The Absence Of Pienaar & Finding A Like For Like Replacement

[Raino85]

Mods- If you feel this doesn't deserve a new thread feel free to merge with another one.

One of my most frustrating thoughts of the season has been seeing the majority of our players playing on the left wing and completely failing to play that "inverted winger" role pienaar players.
In the past pienaar in that position has given the team balance, helped baines get forward with nifty one two's playing forward balls quickly with a dynamic way about him. Now don't get me wrong in his everton career he has had dips in form but I feel that role has been an important reason we have looked lacklustre this season. Probably the best replacement in that position we have had is Osman.
now I feel if he can get past his injury problems than I feel we can get another season or 2 out of pienaar but we need to look at getting a like for like replacement for him.
His strengths needs to be close control, quick one touch short passing, ability to bring other players into the game, work rate to cover back, & general jinky skills.
Watching villa the other day I thought young grealish has a lot of those quality's but he wouldn't be an option for several reasons.
Can anyone think of a genuinely realistic like for like replacement for our south African playmaker.
Cue sarky comments etc

 

[ijjysmith]

Diego could probably do it.

He's who i'd go for after @davek reminded me he existed the other day.

 

[Groucho]

Pienaar and Osman (more so Osman) are two players who seem to have been under appreciated until they came back into the team, when everyone suddenly realised that they can still contribute positively. Question is, how long can we get out of them now?

I don't really know who we could get in on a like for like basis if I'm truly honest. I'd deffo keep Lennon, but he's not really like for like, is he?

 

[Raino85]

When we did buy Pienaar he was more a number 10 at Dortmund, not so much at ajax cos Van der vaart & Sneijder were their. Maybe its a case of getting someone in and tweeking their position

 

[micknick]

Getting the balance right is key for Martinez this summer. He does keeping mentioning Pienaar at the moment though so I think Pienaars replacment for next season might just be pienaar himself.

 

[TheFinnFan]

I think 90% of us forgot how good Pienaar is...me included.

 

[SimonB]

Thomas Rosicky.

 

[TheFinnFan]

Do we think he's off?
Whats his contract situation?

 

[Groucho]

Getting the balance right is key for Martinez this summer. He does keeping mentioning Pienaar at the moment though so I think Pienaars replacment for next season might just be pienaar himself.

He's been ok when not injured though. Can't be a long term solution though, obviously.

 

[ijjysmith]

Thomas Rosicky.

Isn't he quite old too these days?

 

[larrygobfiend]

Lennon offers Coleman protection, a lot of love and affection, whether he's right or wrong.....

Oviedo could be the next Pienaar?

 

[TheFinnFan]

Isn't he quite old too these days?

He's boss and i would explode from the croch if that would ever happend

 

[Groucho]

Isn't he quite old too these days?

34 mate, older than Pienaar.

35 this year, 18 months older.

Older than Hibbo too, then.

 

[messymascot]

I don't want an inverted left winger to replace Pienaar. I want a player who will cross left footed and first time, which will be to Lukaku's strengths. Same on the right except right footed. At least then our full backs can stay back sometimes and allow more of the central players to burst forward so we aren't as predictable. I'd keep Pienaar next season as this will give us options in our tactics.

 

[ijjysmith]

34 mate, older than Pienaar.

35 this year, 18 months older.

Thought so. Think we need a younger version of Pienaar. Even Diego who I mentioned is like 30.

Door unlockers are a rare breed.