Steven Pienaar

[bicycleheader]

Mmmm not really sure what your trying to say but I just feel 1 goal and 0/1 assist from your wide player is gonna make winning games all the more harder.

My mate (non toffee) sent me this during the arse game:
Pienaar the master of looking busy whilst actually producing Naff all.

Did make me giggle a little!

Well I think we.can all agree he is not good enough and needs replacing, my repeated point is that we dont have a replacement yet until we buy so he stays in the team.

He is the first outlet for Barry and MAcca as he will hold possession and make us build up the attack. The other options have poorer control and worse decision making. (not sure about McGeady yet though) An example being Kev miscontrolling regularly...especially if tightly marked...or taking the decision to run straight into a defender whilst the players who were pushing forward to join the attack quickly need to get back into position.

Of course all this is harder see.as he is in poor form...like the team in general...but he is still essential until we spend some money.

 

[fatshark]

I thought there was talk of him going back to yarpie land next year

The lad is on the equivalent of about R600K per week at the mo. Top earners (of which there are about 6 in the bracket) in the local league here are on R400-500K per month.

I don't see him moving home any time soon, at least not for the money.

 

[Zatara]

Would be nice to have 2 kanchelskis types either side of barkley.

 

[Ihaters]

Personally i would be looking to sell him and start a new. I don't think he adds anyhting to the team and ther elies the problem. Every player in the team has to be able to bring something new to the team and the tactics that allow the team to win that current game. Piennar doesn't assist goals, he doesnt score goals, and only on odd occasions is involved in the setting up of goals. As a left midfielder that is kind of his job and a younger better player would be a lot more value to us going forward.

My theory over Piennar is that the best thing he can do is draw players away for Baines to get into space. As great as that is, it is a little bit predictable after how many years? The worst thing you can do going into the game is do everything the other team have prepared to defend against, you have lost before you step on the pitch. We have been doing quite well still so i am not saying Piennar is a terrible footballer, i am just simply saying he doesn't add anything to the team that his position suggests he should. All of his plus points is what you expect a central mid or fullback to be mentioned about, not one of the attackers.

Harsh, he can hold the ball up whilst the rest of the attack joins is, provide an outlet and keep the ball, and can find an out whilst being sent up a closed channel surrounded by opposition.
Also if the only thing he could provide is space for Baines, then he's worth his weight... or was last year, the new system is not doing Baines any favors, but he's still ultimately our most dangerous player, and if Pienaar can get him the ball in space, behind their back four, then that is worth him being on the pitch on its own for me.

 

[Minimeister]

Although Pienaar has irritated me a lot more than usual, I think people are downplaying the role he's made this season. First half against West Ham he was dreadful yet 2nd half he was much improved and we were a threat all that half which eventually led to the winner.

Then there was the game against can't remember who when his little touch through to Naismith completely changed the game. Ideally we'd all like to see Delefluff flying down one wing and Mirallas the other but realistically we aren't going to win as many games as we do because consistently they've not proved up to it yet.

My issue is when Pienaar and Osman start together. I'd love to know how many games we've won with both of them starting because I don't think it's many.

 

[Christiffa25]

Personally i would be looking to sell him and start a new. I don't think he adds anyhting to the team and ther elies the problem. Every player in the team has to be able to bring something new to the team and the tactics that allow the team to win that current game. Piennar doesn't assist goals, he doesnt score goals, and only on odd occasions is involved in the setting up of goals. As a left midfielder that is kind of his job and a younger better player would be a lot more value to us going forward.

My theory over Piennar is that the best thing he can do is draw players away for Baines to get into space. As great as that is, it is a little bit predictable after how many years? The worst thing you can do going into the game is do everything the other team have prepared to defend against, you have lost before you step on the pitch. We have been doing quite well still so i am not saying Piennar is a terrible footballer, i am just simply saying he doesn't add anything to the team that his position suggests he should. All of his plus points is what you expect a central mid or fullback to be mentioned about, not one of the attackers.

I don't understand the theroy by some that a player is either boss or are sold!!??

It's a squad game these days and pienaar can still offer a lot in the things he excelles in.

 

[Ashtonian]

I don't understand the theroy by some that a player is either boss or are sold!!??

It's a squad game these days and pienaar can still offer a lot in the things he excelles in.

Ok that is a good point. I am happy to have him a s asquad player at the club but i dont think he would want to be one. I just think that what he does on the pitch is not necesserily vital to the team and now with new tactics being implemented it has made him stick out a little bit more. If we, for argument sake had 10 goal mirallas AND 10 goal left winger/midfielder this season then who knows where those 10 goals would have ended up and how many more points they would have gotten us. It would interest me to see how much actual impact Piennar has on the team compared to everyone else.

I am just saying that when the best qualities of your left mid player can also be described for a central midfielder then there is clearly a void in the team.

And also i dont want piennar to hold the ball up preferably, i want him to be running the other way and trying to score!

 

[bicycleheader]

Ok that is a good point. I am happy to have him a s asquad player at the club but i dont think he would want to be one. I just think that what he does on the pitch is not necesserily vital to the team and now with new tactics being implemented it has made him stick out a little bit more. If we, for argument sake had 10 goal mirallas AND 10 goal left winger/midfielder this season then who knows where those 10 goals would have ended up and how many more points they would have gotten us. It would interest me to see how much actual impact Piennar has on the team compared to everyone else.

I am just saying that when the best qualities of your left mid player can also be described for a central midfielder then there is clearly a void in the team.

And also i dont want piennar to hold the ball up preferably, i want him to be running the other way and trying to score!

Youre basically missing out a key element of our style of play and looking for a different style, thats different to saying Pienaa shouldnt play.

I think you need to back and review our season as Pienaar is the opposite to what you say. He IS vital and the new system highlights our need for a Pienaar type player and our need for him in form.

Watch any period of play in the corners or small spaces and see how he can recieve that ball and keep possession and make space to spread play. Kev and Deulo woukd have miscontrolled or just generally lost possession in most cases.

Compare and contrast Piennaars play against Arsenal in the 1-1 and what happened in the loss at Spurs after Pienaar went off. Our style wont function so well without a Pienaar type player.

Im tired of writing about this now! Ha

 

[Klinker]

He came off with a knock at Arsenal and I don't know his current level of fitness, but I would rest him for the next match and give McGeady a start.

 

[RaleighBlue]

He could do with a rest.

Cardiff is a good time to do it. Give Del or McGeady a start and throw Kev on the left. He's getting older, and you can tell that he can't play every game over a season any longer. A bit like Barry in that. Still very useful players when fresh.

 

[SchoolOfScience]

As much as I like Pienaar, our recent form shows we are a better side without him. Great option from the bench but no more than that for me when he comes back

 

[parkendkev]

Pienaar is still a vital player, as regards to the way we play. It great to have different variations though as every player can add to our success in different ways.

 

[sageyefc]

IMO should only be used as a number 10 or when the games won

 

[dannyboy]

Pienaar is still a vital player, as regards to the way we play. It great to have different variations though as every player can add to our success in different ways.

No he's not, he should be used as a squad player. Hopefully as back up to a flying winger next season who offers us more end product in the final third.

 

[Aidey9]

He'll be good to have as a squad player but i think his days of playing down the left regularly are over. We look more of a threat with 2 genuine wide men down either flank who can beat a man and have pace.

Pienaar as lost what little pace he had IMO and in the games running up to his injury, for me he was starting to stunt Bainesy's game by holding on to the ball too long and things and not playing Baines in sooner when in good positions, and he seems to all of a sudden become light weight and gets shoved off of the ball very easily which surrenders possesion for us.

In the hole behind the striker might be where he needs to start playing a part from now on, now and again he does have some neat little touches and could do a job there for us when needed. I much prefer to see us how we are now, with Lukaku leading the line with 2 pacey wingers either side of him that are a major threat on the break and can hurt teams.