Saha

[billycopper]

It would seem like Louis was playing for a new contract in the early part of the season. His last goals this campaign came in early February, during the 2-1 win over Chelsea. That was the next game after his contract extension was announced.

It appears more than a little coincidental that he should then go on a 15 game barren run. It smacks of him taking his foot off the gas.

I appreciate that the lone striker role isn't an easy one, especially when we provide precious little service from the flanks. However, he managed to score 13 goals in 36 games with the same system, in a team that wasn't playing well, and minus the services of our most creative player (Arteta).

Louis hasn't appeared has hungry as he was earlier in the season. In the games when he's failed to register he's mostly been anonymous. You'd expect more effort and desire from a player looking to break such a long drought.

Perhaps he is carrying an injury. If it is psychological, Louis might not even be conscious of it. If he could have maintained his strike rate, however, and come up with another five goals, it could have given us all three points against the likes of Wolves and Stoke.

Personally, I'd get Louis spending some time with the club psychologist. Didn't Fergie allude to the fact that a lot of his 'injuries' were to do with his mental state?

There's no doubt that on his day he's a top striker. We can't afford to have him firing blanks for three and a half months.

 

[Topblue]

Let there be no panic ,dont think a shrink would help much.

 

[Nordecke]

well observed.. Donovan left around that time as well.. could mean something..

 

[Matt Damon]

It would seem like Louis was playing for a new contract in the early part of the season. His last goals this campaign came in early February, during the 2-1 win over Chelsea. That was the next game after his contract extension was announced.

It appears more than a little coincidental that he should then go on a 15 game barren run. It smacks of him taking his foot off the gas.

I appreciate that the lone striker role isn't an easy one, especially when we provide precious little service from the flanks. However, he managed to score 13 goals in 36 games with the same system, in a team that wasn't playing well, and minus the services of our most creative player (Arteta).

Louis hasn't appeared has hungry as he was earlier in the season. In the games when he's failed to register he's mostly been anonymous. You'd expect more effort and desire from a player looking to break such a long drought.

Perhaps he is carrying an injury. If it is psychological, Louis might not even be conscious of it. If he could have maintained his strike rate, however, and come up with another five goals, it could have given us all three points against the likes of Wolves and Stoke.

Personally, I'd get Louis spending some time with the club psychologist. Didn't Fergie allude to the fact that a lot of his 'injuries' were to do with his mental state?

There's no doubt that on his day he's a top striker. We can't afford to have him firing blanks for three and a half months.

To be fair mate he went out with achillies tendinitis at one point and that was not a fake as he had an MRI. He also missed his call up by France due to a niggling injury.

I think as he played so much earlier in the season - his form dropped off later on.

He was alone with Vaughn leading the line whilst Jo went AWOL and Yak and Anichebe were recovering.


So I think tiredness and niggling injuries which held him up later in the season.... formwise.

 

[Neiler]

Saha is quality - but Yak brings more to the team - starts everytime for me.

 

[Nordecke]

Saha is quality - but Yak brings more to the team - starts everytime for me.

A fit Saha brings much more quality, imo..

 

[Neiler]

A fit Saha brings much more quality, imo..

Not in the system we play for me mate!

 

[billycopper]

I'm reading Bill Beswick's book at the moment. Bill was the sports psychologist for Derby, Boro and England. He's the leading man in his field and has worked with Everton and United. Part of it talks about how he helped Carsley to get over his confidence issues when he was playing for the rams.

Anyway, it wouldn't be such a drastic measure for Louis to spend some time with someone like that.

He may well have an injury too, but I don't think it would do any harm to do some work on his attitude. Any striker going through such a run is bound to have problems with their confidence.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

He's summed up our season really, quality in patches but the inconsistency kicks in too much. And he's not the only one, you could say the same about half of our squad this season. We've had very few consistent players and that's been a problem. Hopefully with extra competition next season we'll get the best out of certain players.

 

[a9blue]

If hes injured then why are we playing him when we have options?

I'm reading Bill Beswick's book at the moment. Bill was the sports psychologist for Derby, Boro and England. He's the leading man in his field and has worked with Everton and United. Part of it talks about how he helped Carsley to get over his confidence issues when he was playing for the rams.

Anyway, it wouldn't be such a drastic measure for Louis to spend some time with someone like that.

He may well have an injury too, but I don't think it would do any harm to do some work on his attitude. Any striker going through such a run is bound to have problems with their confidence.

 

[little curly alan ball]

It would seem like Louis was playing for a new contract in the early part of the season. His last goals this campaign came in early February, during the 2-1 win over Chelsea. That was the next game after his contract extension was announced.

It appears more than a little coincidental that he should then go on a 15 game barren run. It smacks of him taking his foot off the gas.

I appreciate that the lone striker role isn't an easy one, especially when we provide precious little service from the flanks. However, he managed to score 13 goals in 36 games with the same system, in a team that wasn't playing well, and minus the services of our most creative player (Arteta).

Louis hasn't appeared has hungry as he was earlier in the season. In the games when he's failed to register he's mostly been anonymous. You'd expect more effort and desire from a player looking to break such a long drought.

Perhaps he is carrying an injury. If it is psychological, Louis might not even be conscious of it. If he could have maintained his strike rate, however, and come up with another five goals, it could have given us all three points against the likes of Wolves and Stoke.

Personally, I'd get Louis spending some time with the club psychologist. Didn't Fergie allude to the fact that a lot of his 'injuries' were to do with his mental state?

There's no doubt that on his day he's a top striker. We can't afford to have him firing blanks for three and a half months.

Toccy . you reading this , lad ???

 

[little curly alan ball]

He's summed up our season really, quality in patches but the inconsistency kicks in too much. And he's not the only one, you could say the same about half of our squad this season. We've had very few consistent players and that's been a problem. Hopefully with extra competition next season we'll get the best out of certain players.

That's a yes . then .

Louis Sahaaagggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!

As I noted previously , cock' .

 

[Gwladys Nights]

We've had very few consistent players and that's been a problem. Hopefully with extra competition next season we'll get the best out of certain players.

Who would you say have been the consistent ones? I struggle to come up with any other than Baines, Pienaar and Heitinga. Arteta deserves a shout as well but obviously his season was alot shorter than the rest of them. Jagielka was a model of consistency before his injury and you'd expect him to get back to those levels next year. I reckon the penny had dropped with Fellaini too just before his injury, I expect him to be a demon from now on.

So that's six players who we seem to be able to rely upon to perform at a consistently high level. Is that a big enough core to qualify for the Champions League?

 

[ToxtethBlue]

You said he was one dimensional and couldn't score goals at this level anymore, you where way off, lad.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Who would you say have been the consistent ones? I struggle to come up with any other than Baines, Pienaar and Heitinga. Arteta deserves a shout as well but obviously his season was alot shorter than the rest of them. Jagielka was a model of consistency before his injury and you'd expect him to get back to those levels next year. I reckon the penny had dropped with Fellaini too just before his injury, I expect him to be a demon from now on.

So that's six players who we seem to be able to rely upon to perform at a consistently high level. Is that a big enough core to qualify for the Champions League?

Howard, Baines, Heitinga and Pienaar.

That's it really, even Fellaini started the season poorly. Far too many inconsistent performers for my liking.