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Player Watch: Djed Spence

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,796
59,445
Thought he was outstanding tonight. Probably MOM. Defended really well and did plenty going forward too.
 

purplemonkey

Well-Known Member
Jan 20, 2006
355
1,969
Seriously impressive performances considering he’s playing out of position as part of a makeshift defence in a woefully out of form team. To put it into perspective, I think he’s easily looked as good, if not better, than Udogie did at his peak last season when the team was flying. I sincerely hope he gets a run in his best position in our best team, as it’s tantalising to think that we could get another couple of levels out of him. He’s still relatively inexperienced for his age as well, so you think he’ll continue to improve as he matures on and off the pitch.
 

arunspurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
9,715
39,813
Spence - best fullback at the club. Probably best fullback since Walker.
I dont care if we drop Porro or Udogie, I want him to be in back4 as a mainstay.

Way he can dribble, show composure when needed, defend well and able to play that outside of the boot pass from left side to winger - everything he does is brilliant.
 

Pellshek

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2015
2,743
8,063
That little sequence late in the second half in Liverpool's right channel/RB area, where he was directing the flow of the game for several minutes, and pointing to where he wanted Timo to go.
 

eddiev14

SC Supporter
Jan 18, 2005
7,358
20,719
Why on earth weren’t we rotating him with Porro earlier in the season, he’s absolute class!

He’s one of the only players in our team right now who breaks line via carrying the ball, yet he’s playing out of position at left back. Fair play!

Glad he got a new contract.
 

Trix

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2004
22,697
373,552
Why on earth weren’t we rotating him with Porro earlier in the season, he’s absolute class!

He’s one of the only players in our team right now who breaks line via carrying the ball, yet he’s playing out of position at left back. Fair play!

Glad he got a new contract.
This keeps getting asked but there was obviously a reason as to why since he's come in no manager has fancied him. It's clearly not down to ability, that's always been clear. Let's just hope whatever the reason he's turned a corner and whatever it was won't see him pushed back out when everyone is fit.
 

eddiev14

SC Supporter
Jan 18, 2005
7,358
20,719
This keeps getting asked but there was obviously a reason as to why since he's come in no manager has fancied him. It's clearly not down to ability, that's always been clear. Let's just hope whatever the reason he's turned a corner and whatever it was won't see him pushed back out when everyone is fit.
Fair, I’m just not sure anyone has said what the problem was. Glad he’s turned a corner!
 

Trix

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2004
22,697
373,552
Fair, I’m just not sure anyone has said what the problem was. Glad he’s turned a corner!
I just think it's a focus issue tbh. Get your head down and show us you want it. Rather than just coasting through training and not taking the criticism on board and learning from it.
 

RJR1949

Well-Known Member
Jan 31, 2013
1,296
7,178
Outstanding tonight.

My favourite out of many moments was late in the second half when he was issuing instructions to Werner as to where Werner should run. Given their relative experience you would have expected it to be the other way round.
 

spurdaboyzon

Active Member
Jan 27, 2011
118
203
Has a football brain, and at times we’ve lacked that

does the right thing T the right time or actually try’s

long may that continue
 

Snarfalicious

Well-Known Member
Jul 15, 2012
16,516
78,179
Does feel like that Danny Rose trajectory a bit. The Sunderland loan made him into a real, trusted footballer. Maybe Djed had a sort of epiphany last year and it’s coming together for him this year. He’s been nothing short of awesome recently and silencing the best player in the world, while playing on his non-favored side will have him feeling like a colossus.
 

Mooger Fooger

Well-Known Member
Apr 28, 2012
869
3,839
Once we are through the other side of this injury nightmare, he’s my RWB. A much better all round player than Porro IMO, especially positionally.
 
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muppetman

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2011
12,068
34,209
1736380051226.png
 

jordibwoy

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2015
531
2,101
I trust Spence more than I do Udogie. I'm genuinely glad that this thread is active as he deserved it for his performance tonight, and that's coming from someone who didn't get all giddy with him during his good run during preseason.

There's still things to work on for Spence, but for as naturally physically gifted and talented as Udogie is, he has ZERO football IQ or defensive awareness. Spence has those qualities and that makes him far more reliable than Udogie. We do need a left back though so we don't run Porro into the ground.
 

jurgen

Busy ****
Jul 5, 2008
7,133
19,039
I think a rested Udogie will be well at it again but on recent form it’ll be Spence’s place to take back. Might be his best route to regular games as Porto’s delivery is always going to be highly desirable at RB. He’s great fun to watch too.
 

ljinko888

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2016
2,223
5,776
I trust Spence more than I do Udogie. I'm genuinely glad that this thread is active as he deserved it for his performance tonight, and that's coming from someone who didn't get all giddy with him during his good run during preseason.

There's still things to work on for Spence, but for as naturally physically gifted and talented as Udogie is, he has ZERO football IQ or defensive awareness. Spence has those qualities and that makes him far more reliable than Udogie. We do need a left back though so we don't run Porro into the ground.

I think that's a bit harsh on Udogie. Spence has been great since coming into the team but I do feel that part of Udogie's downturn of form was simply being run into the ground - which begs the question why did Spence not get game time sooner?

A lot of our best football under Ange was with a firing Udogie carrying the ball forward. My issue with the full backs primarily is I don't think we use the full width of the pitch when we are attacking and that means we can have too many players standing in each other's way. I think this is more noticeable with Porro though who often drifts inside to try and make passes while Udogie can at least get the ball and charge forward with it.
 
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