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Nathaniel Atkinson


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1 hour ago, haz said:

Muscat is a capable replacement. IMO Muscat is better in defence then Atkinson, but the latter has got the #yoof. Of course the main argument is that Atkinson will only get better whereas Muscat will be on the decline.

This is correct, but I would also add the following:

1.Manny has an unfortunate habit of collecting cards at inopportune times

2. Atkinson offers a lot more going forward 

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7 minutes ago, Shahanga said:

This is correct, but I would also add the following:

1.Manny has an unfortunate habit of collecting cards at inopportune times

2. Atkinson offers a lot more going forward 

Yep agree. Was going to include those too.

I hope we will see a cameo or two from Pierias, I still do not know if hes A-League standard. Im sure we will see another suspension from Muscat so he might get a look in

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13 minutes ago, haz said:

Yep agree. Was going to include those too.

I hope we will see a cameo or two from Pierias, I still do not know if hes A-League standard. Im sure we will see another suspension from Muscat so he might get a look in

Can you bet on players getting a yellow card in a game?

Put the house on Manny for this Thursday, hes a shoe in (maybe even a cheeky red)

 

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  • 1 month later...

“It was the worst pain I’d ever felt” – Wunderkind Atkinson looks to cap off recovery with dream derby win

 

 February 28, 2018

 

 

The Launceston born winger/wing-back was setting tongues wagging among the A-League commentariat; his youthful enthusiasm, quickness and audacious willingness to run at opponents caught the eye of observers.

Alongside fellow City youngster Daniel Arzani and Perth Glory’s Jacob Italiano, Atkinson was being touted as part of a new generation of exciting Australian footballer, one that would be entering their prime in time for the 2022 World Cup.

The 18-year-old had also just signed a two-year senior deal with Melbourne City, only a month after making his senior debut.

This fairytale opening to Atkinson’s professional career would take a dark turn however, when during City’s 5-0 demolition of Adelaide United on 21 January, the youngster was stretchered off the field with an apparently severe ankle injury.

Contesting an Adelaide corner in the 67th minute, Atkinson came down on the foot of another player before rolling his ankle.

“At the time I thought I’d just jumped and landed awkwardly,” Atkinson recalled.

“But going home from hospital and looking through the highlights, I landed on another players foot, and when he moved my foot rolled completely over and then – instant pain.

“I thought I broke my whole ankle, there was that much pain.

“Looking back to how it happened, the way I rolled it, the physios at the time thought the worst before they got to see me – I thought something really bad had happened.

“On the pitch Dazza (Dario Vidosic) was feeling around my ankle, twisting it, and after he did that he was pretty confident there was no breakage.”

Atkinson writhed on the AAMI Park surface for several minutes with the City staff eventually stretching him off.

He took several gulps from the infamous ‘green whistle’ anaesthetic so often seen after serious sporting injuries.

“I was in a lot of pain, was sucking down the whistle,” Atkinson admits.

“Dazza (Vidosic, who continued to console Atkinson as he was stretchered off the field) just said to breathe.

“At the time it was the worst pain I’d ever felt.

“They had to cut my boot off because it was too painful to take off normally.”

City officials immediately drove Atkinson to hospital following his exit from the field of play, with doctors looking to rule out any damage to the bones in the youngster’s ankle.

“The hospital was two minutes away,” Atkinson said.

“The ambulance didn’t come, it was about 3-5 minutes away, so they just drove me there in two minutes.

“I went into emergency and got an x-ray.

“It came out pretty good, no break or anything.

“The next one or two days we got MRI scans, CAT scans and that’s where it showed that I’d ruptured two ligaments.

“Obviously rupturing two ligaments isn’t the greatest, but it’s probably the best outcome compared to what could have been.”

Initial outside reports indicated that Atkinson may have been sidelined six to 12 months with the injury, but internally the prognosis was for a much quicker recovery.

“They say the ligaments that I did are only used for stability, so if you let them heal and tape them up I should be back pretty quickly, compared to I’d done other ligaments in the foot,” he explained.

“Cody (Melbourne City Physiotherapist Cody Williamson) said we’ll aim for five weeks, the Perth game, and that was the game I came back in.”

Rehab began at City’s Bundoora headquarters almost immediately following the incident.

“It (the rehab) was all based at the CFA, first two days coming back I was doing upper body – I was in a moon boot – got the gun show going,” Atkinson laughed.

“Gradually after about a week I could walk on it and then two weeks in some slight jogging – a brisk walk.

“Third week I was getting into running straight lines, fourth week running as quick as I could.

“After four weeks I was back training, fifth week playing.”

Atkinson made his return to the field against the Glory last week, starting at right-back and playing 75 minutes before being forced from the field with cramp.

The ankle, much like that of his City teammate Bruno Fornaroli, still pains him following games and during training, but Atkinson insists that he is not going to let it affect the way that he plays.

“There’s going to be some sort of pain for the rest of the season probably, until I can fully rest it and recover,” he clarified.

“Ligaments take a long time to heal, probably a year, so there’s still going to be a bit of pain here and there.

“I only struggled with match fitness (in the Perth game), I came off with cramp, which I guess is normal after being out for five weeks, but I feel pretty confident with the ankle.”

He will need to be confident, as if he lines back up at right back in Friday’s Melbourne Derby, Atkinson will be faced with the prospect of marking Melbourne Victory superstar Leroy George, who starred in their 3-0 win over Adelaide United last week.

Atkinson previously tussled with George in the Christmas Melbourne Derby, when the Suriname-born winger and his Victory teammates would claim temporary bragging rights after a 96th-minute penalty from Mark Milligan brought them the 1-0 win.

Despite the loss, Atkinson enjoyed his first Melbourne Derby experience, and is looking forward to getting the opportunity to run back out on the AAMI Park surface for what has been dubbed ‘The Decider’.

“I think it was my third A-League game and it was a really good experience,” he fondly reminisced.

“It was the biggest crowd I’ve ever played for.

“There’s a lot of pressure, but it was a lot of fun, there’s a lot of passion from everyone and that’s the sort of games you want to play in.

“They’re the best games, a great experience.

“We definitely know that we can beat Victory, we’re going to have to be at our best to do it, but the boys are confident and we’ll definitely come out fighting.”

 

http://dailyfootballshow.com/it-was-the-worst-pain-id-ever-felt-wunderkind-atkinson-looks-to-cap-off-recovery-with-dream-derby-win/

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  • 4 months later...
45 minutes ago, mattyh001 said:

Don't read anything into it.  Muscat was a squaddie who mostly helped with depth, so if he's one of our biggest losses then you know the person who wrote this barely watched us - and probably is just bullshiting about most of the article

It wasnt the article its self, just that they think Atkinson is still struggling. Most of the time the HAL site is basic shit

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OK, so this season imo is Nathaniel's big chance. He has broken into the first team, now is his chance to stake his claim at a European chance. 

I think the hype around Arzani works well for him as scouts will be casting eyes in our direction. Plus the roos relative weakness at right back presents a unique opportunity. 

Let's hope he delivers! 

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3 hours ago, thisphantomfortress said:

OK, so this season imo is Nathaniel's big chance. He has broken into the first team, now is his chance to stake his claim at a European chance. 

I think the hype around Arzani works well for him as scouts will be casting eyes in our direction. Plus the roos relative weakness at right back presents a unique opportunity. 

Let's hope he delivers! 

I'm looking at him and Najjarine as our youth stars for this season.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 2 months later...

There is 3 options that has happened to Atkinson, and I'm not quite sure which one it is

A. He has lost confidence as he seems to get moved positions every 20 minutes it seems, he is a winger than a right back, then a left winger, then back to right back. 

B. He was made to look a bit better last season, as the opposition always double teamed arzani and let Atkinson have more space especially in attack. And now with no arzani he hasn't been able to adjust to more attention 

C. We just got it wrong and he is just a very average player

 

Whichever it is, Joyce can not pick him this week, Davidson and Castro will tear him apart. But I have no doubts he will be one of the first on the teamsheet

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4 minutes ago, neio said:

There is 3 options that has happened to Atkinson, and I'm not quite sure which one it is

A. He has lost confidence as he seems to get moved positions every 20 minutes it seems, he is a winger than a right back, then a left winger, then back to right back. 

B. He was made to look a bit better last season, as the opposition always double teamed arzani and let Atkinson have more space especially in attack. And now with no arzani he hasn't been able to adjust to more attention 

C. We just got it wrong and he is just a very average player

 

Whichever it is, Joyce can not pick him this week, Davidson and Castro will tear him apart. But I have no doubts he will be one of the first on the teamsheet

I'd say all of the above, but especially #2. I really think as a first year player, he found confidence and comfort in having Arzani on his side.

Maybe (and hoping) it's a second year thing, but he also really needs to improve his strength (gets bumped off it and corralled into the corner by stronger defenders way too easily) and also needs to stop trying to play intricate passes as i don't believe he is as skillful as he may believe he is.

Don't want to see him in our team till next season.

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18 minutes ago, rass said:

I'd say all of the above, but especially #2. I really think as a first year player, he found confidence and comfort in having Arzani on his side.

Maybe (and hoping) it's a second year thing, but he also really needs to improve his strength (gets bumped off it and corralled into the corner by stronger defenders way too easily) and also needs to stop trying to play intricate passes as i don't believe he is as skillful as he may believe he is.

Don't want to see him in our team till next season.

Has another season to go on his contract. Probably given a senior contract just a little too early.

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Is he a RW, a RM or a RB? 

There are differences in all those roles and the constant shuffling cannot be helping him. 

If he is a RB, he really needs to learn the defensive side of things before he can start making overlapping runs and putting in crosses. Learning when to stay and go is crucial in the modern game. That balance is the hardest part of a FB's game but his defensive skills are poor. He doesn't track well, can't make consistent, effective tackles and seems unsure of when to tuck in. On top of that, a FB must now be the fittest on the team. His tank needs work. 

If he is a RM or RW, he needs to learn how and when to cover defensively but remain an attacking threat every time we go forward. Working on his technical skills and honing his instincts is crucial. Does he cut inside when he carries the ball? Does he utilise the half-space? 

I think he needs to be given a defined role and made to work on it. He is very young though and I think he has potential but these next few years will be pivotal. 

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If he stays in the starting lineup, then he needs to go back to basics. His 1st priority should be defence, and playing the percentages. For instance, don’t weakly clear the ball from the box into a packed midfield, just kick it out for a corner.

Or, when going forward, play the  1st option cross or pass 90% of the time, not the other way round. 

 

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3 minutes ago, Torn Asunder said:

If he stays in the starting lineup, then he needs to go back to basics. His 1st priority should be defence, and playing the percentages. For instance, don’t weakly clear the ball from the box into a packed midfield, just kick it out for a corner.

Or, when going forward, play the  1st option cross or pass 90% of the time, not the other way round. 

I don't think you need the conditional phrase "If he stays in the starting line-up...." He needs to go back to basics, full stop. Leave the fancy stuff to someone else.

We've got assistant coaches. We've got plenty of people there to work on this stuff with players. With their technique, as well - e.g. these shameful wasted dead-ball kicks.

I suspect that Joyce felt and feels pressure from above to produce another Arzani during his tenure, and that he was too quick to promote Atkinson as a result.

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40 minutes ago, Harrison said:

Is he a RW, a RM or a RB? 

There are differences in all those roles and the constant shuffling cannot be helping him. 

If he is a RB, he really needs to learn the defensive side of things before he can start making overlapping runs and putting in crosses. Learning when to stay and go is crucial in the modern game. That balance is the hardest part of a FB's game but his defensive skills are poor. He doesn't track well, can't make consistent, effective tackles and seems unsure of when to tuck in. On top of that, a FB must now be the fittest on the team. His tank needs work. 

If he is a RM or RW, he needs to learn how and when to cover defensively but remain an attacking threat every time we go forward. Working on his technical skills and honing his instincts is crucial. Does he cut inside when he carries the ball? Does he utilise the half-space? 

I think he needs to be given a defined role and made to work on it. He is very young though and I think he has potential but these next few years will be pivotal. 

For the international side he plays as a CM, he looked a lot better playing there than he does as RB.

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Wouldn’t matter where he plays right now. He seems timid and second guesses his decisions. Lacks the confidence to play positively and his touch especially first touch has been awful. The clearance last night sums up how he’s going.

And for a young player he needs to adjust his attitude towards the refs got a yellow for a blow up his year and seems to blow up at them often.

Disappointing when he and Arzani linked up so well last year. This year it looks like he’s never played with his team mates before. 

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3 hours ago, neio said:

There is 3 options that has happened to Atkinson, and I'm not quite sure which one it is

A. He has lost confidence as he seems to get moved positions every 20 minutes it seems, he is a winger than a right back, then a left winger, then back to right back. 

B. He was made to look a bit better last season, as the opposition always double teamed arzani and let Atkinson have more space especially in attack. And now with no arzani he hasn't been able to adjust to more attention 

C. We just got it wrong and he is just a very average player

 

Whichever it is, Joyce can not pick him this week, Davidson and Castro will tear him apart. But I have no doubts he will be one of the first on the teamsheet

Agree with @rass, all of the above but mostly #2.

I still think he's reasonably good in the middle third, breaking the line, but he seems all at sea in the attacking and defensive thirds. In attack he doesnt vary it up and go inside enough, and never makes the back post run like a good winger would, and defensive third he's just too weak on the ball and in the challenge.

Good news is theyre all things he can improve on, but imo he shouldnt be working on it in the first team in the immediate future.

 

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16 hours ago, bt50 said:

Agree with @rass, all of the above but mostly #2.

I still think he's reasonably good in the middle third, breaking the line, but he seems all at sea in the attacking and defensive thirds. In attack he doesnt vary it up and go inside enough, and never makes the back post run like a good winger would, and defensive third he's just too weak on the ball and in the challenge.

Good news is theyre all things he can improve on, but imo he shouldnt be working on it in the first team in the immediate future.

 

I may be wrong, but wasn't Atkinson in the team and looking a good prospect well before Arzani started making the lineup?

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This kid is okay.

I get everyone's need to want to drop him and that would somehow make him a better player, but for me we need to persevere with him. Give him another 20 senior games playing as a winger a right back or a right wing back and then make the call. It's crazy to expect a player to become a senior player in a dozen or so games, for me he is no worse than Jamieson and better than Delbribge was early on. He just needs time. 

In his last 2 games he made for me 2 crucial errors that effected both matches, when he piked out of a header that was a certain goal and making a poor clearance that lead to Griffiths idiotic challenge, he nails both those moments and he is hailed a hero, fails and is labelled a liability. For me he was in great positions initially which is 90% of the battle but failed to execute. 

 

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35 minutes ago, malloy said:

I may be wrong, but wasn't Atkinson in the team and looking a good prospect well before Arzani started making the lineup?

IIRC he played on George in the Xmas derby and belted him so he was at least there a month before Arzani.
I still think he's a good prospect, but at the minute he doesnt seem to know whether hes attacking or defending and perhaps struggles with less space as alluded to earlier.

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54 minutes ago, bt50 said:

IIRC he played on George in the Xmas derby and belted him so he was at least there a month before Arzani.
I still think he's a good prospect, but at the minute he doesnt seem to know whether hes attacking or defending and perhaps struggles with less space as alluded to earlier.

Exactly. Still a good enough prospect to make it in Europe at some level.

He looks lacking in confidence at the moment but he still played some nice passes against CCM. 

I suspect he thought that the RB position was his until we brought in RDL. It would've been hard for him, especially when WJ began to play him in different positions. 

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1 hour ago, Jovan said:

This kid is okay.

I get everyone's need to want to drop him and that would somehow make him a better player, but for me we need to persevere with him. Give him another 20 senior games playing as a winger a right back or a right wing back and then make the call. It's crazy to expect a player to become a senior player in a dozen or so games, for me he is no worse than Jamieson and better than Delbribge was early on. He just needs time. 

In his last 2 games he made for me 2 crucial errors that effected both matches, when he piked out of a header that was a certain goal and making a poor clearance that lead to Griffiths idiotic challenge, he nails both those moments and he is hailed a hero, fails and is labelled a liability. For me he was in great positions initially which is 90% of the battle but failed to execute. 

He had 17 matches in 2017-18, and played at least 60 minutes in all of them and 90 or close to in most of them, and he's played in 12 so far this season.

Are you sure he still needs another 20?

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13 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

He had 17 matches in 2017-18, and played at least 60 minutes in all of them and 90 or close to in most of them, and he's played in 12 so far this season.

Are you sure he still needs another 20?

Yep. 

Have a look at any decent pro and unless they are amazingly talented most you wouldn't want in their first 50 games but have become great players. The A League mentality is completely out of whack with the rest of the world. 

If a player doesn't turn heads in his first handful games he is axed never to been seen again and generally overlooked for a 20 plus year old journeyman. 

So getting back to Atkinson he has shown enough (to me atleast) in his 30 odd games that he is capable of becoming an A League quality player and possibly more. I also think that dropping him is counterproductive and that playing him would be the only way of definitively confirming if he is good enough. 

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14 minutes ago, Jovan said:

Yep. 

Have a look at any decent pro and unless they are amazingly talented most you wouldn't want in their first 50 games but have become great players. The A League mentality is completely out of whack with the rest of the world. 

If a player doesn't turn heads in his first handful games he is axed never to been seen again and generally overlooked for a 20 plus year old journeyman. 

So getting back to Atkinson he has shown enough (to me atleast) in his 30 odd games that he is capable of becoming an A League quality player and possibly more. I also think that dropping him is counterproductive and that playing him would be the only way of definitively confirming if he is good enough. 

..but at some point you have to put the brakes on when they don't show improvement and instead, seem to be regressing. When it comes to the point where he is costing us goals and potentially results, then it is time to put him away in the seconds so he can gain some confidence.

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Signing Richie definitely didn't help, when you've cemented your spot in a team and are showing quite a bit of potential then the club goes and signs a marquee player who plays your position. I know most pro's would be uneasy about it, let alone a guy of Atkinsons age. It's not a real vote of confidence.

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6 minutes ago, mus-28 said:

Signing Richie definitely didn't help, when you've cemented your spot in a team and are showing quite a bit of potential then the club goes and signs a marquee player who plays your position. I know most pro's would be uneasy about it, let alone a guy of Atkinsons age. It's not a real vote of confidence.

Right. Imagine thinking in pre-season that your competition is Pierias and Delbridge, and then a day later coming up against an ex-PL defender still at his peak.

It'd be daunting. 

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5 minutes ago, mus-28 said:

Signing Richie definitely didn't help, when you've cemented your spot in a team and are showing quite a bit of potential then the club goes and signs a marquee player who plays your position. I know most pro's would be uneasy about it, let alone a guy of Atkinsons age. It's not a real vote of confidence.

Good discussion point. However, wouldn't be reasonable to expect Atkinson to be learning his craft from the master?

Whatever marquee you sign you should have a back-up for his position...if you don't you can get the current situation we have with Bruno.

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57 minutes ago, Jovan said:

Yep. 

Have a look at any decent pro and unless they are amazingly talented most you wouldn't want in their first 50 games but have become great players. The A League mentality is completely out of whack with the rest of the world. 

If a player doesn't turn heads in his first handful games he is axed never to been seen again and generally overlooked for a 20 plus year old journeyman. 

So getting back to Atkinson he has shown enough (to me atleast) in his 30 odd games that he is capable of becoming an A League quality player and possibly more. I also think that dropping him is counterproductive and that playing him would be the only way of definitively confirming if he is good enough. 

Good point. But the A-League season is half as long as many elsewhere. You want to spend two seasons evaluating a potential future player? Some would argue that it's better to sigh a few journeymen, from whom you know what you're going to get, rather than experiment with young players - and some would say that it's this policy that contributes to City being an underperforming club.

It's not just Atkinson of course. We just don't have enough football for the players that we have. Just as an example, a decent club in England will have probably 40+ league matches and be in 3 Cup competitions, as well as having quite a number of loan-out opportunities for players.

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28 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Good point. But the A-League season is half as long as many elsewhere. You want to spend two seasons evaluating a potential future player? Some would argue that it's better to sigh a few journeymen, from whom you know what you're going to get, rather than experiment with young players - and some would say that it's this policy that contributes to City being an underperforming club.

It's not just Atkinson of course. We just don't have enough football for the players that we have. Just as an example, a decent club in England will have probably 40+ league matches and be in 3 Cup competitions, as well as having quite a number of loan-out opportunities for players.

City is in the top half of the table, how do you figure we're underperforming ? 

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4 hours ago, bt50 said:

IIRC he played on George in the Xmas derby and belted him so he was at least there a month before Arzani.
I still think he's a good prospect, but at the minute he doesnt seem to know whether hes attacking or defending and perhaps struggles with less space as alluded to earlier.

I think my point was potentially missed. I was trying to point out that he was performing before Arzani was in the team to draw attention away from him.

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