How good a player is Steven Pienaar?

[Joao Moutinho]

Obviously he is a good player and is integral to how we play but the MOTD3 Team of the Season thread got me thinking; HOW good is he?

Does he look better because of the team he plays in? Does Baines make him look better than he actually is?

I mean he hasn't really done well anywhere else he has been. He did alright at Ajax but that was when he was younger. I think he has had an okay season, a couple of good games like against Fulham and Villa but apart from that he has been average. He links up well with Baines and I think that makes him look better than he is. I can only remember him having one good game without Baines and that was against Sunderland.

What do other people think? Is he really an excellent player or is he made to look good by players around him?

 

[Saliba]

Mate I said Baines can make him look better than he is at times, but at times its vice versa. Pienaar is absolute class.

 

[Bigmaclad]

He's the one player that makes us play such good football in my opinion

 

[steken1]

He's a good, clever footballer with a good on pitch attitude. He lacks a bit of end product which is where Baines picks up his slack IMO. I think he's too good for the Europa, but not quite CL standard if that makes sense. Kinda like a team that yo-yo's between the Championship and the PL.

 

[Joao Moutinho]

He's a good, clever footballer with a good on pitch attitude. He lacks a bit of end product which is where Baines picks up his slack IMO. I think he's too good for the Europa, but not quite CL standard if that makes sense. Kinda like a team that yo-yo's between the Championship and the PL.

Yeah I get you mate.

As I said I think he is a good player, but I was just wondering how good. I think he seriously needs to work on his end product and some of his decision making in vital areas though

 

[pfim]

He's a good player. He stands out for Everton because of the way he can keep the ball and handle pressure, plus the amount of time he spends with the ball. Wasn't as effective at Spurs because he wasn't the center of the attack there like he is with us.

 

[ijjysmith]

He's boss.

 

[steken1]

Yeah I get you mate.

As I said I think he is a good player, but I was just wondering how good. I think he seriously needs to work on his end product and some of his decision making in vital areas though

My biggest issue with him is that I think he's capable of more goals. It shouldn't be daft to think he'd score ten a season really. I always thought he looked better when Arteta wasn't in the side which maybe shows he's happy to pass the responsibility on to others at times. A player of his quality shouldn't do that IMO.

 

[ijjysmith]

It's all here mate. Last 2 pages are boss.

http://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/threads/24919-The-Steven-Pienaar-appreciation-thread?highlight=Pienaar

 

[quasi modo]

One of few players we have who is actually calm when they have the ball and has time to think what to do next with it.

Missed him when he went to Spurs.

 

[Brennan]

He's bo-

He's boss.

OH FFS IJJY.

 

[Deco]

Obviously he is a good player and is integral to how we play but the MOTD3 Team of the Season thread got me thinking; HOW good is he?

Does he look better because of the team he plays in? Does Baines make him look better than he actually is?

I mean he hasn't really done well anywhere else he has been. He did alright at Ajax but that was when he was younger. I think he has had an okay season, a couple of good games like against Fulham and Villa but apart from that he has been average. He links up well with Baines and I think that makes him look better than he is. I can only remember him having one good game without Baines and that was against Sunderland.

What do other people think? Is he really an excellent player or is he made to look good by players around him?

Silly point because Baines has played basically every game for us for the past 3 years.

 

[Joao Moutinho]

Silly point because Baines has played basically every game for us for the past 3 years.

Games he played for Spurs too

One of few players we have who is actually calm when they have the ball and has time to think what to do next with it.

Missed him when he went to Spurs.

True, he is very calm on the ball and is quite reliable when we have the ball around our box

It's all here mate. Last 2 pages are boss.

http://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/threads/24919-The-Steven-Pienaar-appreciation-thread?highlight=Pienaar

Haha that's some good reading that

 

[Deco]

Games he played for Spurs too

Fair shout but he wasn't really given a fair chance. He might not be the best player, but he fits well in our new system and makes Baines twice the player also (and that's saying A LOT).

 

[Joao Moutinho]

Fair shout but he wasn't really given a fair chance. He might not be the best player, but he fits well in our new system and makes Baines twice the player also (and that's saying A LOT).

True.

Even if he isn't a world class player he turns one of our best players into a world class player and that's all that really matters