Sky Bet League Two nears the 20 game mark this season and Fleetwood Town are enjoying a decent start to the 25/26 season.
Manager Pete Wild has the Cod Army currently sitting in 13th place with a genuine question of whether they could sneak into the play-offs given they are just three points away at present.
The former FC Halifax and Barrow gaffer has previously praised his team by stating “We have strength in-depth” following on from a 2-2 draw against Bromley earlier this season – a statement which would be absolutely correct.
The Current Cod squad features the likes of Ryan Graydon, Mark Helm and Matthew Virtue-Thick as well as experienced front-men James Norwood and former Wales international Ched Evans to name just a few.
However, a player worth shining the spotlight on is the experienced Elliot Bonds.
‘Strong Bonds’
Elliot Bonds has proven himself a worthy League Two starter since making the jump from non-league football back in 2020.
A box-to-box midfielder who embodies ‘brutish’ qualities whilst simultaneously being able to make smooth, progressive movement on the pitch.
The 25-year-old Guyana international made 33 league appearances last season and registered five assists; the performances clearly impressed Pete Wild and Bonds would soon be promoted to club captain for the 25/26 season.
Elliot Bonds Is A Force In Midfield
Before looking at this season, let’s briefly go back to the 24/25 season which also happens to be Bonds’ debut season with Fleetwood Town and explore why the Guyanese has now been trusted with the armband.
Bonds created a whopping eight big chances across his 33-game season and proved to be a bother for other League Two players.
Bonds won 49% of all of his overall ground duels whilst also recovering around 5.5 balls per game; showing that he is not only capable of winning his battles but also able to win it back when his teammates lost theirs.
Even with his 5’10 height, he managed to win an impressive 61% of all his aerial duels which is commendable given that League Two is home to towering defenders such as Bromley’s 6’6 defender Omar Sowunmi.
Fast forward to present day and Bonds has matched, if not bettered his statistics so far this season despite only playing 15 games.
He continues to win around 50% of his ground duals as well as 77% of his overall complete passes.
On top of this, Bonds have successfully won 100% of his aerial battles, which admittedly will change at some point but is still impressive as we approach the halfway mark for the season.
Reason To Panic?
This season, Bonds has worn the captains armband 13 times in the league but has recently found himself on the bench in the last three league fixtures but why could that be?
As previously mentioned, Pete Wild is relishing in the squad depth he has at his disposal and Bonds has plenty of competition in the middle of the park to contend with.
He continues to start games but lately it has been in cup competitions like the Vertu Trophy game against Tranmere or the FA Cup win against Barnet.
Wild has been on the record to say “The modern squad now is rotational, and we have to utilise that with the amount of games we’ll play.”
This gives fans a good indication that he has not fallen out of favour with the 25-year-old but rather needs a way to keep the squad fit and firing on all fronts, being as competitive possible in all competitions.
Bonds, in true captain fashion, is evidently taking a necessary step back in league action and swapping league gametime for cup competitions temporarily as Wild continues to navigate through an issue many managers wish they had the pleasure of having.
Conclusion On Elliot Bonds
Elliot Bonds has and will continue to have a bright footballing career for both Fleetwood and his country.
His commanding presence in midfield and battling mentality will prove to be a valuable asset for Pete Wild and his squad for many years to come; as he continues to show incredible leadership qualities.
While he has recently been absent in the starting line-up due to cup rotation, it is evident he will continue to feature as a key figure for the Cod Army.
