We signed Thiam on 11th August

And after 4 months of training with us he's dead on his feet after 55 minutes. He's so knackered he can't stand up straight or even kick a ball and he gives it away from a corner which gifts Derby a chance for what should have been the third of the 7 or 8 they could easily have scored.

I don't think I've ever before seen a striker who refuses enter the opposition's penalty area, even when we have a corner. Not that he was the worst player on the field, he had a few nice touches, but I'm flummoxed that we can spend so much money on a player that is so out of shape and so ill-suited to play as a striker in the English Championship.

Squad doesn't look even close to Championship standard and the team selections and becoming baffling. One goal in the last 5 games, a penalty, and I've no idea where the next one is coming from.

 

It’s always a gamble signing any player, let alone taking an educated punt on a relative unknown. There are plenty such punts that have paid dividends, the likes of Mahrez, Kante, Knockaert et al but there are also loads more that have failed to deliver. Let’s hope that Thiam steadies himself and starts to deliver before the wolves really do start to circle.

 

I’m fitter than him with a knackered back and 6 pints inside me.

 

Cavare was an equally as good addition to the squad.

 

Your best mate Moncur was blowing out candles with his hands on his knees 10 minutes after coming on too.

Yet we're winning awards for our smart attention to personal fitness, apparently.

Moncur did look like the one person who possessed a modicum of creativity. So maybe he ought not to have to run about so much.

The rest have nothing at the moment.

Anyway, Thiam at least looked promising. And we spent money on an "out of shape" striker in August - so we've had 4 months to get him fit. If he isn't fit it's our fault for not getting him fit, rather than our fault for buying him. He wouldn't be ill-suited if we had anyone creative in the team who could give him chances.

 

But he does nice flicks tho...

 

Apparently according to the masses his conditioning is fine.

 

You called him fat, which is he clearly isn’t.

He also clearly isn’t fit either.

 

I actually thought he was decent today. Linked up fairly well with Bradshaw and had that pop shot with his right. Not sure why he needs to be stood, outside of the box, next to the corner taker though.

 

I said he was clearly overweight and said badly conditioned multiple times. See below.

http://barnsleyfc.org.uk/threads/mamadou-interview.261462/page-2

 

Shouldn't be anywhere near the first team. Embarrassingly unfit

 

He’s not fat though?

 

Imo Thiam was one of few on the pitch who showed any sign of class, held the ball and laid it off well on many occasions.Had he stayed on I felt he was a contender for mom along side Joe williams. The corner positioning is strange and I can only think it's what they are instructed to do. What worries me more is team selection, I must know nothing about the game after playing and watching for many years because we carried two passengers whom I wouldn't have selected initially. I can only think it's a condition of a loan agreement that they must play at least some part per game, Gardener is dreadful and Pott although played out of position, looks poor but they are continually picked?

 

If you think he's in peak physical shape then fair enough but he clearly isn't.

 

What makes you say he clearly isn't?

 

The way he makes his way around a football pitch every now and then.

 

Our best player today by some distance. Pity he's playing in our current team.

 

So every now and then he looks unfit?

I would have thought that an unfit footballer would look unfit after a certain number of minutes on the pitch.