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Quoted from Garth

Did not go today, but reading the Vale thread Dembele was outstanding even after getting the Gunning treatment.
Seems to me that we need to get into discussion with him regarding a new contract before he goes the same way as Amond.

Lol he won't be with us next season better teams will be looking at him if he keeps playing well and improving. I'd imagine the attraction to signing for us was that he was going to get first team football and a chance to really show what he can do to put himself in the shop window. He won't go the same way as Amond he'll go on to better things not worse.

I'm so glad Slade has been patient and stuck with him. I think if Bignot or Hurst were still here he would have been benched by now or even sat in the stands like many before him, never to be seen again. Dembele is so exciting to watch and has probably been the one bright spot of the season so far but I was starting to worry there was no end product. I hope this goal is the confidence boost he needs and the first of many.
UTM

He deserves a pay rise and contract extension? Behave! Imagine me going into work and asking for a pay rise because I'm good at my job.

If he isn't tied down he will go to Scunny . Fact

Quoted from fleabag1970

If he isn't tied down he will go to Scunny . Fact

But he is , fact. So if he goes there, it'll cost them.

Some gross overreacting on this thread. He's scored 1 professional goal in league football. That's 1.

He has an enormous amount to learn and has great potential, but has produced a very small amount thus far. He has a lot more to prove before a bigger club come and take him IMO.

The lad was absolutely beaming when he scored and at the end of the game

An exciting prospect and great to watch but he is far from the finished article and with more to learn who better to teach him than Wilkie. I would say he is at least a couple of seasons away from a big move.

Quoted from chaos33

But he is , fact. So if he goes there, it'll cost them.

Some gross overreacting on this thread. He's scored 1 professional goal in league football. That's 1.

He has an enormous amount to learn and has great potential, but has produced a very small amount thus far. He has a lot more to prove before a bigger club come and take him IMO.

This👍

I'm getting a bit concerned about the fishy tonight.......this talk about high heels and tied down :)

His part yesterday was worth the entrance fee alone, scoring the winner topped it off. A good run halfway through the first half and a decent shot soon after, you could then see how nervous they were around him. The audacious turn that gave him space to get into the box resulted in the corner Jones scored from, but they were buckling under our early second half pressure at that point. Not everything came off for him but he puts that fear and doubt in the opposition when he’s on it. It’s too early to tell where his raw talent will take him, it looks like he’s eager to learn and improve, and nobody put more effort in for the cause which speaks volumes. I think more performances like yesterday could be on the horizon, and if so others will start to take note. There would possibly be more end product in a better team, still too much of a gamble at this stage for bigger money so hopefully he’ll be with us at least into next season.

Quotes from the Port Vale forum. Positives: Atmosphere during 1st half, effort levels during first half, chance creation during first half, Whitfield, Harness, Gibbons, Denton, seeing a player as talented as Dembele

Side note; their winger who scored the 2nd, Dembele, is the older brother of the Scottish lad Karamoko Dembele who made headlines for playing for the Celtic U20s when he was like 13. What a talent he is. Terrorised us today and the bit of skill he performed in the 2nd half in front of the Railway by the corner flag left me staggered. Cracking run and finish for their 2nd too. He'll go very far.

He was not far away from a hatrick with 2 earlier attempts just kept out.

What you've get to remember is that half the time he's picking the ball up so deep that by the time he's run comes to the end, he's still not in the box. It's incredibly hard for him to create something from there. However, he's runs have an even more important aspect in that they scare the defence, and he often single handedly drags the whole team 30 yards further up the pitch with him.

Last week there was a thread about how he needed taking out
of the team. He's a great prospect and I can't believe the club haven't tied him up for longer.

Quoted from Mariner93er

What you've get to remember is that half the time he's picking the ball up so deep that by the time he's run comes to the end, he's still not in the box. It's incredibly hard for him to create something from there.

However, he's runs have an even more important aspect in that they scare the defence, and he often single handedly drags the whole team 30 yards further up the pitch with him.

Exactly. This is why this hoofball Slade likes to play in 1st half doesnt work for him. With his playing skills he should be winning penalties by running at defenders in the penalty area but he needs to receive the ball upfield when they dont have 11 players behind the ball and he has energy in his lungs.Look at the dumn penalties we get sucked into giving away by players without his trickery.

Quoted from TheGoalKipper

Exactly. This is why this hoofball Slade likes to play in 1st half doesnt work for him. With his playing skills he should be winning penalties by running at defenders in the penalty area but he needs to receive the ball upfield when they dont have 11 players behind the ball and he has energy in his lungs.Look at the dumn penalties we get sucked into giving away by players without his trickery.

There's an argument to say we should be playing higher up the pitch but due to the lack of pace in our defence, it would be extremely dangerous.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

There's an argument to say we should be playing higher up the pitch but due to the lack of pace in our defence, it would be extremely dangerous.

The last 15 minutes or so we were sitting back and playing deep and that looked far more dangerous.

Definitely a signature worthy goal, enjoy the gif!

First touch I saw him was a back sort of flick come control

Within minutes in the Coventry game I could see he looked a cut above our players

If he carrys on working hard and improving we will be lucky to have him for more than one season

Quality goal. Luke Summerfield's inch perfect through ball should be noted too.

He's only been a professional footballer for a few months, yet he is playing week in, week out. That is a testament to his skills, the fact that he has gone straight in to the team and stayed there. Also credit to Slade and Wilko for seeing his talent and giving it a chance to shine. Playing in the first team instead of a few reserve team games, is only going to rapidly improve him as a player, and what a player he is going to be. We are very lucky to have him for a couple of seasons so let's enjoy it while he is here.

I'd love to see him sign a contract extension but I can't see it happening in this day and age unless we make a tremendous offer, certainly at this point in the season.

Summerfield's pass is perfect...but it's Dembele's vision that sees the opportunity and you see him throw his arms out to guide Summerfield. The pass is still perfect.

The pass was good, the run was good, but the inaction and lack of communication between their left back and Gunning was the major factor. A quick call from the left back and the pass could have been intercepted by Gunning.

Quoted from TheRealJohnLewis

The pass was good, the run was good, but the inaction and lack of communication between their left back and Gunning was the major factor. A quick call from the left back and the pass could have been intercepted by Gunning.

Shudder to think about that and the mangled body of our wee lad after the thuggery treatment that would have occured

Not sure the pass could have been intercepted. The ball was not only directed perfectly , but hit with pace. Instantly controlled by Dembele and expertly finished.

Not sure you'll see a better executed move and goal than that all season. The decoy movement of Jones pulled the defender out to create the space for Dembele to 'ghost' in behind. The inch-perfect pass was reminiscent of Dembele's to Jones for his goal in the opener at Chesterfield.

Quoted from lukeo

He deserves a pay rise and contract extension? Behave! Imagine me going into work and asking for a pay rise because I'm good at my job.

Depends on what level you started work at,

If and I think he is one of the lower paid of the 1st team because he had no experience of league football before us,

Or do you think he is one of the highest paid ?

If I am right then he deserves a pay rise for two reasons,

1. He has proved he can play at this level,

2. The length of his contract will either get us a bigger fee or we will be able to hold onto him longer.

Finally if you are good at your job ,what have you got to lose in asking for a rise. ?

I think the build up play to the goal is great. The passing from the right wing, across the goal and back out was brilliant, never mind the through ball from Summers. Great team work, great to see, Lets build on that.

Quoted from lukeo

He deserves a pay rise and contract extension? Behave! Imagine me going into work and asking for a pay rise because I'm good at my job.

He was signed as a prospect, his first pro contract so I doubt he'll be on a lot. The trouble here is, we have an option to extend his contract until July 2019, presumably on the same money.

From the players point of view, he'll want a new negotiated contract, perhaps if we up his wages to a livable wage he may sign an extension to three years which would only enhance his transfer value. He isn't that young at 21 (although according to wiki and FIFA, his age is up for some debate despite being born in England), a sad indictment of the scouting in the country that a player of this quality wasn't picked up by a club earlier, no doubt they looked at his size and dismissed him.

From the clubs point of view, and I suspect this is how it will play out, the 'board' can activate his extension for little cost. May result in a player who feels he is a key member of the first team on much less than players that can't even get in the squad and he would probably push for a move sharpish (who wouldn't?).

I hope we can keep him, it would be great for us and Dembele as he is playing at Town and progressing at a great rate. I think he could play in the championship NOW, and could go on to play in the Premier League. He is way too good for us and for this level of football after a handful of games, but he should stay and progress for a year or two, probably not three.

Interesting fact according to wiki: Karamoko Dembele is his brother, some may have heard of him. He's at Celtic, and is a real prodigy, expect to see him on FM 17/18 as a Wonderkid. There have been calls for Scotland to cap him early as England also think he could become a full international and have called him up for youth squads.

No doubt he will have a agent rubbing his hands together at all these accolades whats the betting he scoop up all the end of season awards and sodomist off. If he's here that long.

Then dont vote for him lol.

Quoted from 75

He was signed as a prospect, his first pro contract so I doubt he'll be on a lot. The trouble here is, we have an option to extend his contract until July 2019, presumably on the same money.

From the players point of view, he'll want a new negotiated contract, perhaps if we up his wages to a livable wage he may sign an extension to three years which would only enhance his transfer value. He isn't that young at 21 (although according to wiki and FIFA, his age is up for some debate despite being born in England), a sad indictment of the scouting in the country that a player of this quality wasn't picked up by a club earlier, no doubt they looked at his size and dismissed him.

From the clubs point of view, and I suspect this is how it will play out, the 'board' can activate his extension for little cost. May result in a player who feels he is a key member of the first team on much less than players that can't even get in the squad and he would probably push for a move sharpish (who wouldn't?).

I hope we can keep him, it would be great for us and Dembele as he is playing at Town and progressing at a great rate. I think he could play in the championship NOW, and could go on to play in the Premier League. He is way too good for us and for this level of football after a handful of games, but he should stay and progress for a year or two, probably not three.

Interesting fact according to wiki: Karamoko Dembele is his brother, some may have heard of him. He's at Celtic, and is a real prodigy, expect to see him on FM 17/18 as a Wonderkid. There have been calls for Scotland to cap him early as England also think he could become a full international and have called him up for youth squads.

Again, massive overstatement. 'He could play in the championship now'. 'Could go on to play in the premier league'. 'He is way too good for us'......

I repeat, he has scored 1 goal in a dozen games in L2. Couple of assists maybe. I get the general enthusiasm about him - he looks really impressive on the eye when you watch him - great touch, quick feet, works hard, can pass and dribble, but he's got loads and loads of things to learn, and will need to produce much, much more, and much more often if those statements above are to have any real credibility. You have to 'earn the right'. Relatively speaking, Dembele has done nothing yet.

When he produces end product consistently, that's when the bigger clubs will come knocking. Right now, he's just a prospect. We also have no idea about his contract situation and how much he earns. He may not want to sign an extended deal for all we know.

As he is only 21 he will be on £7.05 per hour-I bet he can't wait until he is 25 when he will get £7.50. The next question is " What does he do with all that money"

Quoted from chaos33

Again, massive overstatement. 'He could play in the championship now'. 'Could go on to play in the premier league'. 'He is way too good for us'......

I repeat, he has scored 1 goal in a dozen games in L2. Couple of assists maybe. I get the general enthusiasm about him - he looks really impressive on the eye when you watch him - great touch, quick feet, works hard, can pass and dribble, but he's got loads and loads of things to learn, and will need to produce much, much more, and much more often if those statements above are to have any real credibility. You have to 'earn the right'. Relatively speaking, Dembele has done nothing yet.

Innate ability is there though

Doesn’t “a year option in the club’s favour” effectively mean he’s already signed the contract and all Town have to do is fax it to the FA or whatever when he achieves the required criteria for it to be activated?

It's not exactly easy to produce consistent end product when the balls flying over his head all the time. At port vale is was clearly displayed what he will do to teams when we play quick football along the floor.

Quoted from Rick12

Innate ability is there though

Sestanovich had bags of ability allied to pace and power.

It takes a lot more than ability to make a successful professional footballer.

Not that I'm in any way equating Dembele's attitude to that of Sestanovich, of course!

Quoted from LH

Doesn’t “a year option in the club’s favour” effectively mean he’s already signed the contract and all Town have to do is fax it to the FA or whatever when he achieves the required criteria for it to be activated?

Yes and in that option it might include a pay rise then it might not,

We will be informed when this happens then we might not. :)

Quoted from chaos33

Again, massive overstatement. 'He could play in the championship now'. 'Could go on to play in the premier league'. 'He is way too good for us'......

I repeat, he has scored 1 goal in a dozen games in L2. Couple of assists maybe. I get the general enthusiasm about him - he looks really impressive on the eye when you watch him - great touch, quick feet, works hard, can pass and dribble, but he's got loads and loads of things to learn, and will need to produce much, much more, and much more often if those statements above are to have any real credibility. You have to 'earn the right'. Relatively speaking, Dembele has done nothing yet.

Yet on virtually all the forums of every team we've played the opposition's fans have raved about him and said he's a cut above this league. I think it's wishful thinking from some that we'll be able to hang on to him in either January or the Summer without paying him enough not to be tempted by League One clubs. A significant pay rise and the promise of regular first team football may keep his head down and work hard to get a bigger move to the Championship at a later date..

Quoted from RichMariner

Glad that he got off the mark today - think we might see a bit more from him in the coming weeks and months now.

I must admit, while his talent has never been in doubt, I was just starting to wonder about his lack of end product. His trickery and skill on the ball has always impressed, but he'd yet to dictate play or take control of a game.

He's still young though - I'm absolutely certain he'll only get better.

Couldn't agree more. When he hit the post against Col U I was gutted for him because I thought it might have boosted his confidence no end. Hopefully this goal will have that effect. I agree about him needing to know when to release the ball too. I will hopefully give him the confidence to take a shot on when he can now rather than an extra touch.

Hard not to speculate about his future, but for now let's enjoy watching his skills light up what can often be a dull affair in league 2. Worth the admission fee and he plays with a smile on his face. He is a rare talent hope we enjoy him for as long as possible.

It reminds me of John Oster when he got in the first team at a young age. He also had brilliant ball skills and could make seasoned professionals look idiots.

He was going to stay at Town to learn for a season or two but Everton saw his talent and he was gone after a handful of games.

Quoted from ginnywings

When he produces end product consistently, that's when the bigger clubs will come knocking. Right now, he's just a prospect. We also have no idea about his contract situation and how much he earns. He may not want to sign an extended deal for all we know.

That'd be what you'd expect ginny, but there's always a club with enough money to be able to take a gamble on a player like this in case they can show that vital ingredient further down the line.

If there's a Championship/League1 club able to afford such a luxury, they'll take a punt on him early, because

a) they'll get him for less £££ before he's reached the level of producing consistently, and

b) they might be able to actually get him before he reaches a level where bigger clubs than them would be in for him.

We'll see. He seems a good kid and prepared to work hard so good luck to him, and let's hope we can develop him as much as possible while he's here.

Quoted from chaos33

Again, massive overstatement. 'He could play in the championship now'. 'Could go on to play in the premier league'. 'He is way too good for us'......

I repeat, he has scored 1 goal in a dozen games in L2. Couple of assists maybe. I get the general enthusiasm about him - he looks really impressive on the eye when you watch him - great touch, quick feet, works hard, can pass and dribble, but he's got loads and loads of things to learn, and will need to produce much, much more, and much more often if those statements above are to have any real credibility. You have to 'earn the right'. Relatively speaking, Dembele has done nothing yet.

Good Grief! do you go to matches or are you just blind

Quoted from Garth

Good Grief! do you go to matches or are you just blind

One goal and just a few chances created in a dozen starts with (according to the GTFC stats) just 3 shots on target during this period! Danny Collins, a central defender, has scored twice as many goals and had more efforts on target this season.

That's the point. It doesn't matter if you can dribble past a couple of players if you don't make a chance or score a goal at the end of it. He's got the ability to be a very dangerous player, but he's yet to apply it consistently and that's what any manager looking at him will consider. The idea that teams will be queueing up to sign a player with such a modest record at present is just silly.

When I remember the reason why I like football in the first place (the very first place, not all the accumulation of social reasons that keep me going when it's deadly dull) I'm less bothered by whether Dembele has the 'end product' on a consistent basis. Or whether we'll keep him or make pots of money off him. Yes all that would be good. But for now he's good to watch.

Enjoy! 😃

Quoted from Maringer

Sestanovich had bags of ability allied to pace and power.

It takes a lot more than ability to make a successful professional footballer.

Not that I'm in any way equating Dembele's attitude to that of Sestanovich, of course!

I agree the mental side is more important

With a player with the skills of Dembele you have to give him as much of the ball as possible, he was the outstanding player for us on Saturday yet I think it was 20 minutes before he had a decent pass.

Quoted from Garth

Good Grief! do you go to matches or are you just blind

No, I'm not blind. What you've done is isolate a relative phrase and then take it out of context. Don't be silly. We have all seen how impressive he is and what skill and potential he possesses. That is implicit in the overall post. The point is - take a look at the L2 leading scorers and assisters stats.....is he on there? No. Is he almost on there? No. Until his blatantly obvious talent translates into goals and assists, he's just a work in progress and some way behind other players in league two who are producing both, week in week out.

He already has interest by teams we have played,

Will he go to a club like Wigan ? no disrespect to Wigan but they are about as fashionable as us,

When he scores on a regular basis he will get bigger clubs in for him

Remember Hearn went about 10 games before his 1st goal then ended up with 30,

So lets hope the lad does the same and the fee we receive will be larger than what we got for Bogle

Quoted from Maringer

One goal and just a few chances created in a dozen starts with (according to the GTFC stats) just 3 shots on target during this period! Danny Collins, a central defender, has scored twice as many goals and had more efforts on target this season.

That's the point. It doesn't matter if you can dribble past a couple of players if you don't make a chance or score a goal at the end of it. He's got the ability to be a very dangerous player, but he's yet to apply it consistently and that's what any manager looking at him will consider. The idea that teams will be queueing up to sign a player with such a modest record at present is just silly.

The point is, - look where he was when he received the opportunity to score his 1 goal for the club (so far) - right on the oppositions back line.

He doesn't need to have to travel 40 / 60 yards dribbling past players and arriving at the goal 'knackered'.

@ Managers - just play him on the opposition's back line and have players feed him the opportunities. Loads of goals....
Simples
Not his problem if other midfield personnel is not there to feed him, but at the moment, he is expected to be all things to all men (women).

Quoted from chaos33

No, I'm not blind. What you've done is isolate a relative phrase and then take it out of context. Don't be silly. We have all seen how impressive he is and what skill and potential he possesses. That is implicit in the overall post. The point is - take a look at the L2 leading scorers and assisters stats.....is he on there? No. Is he almost on there? No. Until his blatantly obvious talent translates into goals and assists, he's just a work in progress and some way behind other players in league two who are producing both, week in week out.

Does well in a team of hoofers though don`t you think, if a team like Luton were to come for him he`d look twice the player and would move up quickly

Yes I agree. In a footballing team he'd produce more, in time, no doubt.

Quoted from Garth

Does well in a team of hoofers though don`t you think, if a team like Luton were to come for him he`d look twice the player and would move up quickly

He is a player who will thrive on space so a counter-attacking unit suits him. The comment that he doesn't need to run 50 yards with the ball is relevant, he maybe does need to play further forward at times and not be impatient, but in a short passing side he may not get that space. He may not even get the ball.

The pass that put him through for his goal was fairly typical of the ones he has been getting in other games and failed to put away, rarely has it been a long ball from the back. If you watch the extended highlights of games again with that in mind, Town have not been just hoofing the channels hoping for chasers to get there. By and large the long passes have been directed towards players, if they don't get there it is because the intention might be good but the quality is poor. When we have run the ball that bit further forward before passing it like Summerfield did, the quality has been much better and as good as any side in the division. Certainly Dembele's goal was one that any team would be pleased with. Unfortunately the manager clearly does not have the wage budget of the side we will see tomorrow so our passing quality is not going to be consistent.

To me Dembele looks as though he could be a winger/striker in the Henry sort of mould, playing across the front line, mainly by coming in from the wing. If he starts in the middle he will be marked by two thugs and get no space at all, if he plays centre midfield he will need at least one minder which will either reduce the width in the team or mean playing with one up front permanently. Then, where does that leave a player like Jones who is just as likely to score goals as Dembele? It is a conundrum but I would leave him where he is with a licence to roam.