Ben Pearson Loan Watch

Summat I wrote for The Man Utd Fanzine types

Ben Pearson – Loan Watch

It’s fair to say that Barnsley FC’s approach to loans over the last few years has been about as successful as American sub-prime mortgage lenders chasing after a homeless meth addict trying to loan them money based on their thriving business of mugging other homeless people.

We have loaned players that have flicked the Vs at us such as American nonentity Berk Shea and those you look at for hour after hour trying to decide which careers advisor indicated that professional footballer was the career path for them (step forward Maceo Rigters, Frank Nouble and a cast of thousands). Of course there has been an occasional shining light such as Kieron Trippier and Danny Drinkwater but it’s fair to say that the chaff has outnumbered the wheat.

Following our relegation to League 1 or Division 3 in old money the powers that stalk the corridors at Oakwell like stalky things decided on a change of focus. Out went loans for older more expensive players and like a gaggle of 1970s MPs we went after youth players lost in big city clubs. Casting envious eyes on the Peterboring United model of hanging round Carrington and offering young players glamorous trips to Crewe and Shrewsbury we started to try to follow this path. Initially we took Devante Cole for United’s noisy neighbours then in January Ben Pearson joined us on loan looking like a cross between a chunkier Howard Wolowitz and someone who should be in a non-descript indie band (let’s say Shed 7 circa 1999) Pearson had run the game when a gang of United’s fresh faced urchins had pitched up at Oakwell in pre-season and destroyed our ramshackle bunch of free transfers and we had apparently been pursuing him ever since.

We had dipped our toes in the Old Trafford loan market tentatively over the last 10 years with varying degrees of success. From the excellent Drinkwater, super sub Danny Nardiello to the instantly forgettable Eckersley and Ritchie Jones on to the truly appalling Ryan Tunnicliffe. This time for anyone who had seen him pre-season and with a lot of United fans singing his praises hopes were high when we signed Pearson. A competitive Oldham supporting central midfielder it was hard not to hope for the next Paul Scholes.

Ben made his debut in a home game against Yeovil town shining in a fairly dour game showing great energy a positive attitude and some strong running with the ball despite this being his professional debut he seemed to supply an old head in a young midfield. Supporting the defence, fierce in the tackle and retaining possession well he won man of the match (and deservedly so). By the end of January he had played three times and added his first (and so far only goal) in professional football. Against Port Vale in late January Ben picked the ball up on the edge of our area and ran and ran and ran taking the ball past a few Vale defenders along the way before a kind deflection helped the ball past visiting keeper Chris Neal

February saw conflicting fortunes for Pearson and Barnsley with Ben being an ever present and turning in some impressive displays while indifferent results saw manager Danny Wilson sacked and replaced by squeaky voiced Joe Pasquale impersonator Lee Johnson. These changes seem to have little impact on Ben as we went on an unbeaten run in late February/early March and he played a prominent part when we won 6 games on the spin.


Late March/April saw the first Pearson face his first real challenges. The lung bursting runs that had been prominent in his early displays had vanished and perhaps the weaknesses in his game became more apparent. While still providing excellent defensive cover he seemed less able to exert any positive influences on games and was looking for the sideways pass and the easy option. The bloke behind me in his pork pie hat christened him The Crab in homage to Ray Wilkins. Still these criticisms are a little harsh and he quickly established himself as an integral part of our team. Never giving less than the required effort and becoming a fans favourite. In terms of his development he was playing alongside excellent new signing Josh Scowen and they worked well as a team but it’s fair to say that Scowen was the more dynamic of the two and eclipsed Ben a little.

By the end of the season Ben had started 21 games and been used as a sub once with the goal against Port Vale remaining his solitary strike. Overall Ben’s contribution was an overwhelmingly positive one. The positives in his play being his drive and enthusiasm coupled with ability in tight areas and a great short passing game. Negatives being his lack of progressive passing and the loss of some of that drive as the season wore off. It’s fair to say shooting is not his forte with the good burghers of the pie stall in more danger than the net most times that he tried.

I guess overall perhaps, the expectations, we had of him were not quite met. His was not a season defining signing we made little or no progress on the pitch with him anchoring midfield. This is not to take away the fact that you would imagine that any manager at League 1 level would have him as one of the first names on the team sheet. It is difficult to see Pearson having much of an impact at Old Trafford expectations that he could trouble the first team seem quite wide of the mark even allowing for development over the next few years. If you were to mark his first half season out of 10 you would give him a solid 7 always providing a contribution but rarely dominating games.

Fast forward a couple of months and Pearson is back on loan at sunny Oakwell bringing along Joe Rothwell for company. Rothwell has struggled for both game time and impact thus far. One excellent performance in a League Cup game away to S****horpe being balanced against a couple of poorer ones in league games where he has been as anonymous as an alcoholic on the 12 step programme. With the signing of Arsenal Wunderkind Dan Crowley it is difficult to see him getting much game time but its early days.

Ben has slotted straight back into the team being an ever present in the league and playing significant roles in both our league cup ties missing a penalty in the shoot-out against S****horpe United in round one and slotting in very well at right wing back in the televised game against Everton. The tactics of our manager seem to be doing him a bit of a disservice with Ben asked to sit back often with another midfield sitter at the side of him. Again performances on the whole are a very steady 7 he rarely looks outstanding but does the simple things well and provides a constant level of performance.

Again the deficiencies in his game are his offensive passing he often reacts too late to pass to runners and goes for the simple square ball and you feel there is more to come from him. This is balanced against his competitiveness, calmness and confidence in his own abilities It seems at this stage more feasible for us to sign him permanently beyond his loan period rather than him to make any impact at Old Trafford and that might be the best move for all concerned as we could provide the platform he needs to develop into a strong Championship (and potentially above) player.

 

That is a very long post.
I will simplify it.
Last 2 games he has been *****!

 

Enjoyed that, pal. And agree. Until he offers more than energy and short, safe passing, he'll remain a L1 footballer. Sad thing is, he's a kid and I'll always allow for improvement, be patient etc. But he's not our laiker so chuff knows why we can't give Abbott or Digby the same run. Or, Berry who we got shut of who I think offered us more.

But aye, enjoyed your piece.

 

I'll proof read it next time if you want.



Good read though.

 

Most typos are intentional...

 

Good read. Well written. Get penning for WSB10

 

Well done thought that was a enjoyable fair balanced read.

 

I'm actually just finishing summat off called 'Fancy Dans and Fanny Merchants'. Might have a few too many references to ****ing in it for you lot though.

 

Don't you read it?!? It's littered with em. Thee crack on

 

Very balanced and probably fair. Much fairer than I would have been as I'm one of seemingly few who doesn't rate him much. He's had some good games, but for me they have been outweighed by the anonymous ones.

 

Tha knows ****

 

The Okd Trafford Blanket of Protection is amusing. He's no better or worse than Fox who we had on loan from Norwich and he got slated.

 

I've been saying that for a while. He is an almost identical player. In fact we have a long history of them. Defensive midfielder who actually let opposition players run straight past them, fail to mark and aren't very clever going forwards either.

For me there seems to be an unwritten rule in football these days that you have to include somebody who calls himself a defensive midfielder into your squad and you really don't. Get rid of Pearson and play hourihane and scowen instead with neither being told they have to stay in the safe zone permanently and we would be far better. It's no coincidence that since we started employing this tactic a few years ago that our midfield rarely moves forward to help the attackers

 

He's a lot better than Fox.

Pearson is one of our best players. He has great potential and the sooner we sign him on a permanent the better.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk

 

Outclassed and made to look like an amateur by bobby hassell in the friendly. I think that says it all really.

 

How good was Bobby at the same age, or after six months of playing league football?

 

Not so clever. My point was more that we are told bobbys legs have gone and yet he was still better by a long long way than Ben which shows the standard that Ben is at now. Does he have potential to improve? Yes. Is he good enough now? Not in my opinion

 

Sorry I seem to have inadvertently started yet another fall out. I rate Pearson but feel he has his flaws which as a young lad learning the game is unsurprising.

I do feel he benefits from the Man U background in terms of honestly appraising his performances. Fox is a decent performer at this level.

Playing him constantly in a midfield 2 with Josh does limit our creativity.

 

It's my opinion he is good enough and still years away from his prime, which applies to most of our squad. Personally speaking, I don't compare the quality of players in a pre season friendly/testimonial, I believe league action is a far greater barometer of comparison. Martin Devaney also played well that day, but I don't believe it'd be a positive move to offer him a contract.

 

As Fox is a far more experienced player, I'd expect him to show greater consistency and his play be of a higher standard than a 20 year old kid with just a few months of league experience under his belt.