disrespect to him, I don't think he's ready to go straight into a Premier League team.

"He needs more games under his belt, coming up against people like today, the wide lads for Cardiff, Hoilett and Mendez-Laing.

"They're difficult players and playing against people like that will give him the experience that he needs."

Spence would be 'silly' to leave Boro this summer - Warnock

Tottenham, West Ham, Brighton and Burnley are among the top flight clubs who have been linked with Spence

www.gazettelive.co.uk

Again, very valid. Look at how well Sessegnon did in that league, or Aarons, and how much harder it is when you're marking the likes of Salah, Son, De Bruyne etc.

This was the main sore point people refer to, in November 2020, when he was playing:

Spence has featured in nine of Boro's opening 10 Championship fixtures, starting six of them, and Warnock has been satisfied if not blown away by the defender's displays.

"Up to a point, but I think there's so much more he could do," said the manager when asked whether he's been pleased with what he's seen from Spence so far.

"There are not many players where you can say it's all up to them personally how far they go - it's what's between the ears. He could be playing at a top club in England or in non-league in five years, I don't know.

"Application, dedication, all these things come into it. He's got the tools, there's no doubt about that."

Warnock: 'Spence could end up in the Premier League or non-league'

Everton, Wolves, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace have this week been linked with the Middlesbrough wing-back

www.gazettelive.co.uk

He played 38 games under Warnock, and then went on loan to Forest last summer after Warnock suggested he'd likely not be playing him (due to him being far less of a defender than he is a winger, for the most part)

On Spence's temporary exit, Warnock said: “I just think it was time for Djed to go and taste pastures new really.

“When we were looking to balance the incomings by helping with the outgoings, that became an opportunity for Djed then.

“He was delighted to go because I think he expects to get a regular game there, which he probably wouldn’t with me at the minute.

“It’s worked out well for both parties.

“I had an optimistic two weeks with Djed where I thought things had changed.

“I just felt in his particular case that it’s sometimes better for somebody to go and have a look if the grass is greener.

“He’s still a Middlesbrough player so I’d imagine he’d be trying to show us what he can do while he’s on loan.”

Warnock explains why Morsy and Spence left Boro on deadline day

Sam Morsy joined Ipswich Town on a permanent deal while Djed Spence joined Nottingham Forest on loan

www.gazettelive.co.uk

Further:

“As an athlete, he's as good as anyone I've seen.

“I think it's vital for himself [to go out on loan]. There's only Djed Spence decides where he's going to go. No managers or clubs. It's Djed and what's between his ears.”
Spence made his Forest debut in Sunday’s 2-1 reverse to Cardiff City as Chris Hughton’s side remain without a win at the bottom of the Championship table heading into tonight’s clash with Boro.
“He has a few decisions to make,” added Warnock.
“I think it's better he goes away and has a look at another club and makes his own mind up. Does he want to get to the top or what, or is he going to waste his career?

“I think that's why I let him go, to get games. The way we were going I don't think I'd have been using him.”

So this whole thing about 'proving Warnock wrong' is a bit odd - can anyone see any issues in how he man-managed him? Even more so, can anyone really believe that Conte is likely to manage him any differently? If he gets resentful about being developed (assuming there's nothing behind-the-scenes we know of, which would have to be the inverse of what Warnock has said about him consistently for 18 months), then I'd wonder how long he'd last for us, bearing in mind we've only just cleared the decks in January of that kind of player, in different manifestations (look at the talents of Dele and Ndombele, who - for different reasons - were simply taking up squad space and not getting on with Conte).

 

[easley91]

Well would ya look at that:


Looks like Warnock took it in good gest.

 

[mr ashley]

Didn’t even think about the HG thing but makes sense. Your right about hight but in every other department he’s just much better IMO, feel like he’s even faster then Spence as well. Looks a really exciting talent who's really developed in the Bundesliga. To me, at 21, he seems like the best choice.

Isn’t the issue with frimpong his recent injury?

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Well would ya look at that:


Looks like Warnock took it in good gest.

yea good response from Warnock.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Isn’t the issue with frimpong his recent injury?

Yeah he missed the last 6/7 games of the season. Supposedly on course to be back before the start of next season tho.

 

[Cavehillspur]

Frimpong is probably who I would go for too. Counts as HG too I believe?

Explosive, absolutely rapid and a good dribbler too. Downside with him is his height.

Stood out while at Celtic, excellent player.

 

[L-man]

 

[Ben1]

Signed by us, loaned to Forest...it really makes too much sense

 

[thfc1989]

Personally think we should sign him and loan him to Forrest. Not a clue who we should sign as a first choice RWB, but despite Doherty and Emerson playing better towards the end of the season I would not feel comfortable with either as a regular starter.

 

[Pebble Dash]

I like Spence but is he top 4 or someone you would look at in wing back system and think he’s going to scare the opposition, especially our top 4 and Champions League rivals? No, no he isn’t.

I’m not saying Traore is the answer and it would potentially leave us exposed if we played both him and say Perisic but he’s got the attributes to make the opposition think twice about over committing men forward. Granted in a counter attacking system we want the opposition to leave gaps but there’s a big gulf in class between Spence and a ‘quality’ wing back who’s both competent defensively and very dangerous offensively.

If we were to bring in two RWB, I would still sign Spence but as the understudy. I know Doherty improved prior to his injury but he’s still a limited player. I know we were looking to offload Emerson as well but given his defensive solidarity and us needing a much ‘bigger/stronger squad’ I would be tempted to keep him but it would mean potentially have 3 right sided defenders. There will be games where we need to be a bit more defensively solid, meaning he would still get game time.

 

[ReadieSpur]

It does seem odd that we this seems to be the only RWB we have been linked with. I know Doc and Royal played better in the last few games, but i still think its the area we need to improve most of all.

 

[Now it's Spursonal]

Think this is worth posting for those who say there’s zero chance on Hakimi

 

[austinfh]

Think this is worth posting for those who say there’s zero chance on Hakimi

Mystery signing?

 

[mark87]

Can't say I'm too shocked if he joins Forest, his best ever season has been with them and has clearly thoroughly enjoyed his time there so to play for them in the PL i can definitely see him wanting that.

 

[WiganSpur]

Think this is worth posting for those who say there’s zero chance on Hakimi

Definitely a chance imo but main problem is I don't see an obvious player PSG go for to replace him.

 

[SpartanSpur]

Think this is worth posting for those who say there’s zero chance on Hakimi

If he's available we should be going all out for him. I'm sure Conte would agree. The tweets below seem to be from Chelsea fans wanting him (you already have James and Chilwell you greedy *****!).

That said I imagine one of Supreme Leader Mbappe's early bits of business is to break up the south american clique and I'd imagine he'd want Hakimi to stay.

 

[Yiddo100]

Definitely a chance imo but main problem is I don't see an obvious player PSG go for to replace him.

Spence

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Think this is worth posting for those who say there’s zero chance on Hakimi

He's gonna cost upwards of £80m so yeah zero chance we spend that on a right back