Tomoki Iwata

Feel for him, filling in at right back. Having a nightmare.

 

The poor guy has barely played in his actual position, basically been shoved in at CB and RB where he isn't comfortable.

Would like to see him at his actual position.

 

Hopefully he can get a run of games in midfield at some point.

 

Exactly how I feel, it's * * for him.

 

It’s also the second time Ange has signed him and left shortly after. He looked solid coming on against them in games to see it out last season.

He will get his chance in midfield as a destroyer ahead of Kwon based on the little we seen tonight but time will tell.

At the end of the day we paid under £1m for him and any team in J League would take him back.

 

I’d like to see him in his favoured position now he has settled at the club. He was MVP in the J league so he must have something.

 

Hopefully, although we haven’t seen that much of it yet.

 

I personally don’t see it with him even in his natural position might be proved wrong longer term I just don’t see with him at all yet. The odd glimpse but nothing to say he’s going to be able to cut it here

 

Didn't realise that bit about Ange signing him. As you say it's no a massive loss if it doesn't happen for him, but it's a waste imo. Think he's got something about him in his natural position.

 

What I liked about him in those games against them he came into the midfield and we took control of that area of the pitch again. He covered ground well, was calm in possession and didn’t give the ball away. He wasn’t spectacular but seemed to offer a bit of insurance in there at times when games were in danger of getting away from us a bit.

It is a very small sample size though, he definitely isn’t a centre back over here or a right full back. Time will tell I guess.

 

Didn't actually click that was what you meant, him coming on against the huns. Forgot all about it if am honest. But aye, exactly as you said...he came on and was instrumental in us regaining some control again.

Was pretty excited about him watching videos before he came, then even more so after his first couple of appearances in the midfield. In a perfect world he'd have got time to build on it, but his luck has been atrocious.

 

Genuinely not sure what we should do with him. Looks to be a jack of all trades master of none at the moment.

I actually thought he was decent against Wolves but * me he was bad today.

 

Aye I thought he'd be much better than he's shown....although he hasn't had loads of chances in his favoured role..

Just hasn't been able to nail down anywhere..

Even pace wise apparently he was quicker over the ground than Maeda but we've seen none of that since he's been here. Actually looked a bit stiff/flat footed..

 

Has started 4 games in his natural position since he's been here. Far too early and unfair to judge him until he gets a proper run in his natural position.

At the moment given his experience he'll likely start ahead of Kwon when we play with a more defensive midfielder so should get to see what he's got to offer

 

Was a video from pre season where players were doing sprints and he was well ahead of the rest. Can't remember who the others where but none where slouches, think 1 may have been Abada. Was suprised by how quick he looked in the video bcoz as you say we've not really seen it but would be a huge benefit if he was even close to being as quick as Maeda

 

There was a graph from his time in Japan and his numbers were better than Maeda for sprints etc in game..

I'm sure it'll be in this thread somewhere. Hes meant to be absolutely rapid but we've no seen it once..

 

Found the video. Doesn't even look to be going full pelt either

 

Yeah J League does this thing they record player max sprint speeds and his beat Maeda's top speed. He's actually shown very brief glimpses of that pace in a couple of games and that training video but he's also looked like he's dragging weights when running.

Just don't know what it is with him - almost like he's holding back and not really going full pelt at anything. The aggression he was playing with at YFM isn't there either. Shame cos I think he's actually a good wee player.