Iborra Signs

[chicagofox]

The fact of w

14 minutes ago, funkyrobot said:

Not disputing that Iborra may be a first team regular although until he plays for us, there's no guarantee he won't be another Inler so I reserve judgement, despite his pedigree. 

 

Your continuing disparaging comments about James are, I assume, because you simply haven't seen much of him (assuming you are indeed USA based). He has the ability to beat his man and he has demonstrated this on a number of occasions. He actively looks to involve Mahrez whenever possible (like Drinky used to) and there is good interplay between the 2 of them. You forget that in the season when they were, as you say 'crap', they also became almost unplayable and stayed up with ease with James playing a significant role. I guess that doesn't fit your narrative, hence the omission. I accept that James is yet to hit  his top form since this season has started but tbf none of them have except probably Schmeichel and Maguire. When Silva is finally ratified as a signing there'll be even more competition and he, like NDidi & Iborra will need to step up to ensure regular game time. 

The fact of where I am based is irrelevant.

 

There is no narrative,  I just don't think he is a Premier League quality player.

 

In that "unplayable" portion of the season that you reference; Matty James didn't actually have that significant of a role.

 

West Ham 2-1 win: played 90 mins.
West Brom 3-2 win: started the game, came off after 60 mins losing 2-1, we go and win 3-2.
Swansea 2-0 win: didn't play.
Burnley 1-0 win: came on after 77 mins whilst already 1-0 up.
Chelsea 3-1 loss: came on after 12 mins, but we lost.
Newcastle 3-0 win: played 90 mins
Southampton 2-0 win: played 13 mins and then came off injured.
Sunderland 0-0 draw: injured.
QPR 5-1 win: injured. 

[Sampson]

Yeah I'm surprised people saying James played a big role in the Great Escape.

 

Bringing King in for him was one of the reasons that luck started it against West Ham. It was King and Cambiasso for the majority of the Great Escape in midfield.

[reynard]

Do we know if he is anywhere fit enough to play yet?

[Col city fan]

2 hours ago, Sampson said:

Yeah I'm surprised people saying James played a big role in the Great Escape.

 

Bringing King in for him was one of the reasons that luck started it against West Ham. It was King and Cambiasso for the majority of the Great Escape in midfield.

Spot on. James hardly featured during the great escape.

[funkyrobot]

2 hours ago, chicagofox said:

The fact of w

The fact of where I am based is irrelevant.

 

There is no narrative,  I just don't think he is a Premier League quality player.

 

In that "unplayable" portion of the season that you reference; Matty James didn't actually have that significant of a role.

 

West Ham 2-1 win: played 90 mins.
West Brom 3-2 win: started the game, came off after 60 mins losing 2-1, we go and win 3-2.
Swansea 2-0 win: didn't play.
Burnley 1-0 win: came on after 77 mins whilst already 1-0 up.
Chelsea 3-1 loss: came on after 12 mins, but we lost.
Newcastle 3-0 win: played 90 mins
Southampton 2-0 win: played 13 mins and then came off injured.
Sunderland 0-0 draw: injured.
QPR 5-1 win: injured. 

I see your point about the unplayable section but I would still call that a significant role. He also played in the Hull win, the draw away to Liverpool and the win against villa and was banned for the next 3 games when we started losing again. I was there for every home match and even when we were losing i felt James was our best midfielder with the exception of Cambiasso. I guess that's why I thought you might not have been able to watch the games (as well as your US tag line) as you think he's not Premier League quality whereas I think he demonstrated time and time again in that season that he was. 

 

As I've stated in a previous reply, I really hope that you are right about Iborra. If he does indeed become a nailed on starter that must mean he's been able to acclimatise and add all round extra quality into our team. Surely though, that belief has to be tempered by the fact that he hasn't played competitively for us yet and is used to a different formation in a different league that relies much more on a packed midfield.

 

Fingers crossed your right about Iborra and wrong about James as that will mean a strong midfield despite the loss of Drinky and the lack of Silva! In the back of my mind though I can't forget Inler and so with Iborra, I'll believe it when I see it. Hopefully he's fit and can smash Cheleicester on Saturday.

[The Doctor]

4 hours ago, chicagofox said:

"Mahrez and Drinky work well with him" - do they, really?  In the one season they were all together at Premier League level they, and the whole team, were for the most part really crap.  Hence our position at the bottom of the table for most of the season.

Except we weren't really crap, for the most part we were competitive in games and shot ourselves in the foot with naive play (to be expected with a squad that had hardly played top flight bar konchesky and Albrighton).