Levi on the mend

[Foxhateram]

Nice to see the lad back out training. looking forward to seeing him play in a city shirt again. His game against Chelsea in the cup last season was close to brilliant. I think hel be a very important asset to us this year.

Video on world now where he is talking about his injury and his recovery process.

[Uncle Albert]

I love Levi. Really good player and we missed him last season. Badly.

Him on the left and Dyer on the right, pacey. Horrible injury to pick up, but thankfully he is mended. Good shout to go on the back of my shirt next season.

[Collymore]

I love Levi. Really good player and we missed him last season. Badly.

Him on the left and Dyer on the right, pacey. Horrible injury to pick up, but thankfully he is mended. Good shout to go on the back of my shirt next season.

Is this going to turn into WW3 in respect to Gradel owning the left wing???

[Foxhateram]

Is this going to turn into WW3 in respect to Gradel owning the left wing???

I hope not. I started this thread because there was a video on the OS of Levi talking about his injury. Seen as everyone else gets there own thread when they come out and do an interview. i thought Levi deserved his own thread.

I think the competition on the wings between Gradel, Porter, Dyer, and Hayes will be very beneficial and healthy for all of them. Should keep them on their toes anyway.

[Thracian]

Nice to see the lad back out training. looking forward to seeing him play in a city shirt again. His game against Chelsea in the cup last season was close to brilliant. I think hel be a very important asset to us this year.

Video on world now where he is talking about his injury and his recovery process.

Bit early to be sure but if he's fully recovered I'd certainly expect him to play a decent part.

He was badly missed last season. Indeed, with his record of the previous year it is quite possible his absence was the difference between our survival in the division and otherwise.

Hopefully he'll get more freedom to roam this time and the chance to be even more influential.

[Uncle Albert]

Is this going to turn into WW3 in respect to Gradel owning the left wing???

Hopefully not because Levi is better.

[Jimmy]

sorry but based on his form of last season he wasn't "badly missed" however he was missed in that he was another option on the left and had shown he was capable of putting in a match turning performance

[Raj]

sorry but based on his form of last season he wasn't "badly missed" however he was missed in that he was another option on the left and had shown he was capable of putting in a match turning performance

So...he was missed ABIT then???

I like him when he's good.

When he's crap,he's crap.

[Unabomber]

IMO Levi is a squad player, we play Dyer on the left Gradel on the right and we are well on our way

[Thracian]

IMO Levi is a squad player, we play Dyer on the left Gradel on the right and we are well on our way

Gradel and Porter are totally different. And even if Dyer and Gradel play on the wings there is no reason Porter shouldn't be in his best position of creative central midfield. Nor do I see any reason why we shouldn't follow the much more modern approach of being fluid across midfield with players interchanging.

[Jimmy]

So...he was missed ABIT then???

I like him when he's good.

When he's crap,he's crap.

yes, the options he would of given us were missed, however with the way he was playing before his injury you can't really say him not being there was a key factor in our relegation

[Daggers]

Gradel and Porter are totally different. And even if Dyer and Gradel play on the wings there is no reason Porter shouldn't be in his best position of creative central midfield. Nor do I see any reason why we shouldn't follow the much more modern approach of being fluid across midfield with players interchanging.

Absolutely.

Porter was never an out and out winger, he was at his most impressive when running at defences through the channels .

[SamL]

I think we definitely missed him last season. I think that if he's given a chance this season, he'll be a very good player for us.

[Bryn]

Absolutely.

Porter was never an out and out winger, he was at his most impressive when running at defences through the channels .

That ball into the box over the defence against Chelsea from a sort of deep lying inside left channel position was a beauty, it really was.

[Thracian]

yes, the options he would of given us were missed, however with the way he was playing before his injury you can't really say him not being there was a key factor in our relegation

He amassed 10 goals and assists in his first full season in his secondary position on the left wing. We didn't have a single winger, right or left, who made a significant contribution at all.

Even half of Levi's goals/assists would probably have been enough for us to collect the extra point we needed to survive. Of course he was missed, just as Sheehan's contribution was missed.

You simply cannot afford to have positions that don't function in terms of a return and Porter's goals/assists contribution, over about 30 games from memory, was far greater than most managed ast season.

Porter's effect on games is there in black and white. Compare it with Newton's or Bell's.

Furthermore his defensive contribution is vastly underrated or unappreciated.

Porter is an outstanding outlet player in defensive situations. He constantly works back, makes himself available, rarely ball watches and retains possession with ease even in tight situations.

None of our regular wide left midfielders did any of that properly once Holloway arrived.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. He had one good game in three. Anyway, Porter will have enough on his plate recovering fully from his injury.

[Daggers]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. He had one good game in three. Anyway, Porter will have enough on his plate recovering fully from his injury.

Shut-up...he is the new Sheehan and I'm on the bus.

[Thracian]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. He had one good game in three. Anyway, Porter will have enough on his plate recovering fully from his injury.

Porter's contribution was far greater than his goals/assists but with the straightjacket Kelly wrapped him he was bound to be up against it at times - especially with the distributive shit he had behind and around him, not to mention the lack of movement ahead of him on far too many occasions.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Shut-up...he is the new Sheehan and I'm on the bus.

I don't buy this "x was half-decent in the Championship, he will automatically tear up League One" mentality. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, I did that last year.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Porter's contribution was far greater than his goals/assists but with the straightjacket Kelly wrapped him he was bound to be up against it at times - especially with the distributive shit he had behind and around him, not to mention the lack of movement ahead of him on far too many occasions.

Yeah well, we'll see. Wesolowski has struggled to recapture his best form since his injuries and I'll just be happy to see Porter playing regularly again and we'll see how he gets on.

[teblin]

The way i look at porter is that he didn't pull up any tree and be outstnding, but he was steady and didn't really let the team down, which last season is what we could've done with down the left of the team.

As for him playing in the centre his size might be a problem, though if he strong holding midfielder along side him or was playing as part of a central 3 i think he could be useful.

[Thracian]

The way i look at porter is that he didn't pull up any tree and be outstnding, but he was steady and didn't really let the team down, which last season is what we could've done with down the left of the team.

As for him playing in the centre his size might be a problem, though if he strong holding midfielder along side him or was playing as part of a central 3 i think he could be useful.

If people give Porter the ball to his feet his size can sometimes be an asset. He's so quick and nimble he can thread such clever passes between cumbersome defenders.

Look how Fabregas took defences to pieces in the Europeans. He's not a big, physical player, nor Deco. The old Leeds maestro Billy Bremner was tiny and his partner Johnny Giles no giant either but between them they orchestrated a team that could keep the ball indefinitely and run teams ragged, much like Spain really.

Porter is much stronger than you might imagine. But it's no use the rest of the team playing hoof ball.

[teblin]

If people give Porter the ball to his feet his size can sometimes be an asset. He's so quick and nimble he can thread such clever passes between cumbersome defenders.

Look how Fabregas took defences to pieces in the Europeans. He's not a big, physical player, nor Deco. The old Leeds maestro Billy Bremner was tiny and his partner Johnny Giles no giant either but between them they orchestrated a team that could keep the ball indefinitely and run teams ragged, much like Spain really.

Porter is much stronger than you might imagine. But it's no use the rest of the team playing hoof ball.

I think he is quite a strong lad, doesnt really get knocked off the ball.

Like i said he would need a strong big holding player along side him like spain had in Senna. Someone like Salif Diao.(though he's at stoke)

But someone in that role that allows him to go and play.

[James.]

If people give Porter the ball to his feet his size can sometimes be an asset. He's so quick and nimble he can thread such clever passes between cumbersome defenders.

Look how Fabregas took defences to pieces in the Europeans. He's not a big, physical player, nor Deco. The old Leeds maestro Billy Bremner was tiny and his partner Johnny Giles no giant either but between them they orchestrated a team that could keep the ball indefinitely and run teams ragged, much like Spain really.

Porter is much stronger than you might imagine. But it's no use the rest of the team playing hoof ball.

Basically if we play like Spain Levi will be able to shine. Simple. Looking forward to it.

[Flynny]

Porter was steady and occasionally brilliant. My only worry is that Championship level was perfect for him - there'll be more beasts of defenders in this league, and while I'm sure he has the skill to take it past them, I'm not sure he won't get flattened in the process.