Ryan Leonard

[Welly7]

Pleased he's staying, hope he improves on the ball and then he can become a key member of the team and not just the squad.

 

[DTS]

Hoorah!

Let's hope the club are working on an extension.

Now's the time to get him signed up on a longer, incentive driven deal. Leonard is posed for a breakthrough season and is likely to be a lot harder and more expensive to sign on a longer term deal next year, particularly if he continues his recent goalscoring exploits.

Well run clubs are thinking a season or two in advance and not leaving things to the last minute. Offering him a new deal now demonstrates loyalty and commitment, it offers him security and we can make sure it's financially viable for us.

Had I not been to your offiices I would be sure that you are his agent.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Had I not been to your offiices I would be sure that you are his agent.

There's not exactly much else at the club to get excited about at the moment.

I was like this about Moussa as well - you've got to clutch whatever straws you can.

 

[Sam Jackson]

I personally think he's a great player, will do a good job for us next season!

 

[rlb999]

Splits opinion. I actually think he's too slow, gets over run, especially when in a more central position. Apart from the long throw, I don't get it.

The throw is the one thing he's no good at. It's long, but not long enough.

 

[undercovershrimper]

The throw is the one thing he's no good at. It's long, but not long enough.

and 9/10 hit a defender

 

[davewebbsbrain]

and 9/10 hit a defender

He throws long. it's up to our players to attack the ball. When you throw a couple of yards, you can pretty much direct to a player but with a long throw you rely on the players to move for the ball.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

He is still young to (20?), so will improve. Don't think he is good enough as a midfielder, but full back more than capable.

 

[DTS]

There's not exactly much else at the club to get excited about at the moment.

I was like this about Moussa as well - you've got to clutch whatever straws you can.

As a Southend fan of the same age as you I fully understand Yorkie......

 

[bazzashrimper]

Good news. I thought last season he added to his game the ability to beat a man. For someone the same age as Woodyard I think he may develop into a top league one / championship player.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

Chris Phillips ‏@CJPhillips1982
Ryan Leonard to be Blues right back next season if Sean Clohessy departs. Full story in tomorrow's Echo.

This was tweeted last night so that's today's echo!

 

[EastStandBlue]

Good news. I thought last season he added to his game the ability to beat a man. For someone the same age as Woodyard I think he may develop into a top league one / championship player.

Exactly. It's easy to forget that he's the same age as Woodyard simply because he looks far more competent and composed as a footballer than Woodyard ever has. Woodyard looked like a lost boy who'd wandered into a man's game, whereas Leonard looks far more natural, both with and without the ball.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

*bump*

Did we sort out an extension to Leonard's contract?

 

[chapperzUK]

Was he offered an extension? Hope we start sorting out contracts soon.

 

[shrimpled]

*bump*

Did we sort out an extension to Leonard's contract?

Not yet. Need to get this one sorted PDQ. He's been our best player so far this season and is showing all the attributes that he could become a top player.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I thought he was useless. But now think he is great. He no longer gets over run in the midfield. His tackling and passing is much better. He is showing pace that others said he has, that I never saw. He has been very consistent, and a deserved contender for player of the season. So glad he has proved me wrong, and I apologize to Ryan.
Only downside, that long throw. Surely Phil Brown and Dave Penney should find a way to use it to better effect, getting the big men up for it, as it can be like a corner. But at the moment, no goals are coming from it. A total waste of a great weapon.

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

I thought he was useless. But now think he is great. He no longer gets over run in the midfield. His tackling and passing is much better. He is showing pace that others said he has, that I never saw. He has been very consistent, and a deserved contender for player of the season. So glad he has proved me wrong, and I apologize to Ryan.
Only downside, that long throw. Surely Phil Brown and Dave Penney should find a way to use it to better effect, getting the big men up for it, as it can be like a corner. But at the moment, no goals are coming from it. A total waste of a great weapon.

No, it really can't. You can't whip a throw in with pace.

I absolutely hate long throws in football, totally overated. Unless your Stoke under Pullis (which I most certainly don't want to be) then it's pointless.

Now don't get me wrong, it's handy to have, in as much as it means you can mix up your throws, and keeps the oposition on it's toes, but it gets very tiresome if you try and hurl it into the box every time, and subsequently very easy for the defence to read it and clear it.

 

[DTS]

Personally I think long throws are crude and remotely effective. I don't think we as a side have used them well with the exception of Chelsea away but I think they are a good way to get the ball into the box and put pressure on defences. Stoke's way of playing was anti-football so I agree largely but I reckon its a valid tactic with the right players.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

No, it really can't. You can't whip a throw in with pace.

I absolutely hate long throws in football, totally overated. Unless your Stoke under Pullis (which I most certainly don't want to be) then it's pointless.

Now don't get me wrong, it's handy to have, in as much as it means you can mix up your throws, and keeps the oposition on it's toes, but it gets very tiresome if you try and hurl it into the box every time, and subsequently very easy for the defence to read it and clear it.

Spot on.

Their value is as a decoy.

 

[chapperzUK]

Long throw-ins are an effective way of getting the ball into the right area and with the right players (i.e. players who are dominant in the air) it can be an extra threat. Looking at our players and there aren't many of them will be put into that category, probably Corr, Phillips and Prosser being the only ones above 6 foot in our squad.

That said, if we were 1-0 down and it was the last few minutes then we should be using everything we have.