Joe Allen [Sold]

[Sarb]

That's because everyone else was so ****e he stood out. But when the team settled into the season he was found out...

He actually carried the midfield for the first 2-3 months of the season. Should give some credit rather than allow the unblanced hatred to blinker your view

[cream]

Yeah, it was found out that injured players don't play as well as non-injured players

[Lecter]

Didnt Brendan say he'd been carrying that shoulder injury since last season when he was at Swansea???

If that is true it tends to cast doubt on the theory that his drop off in form is injury related

[Sarb]

Didnt Brendan say he'd been carrying that shoulder injury since last season when he was at Swansea???

If that is true it tends to cast doubt on the theory that his drop off in form is injury related

Unless it got a lot worse in October

[Tee]

Thinking back it was hardly a peak in form, I think it was just his honeymoon period. He settled quite well and kept it simple, and stood out because all those around him were in sixes and sevens!

[Lecter]

He actually carried the midfield for the first 2-3 months of the season. Should give some credit rather than allow the unblanced hatred to blinker your view

I'm not sure he carried the midfield at all

He was good against City and a few games around that period

Hes been average to downright poor in most of the remainder of the games

I actually think his biggest problem is where is his best position??

Hes definitely not a holding player, he lacks strength, aggression and an ability to tackle to be effective in that area

Hes not an attacking midfield player because he doesnt score enough goals or provide anywhere near enough assists

That leaves putting him in as a playmaker and to me you have to have more in your locker than he does to play that role

You have to be a bit of a jack of all trades and to me hes not enough of any of them to be effective

[Tee]

I'm not sure he carried the midfield at all

He was good against City and a few games around that period

Hes been average to downright poor in most of the remainder of the games

I actually think his biggest problem is where is his best position??

Hes definitely not a holding player, he lacks strength, aggression and an ability to tackle to be effective in that area

Hes not an attacking midfield player because he doesnt score enough goals or provide anywhere near enough assists

That leaves putting him in as a playmaker and to me you have to have more in your locker than he does to play that role

You have to be a bit of a jack of all trades and to me hes not enough of any of them to be effective

Spot on.

[Lecter]

Unless it got a lot worse in October

I think hes been found out since October but I dont feel its injury related

Teams have just bossed him physically and hes had no response to that

[danperkins]

Jack of all trades, master of none. Sell

[Neil Young]

Although maybe the reason teams could boss him physically is because he's been carrying a shoulder injury all season and it took until October for managers to work out how to neutralise him.

[Rich]

Aquilani is the worst player I've seen pull on the red shirt in the flesh.

His performance against Bolton in Rafa's final season was beyond bad - and yet he still managed to claim an assist.

Joe Allen hasn't had a good season, the transfer fee looks steep, but he isn't in the top 10 list of worst buys.

[Alex]

So Joe Allen looking good early in the season can be spun as him being ****, but everyone being ****ter?

I think a little perspective is needed. He looked good before, then his form dropped off a cliff. Something had to have happened around that time. His pass completion stats for early season were around the high 90s. Hardly a **** player.

Maybe he needs to adapt his game as the season progresses. Maybe his fee looks high at the moment. None of these things make him a bad player.

He was very good for Swansea last season, also named Welsh player of the year. Damning with faint praise I know. But he beat out Bale for that.

[Mattshark]

So Joe Allen looking good early in the season can be spun as him being ****, but everyone being ****ter.

I think a little perspective is needed. He looked good before, then his form dropped off a cliff. Something had to have happened around that time. His pass completion stats for early season were around the high 90s. Hardly a **** player.

Maybe he needs to adapt his game as the season progresses. Maybe his fee looks high at the moment. None of these things make him a bad player.

He was very good for Swansea last season, also named Welsh player of the year. Damning with faint praise I know. But he beat out Bale for that.

It is as ridiculous as the people on here arguing that all Lucas' MOM from a few years ago were purely out if sympathy.

Give the lad a chance. The lack of patience amongst our fans borders on the ludicrous.

[Lecter]

Although maybe the reason teams could boss him physically is because he's been carrying a shoulder injury all season and it took until October for managers to work out how to neutralise him.

Teams learn quickly in the Premier League any weaknesses are exposed very quickly and they will try and exploit them

I'm none too convinced that his problems are injury related. IMO teams have looked at him and cottoned on that he lacks strength, aggression and is easily bullied

Get on him, put pressure on him and he finds it difficult to cope. Particularly when hes played in a deeper position

The contrast between him and Henderson or Coutinho even is massive. Henderson to me has a reasonable physical presence, and hes quite aggressive and crucially has now started contributing a fair number of goals & assists higher up the pitch. Whilst Coutinho might look a touch slight but hes got a bit about him, a bit of fire in his belly / aggression

Just dont see that in Allen

I've said it before about Allen I think hes the type of player you bring on when you are winning 2-0 or 3-0 and he keeps things ticking along till the final whistle

I just dont see him as the type of player who is going to serve you well going toe-to-toe against teams in hard fought games

[rudedog]

Teams learn quickly in the Premier League any weaknesses are exposed very quickly and they will try and exploit them

I'm none too convinced that his problems are injury related. IMO teams have looked at him and cottoned on that he lacks strength, aggression and is easily bullied

Get on him, put pressure on him and he finds it difficult to cope. Particularly when hes played in a deeper position

The contrast between him and Henderson or Coutinho even is massive. Henderson to me has a reasonable physical presence, and hes quite aggressive and crucially has now started contributing a fair number of goals & assists higher up the pitch. Whilst Coutinho might look a touch slight but hes got a bit about him, a bit of fire in his belly / aggression

Just dont see that in Allen

I've said it before about Allen I think hes the type of player you bring on when you are winning 2-0 or 3-0 and he keeps things ticking along till the final whistle

I just dont see him as the type of player who is going to serve you well going toe-to-toe against teams in hard fought games

I don't think we've seen enough of him to make that kind of judgement. Look at how poor Downing and Henderson were last year compared to this year. That said, I do struggle to see where he will fit in with our current midfield.