He's been pretty symbolic of our season really. The fact he's first name on the team sheet is only the start of our problems
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He's been pretty symbolic of our season really. The fact he's first name on the team sheet is only the start of our problems
Little Ralphy
Player Valuation: £15m
Almost sounds like he's trying to stake his claim to stay in the job. We need experience and he's got it, he's won a trophy and he's finished 5th.
I really hope he turns it around but I'm struggling to see any evidence that he's at least going to stop the defenders passing it around the back which is leading to a record number of mistakes, play with a proper shape, or use players who are better equipped to retain possession.
I remember when Vialli won the Champions League while upfront for Juve. Later as a Chelsea player and pundit in the studio he claimed that Juve had basically built their side for the European campaign and sacrificed their league challenge in order to win the trophy they wanted. I'm not suggesting Martinez has done this with us but we have looked a lot more dynamic in Europe this season than we have in the league.
Eric Djemba-Djemba
Player Valuation: £60m
Him, Howard and Barry. With those being the first names on team sheet no matter what it's like Martinez is trying to get sacked.
I like Naimisth. He's not the ideal footballer by any stretch of the imagination, as his passing is mostly woeful and he's not particularly mobile.
However, he has shown that he's a more than able finisher when presented with opportunities and he is tenacious, hard-working and determined.
When a lot of players have simply dwindled under the pressure this year, Steven has kept working; what he lacks in ability he makes up in guile
Although over the past few weeks his influence seems to have diminished, I put that more down to tiredness and being over burdened.
If other players were performing to an expected or acceptable level, then Naismith would not be starting as regularly as he has been expected to.
As a Kopite I know in work said, "When Steven Naismith is keeping Barkley out of the team, what does it say about either player?"
However, he has shown that he's a more than able finisher when presented with opportunities and he is tenacious, hard-working and determined.
When a lot of players have simply dwindled under the pressure this year, Steven has kept working; what he lacks in ability he makes up in guile
Although over the past few weeks his influence seems to have diminished, I put that more down to tiredness and being over burdened.
If other players were performing to an expected or acceptable level, then Naismith would not be starting as regularly as he has been expected to.
As a Kopite I know in work said, "When Steven Naismith is keeping Barkley out of the team, what does it say about either player?"
Billy Dean
Player Valuation: £70m
I wonder myself sometimes whether this is the case and whether the light pre-season and the lack of work off the ball in the league are attempts to conserve energy and peak in April/May when other teams are tiring out. Purely wishful thinking though I reckon.
Penno
Player Valuation: £10m
Hey Phil, where's your new name on the other place akbar?
TheHumbleEgg
Player Valuation: £15m
Interrrrrrestin' stuff. Never knew the VIALLI/JUVE palaver...
Blue in Brazil
Player Valuation: £500k
I really hope he gets through this, team looks unbalanced nobody wide left all season, a lot of square pegs round holes, Jags shunted to the left to accomodate Stones, but long term I still think he could do good things
davek
Player Valuation: £150m
We get the time in Europe to play that way (although if Kiev and others left in that tournament we might face have any sense they'll get behind the ball). I maintain that the system is not the problem. But if you want to play the way he wants to you have to have a better CD unit than we can turn to...and you have to have a player further up the pitch capable of consistently opening defences up when they sit deep causing your passing movements to consistently break down. A little back heel, reverse pass, chip over the top of a defence...we dont have the player to do that and we need to find him if the system wants to thrive. As a stop gap we should have tried to get Berbatov in January.
I've yet to be converted to the great mission in which my fellow brethren have sworn allegiance, Abdul Hakam.
Accept Bobby stayed on message with his constant referrals that his squad was good enough since last summer. In other words, he probably made promises in the summer to the club that he was done spending and did,nt need to go out and spend in Jan. it,s clear that we have missed a creative player in the last third of the pitch for a very long time now but he decided to play No 10,s all over the shop with no wingers to boot.
davek
Player Valuation: £150m
Lennon, at this stage, doesn't look like the player we needed in January. I can understand him wanting to get some pace out wide, but if it were me I;d have taken a gamble on any available player who could pick a lock on his day.
Diego is the one we should be targeting this summer. He's on a free from Fenerbahce then...probably cash upfront this January would have secured him earlier.
EDIT. Not a free, but wouldn't break the bank.
LOL, I,completely forgot about Lennon.
marty mcfly
Player Valuation: £40m
I don't think that has happened by design but we collectively definitely look like we have more energy in Europe. I think the players are trying to get the league over and done with the minimal amount of effort and risk to injury. Has been that way since Top 4 was no longer realistic.
marty mcfly
Player Valuation: £40m
Teams might be targeting him now and tracking his movement.
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