I’ll never warm too much to Jon Russell I don’t think. He has ability, he has given the odd decent appearance - but he is just too immobile for me. He’d maybe have been immense 20-30 years ago, running games from the middle. The game requires more legs now though, it is faster paced - and he looks like he’s running through treacle. He’s also very defensively naive. He does have a fantastic first touch I’ll grant but I just can’t see him being consistently effective.
There is a reason they let him go for next to nowt though bud. I do think he has potential to be a good league one player though. Maybe above. And I hope its with us.
I'm not sure instrumental is the right word, he only played 17 games inc sub appearances in his first season and 6 in the next.
Was going to say similar, but in Russell's defence he got put into the team in last third of season, played plenty of full games and even kept his place in play offs. He was good for them. Dropped off since, obviously. But I do think there's certainly a player in there.
He's nowt like as bad as he's made out to be. I think we'd have definitely looked better at Blackpool had he been available for selection.
Could that be ,as the crowd are on him as soon as he makes a misstake. He is a confidence player and needs game time.
He'd be class if we played walking football. But we don't. If teams give him enough time then he looks good but the games where we have enough time are games we'd probably win with anyone else playing central midfield. Against a team with anything resembling a press he's absolute dog egg. Doubly so if he's paired with Kane; it's like watching a couple of pensioners trying to chase their grandkids.
I think the problem is that his languid running style makes him look slow and as though he isn't trying. Trust me, he is!!!
I really think we use him wrong. Big players like him get typecasted into defensive midfielders but I think he’d be excellent further up the field. He knows how to score a goal in the box but seldom gets the chance to be there. His defending is extremely poor for me but his control, passing and movement is would be a massive asset further forward.
I said the same thing, that I think he'd be better further forward... problem is though if we want to be a high pressing team I dont think he'd be great doing off the ball work. 20/30 years ago he'd fit in nicely. Didnt have to do any defensive work and could just jog around until he got on the ball