Styling Tyler

TYLER Harvey is being groomed to become an attacking midfielder by manager John Sheridan.

The Pilgrims teenager has traditionally been thought of as a striker, but John has introduced him from the substitutes’ bench as a midfielder in recent games, and likes what he sees.

“He’s done alright in every game he’s come on,” said John. “He looks a lot more comfortable in training and I think he feels a lot more comfortable, as well. I’ll have to work with him, but he’s got the things in his locker to be a midfield player, I think.

“It’s all about his positional play now, more than anything else. He needs to learn that and, hopefully, I can help him do that.

“He’s attack-minded – I wouldn’t have him sitting and holding – and he’ll get in areas and be clever in and around the penalty-box. He’d push on and get forward. He can pass the ball a lot better than he thinks he can and take care of it – he’s got a great touch.

“He’s a good size and he’s not frightened to put his foot in, either, which I like.”

Another teenage midfielder who has caught the eye when coming on as a substitute recently is winger Nathan Thomas, who laid on the late equaliser for Lewis Alessandra in the Pilgrims’ last home game, a 1-1 draw against Mansfield Town.

“He’s come on and he’s excited the crowd in the last 15-20 minutes,” said John. “That’s what he’s good at. He can play on big pitches.

“He’s got to work very hard on his game, like all the young ones, and I keep telling him. He does things in training that he shouldn’t be doing and have I got the confidence to put him in the side to start a game? The answer would be ‘no’, but he can come on and change a game in the last 15 minutes.

“That’s not something I want. I want him pushing to start games, but he’s got that raw pace and directness which can affect a game if you are chasing it.”