2024/25 Harrison Armstrong

[bigmountainfudgecake]

Barkley was a generational talent and that was pretty obvious from the first time he played for us. Armstrong might be that but I've seen absolutely nothing to suggest he is so far other than the fact he is young.

Behave. Barkley was physically good but had no football brain. He was a one trick pony who didn't know what to do if there was no space to run into. Generational talent my arse lol

 

[voodoobloo]

Surely a recently turned 18 year old player playing in his 14 first team game can have poor to average performance in a game, that his whole team under performed in?

I watched last 15 of first half and he was anonymous but no worse than any other Derby player. Second half he made a few interceptions and a brilliant, hard tackle. He was involved in everything and started attack after attach mostly playing it safe but also threading through adventurous passes 3 times.
The second half performance didn’t exactly leave me salivating but he was solid and effective (and 18!!!!). Criticism of him based on yesterday is just nuts.

 

[Zatara]

I watched last 15 of first half and he was anonymous but no worse than any other Derby player. Second half he made a few interceptions and a brilliant, hard tackle. He was involved in everything and started attack after attach mostly playing it safe but also threading through adventurous passes 3 times.
The second half performance didn’t exactly leave me salivating but he was solid and effective (and 18!!!!). Criticism of him based on yesterday is just nuts.

Precisely what I saw.

 

[Bluebonic]

Yep, if a 23 year old had put in that performance today none of us would touch him with a barge pole. Some people assume because he’s young he must be good. But the vast majority of young players turn out to be pants and there is very little evidence to suggest Armstrong will be one of the few that make it.

A mate of mine who moved to Matlock is now a Derby season ticket holder and rates him very highly. He said he isnt flash, works hard for the team and follows the managers instructions to the letter. He also said he has a very good footballing intelligence for a lad so young and said his passing and in particular some of his through balls have been exceptional (He said he reminds him of Tony Grant in that respect). I agree most young lads don't make it, but the one thing that cant be taught is footballing nous, so the fact that the lad seems to have it gives me hope that he could come through and play for our first team.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

With all due respect, what are you talking about?
He's just turned 18, is playing at a very high level.
The thinking is that if he keeps improving and getting more experience, he'll be a great player in 5 years, hopefully sooner.
He's shown more than enough to warrant optimism.

Did you actually watch him? He showed absolutely nothing against a very poor Luton side and people have been mentioning Ballack, Barry and Carrick as comparable players So the only reason for optimism is the fact he is getting picked aged 18 and that he might improve. His actual performances don’t suggest he is going to be a premier league level player anytime soon.

 

[Eggs]

A mate of mine who moved to Matlock is now a Derby season ticket holder and rates him very highly. He said he isnt flash, works hard for the team and follows the managers instructions to the letter. He also said he has a very good footballing intelligence for a lad so young and said his passing and in particular some of his through balls have been exceptional (He said he reminds him of Tony Grant in that respect). I agree most young lads don't make it, but the one thing that cant be taught is footballing nous, so the fact that the lad seems to have it gives me hope that he could come through and play for our first team.

…. I watched Grant lots in his Academy days, one of those I say could play in ‘carpet slippers’ his touch and control was so immaculate. Armstrong has more physicality but it’s a very good comparison when it comes to passing.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

I watched last 15 of first half and he was anonymous but no worse than any other Derby player. Second half he made a few interceptions and a brilliant, hard tackle. He was involved in everything and started attack after attach mostly playing it safe but also threading through adventurous passes 3 times.
The second half performance didn’t exactly leave me salivating but he was solid and effective (and 18!!!!). Criticism of him based on yesterday is just nuts.

No one is criticising him. I am criticising people who are being overly optimistic on his potential based on very little evidence. His performance yesterday was very very poor in a very poor game. That’s just a fact. It doesn’t mean he’s a bad player and he doesn’t mean he can’t improve. But based on yesterday there’s no indication of any unusual level of ability other than the fact he is only 18 and was actually picked to play.

 

[Blue peter]

Surely a recently turned 18 year old player playing in his 14 first team game can have poor to average performance in a game, that his whole team under performed in?

Yeah it’s all part of the learning curve. Even good, seasoned players have off days. At his tender years, his development and performances are not going to linearly improve. There will be far more stark peaks and troughs in performances so people should be a little more philosophical about yesterday and future days that will be similar.

He’s not the second coming of Rooney, but a very, very young midfielder who will have learned just as much from yesterday, if not more than his other first team games.

 

[Bedfordblue]

 

[Rehnman]

No one is criticising him. I am criticising people who are being overly optimistic on his potential based on very little evidence. His performance yesterday was very very poor in a very poor game. That’s just a fact. It doesn’t mean he’s a bad player and he doesn’t mean he can’t improve. But based on yesterday there’s no indication of any unusual level of ability other than the fact he is only 18 and was actually picked to play.

It’s not a fact at all, it’s an opinion - the actual facts are that he made more passes and more accurate passes than anyone on his team. So were they simple or defensive passes? No. He made the most accurate long passes and into the final third. They are facts. All pretty astonishing for an 18 year old in a pressured game. It was clear to most yesterday that he can both see and execute the kinds of passes that no one else on the pitch could. I’ve zero doubt that he’ll be a prem player.

 

[Bluebonic]

…. I watched Grant lots in his Academy days, one of those I say could play in ‘carpet slippers’ his touch and control was so immaculate. Armstrong has more physicality but it’s a very good comparison when it comes to passing.

100% mate, I thought Granty would have bossed our midfield for years. Didnt Kanchelskis say Granty passes could find him in a fog

 

[jazzy]

…. I watched Grant lots in his Academy days, one of those I say could play in ‘carpet slippers’ his touch and control was so immaculate. Armstrong has more physicality but it’s a very good comparison when it comes to passing.

I don't know why but I'm put in mind of Rodwell when I see him play.

 

[COYB75]

With all due respect, what are you talking about?
He's just turned 18, is playing at a very high level.
The thinking is that if he keeps improving and getting more experience, he'll be a great player in 5 years, hopefully sooner.
He's shown more than enough to warrant optimism.

100% right. Also doesn’t need to be Rooney level to ‘make it’. No reason to suggest he can’t develop in to a Prem player. He’s performing at a really consistent level in a very poor Championship team. For an 18 year old he’s doing really well. The expectation for players to be tearing it up at his age is bizarre.

 

[Eggs]

I don't know why but I'm put in mind of Rodwell when I see him play.

…Armstrong? I’d not make that comparison, although both are tall and lithe physically.

I always say Rodwell was a ‘safe’ passer of a football, he’d invariably give the ball the way he was facing and rarely took it on the spin like the really good players do. For me, Armstrong looks like he’ll take rusk with a pass, often looking to play a killer rather than safe pass.

 

[Bluebonic]

…Armstrong? I’d not make that comparison, although both are tall and lithe physically.

I always say Rodwell was a ‘safe’ passer of a football, he’d invariably give the ball the way he was facing and rarely took it on the spin like the really good players do. For me, Armstrong looks like he’ll take rusk with a pass, often looking to play a killer rather than safe pass.

Rusk? He’s not that young Eggs