Transfer Rumour Jack Grealish

[bluestevon]

Jack Grealish personality and image have arguably always created hype that has to a degree outstripped his production.

He has played 12,764 PL minutes split between a dominant City and meh Villa. He has 27G, 31A or a G/A every 220 minutes. More than respectable but not outstanding, with a decline over the last two seasons to every 286 minutes. That still isn’t bad as it is comparable to Ndiaye (272) but we have no idea if adding Grealish would mean Ndiaye would become less (or more) effective due to changing position. Kevin Mirallas as another comparison played 8812 PL minutes for us with 29G, 21A, a G/A every 176 minutes. Mirallas was clearly a significantly more productive player.

If Grealish was 21 showing his early career promise this would be wildly exciting. At 30 with his known love for partying, ‘OK’ career stats and current trajectory any loan deal would have to be at a huge discount to make sense given the significant number of ‘ifs’ involved trying to project him to us.

Good post that mate

A lot of the hype and wanting of Grealish comes from the fact he was just really enjoyable to watch and played the way you like to see players do. Kinda like the way Roo ey post getting it drilled out of him at united did - just playing g with freedom - kinda come Palmer is the current one who does that.

What it's led to is an operating if him due to that simple factor, he's good to watch and fans like it.

 

[bluestevon]

Definitely. I had this discussion with a City fan at work a few times. At Villa I think he mainly got the ball on the counter with maybe only 2 or 3 player between him and the goal, with space to attack and he was very direct, drove at the defenders and looked to take them on. Would suit how we play now I think.

Then at City, because of the way they play, he'd get the ball a lot higher up the pitch, but there would be 5 or 6 players between him and the goal, no space, tight areas, he'd try and take people on but would give the ball away or get fouled. When he was getting free kicks in dangerous areas he was still useful for Pep but then I think defenders just learnt to stand him up and became ineffective for them and resorted 99% of the time to just playing backwards to keep possession.

Also pep great manager that he is drills out that creative freedom from players as it's all about the system and very very formulaic, one exception was Messi but his level was so high even pep accepted it.

 

[Andyramone]

I'd argue he's one of the 3-4 most important figures in the history of the club.

Absolutely correct

 

[Harryflashman]

Not the argument though is it. What if Lineker missed the same number of games? Would we even have finished 2nd?

We’d have won the league if he hadn’t missed about a load of chances at Oxford

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

Well usually the team that wins the league has the best everything mate, so in a way, both you and SAF are right.

9 of 12 of the teams that finished ahead of us conceded more than us though. I would definitely say attack wins you more points.

 

[Frosty1878]

Back onto Grealish if we’re signing him just get it done, need to start getting players in sooner rather than later.

 

[allen]

I wonder how many more times this thread will bob up onto page 1 before the window closes...

I think wherever he goes, it'll be on deadline day. Both he and City will be wanting to get the most out of any deal, and that'll result in the deadline forcing the issue I think.

 

[pfim]

I wonder how many more times this thread will bob up onto page 1 before the window closes...

I think wherever he goes, it'll be on deadline day. Both he and City will be wanting to get the most out of any deal, and that'll result in the deadline forcing the issue I think.

Correct, if this one happens, it's not likely to happen soon.

 

[Harryflashman]

9 of 12 of the teams that finished ahead of us conceded more than us though. I would definitely say attack wins you more points.

I think we’ve bucked the trend a bit last few years with Dyche because teams conceding as few goals as us don’t usually end up in a relegation battle , I think only those above us were champions lge .

However teams that score the fewest nearly always go down , they did last year and 23/24 we bucked it when we were in the worst three and Luton weren’t .

We surrender goals to protect defensively and it worked , if we want to move up the table though it feels obvious we need to score significantly more goals .

 

[Eggsyblueskin]

I think we’ve bucked the trend a bit last few years with Dyche because teams conceding as few goals as us don’t usually end up in a relegation battle , I think only those above us were champions lge .

However teams that score the fewest nearly always go down , they did last year and 23/24 we bucked it when we were in the worst three and Luton weren’t .

We surrender goals to protect defensively and it worked , if we want to move up the table though it feels obvious we need to score significantly more goals .

Having Pickford counteracted our atrocious scoring rate .

 

[Harryflashman]

Having Pickford counteracted our atrocious scoring rate .

I think he’s kept us a couple of times , I’m no dyche fan but I do think 23/24 felt like his tactics certainly made us more defensively secure over the 38 games .

 

[Eggsyblueskin]

I think he’s kept us a couple of times , I’m no dyche fan but I do think 23/24 felt like his tactics certainly made us more defensively secure over the 38 games .

I think over the last three years he is one of the main ,if not actually the main, reason we are not currently in the Championship,
( Pickford not Dyche )

 

[Harryflashman]

I think over the last three years he is one of the main ,if not actually the main, reason we are not currently in the Championship,

So I’m not being argumentative but I think longer , 21/22 and 22/23 both of them I think we’d have gone without him .

I think it’s easier to say we both think he’s been huge for us

 

[Eggs]

…I wasn’t a fan even when he was at Villa. I watched him closely in his last game for them at Goodison and I was very disappointed. I have always thought he was very lucky to get the move he got. hugely overrated and a misjudgement from City.

Maybe he has a point to prove, maybe he’s lost his hunger for the game, I hope our reported interest is wide of the mark but if he does end up here then fine.

 

[Blue Smoke]

I'd hope and trust moyes will look him in the eye and judge by his body language and chat, that he (Grealish), has that genuine determination to find his best self and desire to get back into the England setup.
Anything else...as in not bothered, too good to be at Everton attitude, then swerve