Colback.

[Zelo]

At the moment he is a player worth his place in a Premier League team. He has two major weaknesses:
a. Pace (already mentioned). However, for a central midfielder, stamina is more important and your percentage of slow/fast twitch muscle fibres dictate which of those animals you are. He can work on this weakness with training, but he's never going to be speedy Gonzales MkII. If I was him I'd be working to improve my stamina to build on the strength already there.
b. Nobody has mentioned that he is still getting knocked off the ball too easily. I hope he doesn't bulk up because that will affect his fitness and make him even slower. I think he has a good brain on him and will realise that more guile is the way to go here. That can only come with experience.

[PTR]

Is he really that slow?

He gets into positions quickly enough. He closes down quickly enough, and I've notice he gets forward to support the attacks now (recently added to his game)

Where does this "slow" thing come from? Is it because he used to sit deep all the time, so he wasn't actually legging it up and down the pitch as much?

[ChrisAshley]

Originally Posted by PTR

Is he really that slow?

He gets into positions quickly enough. He closes down quickly enough, and I've notice he gets forward to support the attacks now (recently added to his game)

Where does this "slow" thing come from? Is it because he used to sit deep all the time, so he wasn't actually legging it up and down the pitch as much?

This ^ Not noticed him being particularly slow, he's quick enough for central midfield and he has the most important attribute of having a quick brain, as for his stamina he can run all day!

I think next season will see a decent return in assists and goals for him he does make some great runs and has a decent shot, also like he shown for Bendtners goal he can thread a ball through so he's got all that it takes, i just hope O'Neill plays tactics that allows him to have a bit of freedom in going forward. He's still not gonna get the returns of when Steven Gerrard was in his prime as some seem expect but he's got what it takes to be a good premier league player, nothing amazing but certainly good enough to be a first teamer for us for years to come.

If he ends up as a left back it means he's failed to progress as a footballer.

[Enfield Exile]

Originally Posted by Windypants

I think Colback is still miles away from the player he's capable of being. At the moment, he's neat, tidy, joins things up and puts a shift in. Hopefully, over the next couple of years, he's going to mature into a really good player that can dominate a game.

I'd say that's pretty much bang on. He's been steady all season with flashes of real quality. Over the next year or so I think we'll see those flashes becoming more regular. He's still a long way from it but there was a bit of Scholes in the goal he made at the weekend imo.

[Flan]

I'm a big fan of the lad, but does anyone else feel he got lucky with his assist on sat? The ball seemed to get away from him and he just got a toe on it before being dispossessed.

I'm not complaining though, nice to have players with that little bit of luck that historically goes against us.

[BRMC]

And I love the fact a fair few on here said he was average

[MackemMagic]

Should start ahead of Cattermole next season, hopefully along side a creative central midfielder

[Tom the Pom]

He certainly has had a great season, chuffed for him

[nz joe]

Originally Posted by Flan

I'm a big fan of the lad, but does anyone else feel he got lucky with his assist on sat? The ball seemed to get away from him and he just got a toe on it before being dispossessed.

I'm not complaining though, nice to have players with that little bit of luck that historically goes against us.

No

It looked a perfectly weighted pass to me , that Modric would have been pleased with

[Flan]

Originally Posted by nz joe

No

It looked a perfectly weighted pass to me , that Modric would have been pleased with

Glass half full type eh!