Joe Gomez

[Irishnev]

Give over.

When we won the leave we had the most effective press in world football, front to back. If people were scoring it was because they somehow managed to break the lines and counter attack. Perfect situation for a defender with pace like Gomez. His deficiencies are far more exposed now that we’re disfunction as a team, but his limitations are not new.

I remember games where he played better - maybe VVD played within himself but I remember thinking we had our long term defensive partnership locked in

[Exiled_red]

I remember games where he played better - maybe VVD played within himself but I remember thinking we had our long term defensive partnership locked in

VVD was the better player overall but there were games were Gomez was the better of the two, as you say that looked like a long term CB partnership. People forget how good Gomez was then.

Injuries have really ****ed our CBs you can make the case that VVD isn't close to the leave before his injury. Gomez is also on his way back from a really bad injury and Matip and Konate seem to pick up injuries all the time. VVD's partner always seems to be whoever is fit rather than based on who plays best together or tactics. No one has a clue who our best CB pairing is when everyone is fit because it never happens

[Charly]

Matip is better than Gomez and Konate when the midfield is working properly.

[red g]

Presume konate is not really fit as gomez needed hooking at half time

[labourRed]

Read an article on the BBC website, Martin Keown was talking about his similar injury, he said he only had a partial rupture of the patella tendon and it took him at least 2 years to get back to his best whereas Joe had a full rupture so I'm guessing it will take him that bit longer.

Physically there's little wrong with him. It's his head that let's him down, always did, always will.

[danperkins]

Physically there's little wrong with him. It's his head that let's him down, always did, always will.

if people haven't seen it by now they never will.

[BigChief]

Physically there's little wrong with him. It's his head that let's him down, always did, always will.

Although I'm seething with Joe, absolutely livid, his mistakes have only cost us 2 points against Forest and Leeds. Other players have cost us the bulk of those max points.

Joe has all the attributes to be a brilliant Virgil replacement if he really is over his injuries for good. Maybe a run of 20 games with no niggles will see his concentration finally improve too. Concentration is also something you can practice, and for practice you need an uninterrupted run.

[RichC]

I thought he played well last night, covered the spaces well and a had a decent game all round.

[The_weatherman]

Yeah, thought so too, but their front line was a bit **** though.

[Shaggy]

Yeah up against nothing but he was really good all the same. He was fantastic in the win v City too, back in October or whenever it was. It's just about consistency with him. No good being excellent every so often and ****ing garbage in between.

[Paul12]

I thought he was more aggressive than usual. It suits him.

[Maxiedge]

Yep, Joe Gomez on his day looks a world beater but the pattern seems to be:

one good game, one average game, one stinker

and just as we have given up hope, the pattern repeats.

If he could stay on phase 1...wow, just wow.

[frank the tank]

Matip surely 4th choice now when everyone is fit.

Replace Matip with Gvardiol and we are really cooking on gas

[Charly]

Come on... Matip had been fantatic for us fir years, and apart from this seasin, has hardly puts a foot wrong. Gomez, Konate and VVD have all look ropey at times this season. You cant just write Matip off on the basis of a month where everyone has been ****e, or on a single game where Gomez hasnt looked terrible.

[Paul12]

Come on... Matip had been fantatic for us fir years, and apart from this seasin, has hardly puts a foot wrong. Gomez, Konate and VVD have all look ropey at times this season. You cant just write Matip off on the basis of a month where everyone has been ****e, or on a single game where Gomez hasnt looked terrible.

Age and contractual situation plus general consensus that we need to freshen up - and lower the age of - our squad = He goes this summer