Boss Paul Jewell says summer signing Jay Emmanuel-Thomas needs to add more consistency to his game. The former Arsenal youngster, who was 21 yesterday, has made only seven starts since signing for a fee which ultimately could rise to £2 million.

But Jewell believes there is plenty more to come from the Londoner, who has been a regular sub throughout his time with the Blues: “He’s got the potential to be a really good player but he’s also got the potential to drive you up the wall.

“He’s got something that no one else has got - he’s got that unpredictability. He can stick one in the top corner or just as you’re going to bring him off he’ll stick a great pass through.

“He’s got lots of ability, we just need to nurture that. He’s only 21 and this is the first time he’s been away from Arsenal permanently so, while we wanted to have instant success, as we would with anybody, it doesn’t always work out that way.”

The Town boss says the former England U17 and U19 international needs to be at the top of his game more regularly and not just in short spells in games: “The main thing we’re trying to add to his game is consistency. All young players do go up and down but even consistency within five minutes — he goes from one extreme to another.

“But he has got that ability to get you off your seat, to have you saying ‘what a great goal’ or ‘what a great pass’. He can do things that other players can’t. He’s got that unpredictability. He’s only young and I think if he progresses he will be a very good player.

“He’s 6ft 4in tall, he’s got shoulders like a boxer, he can run but he just needs to learn the game and learn that this a tough league and a tough environment that he’s training in every day.”

Photo: Action Images

h32 added 22:02 - Dec 28 alfromcol - takes his eye totally off the ball, otherwise he would be capable of winning most in the air. Two things here: - 1. I think he needs to decide IF he genuinely wants to play the game, for reasons other than the obvious. 2. I have seen nothing untoward in his play that GOOD COACHING could / should not be able to rectify. Simple tasks really. He has enormous raw talent, which should equal a GOOD Coaches dream task. Big question is :- As a Club do we have that Coaching talent now ?? - what I do know, is we always did have it - and more.

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TractorRoyNo1 added 01:16 - Dec 29 sadly he is very consistent! just like he was at Arsenal; lazy, can't header the ball, runs into trouble, and most importantly would not manage to score 20 goals per season even in the divsion 2
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TractorRoyNo1 added 01:19 - Dec 29 'investment' get real! i have a zillion acres in siberia for sale if you can send USD100 to PO Box 123.... Garv added 12:01 - Dec 28 The guy is an investment,
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