Frog w(h)ingers

[Carlito]

Voted Robert. His delivery was immense, especially in his first season. Reckon Ginola would have been if he was here longer though.

[Andy]

Ginola was a better player to watch, but Robert on form was pretty much the difference between a win and a loss.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Ginola for me. Yes he could be lazy, but when he had the ball exciting things always happened.

 

Robert was more effective, partly because he was hear longer under the same manager. But Ginola is better, and the season after he left us shows that.

[The College Dropout]

Ginola was a better player to watch, but Robert on form was pretty much the difference between a win and a loss.

Yep. Robert is the definition of a "match-winner". That team was full of em to be fair... definite top 6 player.

[Martin Lol]

Ginola by a country mile ............................ but I might be a little biased   

[Wullie]

As a total Robert fanboy, there's only one winner. Ginola was sublimely skilled but for the pure and simple matter of scoring/creating goals and winning matches, there's nobody we've had in years to touch Laurent Robert.

 

I was totally smitten with him from his third game when we went to the Riverside and he tore Boro to shreds.

[Skeletor]

Ginola every time.

[junkhead]

I liked Ginola a lot. He was classy.

 

But Robert is one of my all-time favs .. I couldn't care less if he was inconsistent and moody or whatever.. on top of his game he was a genius.

[Ronaldo]

Robert by a mile

[Ronaldo]

Ginola, although he was a bit before me.

 

Robert always had the potential and the skill, but he just wasn't consistent enough. Could have been a great player.

 

you were 7 when he left us. How did you see enough of him in a toon shirt to decide that?

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Before deciding think about what Robert would have achieved in KK's team....

 

His end product in terms of goals and assists and his actual goal threat in general was at times superb, even when he was off form if you like, where as Ginola's was pretty disappointing considering his abilities, that team he was in and his role in that team. In KK's side Robert would have had a field day. He wouldn't have just been a winger but a forward, free to attack constantly, free to shoot constantly, free from any defensive responsibilities.

 

They were both good players for us at different times, in different ways and in different teams but overall Robert would get my vote as the best of the two, although I enjoyed watching Ginola far more. Robert often frustrated me watching him.

 

Happier days...

 

 

 

 

[tmonkey]

Ginola was the more talented player without a shadow of a doubt for me. Great dribbling and touch, excellent crosser, two footed, could score good goals, good passer of the ball. A winger who could go down the flank and cross it with pace and accuracy, or cut inside and do damage. Personally think he was unfairly criticised by many fans for "not producing" in the second half of that season, when the problem wasn't so much him, but teams doubling up on him after Gillespie's injury which had left Ginola as the only real winger in the side.

 

Robert, although a different type of winger to Ginola, wasn't as talented overall, and may have been stronger in the goalscoring department, however for me he was hit and miss with regards to what he would produce when found in good situations. Not as intelligent a player as Ginola, and didn't have that deft touch or ability to fool or turn a defender like Ginola had. For example, if the ball crossed in from the right wing came to Robert on the edge of the box, and defenders were closing him down/likely to block him, he'd still go for the shot. Ginola on the other hand would turn or feint to work and opening and get enough room for a shot (imo that's what the better, more talented footballers will usually do). On some days Robert's directness would have led to goals, on plenty of others he'd have wasted a good opportunity.

 

N'Zogbia still has the potential to be a pretty good winger imo. A winger who can perform his defensive duties adequately, whilst also being dangerous going forward - pace, shooting, dribbling, even a mean whipped in cross, Zog has a good arsenal in his locker, just none of the consistency needed to turn rare moments of brilliance into good form over the course of a season, nor does he have the understanding of how to play a team game to turn his abilities into a dangerous weapon as opposed to a frustrating limitation ( i.e. pass and move with rare bouts of dribbling/skill/tricks in between, instead of head down and dribble into brick walls every time). He's still only 22 though, and it's worth noting that Ginola and Robert were both 26 iirc before they came here. That's four seasons N'Zogbia has to improve - pretty sure Ginola/Robert weren't tearing down trees at that age. It'd be easy to argue that Zog probably won't improve because he still has the same flaws he showed during his breakthrough season, similar to the likes Jenas or Dyer or Martins, and whilst that's probably quite likely, I'd also note that Zog had been pissed around for the past few years at this club, ever since the has-been Duff was signed to replace him as a trophy signing to cover over the weak squad and the glaring lack of reinforcements in various positions. Unlike the others mentioned therefore, there is a possible explanation or valid reason as to why he may not have improved during this time.

[JH]

Ginola, although he was a bit before me.

 

Robert always had the potential and the skill, but he just wasn't consistent enough. Could have been a great player.

 

you were 7 when he left us. How did you see enough of him in a toon shirt to decide that?

 

tbh.

 

Plus, television did exist back then you know. You don't have to see a player in the flesh to decide if they're good or not.

[madras]

Ginola, although he was a bit before me.

 

Robert always had the potential and the skill, but he just wasn't consistent enough. Could have been a great player.

 

you were 7 when he left us. How did you see enough of him in a toon shirt to decide that?

 

tbh.

 

Plus, television did exist back then you know. You don't have to see a player in the flesh to decide if they're good or not.

yes but if it is close the more you've seen,over 90mins away from highlights and off the ball gives another perspective.

 

i wouldn't feel comfortable if in giving an opinion between gerry daly or sammy mcilroy even though i saw them both on tele a bit.

[JH]

Ginola, although he was a bit before me.

 

Robert always had the potential and the skill, but he just wasn't consistent enough. Could have been a great player.

 

you were 7 when he left us. How did you see enough of him in a toon shirt to decide that?

 

tbh.

 

Plus, television did exist back then you know. You don't have to see a player in the flesh to decide if they're good or not.

yes but if it is close the more you've seen,over 90mins away from highlights and off the ball gives another perspective.

 

i wouldn't feel comfortable if in giving an opinion between gerry daly or sammy mcilroy even though i saw them both on tele a bit.

 

Wey it's not fair to say Robert's better just because I know more about him and have seen him more in my time.

 

That'd make Ameobi better than Andy Cole to me.

[madras]

Ginola, although he was a bit before me.

 

Robert always had the potential and the skill, but he just wasn't consistent enough. Could have been a great player.

 

you were 7 when he left us. How did you see enough of him in a toon shirt to decide that?

 

tbh.

 

Plus, television did exist back then you know. You don't have to see a player in the flesh to decide if they're good or not.

yes but if it is close the more you've seen,over 90mins away from highlights and off the ball gives another perspective.

 

i wouldn't feel comfortable if in giving an opinion between gerry daly or sammy mcilroy even though i saw them both on tele a bit.

 

Wey it's not fair to say Robert's better just because I know more about him and have seen him more in my time.

 

That'd make Ameobi better than Andy Cole to me.

theres a difference.

 

a certain section may agree with the former

 

whereas you'd certainly sectioned if you agreed with the latter.

[TRon]

Imagine having both Ginola & Robert in the same team? Wouldn't that be great?

 

Ginola for me.

 

It'd get a bit congested on the left.

could play ginola through the middle as he did play there very well on a couple of occasions. thats one of the reasons he gets my vote. he was more affective than people think because he took the pressure off our defence when he got the ball in a way robert couldn't and i just think he caused the opposition more problems than robert and was much better to watch.

 

kept purely to stats robert probably edges it.

 

I could never understand why Ginola wasn't used through the middle more at the time, especially during his season under Dalglish. He was exceptionally creative although he was guilty of showboating too much at times.

[madras]

Imagine having both Ginola & Robert in the same team? Wouldn't that be great?

 

Ginola for me.

 

It'd get a bit congested on the left.

could play ginola through the middle as he did play there very well on a couple of occasions. thats one of the reasons he gets my vote. he was more affective than people think because he took the pressure off our defence when he got the ball in a way robert couldn't and i just think he caused the opposition more problems than robert and was much better to watch.

 

kept purely to stats robert probably edges it.

 

I could never understand why Ginola wasn't used through the middle more at the time, especially during his season under Dalglish. He was exceptionally creative although he was guilty of showboating too much at times.

i'd watched a bit french footy before he came here and he never really played midfield but seemed to play up front and very wide, the way stoichkov did at barce.

 

what some on here don't realise (possibly cos they only have the tv to go on due to age and yes i know opinion between even those who waqtched both live is split) is the way the pressure dropped off as soon as he got the ball in a way it didn't with robert.

 

it's very hard to quantify and explain beyond i watched them both live and i'd take ginola everytime.

[TRon]

Imagine having both Ginola & Robert in the same team? Wouldn't that be great?

 

Ginola for me.

 

It'd get a bit congested on the left.

could play ginola through the middle as he did play there very well on a couple of occasions. thats one of the reasons he gets my vote. he was more affective than people think because he took the pressure off our defence when he got the ball in a way robert couldn't and i just think he caused the opposition more problems than robert and was much better to watch.

 

kept purely to stats robert probably edges it.

 

I could never understand why Ginola wasn't used through the middle more at the time, especially during his season under Dalglish. He was exceptionally creative although he was guilty of showboating too much at times.

i'd watched a bit french footy before he came here and he never really played midfield but seemed to play up front and very wide, the way stoichkov did at barce.

 

what some on here don't realise (possibly cos they only have the tv to go on due to age and yes i know opinion between even those who waqtched both live is split) is the way the pressure dropped off as soon as he got the ball in a way it didn't with robert.

 

it's very hard to quantify and explain beyond i watched them both live and i'd take ginola everytime.

 

In France he was played off the front man I believe, although I didn't see any French football to verify. He was definitely a more gifted footballer than Robert and I saw both live and I know exactly what you mean about how he could take the pressure off when he got the ball. In fact I'm not even sure the team keegan put together got the best out of him.

 

Robert though had a magical left foot. He didn't influence a game as much rather than change it's nature violently with one swing of his left peg. Fantastic crosser of the ball from open play as well.

[johnnypd]

tmonkey has summed it up well, Ginola was the better player but in pure stats didnt produce as much as Robert.

 

Robert's whipped crosses and rocket shots had a very high rate of failure, the slightest flaw in contact and the ball flies off into the stands. but if he could manage to put the ball into a rough area of danger they'd prove extraordinarily dangerous due to their power, keepers failing to get to shots or parrying them into a crowd, strikers just needed the smallest nick to send it flying into the back of the net. Robert also had attacking instinct, he knew exactly where to run and could sense even the smallest opening for a shot or delivery, the kind of intuition that Jonas lacks entirely. Of course this went a little too far, to the level of selfishness at times, but this can be forgiven due to the end product he delivered. On the downside he was often appalling in general build-up play, worse than someone like Martins, for instance, as his short-range passing and control when under pressure were poor and his off-the-ball workrate negligable.

 

Ginola on the other hand had a good mix of strength, basic passing and world-class dribbling which meant he kept hold of the ball in a way Robert could only dream of. His ability to beat players and then play a simple pass opened up the game for others and caused havoc amongst opposition ranks. Then there was his greater intelligence and patience when in the final third. His crosses tended to be more accurate than Robert's but without as much pace, likewise for his shots. imo he was one of the top wingers of his time and we were very fortunate to get him ahead of the likes of Barca.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Ginola went downhill after the Lee Dixon sending off, and his career with us was over when Dalgleish ignored him.

 

My dad was always one for grafters like Lee and Beresford, and we used to argue quite a lot about Ginola. I always, always stuck up for him. I remember being 3-0 down to Liverpool and Dalglish brought on Ginola and Asprilla, I turned to my dad and said 'Ginola will change the match'...I admit it was an oversight because he was my favourite player, but part of it stands. That ball he played to Asprilla man, absolutely world class.

 

 

If you're going to do things like put Robert in Keegans team then you're ignoring something else, the season Ginola had after he left us.

 

It boils my blood thinking about Dalglish selling him and getting in Ketbaia, Glass and Hamilton.

 

 

Ginola was better than Robert. End of story.

[madras]

Ginola went downhill after the Lee Dixon sending off, and his career with us was over when Dalgleish ignored him.

 

My dad was always one for grafters like Lee and Beresford, and we used to argue quite a lot about Ginola. I always, always stuck up for him. I remember being 3-0 down to Liverpool and Dalglish brought on Ginola and Asprilla, I turned to my dad and said 'Ginola will change the match'...I admit it was an oversight because he was my favourite player, but part of it stands. That ball he played to Asprilla man, absolutely world class.

 

 

If you're going to do things like put Robert in Keegans team then you're ignoring something else, the season Ginola had after he left us.

 

It boils my blood thinking about Dalglish selling him and getting in Ketbaia, Glass and Hamilton.

 

 

Ginola was better than Robert. End of story.

both players had fantastic first seasons and poor second seasons for us. i just seem to remember robert wasting so much more possession, playing fantastic crosses when he'd looked up and saw there was no-one there,taking ridiculous shots and free kicks which went nowhere near in the hope that 1 out of 10 might get somewhere near etc

[Guest firetotheworks]

Ginola went downhill after the Lee Dixon sending off, and his career with us was over when Dalgleish ignored him.

 

My dad was always one for grafters like Lee and Beresford, and we used to argue quite a lot about Ginola. I always, always stuck up for him. I remember being 3-0 down to Liverpool and Dalglish brought on Ginola and Asprilla, I turned to my dad and said 'Ginola will change the match'...I admit it was an oversight because he was my favourite player, but part of it stands. That ball he played to Asprilla man, absolutely world class.

 

 

If you're going to do things like put Robert in Keegans team then you're ignoring something else, the season Ginola had after he left us.

 

It boils my blood thinking about Dalglish selling him and getting in Ketbaia, Glass and Hamilton.

 

 

Ginola was better than Robert. End of story.

both players had fantastic first seasons and poor second seasons for us. i just seem to remember robert wasting so much more possession, playing fantastic crosses when he'd looked up and saw there was no-one there,taking ridiculous shots and free kicks which went nowhere near in the hope that 1 out of 10 might get somewhere near etc

 

Too right. Obviously Ginola had his bad points; he didnt defend, he tried to do too much at times, and he didnt have that lightening turn of pace from his first season. But it was like he'd been trained in football etiquette, if that makes sense. I always got the impression that Ginola saw it as downright bad manners to misplace a pass or cross. I forgive him a lot of this stuff thought because you always knew it was there waiting to come out. With Robert I was never sure, and under Souness he was absolute dogshite.

[madras]

Ginola went downhill after the Lee Dixon sending off, and his career with us was over when Dalgleish ignored him.

 

My dad was always one for grafters like Lee and Beresford, and we used to argue quite a lot about Ginola. I always, always stuck up for him. I remember being 3-0 down to Liverpool and Dalglish brought on Ginola and Asprilla, I turned to my dad and said 'Ginola will change the match'...I admit it was an oversight because he was my favourite player, but part of it stands. That ball he played to Asprilla man, absolutely world class.

 

 

If you're going to do things like put Robert in Keegans team then you're ignoring something else, the season Ginola had after he left us.

 

It boils my blood thinking about Dalglish selling him and getting in Ketbaia, Glass and Hamilton.

 

 

Ginola was better than Robert. End of story.

both players had fantastic first seasons and poor second seasons for us. i just seem to remember robert wasting so much more possession, playing fantastic crosses when he'd looked up and saw there was no-one there,taking ridiculous shots and free kicks which went nowhere near in the hope that 1 out of 10 might get somewhere near etc

 

Too right. Obviously Ginola had his bad points; he didnt defend, he tried to do too much at times, and he didnt have that lightening turn of pace from his first season. But it was like he'd been trained in football etiquette, if that makes sense. I always got the impression that Ginola saw it as downright bad manners to misplace a pass or cross. I forgive him a lot of this stuff thought because you always knew it was there waiting to come out. With Robert I was never sure, and under Souness he was absolute dogshite.

twat.......i hate it when people put into words exactly what i want to say but didn't

[Ronaldo]

Ginola went downhill after the Lee Dixon sending off, and his career with us was over when Dalgleish ignored him.

 

My dad was always one for grafters like Lee and Beresford, and we used to argue quite a lot about Ginola. I always, always stuck up for him. I remember being 3-0 down to Liverpool and Dalglish brought on Ginola and Asprilla, I turned to my dad and said 'Ginola will change the match'...I admit it was an oversight because he was my favourite player, but part of it stands. That ball he played to Asprilla man, absolutely world class.

 

 

If you're going to do things like put Robert in Keegans team then you're ignoring something else, the season Ginola had after he left us.

 

It boils my blood thinking about Dalglish selling him and getting in Ketbaia, Glass and Hamilton.

 

 

Ginola was better than Robert. End of story.

 

Ginola wasn't fit to shine Robert's shoes man