Tillman - the boy who doesn’t track back

Otto Bear

Otto Bear

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This Mallik Tillman has disappeared under Beale. This was by far the weakness in Tillman’s game prior to Beale coming in. That seems to have completely flipped on its head now, his ability to track back and win balls is sensational. A clear improvement coaches by our management team.
 
He's got it ALL to come,very talented, but yes need's to improve on certain part's of his game.
 
Otto Bear said:
This Mallik Tillman has disappeared under Beale. This was by far the weakness in Tillman’s game prior to Beale coming in. That seems to have completely flipped on its head now, his ability to track back and win balls is sensational. A clear improvement coaches by our management team.
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His role is completely changed under Beale imo. As he said himself. He sees himself playing the Pogba role.
 
He's always had a good sense of anticipation and been able to cut off balls into midfield or the forwards higher up the park. A bit like kamara but from a more advanced position. Shows you we don't always need a 'blood and guts' destroyer in midfield if we can press high and win the ball higher up the park.

Jury was out on him (for me) but he's still young and can only improve imo. Well worth the fee.
 
Lost count of the amount of times he won the ball back yesterday. Really hope we can keep Malik, he is a class act.
 
Otto Bear said:
This Mallik Tillman has disappeared under Beale. This was by far the weakness in Tillman’s game prior to Beale coming in. That seems to have completely flipped on its head now, his ability to track back and win balls is sensational. A clear improvement coaches by our management team.
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Quite a staggering improvement from Tillman in this area.

I did say, as many did, when he first broke through if we he could add work rate to his game and become an effective presser he'd be a superstar but I honestly didn't think he'd be able to and certainly not so quickly.

What a really impressive shift he put in yesterday.

Not only the improvement on the pitch, but he's showing a determination to improve and that he's listening to his coaches.

We could have something special on our hands here.
 
He has improved this side of his game measurably, also he seems to be able to use his physicality more.

Didnt stop greegs going mental with him second half yesterday when he switched off and never tracked a runner though :))
 
Otto Bear said:
This Mallik Tillman has disappeared under Beale. This was by far the weakness in Tillman’s game prior to Beale coming in. That seems to have completely flipped on its head now, his ability to track back and win balls is sensational. A clear improvement coaches by our management team.
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The difference in work rate and attitude from many of the players has improved drastically since Beale came in.

We're still lacking quality and confidence in certain areas but the improved attitude is winning us games regardless.

Really exciting to think what the coach can do with some better players added to the mix.
 
Otto Bear said:
This Mallik Tillman has disappeared under Beale. This was by far the weakness in Tillman’s game prior to Beale coming in. That seems to have completely flipped on its head now, his ability to track back and win balls is sensational. A clear improvement coaches by our management team.
Click to expand...
It was a nonsense criticism in the first place. He's always tracked back. He's just got that languid style - a bit like Aribo - that makes Scottish fans call him a lazy bastard.

I think the area he has improved is that he doesn't switch off after he's tracked back and the first attack has slowed or broken down.

I'm sure MB has worked on it but it'll also partly just be getting some experience. People forget how raw he was when he signed and many of those early days of "not tracking back" were really Champions League sides exploiting that inexperience.
 
waka waka said:
He's always tracked back.
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I think he looks a bit lost just now, not sure he knows what his role actually is.

He isn’t even allowed to take a quick corner, must have been raging when he went off and Hagi was allowed to take one.

Yesterday we had Cantwell, Tillman and Kent all in the same areas doing the same thing, nice pretty triangles, no penetration.

Very talented boy just hope he doesn’t go the same way Aribo did under Gerrard/Beale doesn’t nail down a specific position.
 
It’s clear the new manager and his approach has had a hugely positive effect on some players.

I read an Athletic article about Livingston and David Martindale and it featured a lot of their prep for the 1-1 game at Ibrox.
My biggest take from it was their approach to Ryan Kent.
Their sole focus was on not letting him cut inside. When his own manager is telling him to stick to one area of the pitch this makes that instruction very simple for opposition defenders.

Compare it with yesterday and the movements and rotations of Kent, Tillman and Cantwell across that front third of the park and you’re making the opposition work much harder on and off the pitch to try and combat your play.
 
I wasn't convinced that his performances under Gio showed enough for us to pay 5m for him, but since Beale and his team have arrived he's shown much more desire and focus on his all round play.

I suppose it really shows the benefit of giving talented young players clear instruction on what is expected of them which was clearly lacking in the first 6 months of this season.
 
Wins the ball so much.

Nobody can get the ball off him either, down the right side yesterday he just bodied people out the way and ran into the box with the ball glued to his feet.

His football brain is on another wavelength to most.

I think you could see the technical level of Kamara, Kent and Cantwell all working in unison yesterday. Would like to think Tillman will get more involved in that as well.

I honestly can’t wait to see how much Beale develops him, only gutter is that Bayern will likely buy him back to flip him for a bigger profit, if he does sign of course.
 
I think it will all depend on the Kent situation and I'm not sure were in a position to spend 5 million on one player. Also with Cantwell coming in Hagi and Lawrence coming back I think the money will be used for a goalie/striker.
 
Look at his numbers in terms of tackles - it's the same as Aribo, just about the best in the league.

Like Aribo, tall and not the fastest, it creates this myth that he's lazy and doesn't track back. It's just wrong. He did it before - now it's increased hugely I agree.

I believe the agreed fee is £6m. Do it.
 
The fact is we don’t know what he’ll be worth in the future, so I wouldn’t let that cloud the decision to purchase him. It’s what he can do for us in the short term. The potential has always been there, but since Beale has come in he’s performed with greater consistency. If he keeps that up he could well be a huge player for us as the boy has the talent to do things others don’t think of. His pass to Sakala in the second half not only threw the defence, but Sakala himself. 5million isa lot for us to spend on one player our current position so it’s a risk, but I fancy if he can keep his place in the American squad that will easily be recoupable.However, we need to understand that buying him will mean we will have a lot less to spend on other parts of the side.
 
Feel like there’s a case for me being Tillman’s biggest fan I rate him that highly.

However, I don’t think that box-to-box role best suits him. It suits the team currently as we don’t have anyone else who can do it.

But I want someone with his creativity and goal-threat to be operating in and around the oppositions box.

I feel he’d be much more effective in Kent’s role than Kent is in terms of consistently producing the goals and assists that win us games.
 
Brian11Laudrup said:
I think he looks fitter since Beale came in.

Yesterday was probably his best performance for us IMO.

His strength running with the ball is unreal
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I think that’s something we’re seeing across the board now and assuming we get Raskin and Whitaker we are creating a decent size profile again. Kent and Raskin may be on the shorter side but both are pretty tigerish. Both Kamara and Kent are better players now than they were 11 games ago.

It really does appear that the preseason we did last summer left so many players short of recent fitness and then forced up against CL football we clearly just crumbled.
 
Better first touch and control than Aribo imo and that is high praise.

No matter how fast the ball comes to him he just kills it but more impressive for me is his first time lay offs when a ball is fired to him.

He takes the sting out the ball and plays a pass with one touch.

A joy to watch.
 
Angrybluebear said:
I think he looks a bit lost just now, not sure he knows what his role actually is.

He isn’t even allowed to take a quick corner, must have been raging when he went off and Hagi was allowed to take one.

Yesterday we had Cantwell, Tillman and Kent all in the same areas doing the same thing, nice pretty triangles, no penetration.

Very talented boy just hope he doesn’t go the same way Aribo did under Gerrard/Beale doesn’t nail down a specific position.
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Wow, I couldn't disagree with this more, he has been brilliant since Beale came in and doesn't look lost at all.
 
Jim Prideaux said:
Wins the ball so much.

Nobody can get the ball off him either, down the right side yesterday he just bodied people out the way and ran into the box with the ball glued to his feet.

His football brain is on another wavelength to most.

I think you could see the technical level of Kamara, Kent and Cantwell all working in unison yesterday. Would like to think Tillman will get more involved in that as well.

I honestly can’t wait to see how much Beale develops him, only gutter is that Bayern will likely buy him back to flip him for a bigger profit, if he does sign of course.
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I’m sure there will still be a financial gain if Bayern do take up their option….if we have the money to buy him.
 
london_bluenose said:
Even in the scum game on the 2nd he blocked a lot of passes and made a lot of interceptions. Inexplicably there were people at HT saying they would hook him, I often wonder what game some people are watching.
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Totally agree, I was in Govan Rear 5 yesterday & a man behind was giving Tillman abuse…saying he’s not worth 2 million…”don’t pay anything for him”…

Totally clueless some people. Tillman at 20 years old has a very good future & I’m really excited to see how Beale handles him & hopefully we have the money to buy him.
 
Angrybluebear said:
I think he looks a bit lost just now, not sure he knows what his role actually is.

He isn’t even allowed to take a quick corner, must have been raging when he went off and Hagi was allowed to take one.

Yesterday we had Cantwell, Tillman and Kent all in the same areas doing the same thing, nice pretty triangles, no penetration.

Very talented boy just hope he doesn’t go the same way Aribo did under Gerrard/Beale doesn’t nail down a specific position.
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GVB back?
 
Otto Bear said:
This Mallik Tillman has disappeared under Beale. This was by far the weakness in Tillman’s game prior to Beale coming in. That seems to have completely flipped on its head now, his ability to track back and win balls is sensational. A clear improvement coaches by our management team.
Click to expand...
He was tracking back and winning the ball back under Gio also.
 
Angrybluebear said:
I think he looks a bit lost just now, not sure he knows what his role actually is.

He isn’t even allowed to take a quick corner, must have been raging when he went off and Hagi was allowed to take one.

Yesterday we had Cantwell, Tillman and Kent all in the same areas doing the same thing, nice pretty triangles, no penetration.

Very talented boy just hope he doesn’t go the same way Aribo did under Gerrard/Beale doesn’t nail down a specific position.
Click to expand...
How do you know he's not allowed to take short corners?
 
ForzaRenfrew said:
Needs to work on his fitness.
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That will only improve by the amount of games he plays. It’s his first time playing a proper season where’s he’s expected to go 2/3 times a week. Don’t think it’ll be an issue next season if we get him.
 
Otto Bear said:
This Mallik Tillman has disappeared under Beale. This was by far the weakness in Tillman’s game prior to Beale coming in. That seems to have completely flipped on its head now, his ability to track back and win balls is sensational. A clear improvement coaches by our management team.
Click to expand...
Maybe as you say, but isn't it also why he is at Rangers and getting experience of first-team football?
Basically, he is learning the game at the coalface against other professionals and having to up his game awareness to properly compete and showcase his talents.
One has to then suppose, that our own young prospects such as Lowry and King also need to be farmed out to other clubs where they may also be given a platform to properly develop at the rate required to make it.
 
People seem the have missed the point on Tillmans problems, which is that he went missing in several difficult games when we were up against it.

Celtic away and Ajax away he was beyond belief bad, also very poor at Anfield and against Ajax at Ibrox.

Since Beale has come in we haven’t faced those situations.

He was ok v Celtic at Ibrox I thought and has generally been good.

But whether he was chucking it in those earlier games because of immaturity, a poor attitude or a lack of guidance we’ll not know until he faces those situations again.

As a technical player he’s easily £5m all day. Stamina could be better but I’d imagine they can work on that.
 
I was one of Tillman’s biggest critics but I’m big enough to admit I was wrong. Since the gaffer has come in and tweaked the system both Tilman and Kent look different players.
 
Said this on an earlier thread. The hard of thinking believe tracking back and winning the ball means thundering challenges preferably whilst on your arse.
Fact is he mostly intercepts or tackles whilst he is on his feet. The fact this lets him retain possession rather than turning the ball recovery into a 50 / 50 shot doesn't satisfy the "get right intae them " who are the sort of people who think the tackle Jack made to get a yellow card yesterday was good decision making
 
Angrybluebear said:
What position did he play yesterday, what was his role supposed to be ?
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You could ask that of cantwell and Kent yesterday. I think this will be more obvious as the weeks go by, they don't have a fixed position. They do for a defensive shape, but in possession be the tricky clever footballers you are!
 
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