Lets get this Emre thing straight.

[ujpest doza]

I can't help but feel any of our players that aren't playing much seemingly get better on the sidelines.

 

It's a traditional thing. All Toon players become better players after spells of absence.

 

If we keep Emre out for a few more weeks, he'll be as good as Elano by the end of Jan.

Aye it certainly worked for Marcelino mind.

 

[Guest alex]

It's generally true though.

[ujpest doza]

He's even crap on FM.

What about on LW?

 

[tmonkey]

Time to move him on, unless hes happy to sit on the bench and get 20-30 mins every other game - but how long would that last till hes disillusioned knowing he'll be on the bench irrespective of what he does?

 

Good footballer, his first touch and technical ability is probably the best in our squad at present, but his biggest drawback for me, apart from being a crock, is that he never makes a decent run off the ball. If the ball is whizzing over his head and the midfield is being bypassed, something which happens practically every away game, then he could and should make a few runs into positions where hes more likely to recieve the ball, rather than comfortably standing around watching the ball zoom around in the sky. He doesnt, and its frustrating to watch.

 

That might be down to fitness, but its probably down to him not having good positional sense and movement off the ball, i.e. its just not a part of his game and he'll continue to do the same even if hes twice as fit as he currently is. He'll play better at international level because the Turkish team will pass the ball through him, similar to Veron for Argentina back when he was considered a top player. Irrespective of the reasons, we arent going to be doing that, and hence hes not a good option for the first team. Hes better coming off the bench purely because when he does come on, the team seem to use him as this sort of playmaker more often, and because hes eager to create something or change the game, he tends to position himself further up the pitch than when he starts, hence why he looks more effective.

 

It is, however, a shame that his partnership with Butt hasnt really seen the light of day, because when it has been played in a standard 4-4-2 system its easily been our best central midfield combination for a few years now, with both players slotting in naturally alongside each other and compensating for each other's weaknesses. Unfortunately, like the Kluivert Bellamy partnership in a way, its doomed from the start because the manager will prefer other players and/or other formations. Shame, but we're not talking about a Keane-Scholes calibre partnership anyway, theyre decent to good players forming what looks like a decent to good central midfield, so its not that big a deal in terms of the bigger picture.

[ujpest doza]

Biggest weaknesses for me are his lack of a right foot and his dodgy temprement.

 

He is far too easily unsettled and wound up by the opposition and when unsettled in this way generally plays shite and for himself rather than the team leading to silly bookings and free kicks for the opposition.

 

And of course, lets not forget he can't through the ball in as far as Geremi either!