Armstrong extended on 22:25 - Jun 12 with 3249 views | Philothesuperhoop | I’m so glad that several comments here are not too bothered about Sincs. I’m bemused every time anyone gets all hot and bothered about this kid. I just don’t see it. He is quick and big. That’s it. He has little natural ability, is often offside, isn’t a natural finisher, is oddly unable to do 90 minutes and most recently has a shockingly self centred poor attitude. It does make me wonder if some unhelpful agent is giving him duff advice. I would literally take any other striker from any championship team in preference to this guy. Sorry….we need to get whatever we can for him. | | | |
Armstrong extended on 22:41 - Jun 12 with 3186 views | LowerloftLad | 4 goals in 62 games. If we could get 750k and a sell on fee then we should be seriously looking at selling. [Post edited 12 Jun 22:42]
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Armstrong extended on 23:20 - Jun 12 with 3071 views | Myke | Would seem to be very much in the minority here, but I think there is a lot more to come from Armstrong yet and if anyone can improve him it's Marti and his coaching staff. To label him as only having power and pace is disingenuous imo.His goals v Bournemouth (Premier League) and Leicester (Champ champs) were top drawer and very unlucky not to add Ipswich (Champ runners-up) to that list (how often does a shot hit BOTH posts and not go in?) Plus his assists for Paal and Hodge showed vision, composure and technical ability. Does he score or assist often enough? Of course not - but he has both in his locker and proper coaching can improve him. A one year extension is not ideal, but if he hasn't improved by January he can still be off-loaded and no harm done. [Post edited 12 Jun 23:26]
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Armstrong extended on 02:07 - Jun 13 with 2912 views | SydneyRs |
Armstrong extended on 22:25 - Jun 12 by Philothesuperhoop | I’m so glad that several comments here are not too bothered about Sincs. I’m bemused every time anyone gets all hot and bothered about this kid. I just don’t see it. He is quick and big. That’s it. He has little natural ability, is often offside, isn’t a natural finisher, is oddly unable to do 90 minutes and most recently has a shockingly self centred poor attitude. It does make me wonder if some unhelpful agent is giving him duff advice. I would literally take any other striker from any championship team in preference to this guy. Sorry….we need to get whatever we can for him. |
Agree, this is all we've really seen to date. Still very raw and its an unknown how much he is likely to improve. If no significant improvement after a full pre season with Marti then he'd be no great loss. | | | |
Armstrong extended on 02:21 - Jun 13 with 2892 views | WD99 | I think I am probably higher on Armstrong than most. Even though his finishing is lacking (to be kind), we always look more threatening with him out there than with our other options. But his agent definitely appears to be a problem, linking him with Barcelona, Celtic, Man City before he even made a first team start with us. Has never seemed like he really wanted to be here and looking for the next move. Just sell him. | | | |
Armstrong extended on 06:56 - Jun 13 with 2755 views | Gloucs_R | Not sure anyone can knock his attitude. He's always came across as a passionate young man who really cared. The biggest problem he's had was that he should have had a season on loan, playing regularly. But we've been so desperate over the past two seasons that we've thrown him into the deep end. I don't think he's a championship striker. Give him 2/3 more seasons and he could be. But more than anything at this stage of his career he needs 30+ games where he's starting. [Post edited 13 Jun 7:04]
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Armstrong extended on 07:18 - Jun 13 with 2710 views | cpgerber | I think with some proper coaching he can be a useful player. His decision making has been poor, for me. Many fluent attacks upfield he seemed to slow it down by just hanging on to it with people streaming forward into good positions. And then when he had to slow it down and wait for support, he snapped at it or tried a shot from impossible angles. His first touch though has let him down on many occasions. Not sure how much that can still be improved, I guess a lot of practice will help. | | | |
Armstrong extended on 07:59 - Jun 13 with 2630 views | daveB | he's only 20, he'll get better in the next few years, has all the attributes to be a brilliant player. If I was a lower end Prem club I'd buy him and loan him out for a season | | | | Login to get fewer ads
Armstrong extended on 08:30 - Jun 13 with 2554 views | dmm |
Armstrong extended on 07:59 - Jun 13 by daveB | he's only 20, he'll get better in the next few years, has all the attributes to be a brilliant player. If I was a lower end Prem club I'd buy him and loan him out for a season |
It's not often I disagree with you, dave, but as others on here have queried, I am not sure he does have all the attributes to be a great player. His decision making, ball control and finishing are well below Championship standard. Yes, he should improve but enough to be 'brilliant'? I have real doubts. | | | |
Armstrong extended on 08:33 - Jun 13 with 2548 views | ngbqpr | I'm generally in the 'bags of potential' / 'he's only 20 ffs' / 'adds a different dimension to the team' / 'would love to see him make it with us' camp. But we all know we've got to move on from being held to ransom by tw@t agents. For all his many ups & downs, Willock's agent is in a position to put together a damn impressive showreel that could make clubs with a few more quid than us take a punt. I'd love to see how Armstrong's agent is pitching his client to any club that has more money / higher aspirations than us... I don't normally read too much into these things, but when Dunne's contract extension was triggered, Jimmy was quoted as follows: “I am really happy to be staying at QPR,”...subtext, I like it here, I've not done enough to get a move to a bigger / richer club, me & my agent reckon take the extension, try to build on the second half of last season, then either earn a better contract at QPR or be able to move on a free next year. The contrast to no quote at all from Armstrong is quite stark. | |
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Armstrong extended on 08:49 - Jun 13 with 2497 views | BrianMcCarthy | I freely admit that I can't read the player's development - I have no idea if his career will go stratospheric or flame out. My main concern about him is not to do with his technical or tactical abilities but his inability to control his emotions on the field. He seems to find injustice and anger in far too many situations. I'd hope that he's more reflective, or learns to be more reflective off the field. Otherwise, it can be a real barrier to learning and growth. edit gr. check. [Post edited 13 Jun 8:55]
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Armstrong extended on 09:04 - Jun 13 with 2460 views | Gloucs_R |
Armstrong extended on 08:49 - Jun 13 by BrianMcCarthy | I freely admit that I can't read the player's development - I have no idea if his career will go stratospheric or flame out. My main concern about him is not to do with his technical or tactical abilities but his inability to control his emotions on the field. He seems to find injustice and anger in far too many situations. I'd hope that he's more reflective, or learns to be more reflective off the field. Otherwise, it can be a real barrier to learning and growth. edit gr. check. [Post edited 13 Jun 8:55]
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I genuinely think that's an age and maturity thing Brian. However there are plenty of players, who have had decent careers, that play with their heart on their sleeve. I like a little bit of personality. Too many players these days are straight out of the academy mould and being quite frank, are bloody boring. | |
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Armstrong extended on 09:08 - Jun 13 with 2446 views | 1JD | He lacks natural striker characteristics- movement, anticipation, finishing. And he also struggles with general footballing abilities for the level - touch, technique, awareness. I am far from convinced he will ever be able to develop any of these to the level required since he is coming from such a low base to begin with. Looks like because he is u24 we would be due a compensation fee next summer when is out of contract, so no real rush to sell this summer, but the club may well want to if he won’t commit. | | | |
Armstrong extended on 09:29 - Jun 13 with 2379 views | BrianMcCarthy |
Armstrong extended on 09:04 - Jun 13 by Gloucs_R | I genuinely think that's an age and maturity thing Brian. However there are plenty of players, who have had decent careers, that play with their heart on their sleeve. I like a little bit of personality. Too many players these days are straight out of the academy mould and being quite frank, are bloody boring. |
We all love personality, Gloucs, but emotionally he's incredibly immature on the pitch. My concern is that this may be hindering him. I have no way of knowing, of course, it's just a concern. Immaturity usually leads to lapses in concentration (offsides?), burning of excess nervous energy (he can't last a game?) and/or an inability to recognise development opportunties as regards developing mental and technical skills (for a player his age who has played in two technical countries, his skills often let him down). Shearer used to talk about the 'ten-second reset'. He gave himself ten seconds to get over a miss. I suspect it's less than ten seconds now. In Gaelic Games it's five seconds, because that's how long it takes for the next kick-out/puck-out so you better be ready and in position or we lose possession and spend the next sixty seconds fighting to regain it. Armstrong often spends ages remonstrating with officials and/or himself while the game continues all around him. Even if he was hard done by, and he often isn't, his team-mates need him and need him now. He's 21. He's no babóg. | |
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Armstrong extended on 11:16 - Jun 13 with 2184 views | DavieQPR | He's doing nothing to change my opinion that he is just an athlete with boots on. | | | |
Armstrong extended on 11:18 - Jun 13 with 2175 views | davman |
Armstrong extended on 23:20 - Jun 12 by Myke | Would seem to be very much in the minority here, but I think there is a lot more to come from Armstrong yet and if anyone can improve him it's Marti and his coaching staff. To label him as only having power and pace is disingenuous imo.His goals v Bournemouth (Premier League) and Leicester (Champ champs) were top drawer and very unlucky not to add Ipswich (Champ runners-up) to that list (how often does a shot hit BOTH posts and not go in?) Plus his assists for Paal and Hodge showed vision, composure and technical ability. Does he score or assist often enough? Of course not - but he has both in his locker and proper coaching can improve him. A one year extension is not ideal, but if he hasn't improved by January he can still be off-loaded and no harm done. [Post edited 12 Jun 23:26]
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I keep things really simple - if he wants to be here and we want him here brilliant. If he doesn't (and not signing a contract means that is the case) then cheerio, don't let the door slam you on the ass on the way out. Harsh? Maybe, but whoever they are, if they do not want to be here and think that they can do better, let them go and in Armstrong's case, if we can get money for him, we should. | |
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Armstrong extended. on 11:26 - Jun 13 with 2141 views | BazzaInTheLoft | Opta stats aside I fcking love him | | | |
Armstrong extended on 11:37 - Jun 13 with 2114 views | LazyFan | If he's not signing a new deal, then sell him for whatever you can get. Jan is too late, as they were promised signing-on fees to wait until the contract expired, so that's what they did. He has potential, but so did many players, and we have seen from the revamp of the Dev Squad and the many players over the last two seasons who have faded fast ... Amos, anyone? That some of these players were never good enough. It can be done; Smyth proved it, but even then, Smyth is only just good enough at this level and not a game changer, game after game like Chair or Andersen or Willock. Sell him quick! | |
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Armstrong extended on 14:36 - Jun 13 with 1918 views | simmo | Jack Supple made a great point in the Patreon that Sinclair had the same goals and assists as Eze did at the same age... As he said at the time, that's not to compare them directly as footballers, because they're miles apart there, but he's 20 years old and is learning on the job in the Championship. Both Chair and Eze had proper league loans to develop, which Sinclari hasn't, and most youth players now are't close to being ready for Championship football without a few seasons under their belt. I still generally subscribe to the 100 game rule before you can really judge a young player - both the above hit real turning points around that mark. Armstrong showed improvement through the season, playing with wildly different systems and managers. He was an offside machine for the first half, but was rarely caught after Marti focused on that. That's evidence of coachability. I think it's also very difficult for a player with his level of inexperience to adopt a Marti system so quickly - this is a manager that needs in-game intelligence to manage changes in systems, shape, etc, not an easy thing for most at this level, let alone a kid with limited game time. He's clearly not to be relied upon as the main striker in a team with ambitions to challenge in the Championship, but there's no doubting his ceiling is higher than anyone else from his peer group and it's well worth us working to explore that. | |
| ask Beavis I get nothing Butthead |
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Armstrong extended on 14:58 - Jun 13 with 1831 views | SpongeParr | Not fussed if he goes or stays. Good CBs have him covered quite easily. He doesn't hold it up very well and when he does have the ball at his feet. I feel like hes a touch away from losing it again. He's excitingly direct and that's about it. Sell with a sell on clause. Id be happy if he signs a new deal but if he doesn't want it, get some money back and keep a sell on clause so that if he makes it elsewhere, then we are still going to make money. | | | |
Armstrong extended on 15:04 - Jun 13 with 1801 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
Armstrong extended on 14:58 - Jun 13 by SpongeParr | Not fussed if he goes or stays. Good CBs have him covered quite easily. He doesn't hold it up very well and when he does have the ball at his feet. I feel like hes a touch away from losing it again. He's excitingly direct and that's about it. Sell with a sell on clause. Id be happy if he signs a new deal but if he doesn't want it, get some money back and keep a sell on clause so that if he makes it elsewhere, then we are still going to make money. |
Lucky there are loads of shit CBs in the Championship! | | | |
Armstrong extended on 15:19 - Jun 13 with 1733 views | Ned_Kennedys |
Armstrong extended on 15:04 - Jun 13 by BazzaInTheLoft | Lucky there are loads of shit CBs in the Championship! |
No there isn’t: most centre backs are functional enough in this league. Next thing to coach into Armstrong is to stop falling over and moaning for free kicks so often: does him no favours and must be building an unwanted reputation with refs by now. If he stays on his feet something might materialise for him and the team. | | | |
Armstrong extended on 16:30 - Jun 13 with 1570 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
Armstrong extended on 15:19 - Jun 13 by Ned_Kennedys | No there isn’t: most centre backs are functional enough in this league. Next thing to coach into Armstrong is to stop falling over and moaning for free kicks so often: does him no favours and must be building an unwanted reputation with refs by now. If he stays on his feet something might materialise for him and the team. |
Ah, well I disagree. Hope you are ok. | | | |
Armstrong extended on 16:37 - Jun 13 with 1532 views | Northernr |
Armstrong extended on 14:58 - Jun 13 by SpongeParr | Not fussed if he goes or stays. Good CBs have him covered quite easily. He doesn't hold it up very well and when he does have the ball at his feet. I feel like hes a touch away from losing it again. He's excitingly direct and that's about it. Sell with a sell on clause. Id be happy if he signs a new deal but if he doesn't want it, get some money back and keep a sell on clause so that if he makes it elsewhere, then we are still going to make money. |
The Sheff Wed home game was a bit of an eye-opener, and should really have been calming his agent down and cooling any interest. We were very guilty of getting lazy and just whacking Ainsworth style channel balls over the top for him (did the same thing twice against the same opposition last season). I believe this is the game that Cifuentes just spent the first half saying "clip that" to the video guy they have on the bench, then at half time asked the players what they thought was wrong before showing them 20 clips. However, those two Wednesday CBs were ropey but they were strong, and quick. As strong and quick as he was. And he had... nothing in response to that. And I say that as a fan of his. Would be very disappointed to see him go. Think he may explode somewhere else, or here if he stays. But, yeh, agent's being a knob. | | | |
Armstrong extended on 16:57 - Jun 13 with 1475 views | ParkRoyalR |
Armstrong extended on 16:37 - Jun 13 by Northernr | The Sheff Wed home game was a bit of an eye-opener, and should really have been calming his agent down and cooling any interest. We were very guilty of getting lazy and just whacking Ainsworth style channel balls over the top for him (did the same thing twice against the same opposition last season). I believe this is the game that Cifuentes just spent the first half saying "clip that" to the video guy they have on the bench, then at half time asked the players what they thought was wrong before showing them 20 clips. However, those two Wednesday CBs were ropey but they were strong, and quick. As strong and quick as he was. And he had... nothing in response to that. And I say that as a fan of his. Would be very disappointed to see him go. Think he may explode somewhere else, or here if he stays. But, yeh, agent's being a knob. |
Apologies in advance for labouring the point, but thought that was another of the 'must not lose' games where we got it tactically all wrong, I get there is a possibility the players may have ignored the game-plan but if you're starting Armstrong as a lone striker what are you expecting you're players to do? I think it was the stark reality of this game and the Birmingham City home game that brought home to Cifuentes what most of us knew, that if you start Frey or Armstrong as you're lone striker you're not going to win many games or pick up enough points to stay up. | | | |
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