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Player Watch: Djed Spence

Phil_2.0

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2008
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Reliable is good for a full back ! Unfortunately that’s not what conte wants from his wing backs. Emerson just doesn’t fit the bill ! Spence will be far more dangerous going forward which elevates this system and you’ll see a huge difference with perisic and spence

I agree, I would sell Royal for anything close to what we paid for him.

I just hope Spence is great at attacking because Emerson has a great first touch and good athleticism and hes shit going forward. Nothing about Spence jumps off the page as this amazing technical player but i could be wrong.
 

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
50,217
I agree, I would sell Royal for anything close to what we paid for him.

I just hope Spence is great at attacking because Emerson has a great first touch and good athleticism and hes shit going forward. Nothing about Spence jumps off the page as this amazing technical player but i could be wrong.
Spence is a very attacking wing back. He wants to get forward at every opportunity and get on the end of things. Very different to Royal in that sense. He's defo not a technician, though.
 

wishkah

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
4,987
15,089
this must have been covered, but why was he loaned by boro to forest? was he deemed not good enough?
 
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SpartanSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
12,884
44,512
this must have been covered, but why was he loaded by boro to forest? was he deemed not good enough?

Warnock didn't fancy him and they had another good RB (Isaiah Jones) at the club and was deemed a better fit for Warnock's style, Warnock later said Forest's formation suited his more attacking style.
 

Phil_2.0

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2008
927
1,804
Spence is a very attacking wing back. He wants to get forward at every opportunity and get on the end of things. Very different to Royal in that sense. He's defo not a technician, though.

Royal did have enthusiasm going forward but was bad at it, he is a former striker as well as a youth player. Stepping up from Championship to EPL for Spence, tighter spaces and faster defenders it might mean he finds himself in the same position as Royal who could get forward and attack, but couldn't quite beat his man or cross with any great regularity so just looked bad. Spence might find himself 1v1 vs a Robertson or a Digne next season and look as static and gun shy as Royal.

I think it's difficult for people to see what stands out about Spence, if you could point to a magic right foot like TAA or mega power like Reece James people would be loving it but Spence seems to just be a willing runner with good calmness and confidence. Not a million miles away from how you would describe Royal and if you put Emerson in the Forest team last year I'm sure he'd bully lesser defenders in that league like DS has.
 

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
50,217
Royal did have enthusiasm going forward but was bad at it, he is a former striker as well as a youth player. Stepping up from Championship to EPL for Spence, tighter spaces and faster defenders it might mean he finds himself in the same position as Royal who could get forward and attack, but couldn't quite beat his man or cross with any great regularity so just looked bad. Spence might find himself 1v1 vs a Robertson or a Digne next season and look as static and gun shy as Royal.

I think it's difficult for people to see what stands out about Spence, if you could point to a magic right foot like TAA or mega power like Reece James people would be loving it but Spence seems to just be a willing runner with good calmness and confidence. Not a million miles away from how you would describe Royal and if you put Emerson in the Forest team last year I'm sure he'd bully lesser defenders in that league like DS has.
I suppose Royal is willing, but he just looks deeply uncomfortable in forward areas - like he never backs himself to pull anything off. If he has space in front of him he rarely charges into it, very rarely tries to take on his man, and once he gets into the box he's like bambi on ice. He also can't shoot for shit.

From what I've seen Spence is much quicker and more naturally confident. He will sit on the shoulder of the last man, like a winger, and is always looking make those runs behind. He relishes the space and eats it up - he's very quick even with the ball at his feet - whereas Royal seems to instantly get caught by a defender even if he does make a good run in behind.

I agree that he doesn't have some magical secret weapon like TAA's right foot, but I really do think he's got the natural tools to be a much better attacking wing back than Royal. With him my concerns are far more around his mentality, technique and defensive discipline. He's far from the finished article and can improve in many ways, but I also don't buy that he's not very different to Royal in an attacking sense. I think if he came in we'd see the improvement attacking-wise instantly.
 

Phil_2.0

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2008
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I suppose Royal is willing, but he just looks deeply uncomfortable in forward areas - like he never backs himself to pull anything off. If he has space in front of him he rarely charges into it, very rarely tries to take on his man, and once he gets into the box he's like bambi on ice. He also can't shoot for shit.

From what I've seen Spence is much quicker and more naturally confident. He will sit on the shoulder of the last man, like a winger, and is always looking make those runs behind. He relishes the space and eats it up - he's very quick even with the ball at his feet - whereas Royal seems to instantly get caught by a defender even if he does make a good run in behind.

I agree that he doesn't have some magical secret weapon like TAA's right foot, but I really do think he's got the natural tools to be a much better attacking wing back than Royal. With him my concerns are far more around his mentality, technique and defensive discipline. He's far from the finished article and can improve in many ways, but I also don't buy that he's not very different to Royal in an attacking sense. I think if he came in we'd see the improvement attacking-wise instantly.

I do agree he is probably better than Royal attacking who was awful for the majority of the year but it's more about what anyone can point to about Spence is his running and a willingness to attack. Emerson looked like he lost confidence in the final third and froze.

If Emerson played for Forest I think we'd be sitting here saying he's quick, physical and enthusiastic to attack, strong at the back post. If Royal played in the Championship he'd immediately be one of the best physical players in the league and dominate people going forward.

This Spence move just feels like one of convenience, Emerson isn't what Conte wants. Spence is available at a very good price for a British youngster, homegrown and is more in the attacking mould of what Conte wants than ER. I don't believe we've identified a superstar here.

I have no problem with this signing. I just can't point to anything about Spence and say 'oh here's where hes going to dominate in the EPL'. I just think we'll be sitting here next year saying, oh he's a similar level to Royal but is a bit more aggressive and competent in the final third. That is fine, Conte needs players to fit his system but we're gonna lose money on Emerson to bring in someone of a similar level IMO
 

amathews3416

Well-Known Member
Mar 3, 2008
1,773
6,364
Royal did have enthusiasm going forward but was bad at it, he is a former striker as well as a youth player. Stepping up from Championship to EPL for Spence, tighter spaces and faster defenders it might mean he finds himself in the same position as Royal who could get forward and attack, but couldn't quite beat his man or cross with any great regularity so just looked bad. Spence might find himself 1v1 vs a Robertson or a Digne next season and look as static and gun shy as Royal.

I think it's difficult for people to see what stands out about Spence, if you could point to a magic right foot like TAA or mega power like Reece James people would be loving it but Spence seems to just be a willing runner with good calmness and confidence. Not a million miles away from how you would describe Royal and if you put Emerson in the Forest team last year I'm sure he'd bully lesser defenders in that league like DS has.
Small sample size, but two of Spence’s best attacking games last year were against Arsenal and Leicester in FA Cup. Didn’t look out of place at all and was one of best players on the pitch.
 

s_purs

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2013
309
506
Quick question, and I'm sure it's been answered but I haven't seen; if he is as good as we hope, why did 'Boro loan him out and why don't they want him to play for them next season? It seems its Forest or someone else, rather than him staying. Is it him wanting to leave for Prem game time after his successful season?

I don't watch Championship football so have no knowledge about this. Thanks
 
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Yiddo100

Well-Known Member
Jan 16, 2019
11,483
57,652
Quick question, and I'm sure it's been answered but I haven't seen; if he is as good as we hope, why did Borough loan him out and why don't they want him to play for them next season? It seems its Forest or someone else, rather than him staying. Is it him wanting to leave for Prem game time after his successful season?

I don't watch Championship football so have no knowledge about this. Thanks
Warnock loaned him out as somewhat a warning to him, he said he’ll either go non league or to the top.

They are willing to sell 1- because he’ll bring in a fee which can improve their squad alot and 2 they have just as good a RWB at the club in Isiah jones, so no use having a £20m player on the bench.
 

DodgyLasagne

Well-Known Member
Aug 3, 2021
575
3,401
Quick question, and I'm sure it's been answered but I haven't seen; if he is as good as we hope, why did Borough loan him out and why don't they want him to play for them next season? It seems its Forest or someone else, rather than him staying. Is it him wanting to leave for Prem game time after his successful season?

I don't watch Championship football so have no knowledge about this. Thanks
Because their manager feels they have a better fit in Isaiah Jones for their right back.

No weird ownership or financial implications. The manager simply didn't rate him as much as another RB at the club.

Again, this forum has mass psychosis and has convinced themselves that a player who isn't even first choice at a Championship club is ready to be our starting right back in a year we plan to compete for the CL and Premier League.

People will shower me with disagrees and dislikes but I am simply speaking pure facts. He can't even get into the starting XI at his OWN CLUB, and that is no exaggeration. That is the fact of the matter.
 

worcestersauce

"I'm no optimist I'm just a prisoner of hope
Jan 23, 2006
28,380
49,180
Because their manager feels they have a better fit in Isaiah Jones for their right back.

No weird ownership or financial implications. The manager simply didn't rate him as much as another RB at the club.

Again, this forum has mass psychosis and has convinced themselves that a player who isn't even first choice at a Championship club is ready to be our starting right back in a year we plan to compete for the CL and Premier League.

People will shower me with disagrees and dislikes but I am simply speaking pure facts. He can't even get into the starting XI at his OWN CLUB, and that is no exaggeration. That is the fact of the matter.
But he was first choice at a championship club, a championship club that won promotion to the premier League. Warnock made his choice and it paid off for DJed Spence as it was his break out season. Basically the situation at the end of the season was different to the situation at the start of the season plus Borough can make some money now his rep is high.
I don't know if he'll be first choice as we may bring in another rwb but he certainly has a different skillset to our current rwb's.
 
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