If Harry Clifton wasn't one of our own....

Quoted from 123614

No way, Rose is twice the player Clifton is.

No coincidence rose tends to play for teams at the wrong end of the table just not a fan at all , and I would wager Clifton’s career will be better much better.  

Firstly, no way would any manager play someone just cos they are local - professionals don;t behave like that
It's a hard headed business

Wider point

IMO you cannot play a midfield of Clifton Hess Welsh Rose
Too many central midfielders
Too many workmanlike players
Little craft or guile
No natural wide men

One of the big issues with modern day football is the scrapping of reserve leagues - that was the natural home for developing players like Clifton
I suspect they've been ditched cos of finances?
It seems that you either play Clifton, A Rose, Wright etc at the sharp end (league) or farm players like the last two on loan - they need tough, competitive games out of the spotlight where he can develop.

Clifton is a nailed on squad player for me - and as with any young lad he'll be inconsistent so it's important they are managed well

I'd have him ahead of Rose all day long, a player I have never warmed to - but Jolley seems to rate him

I suspect it will sort itself anyway in next 5-7 games with Pringle, Thomas and poss Embleton becoming first team players

That will surely mean Clifton, Rose, Woolford being benched

IMO with Welsh sitting deep and Hess being all action you can afford to have 4 attack minded forward players who will still work hard

Quoted from devs

Firstly, no way would any manager play someone just cos they are local - professionals don;t behave like that
It's a hard headed business

Wider point

IMO you cannot play a midfield of Clifton Hess Welsh Rose
Too many central midfielders
Too many workmanlike players
Little craft or guile
No natural wide men

One of the big issues with modern day football is the scrapping of reserve leagues - that was the natural home for developing players like Clifton
I suspect they've been ditched cos of finances?
It seems that you either play Clifton, A Rose, Wright etc at the sharp end (league) or farm players like the last two on loan - they need tough, competitive games out of the spotlight where he can develop.

Clifton is a nailed on squad player for me - and as with any young lad he'll be inconsistent so it's important they are managed well

I'd have him ahead of Rose all day long, a player I have never warmed to - but Jolley seems to rate him

I suspect it will sort itself anyway in next 5-7 games with Pringle, Thomas and poss Embleton becoming first team players

That will surely mean Clifton, Rose, Woolford being benched

IMO with Welsh sitting deep and Hess being all action you can afford to have 4 attack minded forward players who will still work hard

I could not agree more devs.
Certainly to many workmanlike, similar players in the team.
Harry has a great footballing brain and when my son played in the same team as Harry both for the District (under Mike Brolly) and for their regular Sunday team my lad played just in front of Harry and they had a great understanding of each others game and created and scored goals for fun.
It would be great to see him in centre midfield linking up with Hess but they need game time together which I can't see happening and Harry becoming more of a squad player/impact sub.
And like devs commented we have no natural wide men.
Oh for a team playing 4-4-2 with two central midfielders akin to Cockerill and Cunnington and two natural wingers such as Emson and Gilbert. If only.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Rose would play for England if the aim of the game was to pass the ball backwards.

And to get caught out of position every time the ball's anywhere near him leading to lunging tackles and about four red cards a season.

In all honesty I don’t think he has been good enough he’s contributed very little to the team in terms of goals and assists if any ? I do agree with people about him being played out of position though which I think is totally wrong but would he get in the centre Midfield in this current team with welsh hessy rose I’m not so sure,he does have energy to track back help out and does a steady job but in regards to helping us score goals create chances and win games I have not seen much from him YET it’s not a dig at the lad by any means and I hope he does come good and I think he will but I’m still unsure whether he’s fully ready yet UTM

Rose was the only one capable of holding the ball under pressure and playing a pass yesterday. Maybe he played it back a few times, but there were statues in front of him constantly. In terms of clifton, I'm not sure he is good enough, as much as I'd like him to be. Beyond endeavour, I'm not sure anyone could pick a strong attribute of his. Of course, he has been playing out of position, but that hasn't stopped Hooper vetting criticism, rightly so too.

Mariner93er - Hooper is being played wide left of a front 3, that is more his proper position than striker. He may not be playing well there but it's an improvement on his performances as a striker last season.

You can't read anything into his performances as a striker last season considering it was under Slade. But like I said, it's fair to criticise Hooper because he still hasn't been good enough. But realistically, neither has Clifton. He's got some developing to do before he can make an impact on the team.

I think as a homegrown talent, Clifton is probably protected from criticism a little.  We, as football fans, are incredibly fickle.  Woolford has gone from a donkey to brilliant back to a donkey in a matter of weeks.

Clifton has struggled this season in patches, because he's played 5/6 positions already.  He won't develop if he's shunted here, there and everywhere.  He did a very good job for us last season in that advanced right-wing position but he had an in-form Reece Hall-Johnson behind him and I think then the very capable Ben Davies on occasions. This season he's had Harry Davis who, whilst appearing to know where to play when at right-back, technically isn't capable of playing there.   In the centre Clifton looked fine.  With him, Hessenthaler and Welsh we looked at our best.  

Rose has improved since a year ago but I don't think we can afford to play him and Welsh together, it's too negative and leaves Hessenthaler trying to be the attacking one, which isn't really his game.  Clifton is the only central midfielder we have (having not seen the two loan lads yet) who I would class as an attacking midfield.  He has to play centrally, even more so when we're opting for a single man up top.

I think Clifton is probably suffering from his versatility and willingness to do a job for the club wherever he is asked. He looked at his best in central midfield when we played Lincoln, and that is where he will end up one day. Of course, he will need to be better than the other options we have in that position to play there regularly, but let's not forget, he has only played about a dozen games for us and had a loan spell at Grantham. He's still developing.