Leon Osman

Useful squad player ?


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It does look like a pattern is taking shape: brings former players and managers within the fold and keeps current ageing players who maybe have dressing room influence onboard.

The likes of Kendall and Royle are good moves, but there's something a bit regressive and stale about it all.

I thought with Martinez we'd get a consistently bold manager who was a meritocrat. Maybe he's too much of a politician for that though.

It concerns me.
 
Variety of positions Osman has been used to in the last season/half season (centrally, out wide, deeper centrally), and I doubt they could actually do worse than him, really.

On your list there's two out and out wingers, one forward and a holding midfield player, Osman has never been asked to play and of those roles under Martinez. Again apart from the fact that none of them are clearly not even close to being ready, or possibly in McAlney's case probably never will be.
 
On your list there's two out and out wingers, one forward and a holding midfield player, Osman has never been asked to play and of those roles under Martinez. Again apart from the fact that none of them are clearly not even close to being ready, or possibly in McAlney's case probably never will be.
He's not been asked to play any of those roles, really? Like when he wasn't playing on the wing in the last game then? Or was he a support full back?
I get the striker thing, but it's just cuz I thought Henen was a winger/striker, which is my bad I suppose. And McAleny's played out wide too AFAIK, albeit for the U21s. This season we've not seen Osman centrally, agreed, but that only happened after/because of the Sunderland game last year at Goodison.

We probably won't see eye to eye on this anyway. Bottom line for me is that he slows the game down more than Pienaar, as his initial thought is to receive it and literally dwell for about 5s and pass backwards. No intent to do anything with it, it's just frustrating to watch. Pair that with him being outmuscled by anything that moves and you get a shambolic player who has no place as a starter for a team with ambitions for top 4/5/6 and doesn't deserve this final +1 year. I would really like us to try and use our 'renowned' youth academy, full of 'excellent talents' too...

Plus I'm still mad he actually got a contract ffs!
 

He's not been asked to play any of those roles, really? Like when he wasn't playing on the wing in the last game then? Or was he a support full back?
I get the striker thing, but it's just cuz I thought Henen was a winger/striker, which is my bad I suppose. And McAleny's played out wide too AFAIK, albeit for the U21s. This season we've not seen Osman centrally, agreed, but that only happened after/because of the Sunderland game last year at Goodison.

We probably won't see eye to eye on this anyway. Bottom line for me is that he slows the game down more than Pienaar, as his initial thought is to receive it and literally dwell for about 5s and pass backwards. No intent to do anything with it, it's just frustrating to watch. Pair that with him being outmuscled by anything that moves and you get a shambolic player who has no place as a starter for a team with ambitions for top 4/5/6 and doesn't deserve this final +1 year. I would really like us to try and use our 'renowned' youth academy, full of 'excellent talents' too...

Plus I'm still mad he actually got a contract ffs!

There's a world of difference between playing on the left and being a winger, if you haven't fathomed that out by now you'll never understand what players like Osman and Pienaar offer to the team and will always be disappointed that they've not tried to beat 2/3 players and get a shot or cross off.
 
There's a world of difference between playing on the left and being a winger, if you haven't fathomed that out by now you'll never understand what players like Osman and Pienaar offer to the team and will always be disappointed that they've not tried to beat 2/3 players and get a shot or cross off.
I am fully aware actually, but the fact remains he offers sweet f.a. there anyway.
 
There's a world of difference between playing on the left and being a winger, if you haven't fathomed that out by now you'll never understand what players like Osman and Pienaar offer to the team and will always be disappointed that they've not tried to beat 2/3 players and get a shot or cross off.
they both try to do the same things, just pienaar has been an infinately better player than osman, he plays on the left and he's a good player who links with his fullback, and tracks back effectively, osman plays there and hes utter gash, just like in cm or am or wherever his natural position is these days where he will supposedly flourish
 
I love how he so effortlessly gets in the way of our creative players, like against Burnely where he started LM but kept popping up in the middle and on the right filling the gaps for the players who are supposed to be there to run into. If he starts tonight he will do this on more than one occassion.

He will also at least once fall over due to a slight nudge, brush or breeze from one of the opposition.
 

Good to hear this news. I know Roberto Martinez is a huge admirer of Ossy in not just his playing skills but also his character and his welcoming nature towards new signings. very funny man and hard trainer.
 
they both try to do the same things, just pienaar has been an infinately better player than osman, he plays on the left and he's a good player who links with his fullback, and tracks back effectively, osman plays there and hes utter gash, just like in cm or am or wherever his natural position is these days where he will supposedly flourish

Osman's link up play might not be on the same level of Pienaar but he's far from "gash" in fact in his last game against Burnley he played Baines in with a lovely ball for the Eto'o goal. Like Pienaar, Osman can take the ball under pressure and draw fouls in dangerous areas of the pitch as well as playing one touch football. We've got no one else in the squad who can play this role when Pienaars injured, and it's a vital position for the way Martinez sets us up. Also like Pienaar he offers cover for Baines when he powers down the line, both step backwards and prevent the opposition right sided player having the full length of the pitch to run into while Baines is out of position, regular winger like Mirallas or McGeady don't do this as part of their natural game and we get exposed to easily.

He's clearly ageing, but pace has never been something he was blessed with so he'll be good for a year or maybe two as a squad player that can drop in when we are short or need to see out a game. The important player we need to be looking to replace is Pienaar, but it will be expensive and maybe their isn't an ideal candidate around at the moment and it looks like Martinez might be thinking he can coax another year out of both him and Osman until someone eventually turns up, hence the contract extension.
 

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