Harry Clifton

Well played sir! Immense.

Great engine, happy to take possession in tight areas, rarely loses possession - wins loads of second balls and not afraid to get stuck in. Just needs to add a bit more creativity and a few goals to his game (which I'm pretty confident he will) and bigger clubs will start sniffing around.

Agreed
He’s certainly one of our own

Honestly thought Town had 5 or 6 players who were more effective that Harry tonight.

Needs a goal, but worked his socks off again tonight.

Mitch rose was everywhere tonight along with Clifton.. I  thought Whitmore was immense at the back

His name got a fair few mentions and Crofty sang his praises a few times, Harry had a very good game, would love him to get on the score sheet, the lad just keeps getting better and better.

I thought Mitch Rose was man of the match tonight imo but Harry Clifton did have a very good game

I thought they all played well and deserved to win against a team well above us in the league.

Better times are a coming  

Harry was everywhere again today. My only issue with Harry is when he gets forward with the ball he seems to enter a deer in headlights state and takes too long to decide what he's doing with the ball, but I guess that comes with learning the game as he developes.

Must have been at a different match Gave the ball away far too often, kept turning back into the Colchester players crowded round him, lost possession too easily. Thought that Rose and Whitmore playedbetter than Harry tonight. Cannot fault the effort though he did try and twice got elbowed in the back for his efforts. As for Colchester they didn’t really get too many chances except when we backed off them and allowed them to keep pumping the ball forward. Good goal for Thomas and lucky for us they could only hit the bar from six yards out.

Onwards and hopefully upwards!

Him and Rose make a good pairing and give us some real balance.

Great that he’s getting a run in his favoured position. People need to have the patience to allow him to develop and grow in confidence.

Harry certainly gives everything and also tries things, sometimes they come off and sometimes he gives away possesion (which i thought happened quite frequently tonite). He also has masses and masses of energy. Massive improvement on that hider berrett, how he kept Harry out the side last year I don't know. - oh yeah I do we had the clueless gormless buffoon slade in charge.  You never make a mistake if u never try to do anything with the ball...

I'm hoping the goals and assists will come. Managed 5 goals in a season at Grantham and seemed to be getting assists for them all the time so there's definitely potential there.

Think he just lacks a little composure when he gets into good positions in the final third at the moment. He looks more composed in other areas of the pitch now though so I'm confident that composure will come in the final third the more he plays and the more he gets into those sort of positions.

Thought he competed excellently tonight. There's a video going round Twitter of him getting up and winning a towering header over 6"4 Harry Pell. Although he was cynically taken out 2 or 3 times when going up for headers whilst Colchester guys just jumped into him with no attempt to head the ball.

Top man H. Keep up the good work. Deserving his place in the team and it's a great blend between him and M.Rose. To the point were we're looking ok with playing a 2 in the middle and not needing to put a third man in there all the time.

If JJ Hooper gave away possession as many times as Clifton did last night, he'd be absolutely lynched on here.

Clifton has real energy and drive, he mopped most second balls in the middle which I think we've lacked for years, and looks to drive on forwards. Unfortunately, he just lacks that bit of creativity and nous of doing the right thing at the right time at the moment. Hopefully it comes with experience and he could be a good player for us.

Quoted from pen penfras

If JJ Hooper gave away possession as many times as Clifton did last night, he'd be absolutely lynched on here.

Clifton has real energy and drive, he mopped most second balls in the middle which I think we've lacked for years, and looks to drive on forwards. Unfortunately, he just lacks that bit of creativity and nous of doing the right thing at the right time at the moment. Hopefully it comes with experience and he could be a good player for us.

Clifton earns the right to make a few mistakes by making up for it with the rest of his play. Hooper does not. I was at FGR last game of last season. Hooper showed what he is capable of. It’s in his locker (which I guess is why he gets picked), he just needs to show it more.  My guess is that Clifton will improve, but on present showing, Hooper will not.

Quoted from pen penfras

If JJ Hooper gave away possession as many times as Clifton did last night, he'd be absolutely lynched on here.

Clifton has real energy and drive, he mopped most second balls in the middle which I think we've lacked for years, and looks to drive on forwards. Unfortunately, he just lacks that bit of creativity and nous of doing the right thing at the right time at the moment. Hopefully it comes with experience and he could be a good player for us.

When Gary Croft says 'Harry Clifton was outstanding tonight' I tend to believe him.

Quoted from Civvy at last

Clifton earns the right to make a few mistakes by making up for it with the rest of his play. Hooper does not. I was at FGR last game of last season. Hooper showed what he is capable of. It’s in his locker (which I guess is why he gets picked), he just needs to show it more.  My guess is that Clifton will improve, but on present showing, Hooper will not.

I just think Hooper is continually scapegoated when he isn't that bad. He works hard for the team and helps out the fullback despite that not being his game. He seems more guilty of lack of concentration than lack of effort to me. One thing that he does do is get himself into good positions in the box and cause a threat, it's not been quite falling for him so far, but at least he's giving defenders a difficult time.

I actually thought last night was one of his worst performances this season, but he has played in almost every game that we've got points and I don't think he played any of the 6 defeats in a row.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

When Gary Croft says 'Harry Clifton was outstanding tonight' I tend to believe him.

I wasn't saying Clifton was bad, I think he was very effective as part of the midfield that stopped a good team from getting control of the match.

I wouldn't take too much of what Gary Croft says as gospel. He spent half of the game confusing Clifton with Embleton. He also couldn't tell the difference between Mitch Rose, JJ Hooper and RHJ.

Quoted from pen penfras

I don't think he played any of the 6 defeats in a row.

This is some sort of Twitter myth - he started 2 and came on in another 3.

Quoted from pen penfras

I wasn't saying Clifton was bad, I think he was very effective as part of the midfield that stopped a good team from getting control of the match.

I wouldn't take too much of what Gary Croft says as gospel. He spent half of the game confusing Clifton with Embleton. He also couldn't tell the difference between Mitch Rose, JJ Hooper and RHJ.

So you weren't actually there then? I heard Crofty's comments when I got back to the car.

Quoted from pen penfras

If JJ Hooper gave away possession as many times as Clifton did last night, he'd be absolutely lynched on here.

Clifton has real energy and drive, he mopped most second balls in the middle which I think we've lacked for years, and looks to drive on forwards. Unfortunately, he just lacks that bit of creativity and nous of doing the right thing at the right time at the moment. Hopefully it comes with experience and he could be a good player for us.

Good post. Thread title "Harry Clifton" but you get the same posters taking the opportunity to have a go at Hooper-don't understand reasons behind it-surely we should be trying to give our players confidence.

Best game I've seen Clifton play. As others have always said he was very busy and very brave against much bigger and physical players. Him and Rose were both very impressive. Hopefully Clifton will continue to develop in centre mid and not be played out of position.

I thought he was excellent too. Mitch Rose, Collins, Macca. Lots of players had great games. That's what you need.

Quoted from Paris Mariner

I thought he was excellent too. Mitch Rose, Collins, Macca. Lots of players had great games. That's what you need.

Macca did nothing wrong but in all honesty he was hardly tested last night at all.

Quoted from Paris Mariner

I thought he was excellent too. Mitch Rose, Collins, Macca. Lots of players had great games. That's what you need.

Macca did nothing wrong but in all honesty he was hardly tested last night at all.

Quoted from Cloudy

Macca did nothing wrong but in all honesty he was hardly tested last night at all.

True but I thought at the end when we need him to come for crosses, be assured and slow the game down a bit he was excellent.

I agree but some fool on their site counted 20 shots on target, fake news!

BBC had them down for 20 shots (but only 2 on target). I can remember the mix up at the back leading to their player going clean through leading McKeown to make a great save but can't recall their other shot on target. I presume hitting the bar (their open goal miss) doesn't count.

That first half free-kick which the referee decided to award them for Rose being fouled was a shot on target. Thankfully, McKeown dealt with an awkward skidder of a shot well although I was worried it was going to trickle through his legs! Last thing you want is an awkward skidder trickling through your legs on a football pitch - just ask Gary Lineker.

I think they had plenty of other shots (too many, in fact) but we blocked these with some good last-ditch defending. Heck, Pell had 3 efforts in as many seconds when the ball kept bouncing back to him on one occasion. These don't tend to be counted as 'shots on target' in the stats, however.

Ultimately, I think they will be disappointed not to have got at least a point. We were under pressure for the last 20 minutes or so after tiring and they had much too much of the ball in and around our box. My slight concern is that most teams we play are able to bring on athletic players with fresh legs during the second half (I'm thinking specifically of the Yeovil game and last night). In comparison, Jolley tends to leave the players on the pitch a bit too long when they are obviously knackered, perhaps because the replacements aren't quite as good as getting around and making a nuisance of themselves? I was a bit disappointed with Hessenthaler last night who just didn't get involved at all.

Hessenthaler really puzzles me. He looked like we’d found a terrific high energy footballing midfielder in the first few games. I was really impressed with him against Lincoln and MK Dons but he seems to have slumped. If he was playing as well as he was at the start of the season I’d pick him ahead of Clifton but whenever he comes on he offers nothing at the mo.

Quoted from Mariner_09

Hessenthaler really puzzles me. He looked like we’d found a terrific high energy footballing midfielder in the first few games. I was really impressed with him against Lincoln and MK Dons but he seems to have slumped. If he was playing as well as he was at the start of the season I’d pick him ahead of Clifton but whenever he comes on he offers nothing at the mo.

Remember Hess is only 24 he's still young will take time to settle.

Quoted from Mariner_09

Hessenthaler really puzzles me. He looked like we’d found a terrific high energy footballing midfielder in the first few games. I was really impressed with him against Lincoln and MK Dons but he seems to have slumped. If he was playing as well as he was at the start of the season I’d pick him ahead of Clifton but whenever he comes on he offers nothing at the mo.

Think you're being extremely picky. he's barely played for weeks! i remember you thinking Andrew was shite....

Quoted from Mariner_09

Hessenthaler really puzzles me. He looked like we’d found a terrific high energy footballing midfielder in the first few games. I was really impressed with him against Lincoln and MK Dons but he seems to have slumped. If he was playing as well as he was at the start of the season I’d pick him ahead of Clifton but whenever he comes on he offers nothing at the mo.

That's probably why Michael Jolley picks the team.