Nikica Jelavic

[neil999]

hahaha, is that the best he could come up with?!

 

[Titus Bramble]

I think people who are saying he was poor are being quite harsh. He had the early header and the one on one where the keeper did well to spread himself, but other than that he wasn't given many chances to miss. His forward play is still good, he links up with the midfielders and if you look at both Pienaar's and Anichebe's goals he was in a great position and screaming for the ball. t just didn't come for him. I've said it before, but I think now we have Coleman, Baines, Pienaar and Mirallas back on the wings we will create a lot more chances from pull backs into the box which he finishes like a pro.

 

[davek]

I think people who are saying he was poor are being quite harsh. He had the early header and the one on one where the keeper did well to spread himself, but other than that he wasn't given many chances to miss. His forward play is still good, he links up with the midfielders and if you look at both Pienaar's and Anichebe's goals he was in a great position and screaming for the ball. t just didn't come for him. I've said it before, but I think now we have Coleman, Baines, Pienaar and Mirallas back on the wings we will create a lot more chances from pull backs into the box which he finishes like a pro.

The criticisms are coming thick and fast now not only because he obviously isn't scoring, but because the excuses that have been trailed for him (playing with Fellaini and running channels) when not a feature of a game he's played in still see him failing to look like a credible goal-scorer.

TBF, I'm generally of the opinion that if a striker isn't scoring but the team are winning then it isn't that big a big deal. But I think it's reasonable to say that if he'd given us 5 or 6 more goals in the PL then we'd still realistically be in the mix for that 4th spot.

Hopefully he shoves all the criticism back down our throats and bangs in the Anfield Derby and Cup Final winners!

 

[Allezfan]

How many chances did he have yesterday, how many times did we find him with a pass or cross where he could take a shot? Had a header but thats all i can remember. If we gave him decent chances he's no doubt be scoring more than he is, and as a striker who appears to need to be given good chances its no surprise he's not scoring.

Had a one on one didn't he? And I remember one later he missed, too.

Not buying that he's not getting any chances at all.

 

[Tubey]

Had a one on one didn't he? And I remember one later he missed, too.

Not buying that he's not getting any chances at all.

Wasn't a one on one, he was shoulder to shoulder with the defender and hit the target too.

Don't think anyone is saying he's getting no chances but people are disputing that he's playing badly.

 

[TomDixie]

But he's very rarely getting the ball in a position where he can have a first time shot like he was when he was scoring.

Give him the ball on the edge of the area with defenders in front of him where he has to make the chance himself and he's shown nothing to suggest he'd score, and if he needs the ball to his feet in the box he isn't getting it.

How many chances did he have yesterday, how many times did we find him with a pass or cross where he could take a shot? Had a header but thats all i can remember. If we gave him decent chances he's no doubt be scoring more than he is, and as a striker who appears to need to be given good chances its no surprise he's not scoring.

Was one on one with the keeper, who saved. I thought he was a tad unlucky with that one tbh.

 

[Seamus Colemole]

Had a one on one didn't he? And I remember one later he missed, too.

Not buying that he's not getting any chances at all.

Yeah i forgot about the 1 on 1.

He has been getting some chances and not taking them but its not very often we come away from a game saying Jelavic had 3 or 4 good chances to score but missed them.

It just seems that if we want him to score we need to give him good chances but a lot of the time we aren't. And the ones he is getting either lack of talent , confidence or both means he isn't taking them.

 

[BoysInBlue]

A lot of blind faith in Jelavic in some of these posts. Thought yesterday was as bad as I've seen him, it definitely is due to his confidence being shot to bits.

Who else would you pick instead of Jelavic to be our main striker up front?

 

[Allezfan]

Who else would you pick instead of Jelavic to be our main striker up front?

Anichebe is the better player at the moment.

 

[bluebottle]

Anichebe is the better player at the moment.

Anichebe, if can keep himself fit and more cheerful, is the better option anyway.

 

[Tubey]

Anichebe, if can keep himself fit and more cheerful, is the better option anyway.

 

[Goat]

Anichebe is the better player at the moment.

 

[BoysInBlue]

Anichebe is the better player at the moment.

Respectively disagree there mate.

Anichebe has improved, and is nowhere near as bad as he used to be.

But I'd still take Jelavic all day, every day over Anichebe. Even a non-scoring Jelavic. His hard work and movement pulls defenders all over the shop, creating space for Mirallas and Pienaar to run riot. It's not all about his personal goal tally, it's what he brings to the team.

 

[bluebottle]

He is mate. He is.

 

[slimspek]

Yeah i forgot about the 1 on 1.

He has been getting some chances and not taking them but its not very often we come away from a game saying Jelavic had 3 or 4 good chances to score but missed them.

It just seems that if we want him to score we need to give him good chances but a lot of the time we aren't. And the ones he is getting either lack of talent , confidence or both means he isn't taking them.

How often do you say that about any player in any game? The amount of opportunities a single player has at getting a goal in a game are insanely low. I don't have any statistics or anything but I can't imagine any player gets more than 4 or 5 chances (on a good day) to shoot on the net. As a striker Jelavic's job is to be clinical, whether that means taking one touch or 5 touches.