Adam Wharton

I agree with Drog. Wharton has almost gone backward this season and if this was an investment, we'd be selling when the stock is low despite having another couple of years to let it recover.

I think we can ask for top dollar up to about 2 years left on his contract, so personally I'd say let him get as close to his potential as possible this season and next, then sell around summer 2025.

IF we can afford to pay our bills without selling him soon. I'd say it's touch and go on that front.

Hopefully JDT has seen enòugh of Adam as a defensive midfielder and is a attacking midfielder tomorrow.

Isn't that Szmodics position though? The problem with Wharton is that the way he glides around the pitch is great when in possession, but poor out of possession. Szmodics tears after people closing down, which Wharton can't do. The next position back is box-to-box as Rankin-Costello or Travis do, but I'm not sure Wharton can do that either.

I'm not sure if purely attacking midfield has ever really existed as a position (or at least not for a very long time). Even Dunny was more box-to-box than attacking midfield in my opinion. I think the reasoning behind Wharton playing defensive midfield is that he's already back when the opposition break up possession and come forward, he doesn't need to follow them back which he's poor at doing and would become a passenger when we're defending. In the modern game you can't have that, you need to defend as a team from 1 to 11.

The problem with Adam and I believe scouts from other clubs have noticed is that he appears to be lacking in concentration. When he receives the ball I expect an opposing player to challenge him early, he seems to be unaware of this and sometimes takes to long on the ball. He could do with hitting the weights as well.

He's 19 for goodness sake.

Drog said:

He's 19 for goodness sake.

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How old was Ben Brereton when you started criticising him though? My comments are valid.

Chris Sutton just said on sky TV that Adam has certain aspects of his game that he needs to work on. It seems he agrees with me then.

Old Darwen Blue said:

Chris Sutton just said on sky TV that Adam has certain aspects of his game that he needs to work on. It seems he agrees with me then.

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I wouldn't disagree.

Well JDT obviously agreed with the fans on him playing attacking midfield, and it's working so far.

But I do still worry about the passenger when defending argument. There was an incident after about 35 mins when a Norwich centre half ran 40 yards straight through the middle of midfield, it was space Wharton should have closed off and he had a 15 yard headstart on the Norwich guy who wasn't exactly quick, but Wharton looked like he was running in treacle.

He has to get better defensively. I know he's not quick but that slow jog he does needs to always be a quick jog when defending, so he can at least blunt an attack down his side even if he doesn't win the ball back.

He's been decent on the ball though as usual, cracking long pass to JRC at one point.

Sutton has his lack of defensive ability nailed.

I'll repeat what Drog said "He's still only 19" with a 19year old body. He need to put some muscle on and will in time.

I thought Adam had a decent game today and with Szmodics playing everywhere there games did not clash.I totally agree that he needs time and needs to build on his game but thats what JDT is doing with him.Tronstat has made the DF position his own ,who would have thought that after the WBA game.

Great news he has signed a five year contract up to 2028 which will mean we should get his true value if he is sold.He obviously is a true blue.

khmerblue said:

Great news he has signed a five year contract up to 2028 which will mean we should get his true value if he is sold.He obviously is a true blue.

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It really is brilliant news. Well done Greg Broughton and AW.

That is excellent news!

He was already on a 5-year contract to 2027, which he signed last year, just to say.

So I'm guessing this new one is about increasing his wages to keep him happy, more than anything else. I also wonder if he's negotiated a release clause in this one that wasn't in the other, but haven't heard anything on that.

Great news. Adam Wharton must be our most valuable asset.

One thing the club has improved upon since Broughton came in is contracts. I suspect somebody at the club has put a business case forward to the owners about stumping up early on contract renewals to reap rewards later. I remember Broughton bringing this issue up quite a lot during his first year here.

We lose our better players in any case, but it would be nice to get some substantial money for them at some point.

Well there he goes. £18 million up front with a further £4 million in add ons. Palace will sell for double that in two years. Yet the venkys refused £8 million for BBD a while back and he left for nothing. The venks are the worst thing to happen to our club ever.

Old Darwen Blue said:

Well there he goes. £18 million up front with a further £4 million in add ons. Palace will sell for double that in two years. Yet the venkys refused £8 million for BBD a while back and he left for nothing. The venks are the worst thing to happen to our club ever.

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So it's 'damned if they do / damned if they don't'?
btw Do you know the full details of the sale ODB?