Blame Game: Pearson, Schmeichel. What about Cambiasso

[Guest ttfn]

..vindicated.. miss of the season goes relatively unmentioned. Good job it wasn't Vardy or Schlupp..

The Beckford factor is having its rebirth.

Cambi is good at the pretty stuff, not good enough at the ugly stuff IMO.

I think we are in a dogfight already and the ugly stuff takes precedent at this present time.

However, I'm in the minority so will let it go. I'll be happier when the pretty stuff starts winning us games.

This is nothing like the Beckford situation. Beckford wasn't good at anything.

[Guest Col city fan]

This is nothing like the Beckford situation. Beckford wasn't good at anything.

Ahh. But you try telling anyone that..until it was clear to see..then the tide turned faster than you can say 'pressure'..

[Babylon]

Ahh. But you try telling anyone that..until it was clear to see..then the tide turned faster than you can say 'pressure'..

Well I sussed Beckford out pretty quickly as well and I'm not shy of moaning at players if I think they really are shit. That's just not the case here.

[Guest MattP]

It made no difference, we scored pretty much straight from the miss anyway.

 

Cambiasso looks a lot sharper now, he's clearly getting back to full match fitness and starting to look like the player we have all seen for Inter at times.

[bovril]

His decision making is much better than anybody else on the team.

[filbertway]

Col's special bedroom request has to be getting the missus to tell him how terrible Cambiasso is.

 

Col: "Who missed a sitter last night?"

Missus: "Cambiasso the bold tw*at"

 

Col: "What did he do right?"

Missus: "Absolutely nothing, he's not up for the dog fight, he's been nothing but a serial disappointment"

 

Col: "Oh my god yes! Who's your daddy??"

Missus: "Cattermole!"

 

[Guest ttfn]

Well I sussed Beckford out pretty quickly as well and I'm not shy of moaning at players if I think they really are shit. That's just not the case here.

Me too.

I think it was basically the 3 of us who we're saying it. The fact that Col is all on his own with this one should suggest to him that something's amiss.

[Manwell Pablo]

Col's special bedroom request has to be getting the missus to tell him how terrible Cambiasso is.

 

Col: "Who missed a sitter last night?"

Missus: "Cambiasso the bold tw*at"

 

Col: "What did he do right?"

Missus: "Absolutely nothing, he's not up for the dog fight, he's been nothing but a serial disappointment"

 

Col: "Oh my god yes! Who's your daddy??"

Missus: "Cattermole!"

 

 

 

You really shouldn't take the pee. 

[nlukka]

I don't think it's a case of Cambiasso getting off without blame; I think it's more that on balance of play his contribution is still a net positive. 

 

On Saturday, he played some excellent early balls over the top for Vardy, as well as a quick free-kick in the second half from which we nearly scored. He adds quick-thinking and composure which we'd otherwise be lacking in midfield. Last night again he was one of our better performers, so how he can be picked-on for missing one chance is, frankly, ridiculous. 

[Guest Col city fan]

Well I sussed Beckford out pretty quickly as well and I'm not shy of moaning at players if I think they really are shit. That's just not the case here.

You did indeed. I remember it well and, got some rare flak for it I think?

True, Cambiasso is far superior. Not hard that.

[Babylon]

You did indeed. I remember it well and, got some rare flak for it I think?

True, Cambiasso is far superior. Not hard that.

Rare flack? I feel like poor old Nigel every day on here. 

[Guest Col city fan]

Col's special bedroom request has to be getting the missus to tell him how terrible Cambiasso is.

Col: "Who missed a sitter last night?"

Missus: "Cambiasso the bold tw*at"

Col: "What did he do right?"

Missus: "Absolutely nothing, he's not up for the dog fight, he's been nothing but a serial disappointment"

Col: "Oh my god yes! Who's your daddy??"

Missus: "Cattermole!"

...thats genuinely funny...

Rare flack? I feel like poor old Nigel every day on here.

You're kidding!

You're loved! Babs this, Babs that...etc..

[wattolcfc]

Cambiasso is the only player we have with true world class ability. He can see the next pass before he even gets the ball. Genius.

[Guest Col city fan]

Cambiasso is the only player we have with true world class ability. He can see the next pass before he even gets the ball. Genius.

So now he's 'world class'..this forum sometimes.. I wish he was world class. We probably wouldnt be in the bloody mess we are in! The most classy of a very unclassy bunch is perhaps more realistic.

[GingerrrFox]

So now he's 'world class'..this forum sometimes.. I wish he was world class. We probably wouldnt be in the bloody mess we are in! The most classy of a very unclassy bunch is perhaps more realistic.

Look at his footballing CV and argue that he's not been a world class player.

[Guest Col city fan]

Look at his footballing CV and argue that he's not been a world class player.

Has been, yes of course. No longer is he world class.

[AKCJ]

Straight after Cambiasso missed, we scored.

 

Straight after Ulloa scored, we were under pressure for the rest of the half and barely got a kick.

 

Just shows that you have no idea what would have happened.

 

But what did happen is that Morgan and Schmeichel gifted a poor side 3 goals, again. Not good enough for me.

[TMELcfc]

Christ... Esteban is a cut above the rest, im sorry. We have very good championship players around him, he cannot be expected to win games by himself. Even Messi would struggle to do that.

[Renart]

..vindicated.. miss of the season goes relatively unmentioned. Good job it wasn't Vardy or Schlupp..

The Beckford factor is having its rebirth.

Cambi is good at the pretty stuff, not good enough at the ugly stuff IMO.

I think we are in a dogfight already and the ugly stuff takes precedent at this present time.

However, I'm in the minority so will let it go. I'll be happier when the pretty stuff starts winning us games.

 

Are you joking? He is all over the pitch putting his boot in. Sometimes you can talk sense but this time you are delirious and need to sit down with a good cup of tea and re-watch some of the footage. He works hard and has quality - that does not mean he is without mistakes. We might not be exploiting his ability but he is leaving everything he has on the field. He deserves better than this. He does the ugly stuff well and I was always concerned that he would be going unnoticed because of that.

 

I am willing to forgive all players mistakes if they are infrequent and they work hard to make up for it. Gerrard is not a bad player because he slipped last season and gifted Chelsea that goal. You have to look over the course of the game/or a number of games.

 

You are in the minority because you are wrong. That doesn't always follow but on this occasion it is not a debate about Nugent or the ability of knocky, which I think might be subjective and reasoned with a bit too much heart, it is clear as day that he is far and away the most consistent and quality performer for our team. 

[Guest Col city fan]

Are you joking? He is all over the pitch putting his boot in. Sometimes you can talk sense but this time you are delirious and need to sit down with a good cup of tea and re-watch some of the footage. He works hard and has quality - that does not mean he is without mistakes. We might not be exploiting his ability but he is leaving everything he has on the field. He deserves better than this. He does the ugly stuff well and I was always concerned that he would be going unnoticed because of that.

I am willing to forgive all players mistakes if they are infrequent and they work hard to make up for it. Gerrard is not a bad player because he slipped last season and gifted Chelsea that goal. You have to look over the course of the game/or a number of games.

You are in the minority because you are wrong. That doesn't always follow but on this occasion it is not a debate about Nugent or the ability of knocky, which I think might be subjective and reasoned with a bit too much heart, it is clear as day that he is far an away the most consistent and quality performer for our team.

Good post as usual Renart. Worth a read for a bloke with at least half a brain..

But I don't agree with you mate.

It is my contention that the majority is correct..but also incorrect.

Correct that Cambiasso is usually the most comfortable player in our team. I've stated a few times now (surprisingly goes unnoticed) that Esteban is a gifted passer of the ball. He does things the other players can't do, because they don't have that ability (note this..I'm praising him!). So, that's not in question.

Incorrect that he tracks back and plays with a sufficiently defensive mind, in a flat 4-4-2 as a box-to-box midfielder. Some people get it. Thracian gets it, but has gone awol. He appears, to me, no longer quick enough to track back in the way a box to box midfielder should. This, again just in my opinion, is a major issue in a side with the defensive frailties ours currently has.

Somebody made an analogy which summed this up very well. We need somebody playing the bongo drums, not the flute. Cambiasso plays the flute, but who's on the bongo's?

At a time when the club is bottom and we have the second worst goals conceded in the division (24), we need a fella on the drums. To me, that's clear. Cambiasso meanwhile is busy playing his flute. Playing it nicely..but with no major impact. We are losing football matches and we aren't scoring many either.

So, I agree, but I also disagree. Perhaps my gripe is less about Cambiasso, more about how we are playing him? Whatever..the table don't lie.

I can't put it any more clearer than that Renart. That's my view. Many will disagree, but hey, it's a football forum. I'm used to that by now. You think this is bad, you want to see the stick I got when I questioned Beckford's contribution to the side, quite soon after signing him. I basically said Beckford could be a good goal-taker. And he could. But questioned his contribution in a pretty poor side. Look how that turned out.

Over the summer, I suggested that the team, in the Premiership, needed a Lee Cattermole type player. I suggested him as I thought signing him was probably 'achievable'..(not now of course, he's the lynchpin in the Sunderland side). And was laughed off the forum.

I believe NOW, that Lee Cattermole in this current City side, would be more effective than Esteban Cambiasso. I'm not saying he's a better player. Of course not. But better at doing what I think our current side needs to be done.

It's all opinions...

[MC Prussian]

So now he's 'world class'..this forum sometimes.. I wish he was world class. We probably wouldnt be in the bloody mess we are in! The most classy of a very unclassy bunch is perhaps more realistic.

We aren't in this "mess" because of Cambiasso, it's because many other players can't live up to the standard in the Premier League on a regular basis, and also come up with some of the most basic errors in football (in particular, failing to clear the ball in time), adding to our disappointing state and inconsistency.

 

But keep on clinging onto straws.

 

Anything to prove your theory. Anything.

[MC Prussian]

Has been, yes of course. No longer is he world class.

You may argue against it, I still think he is world class. At least still a cut above everybody else in this team.

[Raj]

Has been, yes of course. No longer is he world class.

still has loads more about him than everyone else in the team matey

You beat me to it. You bugger Alex!!!

[Renart]

Good post as usual Renart. Worth a read for a bloke with at least half a brain..

But I don't agree with you mate.

It is my contention that the majority is correct..but also incorrect.

Correct that Cambiasso is usually the most comfortable player in our team. I've stated a few times now (surprisingly goes unnoticed) that Esteban is a gifted passer of the ball. He does things the other players can't do, because they don't have that ability (note this..I'm praising him!). So, that's not in question.

Incorrect that he tracks back and plays with a sufficiently defensive mind, in a flat 4-4-2 as a box-to-box midfielder. Some people get it. Thracian gets it, but has gone awol. He appears, to me, no longer quick enough to track back in the way a box to box midfielder should. This, again just in my opinion, is a major issue in a side with the defensive frailties ours currently has.

Somebody made an analogy which summed this up very well. We need somebody playing the bongo drums, not the flute. Cambiasso plays the flute, but who's on the bongo's?

At a time when the club is bottom and we have the second worst goals conceded in the division (24), we need a fella on the drums. To me, that's clear. Cambiasso meanwhile is busy playing his flute. Playing it nicely..but with no major impact. We are losing football matches and we aren't scoring many either.

So, I agree, but I also disagree. Perhaps my gripe is less about Cambiasso, more about how we are playing him? Whatever..the table don't lie.

I can't put it any more clearer than that Renart. That's my view. Many will disagree, but hey, it's a football forum. I'm used to that by now. You think this is bad, you want to see the stick I got when I questioned Beckford's contribution to the side, quite soon after signing him. I basically said Beckford could be a good goal-taker. And he could. But questioned his contribution in a pretty poor side. Look how that turned out.

 

I think that there are points in here that are reasonable Col but you are actually, therefore, criticizing the system and not the player in this post, where that was not the case earlier. I haven't really seen the deficiencies in his defending that you have (the lack of tracking back) but do appreciate that he appears to defend/put pressure on the ball high up the pitch (maybe a throw back to the role he is used to and the quality he usually has around him); this is something that is normally praised but I can see how this might lead to problems if the game passes him by. This does not distract from his quality. I hate to bring Gerrard into this again but I see something similar here. Gerrard has been poor as a defensive midfielder and this might be something to do with his age and lack of ability to track back; I am not sure why Rodgers persisted in playing him in that role. However, the quality, the touch, the reading of the game is still there and there is a place for him.

 

Maybe Cambiaso would benefit from having someone like Hammond alongside him - I can see that; a more defensively minded player who might allow him to play the maestro in midfield. Allow him to ping the ball around and pick out passes and boss the midfield - a more free role. This, of course, means playing 442 or 4411 or a variant of that (I wouldn't put him at the tip of a diamond which I would do with Stevie G). I don't know, just thoughts. What I will say is that in spite of the faults that you see (and I am still not convinced by what you say) he is still better than any other player on the pitch at present, and I am not talking about an individual who shows signs of brilliance but doesn't work for the team. The positives outweigh the negatives that you have predicated your argument around.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Since the Liverpool game I have scanned most of the comments made by fans in various sources. There are plenty of complaints about Nigel Pearson and to a lesser extent Kasper Schmeichel.

Nowhere do I see any criticism of Esteban Cambiasso.

Schmeichel didn't hold on to a cross which contributed eventually to a goal for Liverpool.

However most people seem to have forgotten the very poor miss by Cambiasso. If he had kicked the ball into an empty net at that stage of the game, the result would have been different. Not only would the final score be different, the confidence of the team would have improved.

Schmeichel has been poor all season, while Cambiasso hasn't.