Gravesen...

[GrandOldTeam]

Send him back. Not good enough.

We were after Gonzales, Fernandes and that type of quality in the summer - signing Gravesen wasn't even second best, it was a desperate signing. Surely we should have been lining up a centre midfielder the past few months when its so obvious it was our main target in the summer?

 

[Neiler]

Disagree Danny,

I think its wrong to single out a praticular player for criticism from yesterdays debacle. As many know im in the for Grav club! Having said that he wasnt a force yesterday, that could be said of a few. He hasnt had many games for us due to injury, which to me suggests that his match fittness and sharpness isnt as it should be. I think the question we have to ask ourselves is has he contributed to the season and for me, yes he has, despite these injury problems. i.e early in the prem and in europe, while also alowing moyes to rest and rotate his squad which up untill yesterday had been working a treat! For me the comparrison has to be made in terms of oppurtunites of involvement verses contribution and for sparse oppurtuity, he he has contribted, compared to the AVDM of this world!

I dont think yesterdays result can be blamed on one player it was a collection of bad circumstances and poor performences, it happens in the cup!

Firstly, getting rid of grav now i think would weaken, Moyes's options coming into perhaps the most difficult time of year in terms of injuries and suspensions, not to mention the ANC. I know theres an argument for getting in a better quality replacement, but it would be madness spending big meoney in Jan and the type of quality you speak of is likely to be cup tied in europe!

Secondly, no doubht we have paid celtic a loan fee and agreed a contract to pay his wages/or part of untill the end of the season and i still dont think we are in the postion where we can discard this money invested!

Finally i think it would be poor man-mangement on Moyes's part to this week send grav back to celtic and more or less make him a scape goat for the result, for me this sends out the wrong message to other players, and i simply think there is no justificatin for it and Moyes simply wouldnt do it in terms of the spirt he has created in the sqaud!

I dont know how we can have a Grav out thread when AVDM is still at the club!

Oh im sorry he used to play for Ajax and Inter and might come good!

Im happy for people to have a rant anbout praticular fringe players after yesterday as we are all dissapointed in the result but knee jerk reactions that actually effect the progress we have made this season are just madness!

 

[neonleon]

I'm a big fan of gravesen, but have to agree that he is not the player he used to be. He failed to get in the Celtic side and has failed to get into our first team.

Doubts over knee injuries? Is his heart still in the game.

Aside from some good cameos in europe he is not the player that left us for real madrid a few seasons ago.

What we should do now, I don't know. If we can get someone like fernandes on loan then that is the way to go.

I seriously doubt that gravesen will be anything other than an emergency loan replacement. We won't be signing him come the summer.

A player, that at his best, could open up arsenal and man united's defences, looked awful against a league one outfit. Carsley, who has been one of our best players over the last few seasons, seemed livid with his performance yesterday. Can't imagine Moyes was that enamoured as he pulled him out of the game early.

Pity really. But there is overwhelming evidence that gravesen isn't a shadow of the player he once was.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

I agree Neiler, but this isn't a knee-jerk reaction to his performance, its my assessment on his impact since he arrived. 30k a week for what?

I'd rather give one of the younger lads a go.

I was Gravesens biggest fan during his first spell at us but hes now long past it, the obvious sign of that is how long he requires on the ball.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

He hasn't played well for us this season but with midfield numbers so low it would be crazy to get rid of him. We need a couple more bodies in midfield at the moment, not less.

 

[neonleon]

yes we'd need a replacement.

Does this show how little faith Moyes has in Anderson and Vidarsson, that the failing abilities of Gravesen are preferred?

 

[Neiler]

Im prepared to admit that what we have seen this time around, isnt anything like what hw contributed whenhe was first here, but i think its to early to write him of, ok his less then consistent displays (and there have been some good ones) could be put down to age and flagging ability to keep pace anymore! But equally it could be put down to little football being played over the past three seasons, injuries while he has been with us and a lack of sharpness.

I am always reluctent to resign a player t the scrap heap based on age! I remeber threads three years ago for people looking for Stubbs and Carsley out! Approaching the buissness end of the season, and particularly Jan, Feb, Mar will be the true test of the squad Moyes has developed. I expect Grav and a few others fringe players to have an impact on how are season is shaped, wheather that be in a positve or negative way remains to be seen but for the moment i am willing to give Grav, McF, et al the benifit of the doubt!

 

[inertia3112]

Am I the only one thinking grav since his return, has been no different whatsoever to how he was the first time he was here(ie.[Poor language removed])?

dont forget, first time round it took him 4 years to adapt!

we'll get a good half-season from him in a few years!!

 

[atrottel]

Loaned him for cheap(-ish) midfield cover during fixture congestion and I can see why, even though I wasn't and am not a fan. The FA Cup and Alkmaar game are the type of games he was bought in for - to do a squad job, not a top player's job.

But I agree with Danny, he's not even lived up to that and the way the players roll their eyes during interviews when his name is mentioned makes me wonder.

 

[GhostOfDixie]

Am I the only one thinking grav since his return, has been no different whatsoever to how he was the first time he was here(ie.[Poor language removed])?

dont forget, first time round it took him 4 years to adapt!

we'll get a good half-season from him in a few years!!

I agree, he annoyed me last time he was here. I had hoped that he could come back and prove me wrong, and at a free cost (apart from wages) I thought we had nothing to lose. He's definitely finished though. Would like to see some of the kids being blooded. If Arsenal can do it, so can we.

 

[Robert Jarvis]

Spot on should give the kids a blooding rather than rely on has beens. Gravesen had some good games when he was here last but he also had a good number of awful ones. Should never have taken him and fort 30K per week really a waste of space. There has not been a decent performance at all from him in the games he has played not even for 10 minutes!!!

Save money send him back to Celtic now and give the young players a chance.

 

[scottishtoffee]

were not going to sign him in the summer. i did have my doubts when he signed ( although i kept them to myself) but when i herd the chants (oh tommy tommy...) , figured- give the guy a chance! few celtic fans i know slated him even when he did no wrong.

my worry is now with chelski. pienaar is now gone! arteta banned, osman injured. who do we have in midfeild? cahill and carsley aside.

oyea few posts sayin were payin grav 30K a week, this isnt true. unless im mistaken celtic are still payin half his wages.

 

[Robert Jarvis]

Who is the bigger fool then us or Celtic?

 

[scottishtoffee]

celtic wanted rid, and moyes needed more strength in depth ( esp. after we lost fernandez) cheap loan for a squaddy?

 

[Dylan]

yes we'd need a replacement.

Does this show how little faith Moyes has in Anderson and Vidarsson, that the failing abilities of Gravesen are preferred?

I don't think it is an indication of his beliefs in any of his youth players. People were saying the same thing about him picking an out-of-form (or some would say in-form, to his level) James Beattie over Vaughn.