Allan Saint-Maximin (now playing for Fenerbahce, on loan from Al-Ahli)

[Lush Vlad]

They did seem to put 3 players on him when he came on. If he managed to shift the ball quicker, we might have taken advantage of the space left by Kante and Ziyech and Chalobah, I think it was, being so drawn to him. Also, as a team, I’ve always thought we could do a bit better to take advantage of teams focusing so much on ASM. 
 

He is never going to graft like a lot of the players. But there was less effort than usual from him, I thought. He has pressed well at times under Howe. Man U and Everton spring to mind. 
 

All that said. He has been injured and ill. So I’m guessing he wasn’t 100%. 

[Superior Acuña]

Don’t want to blow it out of proportion but it was pretty poor form yesterday how the whole squad minus him came over to the fans together, him chatting to Lukaku and someone else, then never came to fans on his own. It stood out.

[Mahoneys Tache]

Sticking by my new Ketsbaia opinion previously posted. A bit more Ben Arfa in his execution at times but he promises much and doesn’t live up to the hype. In a couple of seasons he’ll either have been pedalled or he’ll be a squad player. 

[marki]

4 hours ago, Mahoneys Tache said:

Sticking by my new Ketsbaia opinion previously posted. A bit more Ben Arfa in his execution at times but he promises much and doesn’t live up to the hype. In a couple of seasons he’ll either have been pedalled or he’ll be a squad player. 

He,s just getting his sharpness back you will probly love him again in a week or 2

 

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by marki

[mighty__mag]

Ah, we're back to this talk again. 

 

Fucking bores me.

 

He's fucking brilliant, stop being wankers. 

 

 

[Emotic]

When was the last time we had a good, old-fashioned "body language watch"? I remember Luque back on the old forum. 

[Sandrotastico]

Let's hope he's back on form Thursday and he plays like he did at Home to Everton. I think we all want him to succeed. Maybe more than he wants it or can be arsed.

Fingers crossed. He's an amazing talent when he's on song!

[Mattoon]

I see half of twitter have turned on him, including Culkin, the guy is an absolute game changer and can tear apart the best defenses in the league but let's moan that he doesn't track back? I think I'd prefer him on the shoulder of the last defender waiting to counter tbh.

[buzza]

11 minutes ago, Mattoon said:

I see half of twitter have turned on him, including Culkin, the guy is an absolute game changer and can tear apart the best defenses in the league but let's moan that he doesn't track back? I think I'd prefer him on the shoulder of the last defender waiting to counter tbh.

I hope we don´t bring him down, he seems quite emotional! I agree that just his presence keeps a couple of defenders occupied and further back i.e. not bring the ball forward.

But it does get annoyin when he is just strolling around instead of at least half running...

[ponsaelius]

We've had a couple of wins and now half our support would rather have Jacob Murphy in the side and want him peddled. It honestly boggles the mind how few see the bigger picture beyond the short termism of good runs of form from team/individuals.

[NE27]

I agree nufc (especially twitter) can be hypercritical with these things, but we shouldn't be afraid to call a bad cameo a bad cameo.

 

His introduction at Chelsea definitely wasn't great and not up to maxis standards, you'd hope even he'd agree there. We needed him to do the dirty work in that game like the rest of the team had being doing and it felt like he was on a different wavelength.

 

All I know is I'd rather ASM played for us, than against us!

[The Prophet]

If it wasn't for Willock, ASM and Wilson, we'd be in the Championship.

[Mattoon]

18 minutes ago, NE27 said:

I agree nufc (especially twitter) can be hypercritical with these things, but we shouldn't be afraid to call a bad cameo a bad cameo.

 

His introduction at Chelsea definitely wasn't great and not up to maxis standards, you'd hope even he'd agree there. We needed him to do the dirty work in that game like the rest of the team had being doing and it felt like he was on a different wavelength.

 

All I know is I'd rather ASM played for us, than against us!

 

Absolutely agree 100% he was substandard against Chelsea, but that doesn't mean all of a sudden he's public enemy number 1, some of our supporters have the memory of a goldfish. Who's to say Howe hasn't told him to stay forward? Either way he's more than earned the benefit of the doubt.

[loki679]

With a player like ASM or HBA or Ginola or Robert it's all about the ratios.  If they're only turning it on once every 10 games then no matter how good they are you're better off without them. 

 

ASM is kind of on the edge of that ratio right now so it's understandable that people get frustrated with him.  A good run of games and a bit of decent coaching on when to release the ball and when to hold it and he'll be magic and all this will be forgotten.

[HaydnNUFC]

5 minutes ago, ManDoon said:

This is Laurent Robert syndrome again. Are we the only fan base who regularly does this? 

 

You take the rough with the smooth with players like ASM, HBA, Robert and Ginola. You take the risk of them 'looking lazy' because of their individual brilliance they can conjure or they can terrify the opposition when they're on it. Newcastle fans seem to have this quasi fantasy of a player who has ASM, Robert et al's ability but constantly sprint back and forth and do defensive work, have 110% work rate et cetera. Weird.

[HaydnNUFC]

Just now, ManDoon said:

Basically doesn’t exist unless they play for Simeone. But in general you won’t ever get that combination. Salah I guess does do it, but not to that degree 

 

Aye. The sentiment seems to have been in our fanbase for years. Reminds of some outrageous Pardew (iirc) quote on HBA after scoring a ridiculous goal, paraphrasing a bit but "he can do that every week, if he doesn't track back he doesn't get in my team". A lot of the yer das in our fanbase still have that view of players like ASM. Was probably the same in the 90s with Ginola and early 00s with Robert. Was with HBA too.

[TRon]

1 hour ago, ponsaelius said:

We've had a couple of wins and now half our support would rather have Jacob Murphy in the side and want him peddled. It honestly boggles the mind how few see the bigger picture beyond the short termism of good runs of form from team/individuals.

 

Hmmm...wonder what they saw in Murphy's performances that made them think, yeah he'll do for me.

 

Don't get me wrong, he puts a shift in, but he was mostly bad against Chelsea.

[The Prophet]

I'd start him. They'll be shitting their pants if they see him on the team sheet after the fixture at SJP.

[Wolfcastle]

2 hours ago, ManDoon said:

This is Laurent Robert syndrome again. Are we the only fan base who regularly does this? 

Course not. The only similar player I can think of that never got it was Le-Tissier at Southampton.

Far better players than ASM have had it - Gazza, Baggio, Yeboah, Beardsley with Liverpool/England, Liam Brady, Glenn Hoddle, Waddle, Gullit

[Sean]

2 hours ago, loki679 said:

With a player like ASM or HBA or Ginola or Robert it's all about the ratios.  If they're only turning it on once every 10 games then no matter how good they are you're better off without them. 

 

ASM is kind of on the edge of that ratio right now so it's understandable that people get frustrated with him.  A good run of games and a bit of decent coaching on when to release the ball and when to hold it and he'll be magic and all this will be forgotten.

I don't get the impression he really wants to listen and learn and absorb knowledge. Pretty sure it's been said he gets fined all the time. He's far better than our other options, but I wouldn't be shocked if Howe would prefer someone a bit more coachable if he had the choice. 

[TRC]

There is a good chance he isn't our best/star player next year, so it will be about how we adapts to that.

 

He has the talent to have any career he wants its up to him.

[Kid Icarus]

3 minutes ago, Wolfcastle said:

Course not. The only similar player I can think of that never got it was Le-Tissier at Southampton.

Far better players than ASM have had it - Gazza, Baggio, Yeboah, Beardsley with Liverpool/England, Liam Brady, Glenn Hoddle, Waddle, Gullit

 

My first experience of it was with Ginola and that was when we were going for the league title. You're right, it doesn't matter how good we are, any player like that will get the same criticism from the same people. 

I think it was Leffe who use to have that quote about Glenn Hoddle as his signature: a luxury player is the player that can't do what he can do. Someone who can't see a pass and keeps giving the ball away, they're the luxury players, not Glenn Hoddle.

 

Something like that. Spot on imo. 

[Hanshithispantz]

I can understand starting Fraser over him tbf like. But that would be if we had other forwards than Wood and Murphy. 

 

Currently if fit and the fixture list allows it they should both obviously start 

[KaKa]

Suited the low block and give it to ASM on the counter approach of Bruce ball.

 

With Howe's more organised and disciplined pressing approach, I don't think he'll make the adjustment.

[Wolfcastle]

6 hours ago, Kid Icarus said:

 

My first experience of it was with Ginola and that was when we were going for the league title. You're right, it doesn't matter how good we are, any player like that will get the same criticism from the same people. 

I think it was Leffe who use to have that quote about Glenn Hoddle as his signature: a luxury player is the player that can't do what he can do. Someone who can't see a pass and keeps giving the ball away, they're the luxury players, not Glenn Hoddle.

 

Something like that. Spot on imo. 

 

Have vague memories of Mirandinha being in the same boat back end of 88/89. Whilst obviously our best player ability wise - the crowd were mixed between happy and peed off if he wasn't selected. Always some toxicity either way.