Quote: "Because on other occasions he's also been like poop off a shovel.'"
Guess our definitions of someone with real pace differ. I've honestly never seen Thewlis run and thought he was rapid. I'd describe him as 'fast enough' as he can finish most situations that come his way. When it requires real pace to finish, go the length or go round someone to make a clean break he's not your man.
What I will say is that Thewlis has the best sidestep in the first team and he's using it well to make good ground on his scoots and sometimes break the line by wrong footing someone.