Guest Col city fan Posted 12 January 2015 Posted 12 January 2015 I'm surprised how quite a few posters are still questioning some of our players, on a consistent basis. Nugent being possibly the best example. I think most would probably concede that our squad isn't full of individually brilliant players. Possibly the most gifted one, Mahrez, is out for a bit now. What the Villa game showed me again, albeit against a really poor side, was the importance of certain players to the TEAM effort. Hammond springs to mind. Again, individually, you'd look at Hammond and think he's not really what most would consider a 'Premiership' player? Not gifted with skill or shooting ability, nor the presence to completely command a midfield. But, for me, he's proving one of our most important players this season because he simply does his job well. He sits, he breaks up opposition affacks and he gives the ball to the more skilled players. The same with Nugent....clearly not a great goal-scorer at this level (and never really has been), but that's to overlook the fact that he provides an out-ball, he never stops running and is a menace to opposition defences who have little time to be able to carry the ball out from the back because he's on them like a flash. Finally, Wasa... He's never going to be a 'cultured' defender, a ball-player who can coast into the midfield and get an attack going. But, for me, he's actually been our best 'defender'..again, he does a job of simply defending. Winning the ball, getting his head on stuff and battling incessantly for the cause. Make no bones about it. Any success we may finally have this season will be founded upon this type of player. The battlers for the team who, though not fantastic players individually, are weight their weight in gold. So I think it's maybe time to stop thinking 'individual talent' and start thinking 'contribution to the collective'...it certainly seems that Pearson is thinking this way. Anyway, opinions please...
Fox92 Posted 12 January 2015 Posted 12 January 2015 Totally agree there Col. I don't understand the recent criticism of Nugent, his role is not as the main striker. He missed a couple of chances on Saturday but his link up play and effort is brilliant. Good point on Hammond too. The term "Premier league player" is so annoying. He played well on Saturday again.
davieG Posted 12 January 2015 Posted 12 January 2015 “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”― Aristotle
Will1981 Posted 12 January 2015 Posted 12 January 2015 Also Konchesky cant pass but defensively is very solid cant think of many right wingers that have got the better of him.
dibbdroid Posted 12 January 2015 Posted 12 January 2015 Col City Fan: I agree with everything you've written and I would also add Konchesky may have made the odd clanger but he is consistently solid and committed to the cause.
fuchsntf Posted 12 January 2015 Posted 12 January 2015 I'm surprised how quite a few posters are still questioning some of our players, on a consistent basis. Nugent being possibly the best example. I think most would probably conced that our squad isn't full of individually brilliant players. Possibly the most gifted one, Mahrez, is out for a bit now. What the Villa game showed me again, albeit against a really poor side, was the importance of certain players to the TEAM effort. Hammond springs to mind. Again, individually, you'd look at Hammond and think he's not really what most would consider a 'Premiership' player? Not gifted with skill or shooting ability, nor the presence to completely command a midfield. But, for me, he's proving one of our most important players this season because he simply does his job well. He sits, he breaks up opposition affacks and he gives the ball to the more skilled players. The same with Nugent....clearly not a great goal-scorer at this level (and never really has been), but that's to overlook the fact that he provides an out-ball, he never stops running and is a menace to opposition defences who have little time to be able to carry the ball out from the back because he's on them like a flash. Finally, Wasa... He's never going to be a 'cultured' defender, a ball-player who can coast into the midfield and get an attack going. But, for me, he's actually been our best 'defender'..again, he does a job of simply defending. Winning the ball, getting his head on stuff and battling incessantly for the cause. Make no bones about it. Any success we may finally have this season will be founded upon this type of player. The battlers for the team who, though not fantastic players individually, are weight their weight in gold. So I think it's maybe time to stop thinking 'individual talent' and start thinking 'contribution to the collective'...it certainly seems that Pearson is thinking this way. Anyway, opinions please... Spot on. Its been a major bugbear of mine, how individual players have been taking the criticism they have ,and too detailed analyse of their game/mistakes.I have often of late posted questioning these individual attacks, on missed tackles or lost control, then slagging them off and wanting them dropped.Yes we have made some Howlers, we've been caught out, but often, quite a few mistakes were caused often by other team players, Moore, RDL, Ulloa, Nugent etc. Plus I still reckon Nugent could do a Birch and drop to a midfield link, it worked for Birch in his last few seasons. oh yes, Agree again Wasi has been for me, the main stay of the team. We have alsoseen Schlupp, Mahrez, and now knocky and Albrighton show improvment, as the season progresses. like under MON its the TEAM ethic, thats at the fore.
Arriba Los Zorros Posted 12 January 2015 Posted 12 January 2015 Agreed with this, as I wrote in the Villa match thread. We need to stop looking at individual moments of brilliance or poor quality in an attempt to judge players and instead look at what their general game brings to the team - Nugent is the best example as he plays the number 10 role perfectly and better than anyone else in the squad. You can't play a flat 4-4-2 without anyone operating between the lines and expect to get anywhere in the Premier League - that's why we became so disjointed after Man U for a while
65RosesFox Posted 12 January 2015 Posted 12 January 2015 Totally agree, especially Hammond. The amount times people still sigh and moan when they see him on the team sheet, yet he has been involved and played over 45 minutes in 13 of 17 points. Like you said, he desn't do anything fancy, won't turn heads but he does his job effectively, breaks up the play and is a solid 7/10 every game. For me he's been one of our unsung heroes this season.
foxinsocks Posted 12 January 2015 Posted 12 January 2015 In the position we are in I think it is about having players who can stick to the script and hence make us more solid and less prone to errors. IT was good to see a "safety first" approach form the back four on Saturday and even more encouraging to see the players who got their chance (Albringhton - of whom I admit I had doubts - Hammond and Knocky) all doing a great job. Especially encouraging was Knocky's work rate and simplicity from a player who has had problem with consistency - but he did great and long may he continue to do so. I would also champion the great early chips and diagonal balls in from Simpson ( - these keep the defenders running backwards and increase the momentum of our breaks) rather then running on down the wing and knocking a 50:50 cross over - a la De Laet. If we get these basic right then I believe we will continue to make progress and avoid relegation. Marcin Wasilewski is my man of the season so far - he is working hard and his head doesn't go down - he is a fine example of a team player.
Guest Sharpe's Fox Posted 12 January 2015 Posted 12 January 2015 Hamer Wasilewski Hammond Nugent Best spine in the Prem.
sylofox Posted 12 January 2015 Posted 12 January 2015 Totally agree there Col. I don't understand the recent criticism of Nugent, his role is not as the main striker. He missed a couple of chances on Saturday but his link up play and effort is brilliant. Good point on Hammond too. The term "Premier league player" is so annoying. He played well on Saturday again. If nuge scored in every game now till qpr and we are safe but he missed a sitter he would get slagged off. He will never rid himself of the tag now just like Nige will have the knives out against him if we lose a couple.
Guest CityFan 06 Posted 12 January 2015 Posted 12 January 2015 I totally agree with this. And I personally feel we had that team effort on Saturday which is pleasing. Hopefully now with this unbeaten run, we can as a whole team continue to gain confidence.
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