Jordan Ayew - THREAD. LOCKED.

[zdx]

It's been said before but when we have a referee - like the one tonight - that does not give free kicks every time a player goes down after being touched, it nullifies a huge part of Ayew's game. 

[BenTheFox]

He looked miles better in a deeper role when Daka came on, as did the whole team. He can contribute at this level, but shouldn't be leading the line. Hopefully we can can get a quality forward in. 

[Claudio Fannieri]

He definitely kills the option for us to play quick high tempo football, especially when he plays as the main striker, however as the attacking midfielder he is pretty good and I am warming to him as he does work hard for the team and seems a very good role model to the young academy players. 
 

If we can bring in someone to replace BEK and a striker, I think Ayew would be a great option off the bench for the last 20 minutes of games. Especially when we are looking to close out a lead. 
 

He shouldn’t be starting for the reasons stated by so many but he is a bloody good pro and seems to be one of the senior players who is buying into what Marti is trying to do. 

[Reg Vardy]

Think it’s safe to say Ayew, Vesty, Thomas, Okoli, Hamza, are “top,” championship players, not necessarily top Premier league players……obviously something going on  with EBK, but the Manager talks more sense than the previous pair….suggesting new signings coming in, what the majority on here suggested would be a shambles, might turn into the rebuild we actually need…..and Fatawu’s value has gone up markedly in under a week…….

[lcfc sheff]

He should be an option to close a match or filler for injuries. For him to be starting is probably okay at championship level but an obvious improvement is to sign someone else if we are to have further ambition 

[Richmondfox]

Useless donkey.  We will never be a complete attacking threat as long as him and Daka are on the pitch.

 

Actively stopping the team from attacking is his only game plan and a useless skill set for a forward. Too easy to play against.  He gets a few fouls at the start then the ref gets bored of his cheating and moaning. Players know they don’t need to tackle him when he turns his back as they’ll end up with the ball after her falls over.

 

Hopefully Marti is working on an actual plan.  He is too old and shit to learn and adapt.  I would rather have Mavadidi up front. 

Edited 30 August 2025 by Richmondfox

[CloudFox]

Much better playing off or behind the main striker. We desperately need him to never play as the sole striker again. Makes the choice to take the #9 shirt all the more baffling.

 

That said, he does seem to be working hard for the team, and in the second half I was astonished to see him pressing and having a tiny bit of pace!! Definitely should be coming off the bench. We just need a starting striker.

[pmcla26]

I thought he was neat and tidy last night, held the ball up well and had quick feet to get out of a few tight situations (basically all the usual stuff he’s good at) but offered little goal threat as a 9 (again, the usual).
 

I don’t think last nights performance told us anything we don’t already know about Ayew. 

[Noahfence]

What is his obsession with holding onto the ball for too long? Seriously? 

[CrazyKopCorner]

He did well yesterday and instigated the press. 

 

We desperately need a proper number 9 though 

[Muzzy_no7]

Isn’t a 9, simple. 

[Gloria]

Our PotM yesterday. Always puts a shift in, a leader on the pitch, an important well taken goal and he'll continue to be a key player for us this season. I agree he's not an ideal 9, but he's a top pro and he's who we have until if/when Carranza gets up to speed 🤞 (*puts on tin hat and retreats to bunker for rest of day*).

Edited 14 September 2025 by Gloria
Typo

[Richmondfox]

Not a team player and must be frustrating to play with, standing in space while watching him twist and turn into trouble. 

Didn’t fall over as much which is a start.  Hopefully he has cottoned on that championship refs don’t care about a bit of rough and tumble. 

 

Glad he scored of course.  He isn’t going to change his style. 

[Wolfox]

1 hour ago, Gloria said:

Our PotM yesterday. Always puts a shift in, a leader on the pitch, an important well taken goal and he'll continue to be a key player for us this season. I agree he's not an ideal 9, but he's a top pro and he's who we have until if/when Carranza gets up to speed 🤞 (*puts on tin hat and retreats to bunker for rest of day*).

No need to put a tin hat for posters on here who watch the game objectively…

 

There will always be people who just regurgitate what they read as opposed to what they see

 

Im very glad he’s playing and expect he’ll have a 15+ goal season and continue to do well…

[VLC86]

1 hour ago, Wolfox said:

No need to put a tin hat for posters on here who watch the game objectively…

 

There will always be people who just regurgitate what they read as opposed to what they see

 

Im very glad he’s playing and expect he’ll have a 15+ goal season and continue to do well…

I agree with most of what you have said, other than this. I like him, but he does frustrate sometimes and I’d be shocked if he scores 15+.

[Tuna]

He'll start the next three with Ramsey suspended.

[Wolfox]

4 minutes ago, VLC86 said:

I agree with most of what you have said, other than this. I like him, but he does frustrate sometimes and I’d be shocked if he scores 15+.

I may have been ambitious with my number 😉 

 

But nobody, in their right mind, could say he doesn’t contribute and he always gives maximum effort 

[VLC86]

6 minutes ago, Wolfox said:

I may have been ambitious with my number 😉 

 

But nobody, in their right mind, could say he doesn’t contribute and he always gives maximum effort 

I think so, and he sometimes needs to

release the ball quicker to the wings but im

sure that will have been worked on.

[Ric Flair]

Looking at some of our current issues, I don't see a burning need for us to play a midfield three against most teams. All three of our so called strikers are better in a front two. Daka played as the on the shoulder striker in a 4-2-2-2 at Salzburg, Carranza played as the more withdrawn striker in a similar system for Philadelphia where he scored a lot of goals and Ayew has always been a support striker / utility forward so can play alongside either of them.

 

A midfield two of Winks and James is probably robust and dynamic enough to screen the defence and support the attack when necessary. Not to mention we're playing quite reserved full backs in their positioning who are more likely to support the defensive midfield than they are the attack. Both Ricardo and Choudhury are obviously very comfortable going centrally in that role.

[lcfcfoz]

2 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Looking at some of our current issues, I don't see a burning need for us to play a midfield three against most teams. All three of our so called strikers are better in a front two. Daka played as the on the shoulder striker in a 4-2-2-2 at Salzburg, Carranza played as the more withdrawn striker in a similar system for Philadelphia where he scored a lot of goals and Ayew has always been a support striker / utility forward so can play alongside either of them.

 

A midfield two of Winks and James is probably robust and dynamic enough to screen the defence and support the attack when necessary. Not to mention we're playing quite reserved full backs in their positioning who are more likely to support the defensive midfield than they are the attack. Both Ricardo and Choudhury are obviously very comfortable going centrally in that role.

Winks and james would be the best duo in the league, and good enough for prem league mid table

[TJB-fox]

3 hours ago, Richmondfox said:

Not a team player and must be frustrating to play with, standing in space while watching him twist and turn into trouble. 

Didn’t fall over as much which is a start.  Hopefully he has cottoned on that championship refs don’t care about a bit of rough and tumble. 

 

Glad he scored of course.  He isn’t going to change his style. 

Disagree with this - he holds the ball up pretty well and helps to drag us up the pitch, i think he does a lot of donkey work for the team that largely goes unnoticed.

[Chelmofox]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

Looking at some of our current issues, I don't see a burning need for us to play a midfield three against most teams. All three of our so called strikers are better in a front two. Daka played as the on the shoulder striker in a 4-2-2-2 at Salzburg, Carranza played as the more withdrawn striker in a similar system for Philadelphia where he scored a lot of goals and Ayew has always been a support striker / utility forward so can play alongside either of them.

 

A midfield two of Winks and James is probably robust and dynamic enough to screen the defence and support the attack when necessary. Not to mention we're playing quite reserved full backs in their positioning who are more likely to support the defensive midfield than they are the attack. Both Ricardo and Choudhury are obviously very comfortable going centrally in that role.

Im not sure the defenders are ready though, but i do agree. Jannik is too slow to recover and gets hammered on the transition (personally felt he was exposed a lot in the first half) and Okoli is a good defender but very nervy on the ball. 

 

I am presuming Faes gets back in the starting line up sometime soon, but i hope it's not with Jannik. No idea about Nelson though.

[Dahnsouff]

1 hour ago, Tuna said:

He'll start the next three with Ramsey suspended.

He may well, but perhaps it will also mean we see more of Page, even as a sub would be nice.

 

Will Alves…sigh

[Clever Fox]

He done an awful lot of running yesterday winning back Balls and working for the cause. Including the goal.

 

If Daka had 1/10 of his skill on the ball he'd be a great player, but he hasn't, and so while Ayew is not a CF, He gives it his all and that's all I ask from any player.

[Jazzy_Jeff]

59 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

Im not sure the defenders are ready though, but i do agree. Jannik is too slow to recover and gets hammered on the transition (personally felt he was exposed a lot in the first half) and Okoli is a good defender but very nervy on the ball. 

 

I am presuming Faes gets back in the starting line up sometime soon, but i hope it's not with Jannik. No idea about Nelson though.

I can’t wait for Souttar to be fit. Brilliant centre back at this level