Jack Colback (now a free agent)

[Tooj]

Watched the match again and Colback was surprisingly good, didn't lose the ball hardly and you can't blame him for not being able to get very close to arsenal's slick passing movements. Compare him to chieck, who lost the ball a lot and had everyone's heart in mouth when he tried his ballerina pirouttes routine.... Jeezuz

He isn't a player who is going to impress us but if you watch him closer he really does help us tick and does everything well (but not greatly), I couldn't fualt the lad tbh. if he was 6 inches taller he would be majestic...Honest!

 

You can't fault a lad who doesn't really offer anything or have any above average qualities?

 

I suppose the regime have succeeded in their aim to lower expectations. Next thing Pardew will be telling us all how lucky we are to have a player of Jack's calibre wearing the shirt.

[buzza]

In my opinion he's better than anita in that position and tiote, who else do we put in there?

Best trio is Colback Abeid and Sissoko, he plays a lot better when surrounded by people who actually move.

He isn't "average" he is "good", which isn't great but better than average...

[Skeletor]

In my opinion he's better than anita in that position and tiote, who else do we put in there?

Best trio is Colback Abeid and Sissoko, he plays a lot better when surrounded by people who actually move.

He isn't "average" he is "good", which isn't great but better than average...

 

Like fuck he is.

[The College Dropout]

Was always going to be difficult fro Colback & Tiote up against a midfield 3, who are better than them anyway. With Ameobi and the Ghost of Gouffran for support out wide however.

 

Talking of hiding. Time and time again Gouffran & Colback failed to show for the ball and seem to actively avoid being in a passing position.

Colback played the whole game, took all the set-pieces but only attempted 37 passes all game. 37! Gouffran played the whole game and got to the same figure as Ameobi who played for an hour (27). Cabella attempted half the amount of passes Colback did in 25 minutes with 18.

 

Conversely, Tiote attempted 87 passes. Cazorla 63. Flamini 44. Chamberlain 65.

 

If you've got half your midfield hiding from the ball. And the only central player aiming to influence the game being Cheick fucking Tiote - it's going to be bloody awful.

 

 

[Cronky]

Was always going to be difficult fro Colback & Tiote up against a midfield 3, who are better than them anyway. With Ameobi and the Ghost of Gouffran for support out wide however.

 

Talking of hiding. Time and time again Gouffran & Colback failed to show for the ball and seem to actively avoid being in a passing position.

Colback played the whole game, took all the set-pieces but only attempted 37 passes all game. 37! Gouffran played the whole game and got to the same figure as Ameobi who played for an hour (27). Cabella attempted half the amount of passes Colback did in 25 minutes with 18.

 

Conversely, Tiote attempted 87 passes. Cazorla 63. Flamini 44. Chamberlain 65.

 

If you've got half your midfield hiding from the ball. And the only central player aiming to influence the game being Cheick fucking Tiote - it's going to be bloody awful.

 

 

 

It's a good observation, but I'd say a bit more complicated than that. Tiote naturally sees a lot more of the ball than the others, because of the position he's playing in. Trouble is, his range of passing is limited and his delivery is slow. It's difficult for receivers to know when or where to make a run, given his limitations. Quite a few times, I spotted a decent penetrating pass available to Tiote, but he didn't take it because he didn't trust his technique.

 

To get more fluency, we need a player who is better on the ball in that position, and I'd now say that Abeid is the better bet, despite the fact that he's not as strong in the tackle.

 

[Wullie]

Does Colback not play in central midfield now like?

[magorific]

He's not a good player, although he did play well last week. Unbelievable how we can go from Cabaye to Colback and the majority of supporters lap it up like there's not a problem there.

 

Bollocks. He's ok - nothing more, yet most people on here won't even acknowledge that (instead, he's the anti-Christ). Does saying that mean I'm as happy with Colback as I would be with Cabaye? Does it f**k. Of course he's a massive downgrade. Is that depressing? Yes. But does that mean he's worse than sh*te? No.

Seriously man, I have seen dozens of midfielders worse than Colback play for us. I've probably seen two better than Cabaye. Get a grip.

[Skeletor]

He's not a good player, although he did play well last week. Unbelievable how we can go from Cabaye to Colback and the majority of supporters lap it up like there's not a problem there.

 

Bollocks. He's ok - nothing more, yet most people on here won't even acknowledge that (instead, he's the anti-Christ). Does saying that mean I'm as happy with Colback as I would be with Cabaye? Does it f**k. Of course he's a massive downgrade. Is that depressing? Yes. But does that mean he's worse than sh*te? No.

Seriously man, I have seen dozens of midfielders worse than Colback play for us. I've probably seen two better than Cabaye. Get a grip.

 

Well you proved my point so not sure why you're angry about it. In no way should we be 'getting a grip' for being unhappy that we've replaced a class player with an extremely mediocre player.

[TRon]

Colback looks a tidy player because he does tidy little passes while strolling around the pitch. Tiote is called worse than shit here but at least he has the balls to carry the ball forward in midfield. That's partly because he's got the legs to do it as well mind. If Colback tried to carry the ball he'd be clattered and dispossessed within a second because he'd be moving like a turtle and the opposition would run him down every time.

[magorific]

He's not a good player, although he did play well last week. Unbelievable how we can go from Cabaye to Colback and the majority of supporters lap it up like there's not a problem there.

 

Bollocks. He's ok - nothing more, yet most people on here won't even acknowledge that (instead, he's the anti-Christ). Does saying that mean I'm as happy with Colback as I would be with Cabaye? Does it f**k. Of course he's a massive downgrade. Is that depressing? Yes. But does that mean he's worse than sh*te? No.

Seriously man, I have seen dozens of midfielders worse than Colback play for us. I've probably seen two better than Cabaye. Get a grip.

 

Well you proved my point so not sure why you're angry about it. In no way should we be 'getting a grip' for being unhappy that we've replaced a class player with an extremely mediocre player.

 

Not my point. I was referring to your spurious claim that the "majority of supporters" had suddenly decided he is a worthy successor to Cabaye, when all they have actually done (the "Rob Lee without the goals" lunatic aside) is be pleased he's had a couple of decent games.

 

 

[HawK]

The perception of Colback on here is so scarily similar to Scott Parker it gets more unreal every week

[magorific]

Colback looks a tidy player because he does tidy little passes while strolling around the pitch. Tiote is called worse than s*** here but at least he has the balls to carry the ball forward in midfield. That's partly because he's got the legs to do it as well mind. If Colback tried to carry the ball he'd be clattered and dispossessed within a second because he'd be moving like a turtle and the opposition would run him down every time.

 

Heard it all now. Since when has Tiote carried the ball forward like Colback did against Chelsea - for both his first-half chance and the second goal? Tiote moves in ever decreasing circles, taking a touch or three too many in trying - often unsuccessfully and at the cost of the team - to hold off/beat a man and convince us he is a footballer. 

[TRon]

Colback looks a tidy player because he does tidy little passes while strolling around the pitch. Tiote is called worse than s*** here but at least he has the balls to carry the ball forward in midfield. That's partly because he's got the legs to do it as well mind. If Colback tried to carry the ball he'd be clattered and dispossessed within a second because he'd be moving like a turtle and the opposition would run him down every time.

 

Heard it all now. Since when has Tiote carried the ball forward like Colback did against Chelsea - for both his first-half chance and the second goal? Tiote moves in ever decreasing circles, taking a touch or three too many in trying - often unsuccessfully and at the cost of the team - to hold off/beat a man and convince us he is a footballer. 

 

He didn't carry the ball for the first goal, for the second he picked it up on the break took a couple of paces forward into the empty space before releasing a good pass. He's Nicky Butt reincarnated but a bit slower.

[Tooj]

The perception of Colback on here is so scarily similar to Scott Parker it gets more unreal every week

 

Parker had that excellent first six months before his glandular fever though. Can't say I've seen anything from Colback to suggest he can do that.

[Andymc1]

He's done better than I expected but he is still an utter cunt.

[sempuki]

Hope he can redeem himself somewhat by scoring in the derby. Then again he is more likely to get sent off.

[Kanj]

If he scores, he better celebrate like a fucking cunt to Sunderland. The only way he get's some reprieve.

[Nobody]

If he scores, he better celebrate like a fucking cunt to Sunderland. The only way he get's some reprieve.

Imagine if he holds back on his celebrations should he score

[midds]

We'll never find out, he won't score or even come close to it. He'll be too busy 'keeping the shape' so his boss doesn't get humiliated. Again.

[The College Dropout]

Was always going to be difficult fro Colback & Tiote up against a midfield 3, who are better than them anyway. With Ameobi and the Ghost of Gouffran for support out wide however.

 

Talking of hiding. Time and time again Gouffran & Colback failed to show for the ball and seem to actively avoid being in a passing position.

Colback played the whole game, took all the set-pieces but only attempted 37 passes all game. 37! Gouffran played the whole game and got to the same figure as Ameobi who played for an hour (27). Cabella attempted half the amount of passes Colback did in 25 minutes with 18.

 

Conversely, Tiote attempted 87 passes. Cazorla 63. Flamini 44. Chamberlain 65.

 

If you've got half your midfield hiding from the ball. And the only central player aiming to influence the game being Cheick f***ing Tiote - it's going to be bloody awful.

 

 

 

It's a good observation, but I'd say a bit more complicated than that. Tiote naturally sees a lot more of the ball than the others, because of the position he's playing in. Trouble is, his range of passing is limited and his delivery is slow. It's difficult for receivers to know when or where to make a run, given his limitations. Quite a few times, I spotted a decent penetrating pass available to Tiote, but he didn't take it because he didn't trust his technique.

 

To get more fluency, we need a player who is better on the ball in that position, and I'd now say that Abeid is the better bet, despite the fact that he's not as strong in the tackle.

 

Tiote is too slow on the ball aye. But that has nothing to do with Colback hiding from the ball. Nothing to do with Gouffran hiding from the ball. Tiote is slow on the ball but that is partly down to only  3 players to the side of him or ahead of him that actually want the ball.

 

I hate players that hide. My biggest issue with Jermaine Jenas.

[The College Dropout]

The perception of Colback on here is so scarily similar to Scott Parker it gets more unreal every week

Disagree - if anything Tiote is Scott Parker. Hard working, limited footballer playing in a team where nobody wants to take responsibility. Thus, he has to become a playmaker.

[Mistle17]

I'm sick of Pardew picking this guy ahead of Anita. Poor Vern must be baffled- imagine Colback being picked to play in an Ajax, Feyenoord, or PSV side? Laughable.

 

Sad thing is that the majority of the going-crowd are in love with this guy, as they are with Pardew.

[Foluwashola]

Anita regularly looks less effective than Colback when given an outing.

[Mistle17]

Anita regularly looks less effective than Colback when given an outing.

 

He's not given enough time. He's also not in a system that suits him. In Ajax they obviously value possession of the ball and possess CB's comfortable on the ball to distribute it into a CM who drops in to collect the ball- this has never been possible with Williamson playing behind him. For example, in the derby last year all we did was launch it up to Shola, non-stop. This rendered players like Anita and Ben Arfa totally useless. He's a very clever player and technically excellent. I was talking to one of the strength & conditioning coaches at the club last year and he said he thought Anita was the most athletic player in the side. I find that surprising but even more so that that doesn't work in his favor considering Pardew's values in a player.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Anita regularly looks less effective than Colback when given an outing.

Of course you would think that.