Kevin Mirallas

[Christiffa25]

I think people are being a bit hard on Kev. It's a lot more difficult to be consistent as a winger or attacker as you're expected to create, go on mazy dribbles, score goals say compared to a holding midfielder, who is praised to high heaven for simply running around a lot and playing 10-yard sideways passes.

Yeah this! Very harsh on belg!!

Wingers that cost 2-3-4 times more than he did have proven less effective consistant.

If he was all the things we wanted "consistantly" he'd be playing for Real Madrid not us.

 

[Dutch Toffee]

He destroys them whenever we play them mate as much as i liked Killerbane im glad we have evolved!

Im in your neck of the woods this weekend mate, well Dutchland like!

Where precisely will you be staying?

 

[bainesontoast]

I don't think it's that simple, he runs with his head down when he's attacking the opponents box. It's part of why he so effectively takes players on and is a tricky player to defend, but it also makes it harder for him to pick out a man when everyone's running around him. His assist to Lukaku last weekend was from a one-two pass because he could track Lukaku's run without having to actually look at him.

So I don't think it's simply a matter of getting him to 'start passing', coaching him to pull his head up earlier and pick out a man is going to make him less dangerous on the ball. As a professional footballer you would think someone would have addressed this earlier in his career but hey.

That said I'm definitely overstating the problem, most of the time he is able to pass the ball just fine, it's just that those times when there's clearly a player open in the box and fails to find them are so noticeable and memorable.

Well, he spent his early career at two clubs that have raised talented players over the years, Standard Liege and Lille. The latter being the club that trained Eden Hazard from 14 years old (who does not suffer from the same failings). Hazard runs with his head up, he picks out his team mates and, oddly enough, remains dangerous on the ball. So, firstly, I'd say there is a good chance they tried to address it, and secondly, coaching him to pull his head up earlier does not necessarily mean he will become less dangerous. Unless, of course, he is not as good as we want him to be.

Decision making, being reliant on cognition, CAN be taught. Mirallas can pass a ball, he has no problems with accuracy, but he does not know the where and when.

 

[Neiler]

Yeah this! Very harsh on belg!!

Wingers that cost 2-3-4 times more than he did have proven less effective consistant.

If he was all the things we wanted "consistantly" he'd be playing for Real Madrid not us.

He has bettered his tally of goals and assists in the PL already this season and with just under a third of the season to go he could smash it.

To put into some perspective Arteta, only bettered Belg Kev tally this season in one of his many seasons in the PL with us.

Ill take that.

 

[Neiler]

Where precisely will you be staying?

Im in Amsterdam mate, just for the weekend on a stags, might see if i can get out to the Arena for the game on Sun, more than likely i wont see day light!

 

[bluestevon]

Meh hes a special player, a match winner if your going to have them in your team you have to ride out form,trying things that dont always come of, defensive game not being as attuned as their offensive game.

I dont understand why the question of selling him is there hes been great in the last two games for me.

Think most of the criticism aimed at him is in fact a result of players around him mate, atm we have Barkley and Deflefou who are both erratic due to inexperience, Osman and Peinaar who don't have much end product, and Lukaku whose link up play leaves a lot to be desired, plus Barry and McCarthy who don't really add anything creatively, so all the weight of creativity is being basically stuck on Kevs shoulders, when in fact he isn't a playhmaker type but more someone who can make something happen out of nothing etc, IF we had a very creative player playing dropped off the front man then much of the criticsm would vanish

Atm he's got the weight of people expecting him to be the one creating for others placed on him when it's not the best part of his game

 

[Dutch Toffee]

Im in Amsterdam mate, just for the weekend on a stags, might see if i can get out to the Arena for the game on Sun, more than likely i wont see day light!

Haha, enjoy your stay mate

 

[bluestevon]

Im in Amsterdam mate, just for the weekend on a stags, might see if i can get out to the Arena for the game on Sun, more than likely i wont see day light!

Ajax at home to Twente this Sunday mate, would be a chance to see if you can see any Everton scouts watching Tadic like or if not at least give your first hand report on him

 

[toffeeblue9]

I've completely lost patience with him

 

[ianefc]

He does many things well but not the important things that someone with his role should i.e. Decent final ball and finishing, hes a 1 in 10 man, that 1 is good the other 9 can be anywhere between disappointment all the way to infuriating

 

[The Hibbert Agenda]

Why are people talking about selling him?
Im frustrated as hell at the guy but lets not be stupid.
All I want is him coming off the bench and to show the same level of desire on a game to game basis as he does every derby game.

 

[quasi modo]

Think most of the criticism aimed at him is in fact a result of players around him mate, atm we have Barkley and Deflefou who are both erratic due to inexperience, Osman and Peinaar who don't have much end product, and Lukaku whose link up play leaves a lot to be desired, plus Barry and McCarthy who don't really add anything creatively, so all the weight of creativity is being basically stuck on Kevs shoulders, when in fact he isn't a playhmaker type but more someone who can make something happen out of nothing etc, IF we had a very creative player playing dropped off the front man then much of the criticsm would vanish

Atm he's got the weight of people expecting him to be the one creating for others placed on him when it's not the best part of his game

I agree with that to a certain point, its just the basics which a player of his standard should be good at doing. The majority of the time his decision making whether to pass or dribble is wrong, his final ball leaves a lot to be desired. I think he frustrates a lot of fan's because everyone knows he is talented, but he just isn't living up to it at the moment, hopefully he will come into some kind of form for the run in, and start by grabbing the winner for us tonight.

 

[bluestevon]

I agree with that to a certain point, its just the basics which a player of his standard should be good at doing. The majority of the time his decision making whether to pass or dribble is wrong, his final ball leaves a lot to be desired. I think he frustrates a lot of fan's because everyone knows he is talented, but he just isn't living up to it at the moment, hopefully he will come into some kind of form for the run in, and start by grabbing the winner for us tonight.

It's something that could be leveled at many of the players atm mate, Lukaku, Del, Barkley included all make a lot of wrong choices in that matter, just we have a habit of scapegoating one over another at times

Think a lot has to do with the general feeling around us lot that this year he was going to kick on from last and really explode as a dominant player which he hasn't achieved

 

[quasi modo]

It's something that could be leveled at many of the players atm mate, Lukaku, Del, Barkley included all make a lot of wrong choices in that matter, just we have a habit of scapegoating one over another at times

Think a lot has to do with the general feeling around us lot that this year he was going to kick on from last and really explode as a dominant player which he hasn't achieved

The thing with the 3 mentioned is they are still young and learning the game, you expect them to make mistakes, as you said everyone thought Mirallas was going to be something special this season, which he has showed in glimpses, he is 26 now and should be entering his prime, just hope he does with us.

 

[bicycleheader]

I like Kev because he is our player but he really is not a special player.

I think if people didn't overhype him so much in the first place he wouldnt get as much criticism.

He is what he is, I dont see him improvig because basically he hasnt done so far. The reason Id sell him because I think his inflated reputation means we'd get ten mil plus for him when he probably isnt worth that IMO.

Thatd only be useful though if we could spend and replace him well.

Having said that I hope he provesme wrong...gets peed off with himself for being muck lately and scores loads to finish off the season.