I wanted to post something in reply to Pants on this subject myself but didn't get round to it - that's pretty much how I'd have put it (although maybe not as well).
Yes, a lot of Thorne's appearances have been bit-parts as a substitute, but whenever I have seen him start (admittedly in very poor team performances at Reading and Palace) he's looked the very worst player on the pitch, particularly standing out at Selhurst Park.
I forget how much I paid to watch Thorne's "efforts" that afternoon, but he was an affront - not just things missing that you lose with age such as pace, but no positioning, useless in the air, no connection with his team-mates and no control. Some of these things could be compensated for - to an extent - by upping his work-rate but he doesn't even seem to do that.
Thorne gets a lot of stick on WotB for a very good reason - he was a terrible signing who has contributed the square root of nothing to the team since his predictably joyless acquisition. I have seen some bad, bad strikers in my team supporting Norwich City but Thorne is amongst the worst of them - worse than Keith Scott and Akinbiyi and on a par with Sheron, IMO.
Posted By: Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 6, 11:32:23
Written & Designed By Ben Graves 1999-2025