2022/23 Idrissa Gana Gueye

[Terrarian]

Seems determined to have assists for the opposition at the minute, looks a shadow of his former self, getting older as well, I thought his positioning would have got better but he is currently putting out fires of which he started by giving the ball away cheaply.

 

[PhilM]

Clearly not the player he was, but he could definitely still do a job in a properly structured and set up team.

He’s not being asked to do what he is good at in the side currently, and he seems to be trying to do everything due to his teammates deficiencies and is paying the price, which was never his game to start with. Onana is young and iwobi is just iwobi.

Some of the revisionism about gana is laughable tbh - he was a quality holding, ball winning midfielder for us who were never properly replaced.

You don’t go to PSG and play (and boss some) champions league matches if you’re crap.

I agree with all this. He's been poor since he's returned, and we can't ignore that at all, but I'd say that a part of this is how he is being utilised in our system.

You could say the same with a number of our other players, too. The signing hasn't worked out at all, but I have belief someone else may get more out of him.

 

[Zeitgeist]

I know he's older but he isn't exactly immobile, can't believe how much he's give the ball away since he's been back tbh Jesus Christ he's been playing along Verrati and in the champions league ffs

He is better than just hopelessly giving away possession

 

[BlueToff]

Oh yeah, that incredible system that saw us creep into 8th once the season was effectively over.

What a loss.

Well considering we were 19th within four months, I'd say it was a loss, yeah.

He's not the same player now. The system he's been played in hasn't helped but it's no excuse for some of the sloppiness he's shown.

 

[BlueToff]

He was massively overrated by our fans in his first spell here. He was a good tackler but absolutely hopeless on the ball. Somehow he seems to have got even worse in possession, he just looks so sloppy and careless. Teams can sit off and wait for him to give away the ball in a perfect counter attacking position.

The big loss was that Gareth Barry retired just after Gueye was signed. He was better than Gueye in possession and off the ball.

Don't agree at all really, considering how people still can't grasp just how good he was.

He topped the charts in Europe for every metric you'd want a defensive mid to top in his final season with us.

Barry was brilliant, different kind of player, but brilliant.

 

[Carlito]

Well considering we were 19th within four months, I'd say it was a loss, yeah.

He's not the same player now. The system he's been played in hasn't helped but it's no excuse for some of the sloppiness he's shown.

And the season before, we were getting walloped week in, week out, to the point of hiring Allardyce, despite having this colossus in the team.

He's no better than a Mokoena, Palacios, Zokora, etc.

 

[BlueToff]

And the season before, we were getting walloped week in, week out, to the point of hiring Allardyce, despite having this colossus in the team.

He's no better than a Mokoena, Palacios, Zokora, etc.

I don't think he's world class or ever was. At the end of his time at Everton I think he was a very good player, and that's why PSG came in for him and he was a pretty good player for them overall.

He's not the same player now.

Players can be decent you know, and not have to be the very best of the best.

There's many, many, many players who are that level and have played in relatively poor teams. Look at Rice at West Ham.

It was a relatively cheap fee to bring him back and his wages are less than what Allan was on. However, FWIW, it would have been nice to see us go and firm up interest in someone like Tyler Adams, who is exactly what we should have been after.

 

[ToffeeTim]

I don't think he's world class or ever was. At the end of his time at Everton I think he was a very good player, and that's why PSG came in for him and he was a pretty good player for them overall.

He's not the same player now.

Players can be decent you know, and not have to be the very best of the best.

There's many, many, many players who are that level and have played in relatively poor teams. Look at Rice at West Ham.

It was a relatively cheap fee to bring him back and his wages are less than what Allan was on. However, FWIW, it would have been nice to see us go and firm up interest in someone like Tyler Adams, who is exactly what we should have been after.

It was absolutely ludicrous in our position to be paying any kind of fee for a 33 year old miles past their best, especially such an average player.

Crazy crazy piece of business, just showed the lack of strategy.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

I agree with all this. He's been poor since he's returned, and we can't ignore that at all, but I'd say that a part of this is how he is being utilised in our system.

You could say the same with a number of our other players, too. The signing hasn't worked out at all, but I have belief someone else may get more out of him.

So high up the pitch these days remember seeing him at Goodison when he played for Villa we beat them 4 nil if memory serves, he was by far their best player in that game and ultimately in their relegation season and was pleased we subsequently went on to sign him, however, he did all his best work winning possession no further up than half way line. Far too many times now he is in opposition the last third, bizarre!

 

[MACCA75]

Shocked at how much he has given the ball away, he never used to do that.
I still think there is a player there but it’s clear that him, Onana and Iwobi can’t contribute in the final third, and that’s a big problem when our attackers are so poor.

 

[BlueToff]

It was absolutely ludicrous in our position to be paying any kind of fee for a 33 year old miles past their best, especially such an average player.

Crazy crazy piece of business, just showed the lack of strategy.

Ultimately they spent big on Onana and thought he'd need a helping hand. They shipped Allan out and wanted some experience.

I do not get the signing if we had another £8m to play with, which we did as we signed Garner. Just put those fees and wages together and get a proper no.6. Camara was right there. I do understand they had issues about his attitude but he was more what was needed.

 

[PhilM]

So high up the pitch these days remember seeing him at Goodison when he played for Villa we beat them 4 nil if memory serves, he was by far their best player in that game and ultimately in their relegation season and was pleased we subsequently went on to sign him, however, he did all his best work winning possession no further up than half way line. Far too many times now he is in opposition the last third, bizarre!

Exactly. You'd hope a PL footballer would be able to pass relatively well, but it's not his strong point. Gueye playing forward is pretty ludicrous from Frank.

Square peg and round hole - he should be deep and Onana up front, but often it's been the otherway around.

 

[PhilRegan]

I agree he's conceding possession far too easy and too much, but he's bring ask to do everything. He's never been an all rounder. Ridiculous

 

[Joey66]

he is finished - the saying never go back springs to mind ......

 

[Carlito]

I don't think he's world class or ever was. At the end of his time at Everton I think he was a very good player, and that's why PSG came in for him and he was a pretty good player for them overall.

He's not the same player now.

Players can be decent you know, and not have to be the very best of the best.

There's many, many, many players who are that level and have played in relatively poor teams. Look at Rice at West Ham.

It was a relatively cheap fee to bring him back and his wages are less than what Allan was on. However, FWIW, it would have been nice to see us go and firm up interest in someone like Tyler Adams, who is exactly what we should have been after.

I thought your whole crudade was against those of us who thought he was only ever alright?

PSG left him on the bench for four of the five semi final ties they played in his time there, as well as the final, so they can't have been too impressed with him, either.