Kevin Nolan

[Incognito]

I suspect if I knew Kevin Nolan personally,I'd like him far more as a bloke than I would as a footballer.

 

His leadership qualities being talked about stem from the 30 goals he's scored over the past 2 seasons. But there's no guarantee the goals continuing,so what else did he offer the team. In a League where 2 games a week are commonplace, you could guarantee Nolan being s**** for the second one,because of his complete lack of stamina/fitness. The goals he scored showed a certain poacher like ability, a very good finisher, but a footballer who if he really knuckled down and shifted 2 or 3 stone could have been so much better.

 

I admit my opinion of him is tainted by witnessing him throwing his ring up in the centre circle after 10 minutes of that game at Villa Park.

 

People can't separate their admiration of his character and personality from his ability as a footballer, and what impact he could realistically have over another four/five years if he is given a long term contract. Simple as that really.

 

 

 

 

I agree.

[Guest Chubby Jason]

Where is all of this "he won't be able to repeat his goalscoring form next season" coming from? Why wouldn't he? I'm honestly astonished that so many people on here are rejoicing in the fact we've sold our best goal scorer for peanuts. How the fuck are we going to progress as a club when we just seem to be needlessly dismantling the core of our squad? Unbelievable. 

[GM]

All these internet tough guys. The most pathetic species on the planet. Stood in front of me, you wouldn't even be able to draw breath to speak to me I assure you.

 

That's ace.

 

Not sure it was intended as irony. I doubt it somehow.

[JH]

I suspect if I knew Kevin Nolan personally,I'd like him far more as a bloke than I would as a footballer.

 

His leadership qualities being talked about stem from the 30 goals he's scored over the past 2 seasons. But there's no guarantee the goals continuing,so what else did he offer the team. In a League where 2 games a week are commonplace, you could guarantee Nolan being s**** for the second one,because of his complete lack of stamina/fitness. The goals he scored showed a certain poacher like ability, a very good finisher, but a footballer who if he really knuckled down and shifted 2 or 3 stone could have been so much better.

 

I admit my opinion of him is tainted by witnessing him throwing his ring up in the centre circle after 10 minutes of that game at Villa Park.

 

People can't separate their admiration of his character and personality from his ability as a footballer, and what impact he could realistically have over another four/five years if he is given a long term contract. Simple as that really.

 

Who is saying give him a five year contract like? I can't see anyone.

 

As far as I'm concerned, he's still got 24 months to go on his current deal.

[Ikon]

I suspect if I knew Kevin Nolan personally,I'd like him far more as a bloke than I would as a footballer.

 

His leadership qualities being talked about stem from the 30 goals he's scored over the past 2 seasons. But there's no guarantee the goals continuing,so what else did he offer the team. In a League where 2 games a week are commonplace, you could guarantee Nolan being s**** for the second one,because of his complete lack of stamina/fitness. The goals he scored showed a certain poacher like ability, a very good finisher, but a footballer who if he really knuckled down and shifted 2 or 3 stone could have been so much better.

 

I admit my opinion of him is tainted by witnessing him throwing his ring up in the centre circle after 10 minutes of that game at Villa Park.

 

People can't separate their admiration of his character and personality from his ability as a footballer, and what impact he could realistically have over another four/five years if he is given a long term contract. Simple as that really.

 

 

 

 

I agree.

 

Me 2!

[Guest]

As for this "he scored 12 goals". That was superb. I doubt he'd repeat it for us mind.

 

And again, a question which seems to be going missed/ignored. Where's all these Premier League clubs going for him? I said yesterday he'd be perfect for Stoke, their style of play would prolong his career to mid 30s and he'd still get 6-8 a season just off being a nuisance from set-pieces. Well West Ham under Big Sam will probably be similar and another reason why I reckon he's more than happy to go there rather than stay and benchwarm for us.

 

What does it matter who's in for him? It's by no-means a sign of how good a player is.

 

So he's not good enough for 19 other Premier League sides, but he's so important to us? I worry about our club if we're that reliant on a 29 year old who's probably had his indian summer.

 

Similar to when Neil Redfearn got about 10 goals for Barnsley in the Premier League, or when Hutchison got a similar number for Sunderland when they had one of their good seasons before he disappeared from the face of the earth.

 

I'll always have fond memories for Nolan for what he did to the club, but if we're going to finish top 6 anytime soon, it's not going to be if we're so heavily reliant on the likes of Nolan.

[Baggio]

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. I think Nolan is a better centre midfielder than Barton by some distance.

 

I don't really have a comment on that debate. The issue I have is how we progress from where we are right now, and the key areas, imo, are strikers, a right winger and then it's Nolan's position in the team. I think we're good enough in all other areas to be real challengers for Europe season-in season-out. Football is about controlling the game. If you have the ball, the other team will always find it hard to score, regardless of how good your defence is. Sure, you may have some shit defenders who are prone to mistakes (ahem, Arsenal), but if you control the ball for most of the match, you're going to end up winning more often than not (this Arsenal exemplifies). Which means, then, that you need excellent midfielders with some mobile strikers who can exploit the weaknesses in opposition teams to controll the ball and dominate the match.

 

Take a look at Barca and their players. Their three midfielders aren't particularly fast nor do they particularly excel at goal-scoring, but they control the ball so well that their defence can push up so high and choke the opposition strikers out of the game. Their defence has good players, but it's the shape of the team and their style of football that enables them to control the game and thus concede very few goals. It's the midfield and the strikers that allows this to happen.

 

I look at our team and I see players who contribute in this intangible way. I see Jonas - in his good days - who is one of the best outlets in our team, who allows our defence to push up, who pushes the other teams back which allows us to control the game. I saw Carroll who was able to hold the ball up and intimidate defences, which allowed our midfielders more time on the ball. I think Tiote is a magnificent player - probably the most important player in our team right now - and he's a player who's good on the ball and contributes so much to the shape of the team. Then I look at Nolan and all I see is goals. That would actually be fine if he was a striker, but he's not. He's occupying one of the most crucial positions on the pitch, and goals alone just aren't enough. They're more than enough now, for us, for a newly promoted team and for a team which would be more than happy at finishing 10th, but they will not be enough if we want to challenge regularly for Europe. He just doesn't contribute enough. That doesn't mean that he's not contributing enough now, because he does, but if we are to aspire to more, then I think it's less likely that we do so if he's a starter in the team.

 

I like this post.

 

don't think there's too much to disagree with there, other than the fact he seemingly overlooks those intangible assets that Nolan best exemplifies such as leadership.

 

if we go out and buy a central midfielder who slots in comfortably with Tiote and Cabaye to make a formidable midfield 3 and we get playing like Barcelona then the Nolan sale will have paid off. Can't say i'm confident of that happening.

 

I think the leadership thing is massively overplayed with Nolan.

 

He's not a Gerrard or a Keane that will attempt to drag their teams back into the game when heads are down, he's more like the sort of lazy cunt you find playing sunday football that shouts his mouth off at team mates while being too tired to get out of their own way on the pitch.

[Incognito]

Where is all of this "he won't be able to repeat his goalscoring form next season" coming from? Why wouldn't he? I'm honestly astonished that so many people on here are rejoicing in the fact we've sold our best goal scorer for peanuts. How the fuck are we going to progress as a club when we just seem to be needlessly dismantling the core of our squad? Unbelievable. 

 

 

Rejoicing?

[Guest BooBoo]

I'll be highly surprised if any of our midfielders get in double figures next year.

[johnnypd]

Where is all of this "he won't be able to repeat his goalscoring form next season" coming from? Why wouldn't he? I'm honestly astonished that so many people on here are rejoicing in the fact we've sold our best goal scorer for peanuts. How the fuck are we going to progress as a club when we just seem to be needlessly dismantling the core of our squad? Unbelievable. 

 

i'm sure someone on here said the same thing at the start of last season. Wonder whatever happened to that guy....

[Baggio]

I'll be highly surprised if any of our midfielders get in double figures next year.

 

I'd be just as surprised if Nolan did if he had stayed.

 

 

[Incognito]

If we upgrade,as Nut is saying,what's the point of paying Nolan 24 months of his salary?

[Guest johnson293]

I suspect if I knew Kevin Nolan personally,I'd like him far more as a bloke than I would as a footballer.

 

His leadership qualities being talked about stem from the 30 goals he's scored over the past 2 seasons. But there's no guarantee the goals continuing,so what else did he offer the team. In a League where 2 games a week are commonplace, you could guarantee Nolan being s**** for the second one,because of his complete lack of stamina/fitness. The goals he scored showed a certain poacher like ability, a very good finisher, but a footballer who if he really knuckled down and shifted 2 or 3 stone could have been so much better.

 

I admit my opinion of him is tainted by witnessing him throwing his ring up in the centre circle after 10 minutes of that game at Villa Park.

 

People can't separate their admiration of his character and personality from his ability as a footballer, and what impact he could realistically have over another four/five years if he is given a long term contract. Simple as that really.

 

Who is saying give him a five year contract like? I can't see anyone.

 

As far as I'm concerned, he's still got 24 months to go on his current deal.

 

Aye, which he could have honoured. Or was Mike Ashleys chopper waiting to fly him London, too?

[JH]

As for this "he scored 12 goals". That was superb. I doubt he'd repeat it for us mind.

 

And again, a question which seems to be going missed/ignored. Where's all these Premier League clubs going for him? I said yesterday he'd be perfect for Stoke, their style of play would prolong his career to mid 30s and he'd still get 6-8 a season just off being a nuisance from set-pieces. Well West Ham under Big Sam will probably be similar and another reason why I reckon he's more than happy to go there rather than stay and benchwarm for us.

 

What does it matter who's in for him? It's by no-means a sign of how good a player is.

 

So he's not good enough for 19 other Premier League sides, but he's so important to us? I worry about our club if we're that reliant on a 29 year old who's probably had his indian summer.

 

Similar to when Neil Redfearn got about 10 goals for Barnsley in the Premier League, or when Hutchison got a similar number for Sunderland when they had one of their good seasons before he disappeared from the face of the earth.

 

I'll always have fond memories for Nolan for what he did to the club, but if we're going to finish top 6 anytime soon, it's not going to be if we're so heavily reliant on the likes of Nolan.

 

How do you know he's not good enough for 19 other Premier League sides like?

 

Tiote's good enough for the majority of the PL, but I don't see them all lining up to sign him. It doesn't mean owt man - I don't need Bolton or Stoke to tell me that i want to keep Nolan. I know it.

 

Except he isn't Redfearn, or Hutchinson. He's Kevin Nolan. His own man, his own player. There's nothing to say how many PL goals he'd get next term.

 

[madras]

I'll be highly surprised if any of our midfielders get in double figures next year.

wouldn't bother me if we were better as a team.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Bit of a PR mistake from the club not doing this sale and the Cabaye signing the other way round.

[Baggio]

As for this "he scored 12 goals". That was superb. I doubt he'd repeat it for us mind.

 

And again, a question which seems to be going missed/ignored. Where's all these Premier League clubs going for him? I said yesterday he'd be perfect for Stoke, their style of play would prolong his career to mid 30s and he'd still get 6-8 a season just off being a nuisance from set-pieces. Well West Ham under Big Sam will probably be similar and another reason why I reckon he's more than happy to go there rather than stay and benchwarm for us.

 

What does it matter who's in for him? It's by no-means a sign of how good a player is.

 

So he's not good enough for 19 other Premier League sides, but he's so important to us? I worry about our club if we're that reliant on a 29 year old who's probably had his indian summer.

 

Similar to when Neil Redfearn got about 10 goals for Barnsley in the Premier League, or when Hutchison got a similar number for Sunderland when they had one of their good seasons before he disappeared from the face of the earth.

 

I'll always have fond memories for Nolan for what he did to the club, but if we're going to finish top 6 anytime soon, it's not going to be if we're so heavily reliant on the likes of Nolan.

 

How do you know he's not good enough for 19 other Premier League sides like?

 

Tiote's good enough for the majority of the PL, but I don't see them all lining up to sign him. It doesn't mean owt man - I don't need Bolton or Stoke to tell me that i want to keep Nolan. I know it.

 

Except he isn't Redfearn, or Hutchinson. He's Kevin Nolan. His own man, his own player. There's nothing to say how many PL goals he'd get next term.

 

 

I don't see Tiote signing for a championship team either tbf.

[Dave]

Where is all of this "he won't be able to repeat his goalscoring form next season" coming from? Why wouldn't he? I'm honestly astonished that so many people on here are rejoicing in the fact we've sold our best goal scorer for peanuts. How the fuck are we going to progress as a club when we just seem to be needlessly dismantling the core of our squad? Unbelievable. 

 

There's no guarantee that he would score as many goals, but apparently there is a guarantee that Cabaye will be better and without Nolan we're a better side (even though the most recent statistics point to exactly the opposite).

 

Hopefully that is the case (and especially now we have no choice) but I think people are being a bit simplistic about it.

[Si]

If we upgrade,as Nut is saying,what's the point of paying Nolan 24 months of his salary?

 

When the upgrade breaks his leg and the alternative is Alan Smith.

[Disco]

Got to love peoples assumptions based on sweet FA.

 

Nolan is shit because no-one bid for him

Cabaye is amazing yet no-one else bid for him

Nolan will be shit from now on because we sold him

Cabaye is the boy because he is unproven in this league

Ben Arfa will be class despite suffering a huge injury and being totally unproven in this league.

 

MASSIVE FUCKING DISCLAIMER - THESE ARE NOT MY OPINIONS I AM MERELY SAYING.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

Where is all of this "he won't be able to repeat his goalscoring form next season" coming from? Why wouldn't he? I'm honestly astonished that so many people on here are rejoicing in the fact we've sold our best goal scorer for peanuts. How the fuck are we going to progress as a club when we just seem to be needlessly dismantling the core of our squad? Unbelievable. 

 

I don't actually know the answer, but how many of Nolans goals cam pre and post Pardew's appointment?

 

Said it earlier, but if we're going to be looking a more passing based game with a smaller frontman, Nolan gets marginalised in his effectiveness

[Jackie Broon]

Despite he's inadequacies as an all round player, what he does What Nolan did clearly bring (other than the ability to score important goals) is a galvanizing force in the dressing room that for the past two seasons has helped the team to, on the whole, perform at a level greater than the sum of its parts. Without that we wouldn't be playing in the premier league next season, we wouldn't have been playing it this last season for that matter.

 

In getting rid of the players that clearly hold the dressing room together Ashley is taking a massive risk. We're not good enough to get away with having a squad that's collection of individuals with a poor spirit in this league.

[morpeth mag]

surely the signing of Cabaye allows Nolan to be sold

[JH]

I suspect if I knew Kevin Nolan personally,I'd like him far more as a bloke than I would as a footballer.

 

His leadership qualities being talked about stem from the 30 goals he's scored over the past 2 seasons. But there's no guarantee the goals continuing,so what else did he offer the team. In a League where 2 games a week are commonplace, you could guarantee Nolan being s**** for the second one,because of his complete lack of stamina/fitness. The goals he scored showed a certain poacher like ability, a very good finisher, but a footballer who if he really knuckled down and shifted 2 or 3 stone could have been so much better.

 

I admit my opinion of him is tainted by witnessing him throwing his ring up in the centre circle after 10 minutes of that game at Villa Park.

 

People can't separate their admiration of his character and personality from his ability as a footballer, and what impact he could realistically have over another four/five years if he is given a long term contract. Simple as that really.

 

Who is saying give him a five year contract like? I can't see anyone.

 

As far as I'm concerned, he's still got 24 months to go on his current deal.

 

Aye, which he could have honoured. Or was Mike Ashleys chopper waiting to fly him London, too?

 

They made it clear they weren't going to negotiate his contract. Either the one on the table, or nowt. What other choice did he have?

[JH]

surely the signing of Cabaye allows Nolan to be sold

 

Which would be great, if teams only needed 11 players.