Fiora post match thread

[FatTony]

The main point isnt that he is terrible or the worst - but he makes virtually no significant impact. He's too weak to be a good 'destroyer' and he's not dynamic enough to be an attacking driving force. He rarely plays a successful killer ball and he doesnt score goals.

The question is, other than loads of 5-10 yard square balls, what significant contribution does he make?

He's a steady eddie, does the basics and simple stuff, but in terms of tangible productivity, i see little.

What does he actually do?

Exactly that. What does he offer that contributes regularly to a goal or a win?

[Tee]

The main point isnt that he is terrible or the worst - but he makes virtually no significant impact. He's too weak to be a good 'destroyer' and he's not dynamic enough to be an attacking driving force. He rarely plays a successful killer ball and he doesnt score goals.

The question is, other than loads of 5-10 yard square balls, what significant contribution does he make?

He's a steady eddie, does the basics and simple stuff, but in terms of tangible productivity, i see little.

What does he actually do?

He really should be getting the odd goal given the very good positions he gets himself in, both in and around the box.

Bottom line for me is that he would not get into any of the top 6 teams midfield. Like I said, he is a great squad player to come on and do a job by keeping it simple for 20-30 minutes, but we just cannot carry players of his quality for 90 minutes and not expect to pay a price in terms of the productivity and effectiveness of our football.

[Craig_H]

He's the ideal sort of player to bring on late in the game if you're winning, to just keep possession with simple passes and see the match out.

There's a value in a player who knows how to keep it simple, not every play can do it amazingly. But a player who does pretty much that and only that, shouldnt really be occupying a first team CM role for a club which has title winning aspirations. It takes out a significant portion of our CM 'threat' and puts a big burden on others to deliver some kind of threat, because he wont.

[Craig_H]

He really should be getting the odd goal given the very good positions he gets himself in, both in and around the box.

Bottom line for me is that he would not get into any of the top 6 teams midfield. Like I said, he is a great squad player to come on and do a job by keeping it simple for 20-30 minutes, but we just cannot carry players of his quality for 90 minutes and not expect to pay a price in terms of the productivity and effectiveness of our football.

Almost like you read my mind

[Tee]

Almost like you read my mind

Torrard!!!

How long before someone has that as their username?

[sssiho]

We were poor all over the pitch. I read a report in one of the local rags that Benitez got his tactics wrong, i'm not so sure thats right. The players just did not look up for it. Hopefully this will give them a good kick up the arse and from this seasons showing i think its needed.

[Shaggy]

I don’t really understand why so many people are so mystified or upset with his lack of Hollywood football. Did you never see Ronnie Whelan? Didier Deschamps? And there’s been loads of others too. He’s a continuity player - he’ll never be spectacular. He’s also getting much braver with his passing and is firing low, hard, forward balls into people’s feet. Not often the final, killer ball – granted - but key passes…look at the ball he played to Babel on Saturday. It wasn’t the final ball but it was the key pass in the move that brought the goal. He played a few of these balls last night too, but they seem to go completely unnoticed.

Admittedly the pairing with Aurelio last night was powderpuff in the extreme and it patently didn’t work. We had no muscle whatsoever and, although Lucas is getting much stronger and harder to knock off the ball, he does need a bit of muscle next to him.

[Roboklopp]

The main point isnt that he is terrible or the worst - but he makes virtually no significant impact. He's too weak to be a good 'destroyer' and he's not dynamic enough to be an attacking driving force. He rarely plays a successful killer ball and he doesnt score goals.

The question is, other than loads of 5-10 yard square balls, what significant contribution does he make?

He's a steady eddie, does the basics and simple stuff, but in terms of tangible productivity, i see little.

What does he actually do?

Sums it up really. Squad filler & should be 4th choice. (I know he is 3rd). Lack of Alonso really reveals how uncomfy both Skrtel & Carra are on the ball. A lot of the build-up play from the back was brutal last night. Hopefully Aqualani will address this.

On a plus side, maybe this will make us realise we can't get complacent cos we have been walking over teams, and force us to up our game against Chelsea at the weekend?

Aye, felt like we just thought we had to turn up yesterday. WAs always of the opinion our results were more down the the lack of quality in our opposition than us hitting proper form.

[Craig_H]

I don’t really understand why so many people are so mystified or upset with his lack of Hollywood football. Did you never see Ronnie Whelan? Didier Deschamps? And there’s been loads of others too. He’s a continuity player - he’ll never be spectacular. He’s also getting much braver with his passing and is firing low, hard, forward balls into people’s feet. Not often the final, killer ball – granted - but key passes…look at the ball he played to Babel on Saturday. It wasn’t the final ball but it was the key pass in the move that brought the goal. He played a few of these balls last night too, but they seem to go completely unnoticed.

Admittedly the pairing with Aurelio last night was powderpuff in the extreme and it patently didn’t work. We had no muscle whatsoever and, although Lucas is getting much stronger and harder to knock off the ball, he does need a bit of muscle next to him.

Whelan made a far more significant contribution on a consistent basis and Deschamps was a far stronger midfielder, who was able to impose himself onto a game and dictate the tempo consistently.

When Lucas does that, then it'll be a fair comparison, but he doesnt.

It's not so much Hollywood football people want, they just want to see the stuff Lucas does actually lead to goals and chances.

[Craig_H]

Torrard!!!

How long before someone has that as their username?

Has to be on the cards

Stenando Torrard

Or Ferneven Gerres

[Roboklopp]

I don’t really understand why so many people are so mystified or upset with his lack of Hollywood football. Did you never see Ronnie Whelan? Didier Deschamps? And there’s been loads of others too. He’s a continuity player - he’ll never be spectacular. He’s also getting much braver with his passing and is firing low, hard, forward balls into people’s feet. Not often the final, killer ball – granted - but key passes…look at the ball he played to Babel on Saturday. It wasn’t the final ball but it was the key pass in the move that brought the goal. He played a few of these balls last night too, but they seem to go completely unnoticed.

Admittedly the pairing with Aurelio last night was powderpuff in the extreme and it patently didn’t work. We had no muscle whatsoever and, although Lucas is getting much stronger and harder to knock off the ball, he does need a bit of muscle next to him.

Lucas was much better than Fabs to be fair, but Fabs is only just fit again & out of position.

[red g]

I'm not saying he was the worst, what I'm saying is that he's the most undynamic central midfielder we've had.

Everything should go through him, its the most important position on the pitch and he's ok, but ok in central midfield at a club wanting to win titles is just not good enough.

exactly there was many a ****e player out there last night. But thats when Lucas should have stand up and be counted but he just looked like a little boy lost last night.

A midfield dynamo he is not.

[Kenneth]

I don’t really understand why so many people are so mystified or upset with his lack of Hollywood football. Did you never see Ronnie Whelan? Didier Deschamps? And there’s been loads of others too. He’s a continuity player - he’ll never be spectacular. He’s also getting much braver with his passing and is firing low, hard, forward balls into people’s feet. Not often the final, killer ball – granted - but key passes…look at the ball he played to Babel on Saturday. It wasn’t the final ball but it was the key pass in the move that brought the goal. He played a few of these balls last night too, but they seem to go completely unnoticed.

Admittedly the pairing with Aurelio last night was powderpuff in the extreme and it patently didn’t work. We had no muscle whatsoever and, although Lucas is getting much stronger and harder to knock off the ball, he does need a bit of muscle next to him.

Would Ronnie Whelan be a top four Prem player these days, I am not so sure?

[red g]

I don’t really understand why so many people are so mystified or upset with his lack of Hollywood football. Did you never see Ronnie Whelan? Didier Deschamps? And there’s been loads of others too. He’s a continuity player - he’ll never be spectacular. He’s also getting much braver with his passing and is firing low, hard, forward balls into people’s feet. Not often the final, killer ball – granted - but key passes…look at the ball he played to Babel on Saturday. It wasn’t the final ball but it was the key pass in the move that brought the goal. He played a few of these balls last night too, but they seem to go completely unnoticed.

Admittedly the pairing with Aurelio last night was powderpuff in the extreme and it patently didn’t work. We had no muscle whatsoever and, although Lucas is getting much stronger and harder to knock off the ball, he does need a bit of muscle next to him.

sorry mate thats an insult to ronnie to compare him with Lucas......Ronnie weighed in with plenty of goals and was also a decent captain hell of a player and Lucas so far is not fit to be discussed in the same conversation

[red g]

Would Ronnie Whelan be a top four Prem player these days, I am not so sure?

course he would!!!