Shak

He bought a big name player who was clearly going to be first choice (numerous interviews alluded to the need to protect N'Zogbia from playing a lot of games) regardless of form to take N'Zogbia's place, despite N'Zogbia being our best player the previous season. Meanwhile the other wasters who N'Zogbia had carried at times in the season kept their places. Roeder also went out of his way to take the piss out of N'Zogbia's best mate at the club, Boumsong, in public interviews. Woeful man management at its absolute finest. regardless of form ? even the most hard bitten of n'zogs fans will admit that last season he was our 3rd best left midfielder behind duff (who was poor) and milner who eclipsed them both. as for boumsong , i don't really recall him taking the piss but no doubt there many on here who'd think that was the least he deserved. n'zog last season got what his performances deserved and i'm very pleased he's found his previous seasons form Not saying he played well last season, obviously he didn't. Point was more that Roeder almost went out of his way to make it difficult for N'Zogbia, bringing in a big reputation player in to compete with him for his spot. Ideally the player should get his head down and get on with it, but it's simply not the case in today's game. A talent like N'Zogbia knows he'll get better chances elsewhere, it's up to the manager to keep them happy and Roeder spectaculalrly failed to do that with our best young player. read it again and see how silly it is. Bolded a bit for you to re-read myself, if we're going to be patronising about things. he's played centre mid a couple of times to no great success, who has he carried on the left, if your talking babayaro you have a point but that has nowt to do with who should play left midfield where n'zog never carried duff or milner I mean that he carried the rest of the team in terms of creating chances for us, yet Roeder decided N'Zogbia was the person who should be replaced in the team rather than any of our s*** defenders or ineffective midfielders. That seem fair or in the least bit intelligent to you? probably not but it really comes down to the player facing competition for a spot in the team and not doing it...would you say the same if owens head went down and he played s*** cos we'd signed martins? no you'd criticise him if he played s*** which is right as i have done last season with n'zogbia Not really the same thing at all as Owen is a proven top player whereas N'Zogbia is still a young prospect (one who needs games to develop might I add). But yeah, if Owen had been on fire for a season and was probably our best player and we went out and bought someone else to take his place while ignoring other crucial needs in the team I'd not exactly blame him for being a bit pissy tbh. Do you genuinely think Roeder was ever going to choose between Zoggy and Duff based on merit last season?

He bought a big name player who was clearly going to be first choice (numerous interviews alluded to the need to protect N'Zogbia from playing a lot of games) regardless of form to take N'Zogbia's place, despite N'Zogbia being our best player the previous season. Meanwhile the other wasters who N'Zogbia had carried at times in the season kept their places. Roeder also went out of his way to take the piss out of N'Zogbia's best mate at the club, Boumsong, in public interviews. Woeful man management at its absolute finest. regardless of form ? even the most hard bitten of n'zogs fans will admit that last season he was our 3rd best left midfielder behind duff (who was poor) and milner who eclipsed them both. as for boumsong , i don't really recall him taking the piss but no doubt there many on here who'd think that was the least he deserved. n'zog last season got what his performances deserved and i'm very pleased he's found his previous seasons form Not saying he played well last season, obviously he didn't. Point was more that Roeder almost went out of his way to make it difficult for N'Zogbia, bringing in a big reputation player in to compete with him for his spot. Ideally the player should get his head down and get on with it, but it's simply not the case in today's game. A talent like N'Zogbia knows he'll get better chances elsewhere, it's up to the manager to keep them happy and Roeder spectaculalrly failed to do that with our best young player. read it again and see how silly it is. Bolded a bit for you to re-read myself, if we're going to be patronising about things. he's played centre mid a couple of times to no great success, who has he carried on the left, if your talking babayaro you have a point but that has nowt to do with who should play left midfield where n'zog never carried duff or milner I mean that he carried the rest of the team in terms of creating chances for us, yet Roeder decided N'Zogbia was the person who should be replaced in the team rather than any of our s*** defenders or ineffective midfielders. That seem fair or in the least bit intelligent to you?

when did that happen ? The 2005-2006 season.

He bought a big name player who was clearly going to be first choice (numerous interviews alluded to the need to protect N'Zogbia from playing a lot of games) regardless of form to take N'Zogbia's place, despite N'Zogbia being our best player the previous season. Meanwhile the other wasters who N'Zogbia had carried at times in the season kept their places. Roeder also went out of his way to take the piss out of N'Zogbia's best mate at the club, Boumsong, in public interviews. Woeful man management at its absolute finest. regardless of form ? even the most hard bitten of n'zogs fans will admit that last season he was our 3rd best left midfielder behind duff (who was poor) and milner who eclipsed them both. as for boumsong , i don't really recall him taking the piss but no doubt there many on here who'd think that was the least he deserved. n'zog last season got what his performances deserved and i'm very pleased he's found his previous seasons form Not saying he played well last season, obviously he didn't. Point was more that Roeder almost went out of his way to make it difficult for N'Zogbia, bringing in a big reputation player in to compete with him for his spot. Ideally the player should get his head down and get on with it, but it's simply not the case in today's game. A talent like N'Zogbia knows he'll get better chances elsewhere, it's up to the manager to keep them happy and Roeder spectaculalrly failed to do that with our best young player. read it again and see how silly it is. Bolded a bit for you to re-read myself, if we're going to be patronising about things.

He bought a big name player who was clearly going to be first choice (numerous interviews alluded to the need to protect N'Zogbia from playing a lot of games) regardless of form to take N'Zogbia's place, despite N'Zogbia being our best player the previous season. Meanwhile the other wasters who N'Zogbia had carried at times in the season kept their places. Roeder also went out of his way to take the piss out of N'Zogbia's best mate at the club, Boumsong, in public interviews. Woeful man management at its absolute finest. regardless of form ? even the most hard bitten of n'zogs fans will admit that last season he was our 3rd best left midfielder behind duff (who was poor) and milner who eclipsed them both. as for boumsong , i don't really recall him taking the piss but no doubt there many on here who'd think that was the least he deserved. n'zog last season got what his performances deserved and i'm very pleased he's found his previous seasons form Not saying he played well last season, obviously he didn't. Point was more that Roeder almost went out of his way to make it difficult for N'Zogbia, bringing in a big reputation player in to compete with him for his spot. Ideally the player should get his head down and get on with it, but it's simply not the case in today's game. A talent like N'Zogbia knows he'll get better chances elsewhere, it's up to the manager to keep them happy and Roeder spectaculalrly failed to do that with our best young player.

He bought a big name player who was clearly going to be first choice (numerous interviews alluded to the need to protect N'Zogbia from playing a lot of games) regardless of form to take N'Zogbia's place, despite N'Zogbia being our best player the previous season. Meanwhile the other wasters who N'Zogbia had carried at times in the season kept their places. Roeder also went out of his way to take the piss out of N'Zogbia's best mate at the club, Boumsong, in public interviews. Woeful man management at its absolute finest.

Just in the door, actually shouted "YES!!" really loudly when I saw the thread title. Dodged a massive bullet, to think we almost lost him for a pittance. Our best prospect wrapped up for the long term, fucking delighted.

Not surprised to hear all this really. Like I said he is a lot like Gilberto, a very disciplined holding midfielder who stays on his feet and wins the ball by being in the right position at the right time. Not as noticeable as the occassional crunching tackle by Butt, but far more effective. Geremi plays the position the right way if you ask me. Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira, Gattuso? None of them play/played the position the right way do they? Are these guys holding midfielders like Gilberto and Makelele though? I'm not so sure. Keane and Viera were more box to box players who broke up play all over the pitch, than holding midfielders who protected the back four. Wasn't Viera partnered with Gilberto afterall? To be fair, those three players I listed are as good as it gets as DM's and are a little more all-action than someone like Gilberto. But I'd consider them DM's definitely as they do their best work when the opposition has the ball. It's beside the point anyway, as Geremi is nowhere near as good defensively from what I've seen of him as Makelele or Gilberto. Just because he doesn't throw himself into tackles doesn't somehow make him a cleverer player than Butt or anything, and Bolton's goal in our first game of the season is a good indication that his defensive mind isn't all that great, needlessly commiting himself to a ball that wasn't really there to be won.

Butt and Barton in the middle for me if we're going for a straight up 4-4-2 with genuine width. Geremi is fine in a 3-man midfield, but excels neither going forward or protecting the back 4 so he's not suited to 4-4-2 I don't think.

Not surprised to hear all this really. Like I said he is a lot like Gilberto, a very disciplined holding midfielder who stays on his feet and wins the ball by being in the right position at the right time. Not as noticeable as the occassional crunching tackle by Butt, but far more effective. Geremi plays the position the right way if you ask me. Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira, Gattuso? None of them play/played the position the right way do they?

“I recognised Ronaldo straight away from watching the World Cup last year,” Baltrusch said. “He’s my idol. I’ve always fancied him.” Her idol?

I'm actually sickened we didn't sign Leighton Baines, came up with this today at work. *To the tune of Ace of Spades, obviously* If you need a left-back, you know that he's your man. He'll bomb forward, track back, It's all the same to him. From the rugby club he came, the only one we need, Leighton Baines, Leighton Baines!!

Didn't see the match on Saturday myself but I thought in the previous games he really didn't try anything adventurous and most of his passes were safe, efficient ones. That's fin if you're a holding midfielder, but we can't be playing with two of them and I think Butt does the job better.

His set-pieces have been nothing special really, Milner could do it just as well. I'd not be too upset if we lost the long throw either. Think Butt gives us more in general play, can't say I know a lot about Faye but some seem to think he's good enough to be first choice DM. Hope so, don't think Geremi is suited to the role at all.

It was a big problem last season with Parker, and before him it was a bit of an issue in Shearer's last year or two. We had a captain that, arguably, shouldn't have been playing every game for us but was undroppable due to his captain status and the apparent problems dropping him might have caused. And, low and behold... http://www.cynical-c.com/archives/bloggraphics/oopspage_01.jpg The same thing could be about to happen with our new captain, Geremi. Emerged as the obvious choice in pre-season due to his good form, experience and natural calmness on the ball and apparent good attitude and influence in the dressing room. But, as everyone gets fit in CM I wonder if Geremi is going to be someone we want in our starting line-up. Not a natural DM by any means, works hard but doesn't get about the place and break up play to the level that Butt does, and doesn't seem to have a natural ability to assess danger and protect the back 4 accordingly. Not a box-to-box player either and his passing and creativity isn't particularly outstanding so not a playmaker. Useful to have in midfield as he's generally pretty decent at everything, without being really outstanding at anything in particular. If Emre gets fullly fit and playing well (massive question marks over that tbf) I'd have him in ahead of Geremi every day of the week. Will Sam drop him if needs be? I'd like to think so. What happens then though? Deputy Captain? Barton seems a good bet, always gonna play when fit you'd imagine and it'd give him some responsibility without going the whole way.

It does specify that the player has to be very slow to be fair ("big-time slow") so I can see their point to some extent. And if their touch is exceptional I'm sure they'll make an... exception for them. Also says that if they ahve l0oads of pace but a bad touch they won't look at them. Agree with the general point though, but I doubt if a 14 year old Riquelme showed up at most academy's around the country he'd be told to fuck off or anything.

He's the boy alright. blueyes.gif Told yous And the best is yet to come, although there are a few things that we won't like around the corner. Mick, aye, it will be very interesting to see how he handles a bigger budget and what kind of players he'll go for. I think if the money is available he'll be in for Diouf in January, look to offload Ameobi, will maybe listen to offers for Martins and spend big on a more mobile striker to fill the role Viduka currently occupies in the forward 3. That really is the key to this whole lark. Yet you felt the need to belittle the thread I started about exactly that.

I was going to mention his first goal for us against Blackburn, but decided not to bother. You've shown me up I'm afraid.

Good point G.

Yep, his movement and anticipation get him on the end of enough balls as well to make him a threat from crosses. He'll never climb above a defender for a cross, but he'll get there before them so he won't need to.

He wasn't for us. He'd gone to shit by the time he came here though. Gerrard does alright there for Liverpool, and Barton is similiar (in style if not quality) to him.

Agree with that, that'd be the best 6 for a typical 4-3-3. But we have to find a way to incorporate Owen when he's fit, for the majority of games at least.

Barton on the wing will be just like Bowyer on the wing. Bowyer was pretty fantastic on the wing for Leeds.

Would have boughT another winger instead of Smith if we were going to play 4-4-2 on any sort of regular basis. Hope we try it anyway, maybe push Barton out on to the wing for some games when he's back.

Bentley or N'Zogbia, not sure.