2025/26 Idrissa Gana Gueye

MikeH72 said:
I’m a bit sick of the “scapegoat” thing getting thrown around to be honest. By definition there can only be one scapegoat, so people need to work out whether it’s Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Gana, Barry, Iroegbunam or O’Brien because I’ve seen all of them described as it at some point this season.

Saying a player is playing poorly and shouldn’t be in the team doesn’t make them a scapegoat, that’s not what it means. Since Gana came back into the side every midfield we’ve come up against has had the run of the pitch against us. He’s 36 and should be playing limited minutes at this point, used mainly off the bench to close games out. Flogging him for 90 minutes twice in the space of 4 days is ridiculous.
Click to expand...
I understand what words mean thanks Mike. Apologies if my choice of words when writing on a football forum after a couple of pints at gone midnight didn’t meet your surprisingly lofty standards though.

I wasn’t looking to suggest that he was the only player being blamed, perhaps a better way of putting would have been that he’s become an easy target for those who are incapable of original thought, and so parrot the same opinion as they’ve seen from others or refuse to deviate from an idea they had months back because they don’t actually understand what they’re seeing (or haven’t even seen it in some cases, because they don’t go to games). Mentioning no names of course.
 
Typical some fans slating our best midfielder for years, saying he is old past it etc.

he has just been the best midfielder in the AFCON with all those young upcoming athletic midfielders.

Yes he maybe should have been brought off at 70 minutes last night to bring fresh legs on, but let's not start hounding out a legend who has been one of the best in the prem and very underrated by most
 
Lanolin said:
I understand what words mean thanks Mike. Apologies if my choice of words when writing on a football forum after a couple of pints at gone midnight didn’t meet your surprisingly lofty standards though.

I wasn’t looking to suggest that he was the only player being blamed, perhaps a better way of putting would have been that he’s become an easy target for those who are incapable of original thought, and so parrot the same opinion as they’ve seen from others or refuse to deviate from an idea they had months back because they don’t actually understand what they’re seeing (or haven’t even seen it in some cases, because they don’t go to games). Mentioning no names of course.
Click to expand...

That’s good, personally I think people who think he had a decent game last night while seemingly watching it blotto’d in the ground probably aren’t offering the most high level football analysis myself.
 
chopper6 said:
The only reason it’s currently a ‘narrative’ is because he literally does look to be on the decline.

We can only pass comment on his performances, which by and large have been really poor.

Hes stopped doing the main things he’s in there to do. Interceptions, tackles, protecting back 4 etc.

He’s chasing shadows & offering very very little.

That’s why it’s a narrative.
Click to expand...
But I literally said I didn’t think he was that bad, that’s the point? It’s interesting that professor mike has agreed with you rather than pulling you up on clearly not understanding the context of the word narrative though. Thats how narratives come about I suppose.
 
MikeH72 said:
That’s good, personally I think people who think he had a decent game last night while seemingly watching it blotto’d in the ground probably aren’t offering the most high level football analysis myself.
Click to expand...
Well this is extremely awkward. It's blottoed.

As I said, I don't think he was particularly good, but I don't really understand what it was specifically about him that people had an issue with last night. I didn't think there was anything about his game in particular that would have made me say he was the issue, and I didn't think he noticeably tired, so I'm not sure why people keep mentioning his age or playing twice in a week (other than inanely parroting the same thing because they've got it into their head that his age is an issue and so what actually happens becomes less relevant than what they think should be happening, obviously).
 
Lanolin said:
Well this is extremely awkward. It's blottoed.

As I said, I don't think he was particularly good, but I don't really understand what it was specifically about him that people had an issue with last night. I didn't think there was anything about his game in particular that would have made me say he was the issue, and I didn't think he noticeably tired, so I'm not sure why people keep mentioning his age or playing twice in a week (other than inanely parroting the same thing because they've got it into their head that his age is an issue and so what actually happens becomes less relevant than what they think should be happening, obviously).
Click to expand...

The fact he’s consistently way off the pace of the game and vacating his position leaving Garner to play as a one man midfield isn’t “parroting” anything, it’s an observation about what is happening on the football pitch? You happen to not agree with it after having a few pints, ok fine. Lots of people do agree with it, and they’re not parroting anything, they’re offering an observation about a football player.

I’ve noticed you do this a lot where you’ll jump on a topic that the majority of people broadly agree on, and hop instantly to the alternative viewpoint to make it look like you’re the only one critically analysing and everyone else is just sheep. That does happen, but not on every single topic 100% of the time, sometimes there’s a good reason why the majority of people tend to agree on something.

I posted plenty in the match thread while the game was going on that our midfield didn’t look right from the start and that Gana was miles off the pace, giving the ball away and clattering into his own players in keystone cops fashion, but you’ve just assumed that because lots of people have said it in this thread after the game that it must be parroting?
 
One look at this thread tells you only one thing.

Keane didn’t start, so they have moved onto the next one on the list to hound out of the club.

Top supporting lads.
 
MikeH72 said:
The fact he’s consistently way off the pace of the game and vacating his position leaving Garner to play as a one man midfield isn’t “parroting” anything, it’s an observation about what is happening on the football pitch? You happen to not agree with it after having a few pints, ok fine. Lots of people do agree with it, and they’re not parroting anything, they’re offering an observation about a football player.

I’ve noticed you do this a lot where you’ll jump on a topic that the majority of people broadly agree on, and hop instantly to the alternative viewpoint to make it look like you’re the only one critically analysing and everyone else is just sheep. That does happen, but not on every single topic 100% of the time, sometimes there’s a good reason why the majority of people tend to agree on something.

I posted plenty in the match thread while the game was going on that our midfield didn’t look right from the start and that Gana was miles off the pace, giving the ball away and clattering into his own players in keystone cops fashion, but you’ve just assumed that because lots of people have said it in this thread after the game that it must be parroting?
Click to expand...
Not at all, I don't know where you've got that from? As I've said more than once I didn't think he was particularly good myself, at no point have I said that there's no merit in any criticism of him, and I'm pretty sure my post says 'I didn't think he was that bad to be honest' and 'it feels like...' which I think makes it pretty clear that i'm only giving an opinion not claiming to be some sort of higher intellect who is the only one seeing the truth. Everything that we all say on here is just an opinion, I'm well aware of that and that's the whole reason for posting isn't it?

Of course you've 'noticed' that I post when I have a different opinion to others. It's not exactly Sherlock Holmes level of deduction, I've repeatedly said as much myself on here. I rarely post in the Pickford thread saying he's good because it's not adding anything to the debate, same with piling in on a player who I think has been poor but I know everybody else does too. I'm much more likely to post if my opinion is different to what seems to be the prevailing one because to me that's the entire point of engaging the forum. Your posting style is to say Notts Forest, Dycheosaur, Finch Farm pitches, Angus Kinnear needs to be sacked etc until people want to scratch their own eyes out, mine is to offer somewhat contrarian opinions and provoke debate. Different strokes for different folks isn't it. Some of what I saw in here last night seemed to just be lazy criticism without any real substance to it, so I said so. That doesn't mean all the criticism must be lazy or incorrect, or that me disagreeing with it means it's objectively wrong, it's just me giving an opinion.
 

Similar Threads

Welcome

Join the Everton conversation today.
Fewer ads, full access, completely free.

→ Log in 🔑 Register
🛒 Visit Shop

Support Grand Old Team by checking out our latest Everton gear!
Back
Top