Jack Colback (now a free agent)

[TRon]

If you look at the game on Sunday and assess each player's contribution, you've got to say Colback's is poor. Not many other players on the team, even his partner there is midfield who has been as woeful as he has this season, can be labeled as simply not contributing to the cause.

 

Would be fine if this was an isolated incident but is almost every game he plays, he's just not of the required level, don't care how much running the stats say he does, my own eyes tell me, the bloke is crap.

 

Central midfield needs to be the focus of January, we need two PL quality CMs to replace the current incumbents, if that's all we do in the window I wouldn't be overly happy but it needs to be the focus.

 

While I agree an an ideal world Anita doesn't offer quite enough to be a starter he has been man of the match contender on at least 3 or 4 seperate occasions this season and has put Colback to shame in almost all of them, hes been far improved this season while still not being quite good enough.

 

Nowhere near as bad as Colback.

 

I'd have to agree. While TCD likes to try and put Anita and Colback in the same bracket, the truth is Anita is far more effective at pressing and closing down the opposition regardless of how you manipulate the stats. Neither are really good enough, but of the two only Anita is really doing his job.

[mrmojorisin75]

If you look at the game on Sunday and assess each player's contribution, you've got to say Colback's is poor. Not many other players on the team, even his partner there is midfield who has been as woeful as he has this season, can be labeled as simply not contributing to the cause.

 

Would be fine if this was an isolated incident but is almost every game he plays, he's just not of the required level, don't care how much running the stats say he does, my own eyes tell me, the bloke is crap.

 

Central midfield needs to be the focus of January, we need two PL quality CMs to replace the current incumbents, if that's all we do in the window I wouldn't be overly happy but it needs to be the focus.

 

While I agree an an ideal world Anita doesn't offer quite enough to be a starter he has been man of the match contender on at least 3 or 4 seperate occasions this season and has put Colback to shame in almost all of them, hes been far improved this season while still not being quite good enough.

 

Nowhere near as bad as Colback.

 

I'd have to agree. While TCD likes to try and put Anita and Colback in the same bracket, the truth is Anita is far more effective at pressing and closing down the opposition regardless of how you manipulate the stats. Neither are really good enough, but of the two only Anita is really doing his job.

TCD seemed to take massive umbrage at the role Anita was asked to perform at the beginning of the season where he was dropping between the CBs and looking for the ball but doing little else. He blamed Anita for it and steadfastly ignored posts that pointed out Anita had never played that way in his entire NUFC career, and had always looked a better option in a more advanced or pressing role, therefore he was clearly being told to play that way.

 

I'm not sure I can recall Colback having a single game for us where he's played at the level Vurn is capable of. He's fucking toilet.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

It's a testament to the Colback love on this forum that we now have a yellow card countdown until we can discount him from the starting line up

 

I don't contribute much to this forum - but I'm taking credit for requesting this addition

[Tiotes Witch Doctor]

http://www.themag.co.uk/2015/12/is-this-steve-mcclarens-key-player-at-newcastle/

 

Someone please log on and slate this guy, I would do it myself but I doubt it would come across in a respectable and elegant manner.

 

What the actual fuck is wrong with our fanbase man?

[Disco]

He's turned it round last two games but all you need to know are:

 

15-16: 12 points in 12 starts / 4 points in 3 games missed

14-15: 36 points in 35 starts / 4 points in 3 games missed

 

Ave points: 1.03 points per start / 1.33 points per game missed

[loki679]

He's spent his entire career in relegation battles, that's all you need to know.

[The College Dropout]

If you look at the game on Sunday and assess each player's contribution, you've got to say Colback's is poor. Not many other players on the team, even his partner there is midfield who has been as woeful as he has this season, can be labeled as simply not contributing to the cause.

 

Would be fine if this was an isolated incident but is almost every game he plays, he's just not of the required level, don't care how much running the stats say he does, my own eyes tell me, the bloke is crap.

 

Central midfield needs to be the focus of January, we need two PL quality CMs to replace the current incumbents, if that's all we do in the window I wouldn't be overly happy but it needs to be the focus.

 

While I agree an an ideal world Anita doesn't offer quite enough to be a starter he has been man of the match contender on at least 3 or 4 seperate occasions this season and has put Colback to shame in almost all of them, hes been far improved this season while still not being quite good enough.

 

Nowhere near as bad as Colback.

 

I'd have to agree. While TCD likes to try and put Anita and Colback in the same bracket, the truth is Anita is far more effective at pressing and closing down the opposition regardless of how you manipulate the stats. Neither are really good enough, but of the two only Anita is really doing his job.

TCD seemed to take massive umbrage at the role Anita was asked to perform at the beginning of the season where he was dropping between the CBs and looking for the ball but doing little else. He blamed Anita for it and steadfastly ignored posts that pointed out Anita had never played that way in his entire NUFC career, and had always looked a better option in a more advanced or pressing role, therefore he was clearly being told to play that way.

 

You're trying to rewrite history here. For YEARS i've heard people say our hoof style of play doesn't suit Anita, that he spent his Ajax career as a deep midfielder picking up the ball and distributing. He could only flourish in a side that passed it out of the back and that he was being asked to perform roles he's never done before. Which is a great excuse for a player who has been at the club over 3 years and you could count his good games in one hand. I don't even think he's ever been a regular man in one of Pardew's winning streaks or good form runs, ever. We start the season in that passing style and it's ineffective as owt. He contributed fuck all except passing it to Chancel. This is what i've been waiting to see for 3 years? It was awful. He hadn't performed in any of his other CM roles and he finally played in a fashion he was used to and it contributed diddly squat.

 

1 central midfielder doesn't have a pressing role, you press as a team of which we have been better at recently (especially Anita).

 

Anita's been shit for us at CM for 3 years, prior to this season he's had a maximum of 3 good performances at CM - if that. The difference in the last two games is that he's actually influencing the game. Closing players down quickly and winning the ball and attempting forward passes. He's managing to impose himself on games, making other midfielders look lethargic and on their heels. He hasn't done this for the majority of his NUFC career. IN the last 3 years he's been largely anonymous, letting games drift by him, passing sideways and generally just hiding from responsibility. Not too dissimilar to the Ginger lad. But props to the lad he's shown that WHU game wasn't a fluke and has shown a couple performances of real influence.

 

 

[The College Dropout]

Colback's a shit player no doubt. But people on here shout his failures and whisper or pain ignore any of his positive moments.

[mrmojorisin75]

 

 

If you look at the game on Sunday and assess each player's contribution, you've got to say Colback's is poor. Not many other players on the team, even his partner there is midfield who has been as woeful as he has this season, can be labeled as simply not contributing to the cause.

 

Would be fine if this was an isolated incident but is almost every game he plays, he's just not of the required level, don't care how much running the stats say he does, my own eyes tell me, the bloke is crap.

 

Central midfield needs to be the focus of January, we need two PL quality CMs to replace the current incumbents, if that's all we do in the window I wouldn't be overly happy but it needs to be the focus.

 

While I agree an an ideal world Anita doesn't offer quite enough to be a starter he has been man of the match contender on at least 3 or 4 seperate occasions this season and has put Colback to shame in almost all of them, hes been far improved this season while still not being quite good enough.

 

Nowhere near as bad as Colback.

 

I'd have to agree. While TCD likes to try and put Anita and Colback in the same bracket, the truth is Anita is far more effective at pressing and closing down the opposition regardless of how you manipulate the stats. Neither are really good enough, but of the two only Anita is really doing his job.

TCD seemed to take massive umbrage at the role Anita was asked to perform at the beginning of the season where he was dropping between the CBs and looking for the ball but doing little else. He blamed Anita for it and steadfastly ignored posts that pointed out Anita had never played that way in his entire NUFC career, and had always looked a better option in a more advanced or pressing role, therefore he was clearly being told to play that way.

 

You're trying to rewrite history here. For YEARS i've heard people say our hoof style of play doesn't suit Anita, that he spent his Ajax career as a deep midfielder picking up the ball and distributing. He could only flourish in a side that passed it out of the back and that he was being asked to perform roles he's never done before. Which is a great excuse for a player who has been at the club over 3 years and you could count his good games in one hand. I don't even think he's ever been a regular man in one of Pardew's winning streaks or good form runs, ever. We start the season in that passing style and it's ineffective as owt. He contributed fuck all except passing it to Chancel. This is what i've been waiting to see for 3 years? It was awful. He hadn't performed in any of his other CM roles and he finally played in a fashion he was used to and it contributed diddly squat.

 

1 central midfielder doesn't have a pressing role, you press as a team of which we have been better at recently (especially Anita).

 

Anita's been shit for us at CM for 3 years, prior to this season he's had a maximum of 3 good performances at CM - if that. The difference in the last two games is that he's actually influencing the game. Closing players down quickly and winning the ball and attempting forward passes. He's managing to impose himself on games, making other midfielders look lethargic and on their heels. He hasn't done this for the majority of his NUFC career. IN the last 3 years he's been largely anonymous, letting games drift by him, passing sideways and generally just hiding from responsibility. Not too dissimilar to the Ginger lad. But props to the lad he's shown that WHU game wasn't a fluke and has shown a couple performances of real influence.

 

Yep, there's some truth in there I suppose but you're also ignoring the fact that loads of us always said he could come good in the right system when the rest of the team functions and that is proving to be the case, at least in the last couple of matches. More actually, since McClaren stopped him playing so deep he's not had a shocker afaik, unlike others in the squad.

 

Referring to the Pardew years and his utilisation of Anita is a fucking joke and you know it, Anita was never suited to play his long ball horseshit and we all know it, he was never in one of Pardew's streaky runs for this reason.  Pardew wanted his static formation belting the ball up to the strikers and that's not his game so he was a convenient scapegoat that Pardew is so fond of.

 

Call it excuses if you want but once again Colback has never once, that I've seen, put in a performance as good as Vurns best, not even close to it, and that's what we're on about here comparing Colback and Anita.

 

 

[triggs]

 

 

If you look at the game on Sunday and assess each player's contribution, you've got to say Colback's is poor. Not many other players on the team, even his partner there is midfield who has been as woeful as he has this season, can be labeled as simply not contributing to the cause.

 

Would be fine if this was an isolated incident but is almost every game he plays, he's just not of the required level, don't care how much running the stats say he does, my own eyes tell me, the bloke is crap.

 

Central midfield needs to be the focus of January, we need two PL quality CMs to replace the current incumbents, if that's all we do in the window I wouldn't be overly happy but it needs to be the focus.

 

While I agree an an ideal world Anita doesn't offer quite enough to be a starter he has been man of the match contender on at least 3 or 4 seperate occasions this season and has put Colback to shame in almost all of them, hes been far improved this season while still not being quite good enough.

 

Nowhere near as bad as Colback.

 

I'd have to agree. While TCD likes to try and put Anita and Colback in the same bracket, the truth is Anita is far more effective at pressing and closing down the opposition regardless of how you manipulate the stats. Neither are really good enough, but of the two only Anita is really doing his job.

TCD seemed to take massive umbrage at the role Anita was asked to perform at the beginning of the season where he was dropping between the CBs and looking for the ball but doing little else. He blamed Anita for it and steadfastly ignored posts that pointed out Anita had never played that way in his entire NUFC career, and had always looked a better option in a more advanced or pressing role, therefore he was clearly being told to play that way.

 

You're trying to rewrite history here. For YEARS i've heard people say our hoof style of play doesn't suit Anita, that he spent his Ajax career as a deep midfielder picking up the ball and distributing. He could only flourish in a side that passed it out of the back and that he was being asked to perform roles he's never done before. Which is a great excuse for a player who has been at the club over 3 years and you could count his good games in one hand. I don't even think he's ever been a regular man in one of Pardew's winning streaks or good form runs, ever. We start the season in that passing style and it's ineffective as owt. He contributed fuck all except passing it to Chancel. This is what i've been waiting to see for 3 years? It was awful. He hadn't performed in any of his other CM roles and he finally played in a fashion he was used to and it contributed diddly squat.

 

1 central midfielder doesn't have a pressing role, you press as a team of which we have been better at recently (especially Anita).

 

Anita's been shit for us at CM for 3 years, prior to this season he's had a maximum of 3 good performances at CM - if that. The difference in the last two games is that he's actually influencing the game. Closing players down quickly and winning the ball and attempting forward passes. He's managing to impose himself on games, making other midfielders look lethargic and on their heels. He hasn't done this for the majority of his NUFC career. IN the last 3 years he's been largely anonymous, letting games drift by him, passing sideways and generally just hiding from responsibility. Not too dissimilar to the Ginger lad. But props to the lad he's shown that WHU game wasn't a fluke and has shown a couple performances of real influence.

 

Yep, there's some truth in there I suppose but you're also ignoring the fact that loads of us always said he could come good in the right system when the rest of the team functions and that is proving to be the case, at least in the last couple of matches. More actually, since McClaren stopped him playing so deep he's not had a shocker afaik, unlike others in the squad.

 

Referring to the Pardew years and his utilisation of Anita is a fucking joke and you know it, Anita was never suited to play his long ball horseshit and we all know it, he was never in one of Pardew's streaky runs for this reason.  Pardew wanted his static formation belting the ball up to the strikers and that's not his game so he was a convenient scapegoat that Pardew is so fond of.

 

Call it excuses if you want but once again Colback has never once, that I've seen, put in a performance as good as Vurns best, not even close to it, and that's what we're on about here comparing Colback and Anita.

The big challenge for Anita, as he has undoubtedly played very well in the last two games will be the game this weekend where we will have more of the ball.

[mrmojorisin75]

 

 

If you look at the game on Sunday and assess each player's contribution, you've got to say Colback's is poor. Not many other players on the team, even his partner there is midfield who has been as woeful as he has this season, can be labeled as simply not contributing to the cause.

 

Would be fine if this was an isolated incident but is almost every game he plays, he's just not of the required level, don't care how much running the stats say he does, my own eyes tell me, the bloke is crap.

 

Central midfield needs to be the focus of January, we need two PL quality CMs to replace the current incumbents, if that's all we do in the window I wouldn't be overly happy but it needs to be the focus.

 

While I agree an an ideal world Anita doesn't offer quite enough to be a starter he has been man of the match contender on at least 3 or 4 seperate occasions this season and has put Colback to shame in almost all of them, hes been far improved this season while still not being quite good enough.

 

Nowhere near as bad as Colback.

 

I'd have to agree. While TCD likes to try and put Anita and Colback in the same bracket, the truth is Anita is far more effective at pressing and closing down the opposition regardless of how you manipulate the stats. Neither are really good enough, but of the two only Anita is really doing his job.

TCD seemed to take massive umbrage at the role Anita was asked to perform at the beginning of the season where he was dropping between the CBs and looking for the ball but doing little else. He blamed Anita for it and steadfastly ignored posts that pointed out Anita had never played that way in his entire NUFC career, and had always looked a better option in a more advanced or pressing role, therefore he was clearly being told to play that way.

 

You're trying to rewrite history here. For YEARS i've heard people say our hoof style of play doesn't suit Anita, that he spent his Ajax career as a deep midfielder picking up the ball and distributing. He could only flourish in a side that passed it out of the back and that he was being asked to perform roles he's never done before. Which is a great excuse for a player who has been at the club over 3 years and you could count his good games in one hand. I don't even think he's ever been a regular man in one of Pardew's winning streaks or good form runs, ever. We start the season in that passing style and it's ineffective as owt. He contributed fuck all except passing it to Chancel. This is what i've been waiting to see for 3 years? It was awful. He hadn't performed in any of his other CM roles and he finally played in a fashion he was used to and it contributed diddly squat.

 

1 central midfielder doesn't have a pressing role, you press as a team of which we have been better at recently (especially Anita).

 

Anita's been shit for us at CM for 3 years, prior to this season he's had a maximum of 3 good performances at CM - if that. The difference in the last two games is that he's actually influencing the game. Closing players down quickly and winning the ball and attempting forward passes. He's managing to impose himself on games, making other midfielders look lethargic and on their heels. He hasn't done this for the majority of his NUFC career. IN the last 3 years he's been largely anonymous, letting games drift by him, passing sideways and generally just hiding from responsibility. Not too dissimilar to the Ginger lad. But props to the lad he's shown that WHU game wasn't a fluke and has shown a couple performances of real influence.

 

Yep, there's some truth in there I suppose but you're also ignoring the fact that loads of us always said he could come good in the right system when the rest of the team functions and that is proving to be the case, at least in the last couple of matches. More actually, since McClaren stopped him playing so deep he's not had a shocker afaik, unlike others in the squad.

 

Referring to the Pardew years and his utilisation of Anita is a fucking joke and you know it, Anita was never suited to play his long ball horseshit and we all know it, he was never in one of Pardew's streaky runs for this reason.  Pardew wanted his static formation belting the ball up to the strikers and that's not his game so he was a convenient scapegoat that Pardew is so fond of.

 

Call it excuses if you want but once again Colback has never once, that I've seen, put in a performance as good as Vurns best, not even close to it, and that's what we're on about here comparing Colback and Anita.

The big challenge for Anita, as he has undoubtedly played very well in the last two games will be the game this weekend where we will have more of the ball.

Agree totally, his challenge will be to play well consistently under a manager that rates him now that he's not playing as a restricted sweeper.

 

I'm not sure he's capable personally, but I'm certainly sure that Jack Fucking Colback will never do as much as Vurn and he's had insane levels of backing from his coaches since the day he arrived and has played nothing but his 'preferred' role the entire time.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Colback's a s*** player no doubt. But people on here shout his failures and whisper or pain ignore any of his positive moments.

What are his positive moments?

[Colos Short and Curlies]

His 5th Yellow Card?

[Geordie Ahmed]

His 5th Yellow Card?

 

I certainly didn't ignore that, did a celebration, though obviously not a dangerous one

 

[Nobody]

Didn't even really get to celebrate that as he then limps off injured so it was just a waste of a suspension.

[loki679]

I still remember that time he passed it backwards to our centre back and then went and hid behind an opposition player.  As good as a cup win that was, there were celebrations in the loki house that night.

[themanupstairs]

Colback's a s*** player no doubt. But people on here shout his failures and whisper or pain ignore any of his positive moments.

 

And these are?

[Incognito]

Colback's a s*** player no doubt. But people on here shout his failures and whisper or pain ignore any of his positive moments.

 

And these are?

He's an inspiration to Sunday morning cloggers everywhere.

[Disco]

He's turned it round last two games but all you need to know are:

 

15-16: 12 points in 12 starts / 4 points in 3 games missed

14-15: 36 points in 35 starts / 4 points in 3 games missed

 

Ave points: 1.03 points per start / 1.33 points per game missed

 

For comparison Vurn averages 1.07 points per start over a bigger sample size.

 

Season Starts Pts PPS

12/13 17 16 0.94

13/14 28 33 1.18

14/15 17 15 0.88

15/16 13 16 1.23

Total    75  80  1.07

 

Can't be chewed to do the games without.

[The College Dropout]

 

 

If you look at the game on Sunday and assess each player's contribution, you've got to say Colback's is poor. Not many other players on the team, even his partner there is midfield who has been as woeful as he has this season, can be labeled as simply not contributing to the cause.

 

Would be fine if this was an isolated incident but is almost every game he plays, he's just not of the required level, don't care how much running the stats say he does, my own eyes tell me, the bloke is crap.

 

Central midfield needs to be the focus of January, we need two PL quality CMs to replace the current incumbents, if that's all we do in the window I wouldn't be overly happy but it needs to be the focus.

 

While I agree an an ideal world Anita doesn't offer quite enough to be a starter he has been man of the match contender on at least 3 or 4 seperate occasions this season and has put Colback to shame in almost all of them, hes been far improved this season while still not being quite good enough.

 

Nowhere near as bad as Colback.

 

I'd have to agree. While TCD likes to try and put Anita and Colback in the same bracket, the truth is Anita is far more effective at pressing and closing down the opposition regardless of how you manipulate the stats. Neither are really good enough, but of the two only Anita is really doing his job.

TCD seemed to take massive umbrage at the role Anita was asked to perform at the beginning of the season where he was dropping between the CBs and looking for the ball but doing little else. He blamed Anita for it and steadfastly ignored posts that pointed out Anita had never played that way in his entire NUFC career, and had always looked a better option in a more advanced or pressing role, therefore he was clearly being told to play that way.

 

You're trying to rewrite history here. For YEARS i've heard people say our hoof style of play doesn't suit Anita, that he spent his Ajax career as a deep midfielder picking up the ball and distributing. He could only flourish in a side that passed it out of the back and that he was being asked to perform roles he's never done before. Which is a great excuse for a player who has been at the club over 3 years and you could count his good games in one hand. I don't even think he's ever been a regular man in one of Pardew's winning streaks or good form runs, ever. We start the season in that passing style and it's ineffective as owt. He contributed f*** all except passing it to Chancel. This is what i've been waiting to see for 3 years? It was awful. He hadn't performed in any of his other CM roles and he finally played in a fashion he was used to and it contributed diddly squat.

 

1 central midfielder doesn't have a pressing role, you press as a team of which we have been better at recently (especially Anita).

 

Anita's been s*** for us at CM for 3 years, prior to this season he's had a maximum of 3 good performances at CM - if that. The difference in the last two games is that he's actually influencing the game. Closing players down quickly and winning the ball and attempting forward passes. He's managing to impose himself on games, making other midfielders look lethargic and on their heels. He hasn't done this for the majority of his NUFC career. IN the last 3 years he's been largely anonymous, letting games drift by him, passing sideways and generally just hiding from responsibility. Not too dissimilar to the Ginger lad. But props to the lad he's shown that WHU game wasn't a fluke and has shown a couple performances of real influence.

 

Yep, there's some truth in there I suppose but you're also ignoring the fact that loads of us always said he could come good in the right system when the rest of the team functions and that is proving to be the case, at least in the last couple of matches. More actually, since McClaren stopped him playing so deep he's not had a shocker afaik, unlike others in the squad.

 

Referring to the Pardew years and his utilisation of Anita is a f***ing joke and you know it, Anita was never suited to play his long ball horseshit and we all know it, he was never in one of Pardew's streaky runs for this reason.  Pardew wanted his static formation belting the ball up to the strikers and that's not his game so he was a convenient scapegoat that Pardew is so fond of.

 

Call it excuses if you want but once again Colback has never once, that I've seen, put in a performance as good as Vurns best, not even close to it, and that's what we're on about here comparing Colback and Anita.

 

The main difference in performance isn't tactical. It's Anita, who has personally picked his game up. For years people have talked about Anita needing to play in a real passing team. We tried that and failed. This system is pretty direct and similar to Pardew's formations and style. It was said ANita suited a possession based game but he didn't influence that well. We've gone counter attack and more direct and his performances have been much better, the same way we've had any decent runs of form over the last 3 years. His main priority is still to protect the defence and he doesn't have a great deal of attacking responsibility. The team presses a bit more but the main difference is Anita has bucked his own game up and is stamping authority on it. A player can't be shit for 3 years and it be everyone else's fault ffs.

 

We are still talking about maybe 4 good CM performances in 3 years. Aye, Colback probably has 0. But in general, they've both been shit.

[The College Dropout]

He's turned it round last two games but all you need to know are:

 

15-16: 12 points in 12 starts / 4 points in 3 games missed

14-15: 36 points in 35 starts / 4 points in 3 games missed

 

Ave points: 1.03 points per start / 1.33 points per game missed

 

For comparison Vurn averages 1.07 points per start over a bigger sample size.

 

Season Starts Pts PPS

12/13 17 16 0.94

13/14 28 33 1.18

14/15 17 15 0.88

15/16 13 16 1.23

Total    75  80  1.07

 

Can't be chewed to do the games without.

 

This would include games like the 1-2 win at Spurs last year where Anita started but was hooked at half time then we turned the game around immediately. They've both been integral parts of shit NUFC teams is the moral here. Anita being slightly but insignificantly better makes sense.

 

 

[mozy]

He's turned it round last two games but all you need to know are:

 

15-16: 12 points in 12 starts / 4 points in 3 games missed

14-15: 36 points in 35 starts / 4 points in 3 games missed

 

Ave points: 1.03 points per start / 1.33 points per game missed

 

For comparison Vurn averages 1.07 points per start over a bigger sample size.

 

Season Starts Pts PPS

12/13 17 16 0.94

13/14 28 33 1.18

14/15 17 15 0.88

15/16 13 16 1.23

Total    75  80  1.07

 

Can't be chewed to do the games without.

 

Be interesting to see if Vurn's slight spike upwards this season can improve even further now.

[themanupstairs]

 

 

If you look at the game on Sunday and assess each player's contribution, you've got to say Colback's is poor. Not many other players on the team, even his partner there is midfield who has been as woeful as he has this season, can be labeled as simply not contributing to the cause.

 

Would be fine if this was an isolated incident but is almost every game he plays, he's just not of the required level, don't care how much running the stats say he does, my own eyes tell me, the bloke is crap.

 

Central midfield needs to be the focus of January, we need two PL quality CMs to replace the current incumbents, if that's all we do in the window I wouldn't be overly happy but it needs to be the focus.

 

While I agree an an ideal world Anita doesn't offer quite enough to be a starter he has been man of the match contender on at least 3 or 4 seperate occasions this season and has put Colback to shame in almost all of them, hes been far improved this season while still not being quite good enough.

 

Nowhere near as bad as Colback.

 

I'd have to agree. While TCD likes to try and put Anita and Colback in the same bracket, the truth is Anita is far more effective at pressing and closing down the opposition regardless of how you manipulate the stats. Neither are really good enough, but of the two only Anita is really doing his job.

TCD seemed to take massive umbrage at the role Anita was asked to perform at the beginning of the season where he was dropping between the CBs and looking for the ball but doing little else. He blamed Anita for it and steadfastly ignored posts that pointed out Anita had never played that way in his entire NUFC career, and had always looked a better option in a more advanced or pressing role, therefore he was clearly being told to play that way.

 

You're trying to rewrite history here. For YEARS i've heard people say our hoof style of play doesn't suit Anita, that he spent his Ajax career as a deep midfielder picking up the ball and distributing. He could only flourish in a side that passed it out of the back and that he was being asked to perform roles he's never done before. Which is a great excuse for a player who has been at the club over 3 years and you could count his good games in one hand. I don't even think he's ever been a regular man in one of Pardew's winning streaks or good form runs, ever. We start the season in that passing style and it's ineffective as owt. He contributed f*** all except passing it to Chancel. This is what i've been waiting to see for 3 years? It was awful. He hadn't performed in any of his other CM roles and he finally played in a fashion he was used to and it contributed diddly squat.

 

1 central midfielder doesn't have a pressing role, you press as a team of which we have been better at recently (especially Anita).

 

Anita's been s*** for us at CM for 3 years, prior to this season he's had a maximum of 3 good performances at CM - if that. The difference in the last two games is that he's actually influencing the game. Closing players down quickly and winning the ball and attempting forward passes. He's managing to impose himself on games, making other midfielders look lethargic and on their heels. He hasn't done this for the majority of his NUFC career. IN the last 3 years he's been largely anonymous, letting games drift by him, passing sideways and generally just hiding from responsibility. Not too dissimilar to the Ginger lad. But props to the lad he's shown that WHU game wasn't a fluke and has shown a couple performances of real influence.

 

Yep, there's some truth in there I suppose but you're also ignoring the fact that loads of us always said he could come good in the right system when the rest of the team functions and that is proving to be the case, at least in the last couple of matches. More actually, since McClaren stopped him playing so deep he's not had a shocker afaik, unlike others in the squad.

 

Referring to the Pardew years and his utilisation of Anita is a f***ing joke and you know it, Anita was never suited to play his long ball horseshit and we all know it, he was never in one of Pardew's streaky runs for this reason.  Pardew wanted his static formation belting the ball up to the strikers and that's not his game so he was a convenient scapegoat that Pardew is so fond of.

 

Call it excuses if you want but once again Colback has never once, that I've seen, put in a performance as good as Vurns best, not even close to it, and that's what we're on about here comparing Colback and Anita.

 

The main difference in performance isn't tactical. It's Anita, who has personally picked his game up. For years people have talked about Anita needing to play in a real passing team. We tried that and failed. This system is pretty direct and similar to Pardew's formations and style. It was said ANita suited a possession based game but he didn't influence that well. We've gone counter attack and more direct and his performances have been much better, the same way we've had any decent runs of form over the last 3 years. His main priority is still to protect the defence and he doesn't have a great deal of attacking responsibility. The team presses a bit more but the main difference is Anita has bucked his own game up and is stamping authority on it. A player can't be s*** for 3 years and it be everyone else's fault ffs.

 

We are still talking about maybe 4 good CM performances in 3 years. Aye, Colback probably has 0. But in general, they've both been s***.

 

Why does it have to be so black and white? We tried this passing game for what? a few matches this season? Why are you not taking into account that he's now had time to adjust to England, the club, and the league? Why are you not taking into account that he now plays in a team that's trying to shed the defeatist mentality he got used to under good old al pards?

 

Yes he's under performed, and is now looking better, but it doesn't have to be one thing or another. As with every player, it's a combination of factors that bring them to be what they are today. Look at Vardy for example, would he, or anyone else have thought a few years ago when he was in the lower leagues that he would be the one to break RVN's record? Circumstances have conspired to bring him to this very moment now where internal and external factors have allowed him to make a mark on PL history.

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[The College Dropout]

This is his 4th season at the club. He's never had a run of good form at CM at the club. I don't think it's unfair to have concluded that he isn't good enough.

 

He's played in teams where Cabaye, Remy, Ba, debuchy, Janmaat, Cisse, Sissoko, Perez, HBA have all had good runs of form or effectiveness. He hasn't shown anything for any type of consistency that even Tiote hasn't managed. Stop making excuses for the lad.

 

Vardy's career has been one of consistent ascent. This is his 2nd year in the PL. The first he played wide a lot and was adapting to the league at a fairly old age. It bares no comparison to Anita lol.