Francis Laurent

[ArmchairCobbler81]

Certainly an 'Andy Turner-esque' debut - don't think anybody could argue.

This is the problem, nobody is saying he played well. We're just saying GIVE THE FCUKER A CHANCE        

[4everdelayed]

Like I said, God help Harrad if he doesn't score a hat trick on his debut, someone will be on here talking about how he's sh*t.

[4everdelayed]

Ok, how about this: Laurent's absolutely brilliant. I think we have a star in the making. I can't understand why that idiot Sammo took him off at half time because he was obviously the difference between the two sides up until then. How lucky it was that we managed to hang on to get the 3 pts without Laurent's brilliance on the field.

Try and get this through your skull, mate. We're not saying he was great or even good, we're saying that to write off a player after 45 minutes of football is stupid. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less.

[New Dawn Fades]

Certainly an 'Andy Turner-esque' debut - don't think anybody could argue.

Now theirs a player that really was s***e

[ArmchairCobbler81]

Try and get this through your skull, mate. We're not saying he was great or even good, we're saying that to write off a player after 45 minutes of football is stupid. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less.

Leave him alone you...you...bloody wolf 

[New Dawn Fades]

Look Mr Reasonable, on yesterday's showing he wasn't good enough. Yes, it was only 45 minutes. Yes, I hope he improves. But honestly: would you gamble with him in the side at the moment or take one of our safer options? I know what I would do. Time is not on our side. If we are prepared to write this season off as a bust and settle for mid-table, fair enough. But I'd wager that as DC has put his hand in his pocket, he wants to see a return on his investment. So like I said, we need to start getting ourselves up the table - pronto.

This is why we need a reserve team. It was a big mistake in cutting that IMO. How are players ever going to get match fit without games? These ad hoc "behind closed doors" games just aren't good enough. I hope the stiffs make a comeback next season.

Agree with this totally

[EastNpton]

This criticism is totally unfounded. Most people I was speaking to said that he can clearly play but doesn't look match fit, which is what we all expected. What I did see though was somone with quite good technique, who can dribble and turn a man. Your crazy if you think you can sum him up on that 1st performance and a little unfair on a player of a team you claim you "support"

[TheBigPicture]

First of all, you don't play players when you know they're not fully fit for one of many reasons, so thats another one ticked off in the ever growing catalogue of poor decisions by Sammo. Most of us who contribute on here would have expected to see Francis Laurent start on the bench at best and depending on the circumstances maybe coming on for the last 10-15 mins, so it was staggering to hear he was actually starting the game.

In regards to his fitness, unless you're are stupid to think 'AFC Compiègne' play against likes of Marseille, Paris SG, and Lyon etc, research tells you that they play in the fourth tier and at an amateur level at that. trust me their fourth tier is in no comparison whatsoever to our equivalent of League 2. England has the most professional clubs/leagues in terms of depth and standard than any other country, AFC Compiègne would probably be on par with some part-time Ryman league club. Reading between the lines it doesnt sound like Francis Laurent had been at his club for long plus they don't operate to a professional level (ie day-to-day training) - so there you have it, it didnt take much thinking to work out why he's lacking in general fitness.

I'm gathering by reading South Side's post that despite coming on here to give an opinion about Francis Laurent, they didnt however bother to read through the thread regarding the who/where/how of new french winger prior to the oxford game, that way perhaps you won't make an ill-informed opinion so quickly in the future.

As i said at the top of this post though, Sammo shouldnt of started someone lacking in match-fitness, because other supporters not unlike 'South Side' who are unfamiliar with our new signing, turn up to the game Saturday, see this unknown black winger in the starting line-up, think to themselves ok lets see what they can do only to see them just go through the motions playing at no more than 50% - its understandable for them to be somewhat let down.

[Macc Cobbler]

I still just want to know why he's not fit... Has he been playing professional football or not... I don't even want to get into how good or not he is after 45 minutes.

I think the answer is he has not been playing professional football. He has been playing for AFC Compiegne who currently stand 15th out of 17th in the  Championnat de France Amateurs Group A which is equivalent to the Frence 4th division with one win all season. According to wikipedia, the league comprises amateur and semi-professional teams.

[Marvo]

Also, the French league has a winter break, then last game they played before the transfer was 27th November.

[TheBigPicture]

Oh yeah and i forgot AFC Compiegne are not professional.

[TheBigPicture]

Oh and they're in the 4th Division and something about aquivalent, just thought id mention that.

[TheBigPicture]

[guest49]

I predict that he will be a bit of a cult hero whether he is much cop or not, or if he is moody etc, a bit like David Seal was.

I need to expand my portfolio of smilies 

[Bingers]

Boy Bingers is going to write to him in French to welcome him to the club.

I'm going to see if I can steal Mrs Bingers' tricolour and get my mother-in-law to sew NTFC onto it.  I think that technically it is illegal in France, so I might have to smuggle it back again.

[guest47]

As i said at the top of this post though, Sammo shouldnt of started someone lacking in match-fitness, because other supporters not unlike 'South Side' who are unfamiliar with our new signing, turn up to the game Saturday, see this unknown black winger in the starting line-up, think to themselves ok lets see what they can do only to see them just go through the motions playing at no more than 50% - its understandable for them to be somewhat let down.

I would expect the casual supporter to work out the new player wasn't match fit and leave it at that. He did make a couple of decent runs and seems surprised that there was no-one to lay it off to in front of the penalty box. Sammo obviously hadn't explained Osman and Wedderburns' style of play.

Incidentally I dont see the relevance of black.
 

[TheBigPicture]

I would expect the casual supporter to work out the new player wasn't match fit and leave it at that.

Incidentally I dont see the relevance of black.
 

Yeah i agree on the first one, this thread alone has proved otherwise though.

As for race card you're pulling out, is it not unreasonable for a 'casual supporter' to turn up and say "oh who's this black guy on the wing, never seen him before" just in the same breath as saying for example "who's this 'bleached hair' 'ginger' 'dreadlocked'" etc etc... So the answer is its called identifying a human being from one to another, hope that helps my politically correct friend.

[guest49]

I think that there is a good chance this thread will be locked before the night's out 

[TheBigPicture]

Racist

Izzit coz i iz black!! 

[guest47]

As for race card you're pulling out, is it not unreasonable for a 'casual supporter' to turn up and say "oh who's this black guy on the wing, never seen him before" just in the same breath as saying for example "who's this 'bleached hair' 'ginger' 'dreadlocked'" etc etc... So the answer is its called identifying a human being from one to another, hope that helps my politically correct friend.

Thanks for putting me right