Albert Luque (now retired)

[alpal78]

Best thing tonight wasn't just his goal, but the way he was having a joke with Ferdinand & Lee as well. Looks a part of the group.

 

By that you mean the ex players' group? bluebigeek.gif

[Optimistic Nut]

Best thing tonight wasn't just his goal, but the way he was having a joke with Ferdinand & Lee as well. Looks a part of the group.

 

By that you mean the ex players' group? bluebigeek.gif

 

That's what I mean. The fact he was having a bit of banter with the old players bodes well.

[Skirge]

I see him being a bigger hit here than Owen, he did well tongith and I was so happy to see him involved in it..

[Wullie]

 

Is that really true Matt, not an exaggeration? coz others seems to say that he did quite well. I dont know coz I didnt see the match, so I'll leave it to the rest to confirm your opinion

 

No, it's true.

 

Every time he comes on I hope he suddenly shows why he cost £10m and has all those Spain caps, but once again he looked lost, disinterested and unable to do anything with the ball in build-up.

 

I can't possibly agree with that. He played a couple of cracking crossfield balls and scored a good goal.

 

I keep hearing 'disinterested' but I just don't buy it.

[ewerk]

I see him being a bigger hit here than Owen, he did well tongith and I was so happy to see him involved in it..

 

Has to do a bit of work to do that.

 

I hope tonight has shown him what NUFC is all about, he has been getting a lot of shit recently but he will have seen tonight exactly what a bit of graft and 206 goals gets you in Newcastle, hopefully it'll have re-invigorated the lad for next season.

[Wullie]

Just being where he was at the right time is something to say for him. Two in two - yes I know, I know, it was a testimonial and it was the mackems but let's face it, Celtic weren't exactly non-competitive and they were both good goals.

 

Chopra never, ever looks like getting on the end of anything. Yeah he runs round and generally is a nuisance when hassling, but that's all he does.

[Guest thompers]

Looked like he enjoyed it tonight, good on him I say!

[Guest thompers]

Chopra could do better goalswise but he's got the handicap of being played with Shola, which was also costing Big Al goals when they played together

[ewerk]

Chopra is a prime example of someone who wants to play for the club and is willing to bust a gut for it, unfortunately I don't think he has the talent but if given the same opportunities Shola has he could have proved me wrong, however I don't think he will be given the same sort of time.

[womblemaster]

chopra suprised me tonight with his pace and attacking play, even his crossing was pretty good. 

 

Cant really see him being a first team player, but as a stand in for nobby, then he may have a future.

[Northern Monkey]

No doubt the Luque knockers will say its only a testimonial :roll:

 

But IMO, u can only eat whats in front of you. Anyway how was his overall play?

 

But in pretty much every other game he wss involved in up to the Scum game, he didn't look remotely hungry.

[Jaehyun]

 

Is that really true Matt, not an exaggeration? coz others seems to say that he did quite well. I dont know coz I didnt see the match, so I'll leave it to the rest to confirm your opinion

 

No, it's true.

 

Every time he comes on I hope he suddenly shows why he cost £10m and has all those Spain caps, but once again he looked lost, disinterested and unable to do anything with the ball in build-up.

 

I can't possibly agree with that. He played a couple of cracking crossfield balls and scored a good goal.

 

I keep hearing 'disinterested' but I just don't buy it.

I don't either, the fans also said this after the sunderland match, but from what I saw luque was running and closing down the ball at any opportunity available.

[Guest Hodgson09]

Let me say it really simple for the simpletons out there, because they seem to like totally ignoring his injury. Hamstring nearly tear in half, take long time to recover, long time to get full fitness back (this includes pace), and then there is the match sharpness. Give him a chance to get fit honestly if you lot had any idea how long it can take to rehab a sportsman after an injury you wouldn't be pulling the lad down. It is easier to rehab an unfit person after an injury than it is a elite sportsman. Injury like Luques' I would honestly say a year until full recovery, thats healing, the rehab that goes along with it, strength and endurance training, match training, strength and endurance would be ongoing, with flexibility included in all sessions. Trust me he would be working  harder than anyone in the team at the moment on getting himself right. Owen will be exactly the same, when these guys are injured they don't just sit on their arses and play playstation.

[Northern Monkey]

Let me say it really simple for the simpletons out there, because they seem to like totally ignoring his injury. Hamstring nearly tear in half, take long time to recover, long time to get full fitness back (this includes pace), and then there is the match sharpness. Give him a chance to get fit honestly if you lot had any idea how long it can take to rehab a sportsman after an injury you wouldn't be pulling the lad down. It is easier to rehab an unfit person after an injury than it is a elite sportsman. Injury like Luques' I would honestly say a year until full recovery, thats healing, the rehab that goes along with it, strength and endurance training, match training, strength and endurance would be ongoing, with flexibility included in all sessions. Trust me he would be working  harder than anyone in the team at the moment on getting himself right. Owen will be exactly the same, when these guys are injured they don't just sit on their arses and play playstation.

 

Does the injury make you not particulary good as well?

 

If Roeder gets the job, hopefully it'll be adios to Luque.

[Guest MagicNumber9]

Owen ---- Luque    next season, thats what i want to see.

[Guest Hodgson09]

On what are you judging him on, Monkey, a handful of appearances when he was unfit? Or his time with other clubs?

Because if you basing it on when he was unfit i'd say your dumb, if it was his time with other clubs i'd say I disagree but everyone is entitled to their opinions.

[Northern Monkey]

On what are you judging him on, Monkey, a handful of appearances when he was unfit? Or his time with other clubs?

Because if you basing it on when he was unfit i'd say your dumb, if it was his time with other clubs i'd say I disagree but everyone is entitled to their opinions.

 

I'm basing it on how he has played for us. Everything else is irrelevant. I don't give a fuck how he played somewhere else. I care how he played for us. It seems that loads of people want to make excuses for the likes of him, Boumsong, and Dyer, without admitting that these people get paid a lot of money to play for us, and a number of them fail to do so adequately.

 

As for Luque.....his first two (?) games - poor. But people say he was settling in, can't expect any more. Then the injury. Whe nhe came back (and people on here were crying like babies for him to be played) he was poor. Very poor. Suddenly, he is still unfit (yet people were desperate for him to be played, and used it as a stick to beat roeder with), you can't have it both ways. He not only looked disinterested ("not fit yet", poor diddums), he also looked not that good. "But he's playing in a different country". Fuck off. I'm not talking about the pace of the game getting to him, but him showing talent, like Viana. I'm talking about him looking not very good. ITS THE SAME FUCKING GAME HERE AS IT IS IN SPAIN. Same number of players, same rules, same sized ball, same sized goa;. If he can't show individually that he's a great player, maybe he's not. "But he's playing with poor quality players". So was Owen. He managed to do well.

 

Excuse after excuse for Luque, based on a few games people saw him play for Depor, and soem nicely edited showreel.

 

I'm basing my opinion on what i've seen. Some players change my opinion by doing well, some confirm it being shite. I've seen nothing from Luque so far to show he's in the former category.

[toontownman]

I dont think he contributes to the game enough when he is on. He has a great finish and playing deep he can certainly spray a good ball around.. he and emre did that well when they came on at the humping at man city. The problem is bar his finishing Chopra has looked better.

 

He doesnt have any match fitness granted.. and he hasnt been given much chance, thats something we just have to trust roeder and our staff on.

 

I will be happy if he stays, but i wont be crying if we get good money for him in the summer..

 

if its money we are after that means we can strengthen with players that will give more to the side, then i dont mind him leaving.

 

put yourself in Roeders position... big bids come in this summer for him means money to buy a LB and RB maybe more freeing up wages..

 

or you risk him for next season.. he might do well or he might flop again and we flog him for next to nothing at christmas.

 

There isnt anyone that wants him to fail here..we all hope he comes good.. but whats best for the club.. the gamble or the money for rebuilding? We have to trust Roeder with that decision.

 

[James]

On what are you judging him on, Monkey, a handful of appearances when he was unfit? Or his time with other clubs?

Because if you basing it on when he was unfit i'd say your dumb, if it was his time with other clubs i'd say I disagree but everyone is entitled to their opinions.

 

 

 

I'm basing it on how he has played for us. Everything else is irrelevant. I don't give a fuck how he played somewhere else. I care how he played for us. It seems that loads of people want to make excuses for the likes of him, Boumsong, and Dyer, without admitting that these people get paid a lot of money to play for us, and a number of them fail to do so adequately.

 

As for Luque.....his first two (?) games - poor. But people say he was settling in, can't expect any more. Then the injury. Whe nhe came back (and people on here were crying like babies for him to be played) he was poor. Very poor. Suddenly, he is still unfit (yet people were desperate for him to be played, and used it as a stick to beat roeder with), you can't have it both ways. He not only looked disinterested ("not fit yet", poor diddums), he also looked not that good. "But he's playing in a different country". Fuck off. I'm not talking about the pace of the game getting to him, but him showing talent, like Viana. I'm talking about him looking not very good. ITS THE SAME FUCKING GAME HERE AS IT IS IN SPAIN. Same number of players, same rules, same sized ball, same sized goa;. If he can't show individually that he's a great player, maybe he's not. "But he's playing with poor quality players". So was Owen. He managed to do well.

 

Excuse after excuse for Luque, based on a few games people saw him play for Depor, and soem nicely edited showreel.

 

I'm basing my opinion on what i've seen. Some players change my opinion by doing well, some confirm it being shite. I've seen nothing from Luque so far to show he's in the former category.

 

Bluebigeek.gif

[Guest alex]

He deserves another chance on the basis he scored in a testimonial?

[Guest tobiazvanderziaz]

Keep Chopra sell Luque! OK he scored a goal yesterday but ot was a 100% chance. Beside the goal he made one good pass and then he lost the ball or got pushed aside the other times he was involved. Cant see him as a regular PL player!

[ChezGiven]

Moore got the same treatment until recently. Now people have come on and publicly said they were wrong about him. So, it can happen. Not saying it will and not saying the two situations are identical (Moore's performances were recognised after 5 or 6 starts) but just saying it could happen.

 

A goal in a testimonial is neither evidence one way or another though.

 

The Luque jury has just ordered pizza in for the 9th month in a row.   

[Wullie]

He deserves another chance on the basis he scored in a testimonial?

 

He deserves a chance full stop.

[Guest Pigsy]

He deserves another chance on the basis he scored in a testimonial?

He deserves a chance full stop.

 

But is he gonna get that chance next season with us undoubtably buying a new striker and zog blitzing the left flank? No, get the money back.

 

[STM]

Firstly i will point out that i'm a massive Luque fan, i even have his name on the back of my away top.

 

Trying to be as fair as possible, i think Luque had a decent game. No more, no less. He does tend to give the ball away and doesn't close people down like Scotty Parker or Big Al. However, i simply don't think that is the type of player Luque is. He reminds me of Robert in many ways, un-believable talent but a questionable attitude.

 

Luque in my eyes is the type of player who can un-leash a moment of brilliance at a moments notice, sometimes you won't even know he's in a game until he's scored the winner. Yesterday, i think he showed exactly that.

 

People can't use "A lack of fitness" anymore, it's just not realistic. What does baffle me is why Roeder would leave him out of the team week in week out.

 

Personally, i don't know whether i would like Luque to stay or not. We will soon find out.