First choice

[Sim]

I think ossie has been playing well the last couple of games but i thought pienaar was ok last night he did a lot of work off the ball

Maybe you right, but I thought he 'went missing' too often myself. He shows flashes of brilliance, like his backflick for the ossie goal, and he did a backflick earlier in the game too, but I feel that if he needs to justify his transfer I'd like to see him get involved more.

As for ossie your right too, he was very good against liverpool and his form has improved. Maybe he took it too easy before as he was virtually garaunteed a game, but now with Cahill and Grav back there is more chance of him being dropped.

 

[daz4matty]

Maybe you right, but I thought he 'went missing' too often myself. He shows flashes of brilliance, like his backflick for the ossie goal, and he did a backflick earlier in the game too, but I feel that if he needs to justify his transfer I'd like to see him get involved more.

As for ossie your right too, he was very good against liverpool and his form has improved. Maybe he took it too easy before as he was virtually garaunteed a game, but now with Cahill and Grav back there is more chance of him being dropped.

Pienaar did a lot of running last night i lost count of how many times he was up in the opposition box supporting our strikers,to me he is class but he needs a run in the team to get used to us and the premiership.
The competition for places is good cos ossie will have to get consistant and they will have to play for their places

 

[micknick]

Pienaar has been right up there for me this season whenevr he has played he has looked very accomplished. He gets back and gets stuck in- he wins the ball back very often. What is his stronger foot???! He seems as good with his right as he is with his left!

 

[Sim]

Pienaar has been right up there for me this season whenevr he has played he has looked very accomplished. He gets back and gets stuck in- he wins the ball back very often. What is his stronger foot???! He seems as good with his right as he is with his left!

I know I disagree with many of you over Pienaar but I've seen nothing but glimpses of skill to warrant buying him. If its only £2M then fair enough, but anymore would be a bloody swiz!

I know he's not a bad player, but I just dont think he brings enough to the midfield. We need wingers as a priority, players we can bring much needed width and can run with the ball, so far only Arteta is prepared to take that on. Cahill=goalscorer, Arteta=playmaker, Graveson=playmaker/creative passer, Neville=defensive, Carsley=defensive, Osman & Pienaar=standard midfielders. We're missing wingers people!

 

[daz4matty]

I know I disagree with many of you over Pienaar but I've seen nothing but glimpses of skill to warrant buying him. If its only £2M then fair enough, but anymore would be a bloody swiz!

I know he's not a bad player, but I just dont think he brings enough to the midfield. We need wingers as a priority, players we can bring much needed width and can run with the ball, so far only Arteta is prepared to take that on. Cahill=goalscorer, Arteta=playmaker, Graveson=playmaker/creative passer, Neville=defensive, Carsley=defensive, Osman & Pienaar=standard midfielders. We're missing wingers people!

Moyes doesn,t use wingers though sim he likes to by-pass the midfield and even when he doesn,t he likes hardworkers in there.
Pienaar is easy worth 2 million watch what he does off the ball plus he is comfy on it given a run in the team he will get better and better.

 

[micknick]

Ok I dont agree that Moyes bypasses the midfield but I agree that we tend to play wide midfielders and not wingers. Arteta is a right midfielder, David Beckham is a right midfielder, Aaron Lennon is a right winger and SWP is a right winger.

We play well with wide midfielders, I rate Pienaar as a good wide player and I think he will only get better. It was only 2 seasons ago he was rated as one of the best talents in Europe.

 

[Robert Jarvis]

As for wingers and Moyes, note that VDM who is our nearest thing to a winger has seemingly completely gone off the map. With Cahill back I am also doubting if AJ will get the nod at all.

 

[Sim]

Moyes doesn,t use wingers though sim he likes to by-pass the midfield and even when he doesn,t he likes hardworkers in there.
Pienaar is easy worth 2 million watch what he does off the ball plus he is comfy on it given a run in the team he will get better and better.

I appreciate he may do a lot of work off the ball daz, but he still needs to get on the ball more because thats where it really counts.

I know Moyes doesnt have a good record with wingers, but to me thats the weakness in our team. No width, not enough creativity, no service to strikers. These are all attributes a good winger or two would bring. Pienaar for me is just more of what we already have.

 

[daz4matty]

Ok I dont agree that Moyes bypasses the midfield but I agree that we tend to play wide midfielders and not wingers. Arteta is a right midfielder, David Beckham is a right midfielder, Aaron Lennon is a right winger and SWP is a right winger.

We play well with wide midfielders, I rate Pienaar as a good wide player and I think he will only get better. It was only 2 seasons ago he was rated as one of the best talents in Europe.

You watch mick this season especially the early part we get the ball at the back and thump it up field looking for one of the strikers out on the flanks.
We do bypass the midfield a lot on the whole but the only problem is with someone like faddy upfront on his own the ball comes back.

 

[Robert Jarvis]

In fact Daz it seems to come back when AJ, Yak are up there on their own.
If we are going to keep doing these long balls then we had better go over the park and sign up Crouch. Oops did I type that. Wash your mouth out RJ.

 

[Sim]

If we are going to keep doing these long balls then we had better go over the park and sign up Crouch. Oops did I type that. Wash your mouth out RJ.

And chop your fingers off, that should never be repeated!

 

[Pblueman]

----------------------------Howard------------------------

Hibbert--------yobo--------------------lescott-------baines

arteta-------cahill-------------graveson/jagielka-------mcfadden

-----------------anichebe-----------vaughn----------------

subs......... wessels(goodun that boy)
............... johnson
............... yakubu
............... stubbs
............... carsley

 

[SuitsBlue]

well, where to begin...

...pienaar last night was imo very good, he showed for the defence and allowed the ball to be played on the deck, his passing was good (i cant recall him playing the ball sloppy)

...it appears osmans recent bench break has spurred him onto a better standard, so long as he plays as he is, hes a starter for me.

...wingers, wide midfielders, and full backs. lescott and baines hooked up well on the left, each covering the other and occasionally pushing up - specifically when arteta and pienaar were swapping sides - when they had drifted inside or right there was oceans of space on the left which occasionally was exploited.
I really like hibbert, hes strong in the tackle and just quick enough to keep players honest, what narks me about him is his thinking time, again we saw him dawdle on a decision where the ball shouldnt have bounced, it should have been row Z, he lost focus and we were under a bit of pressure.

if we could find a right footed baines then we would suddenly be very dangerous - i hear alves's manager has moved to the PL, i wonder what sevilles resolve over him would be.

 

[daz4matty]

I appreciate he may do a lot of work off the ball daz, but he still needs to get on the ball more because thats where it really counts.

I know Moyes doesnt have a good record with wingers, but to me thats the weakness in our team. No width, not enough creativity, no service to strikers. These are all attributes a good winger or two would bring. Pienaar for me is just more of what we already have.

I think pienaar would play even better in a 5 man midfield alongside cahill and carsley in the middle,i think given time he will be a better asset than manny

 

[Sim]

I think pienaar would play even better in a 5 man midfield alongside cahill and carsley in the middle,i think given time he will be a better asset than manny

Well he's a much better asset than manny cos he doesnt play for us!

I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. Although I honestly really do hope you right and I'm wrong on this one.