.......Can we please just be clear on this!!
I've read numerous posts of late stating how Richardson should play at LB / he was bought as cover for LB / his natural position is LB
He came through the ranks at ManUre as a left winger and was bought by Sunderland as a left winger. I've never been a fan of this bloke but he destroyed us about 4 years back playing on the left wing, or possibly even through the centre - I think it ended 0-0 or 0-1 but he hit the bar three times and had a goal disallowed.
To keep reading that he should be at LB is absurd.
• he is not a natural LB
• he was reportedly unhappy at being played LB at Sunderland (where he initially filled in due to injuries)
• Riise is struggling a bit of late - so do we really want to put another player struggling for confidence in an unfamiliar position of a struggling defence? He'll just become a bigger scapegoat that he already is!!
As I said, I'm no fan of the bloke but if we are to get the best out of him then it has to be to get behind the lad and support him in a position that he's comfortable with.
Thank you for the clarification but he looks more like a defender than an attacker. The lad has obviously lost confidence and Jol has found the arm round the shoulder method does not work and has therefore given him a pull yourself together lecture.
Hope it works as he obviously a talented player who has lost his way, but he may of course have had one of those injuries you never get over where you a frightened to go for it for fear of doing it again.
Agreed he is not a defender. He is pacy, but when on the ball its all panic i can see from him. He needs to have a tequila shot or two before game to take the edge off just a bit :beer:
Quote from: A Humble Man on December 29, 2012, 08:44:55 AM
he may of course have had one of those injuries you never get over where you a frightened to go for it for fear of doing it again.
Like running or passing to a team mate :-/?
If that's the case then I'd worry even more about him throwing his body in the way of a shot or making that last ditch stretch of a tackle.
He only played about 5 games last season at LM/LW and the rest was at LB so I would say he can play there. But on the other hand he's been worse than Riise so does not deserve a start anyway.
Quote from: MJG on December 29, 2012, 08:54:32 AM
He only played about 5 games last season at LM/LW and the rest was at LB so I would say he can play there. But on the other hand he's been worse than Riise so does not deserve a start anyway.
He doesn't deserve a start, very true.
I'm sure he played there because of a lack of LB (didn't the RB Bardsley also play there a lot?) and because their LW was keeping him out.
I'm sure i read he was unhappy playing there which could explain partly his leaving there as well as his drop in confidence.
Duffer played his last year at Newcastle in the LB position but I'd hate to see him
there for us, although he can do a good job there.
Quote from: leonffc on December 29, 2012, 09:03:41 AM
Quote from: MJG on December 29, 2012, 08:54:32 AM
He only played about 5 games last season at LM/LW and the rest was at LB so I would say he can play there. But on the other hand he's been worse than Riise so does not deserve a start anyway.
He doesn't deserve a start, very true.
I'm sure he played there because of a lack of LB (didn't the RB Bardsley also play there a lot?) and because their LW was keeping him out.
I'm sure i read he was unhappy playing there which could explain partly his leaving there as well as his drop in confidence.
Duffer played his last year at Newcastle in the LB position but I'd hate to see him
there for us, although he can do a good job there.
I had a look at Richardson stats at Sunderland and he played most of his games at LB, a lot in the centre when he arrived and the rest at LM. It may be a reason he left but like many players who end up at full back, he's just a failed winger really.
I actually remember in his very early days at Manure, he was a right winger..
Not for one minute would I suggest he plays there though!
What is he then? His performance in midfield this season have been quite simply terrible!
Oh. I'd heard he was. Well what's the point of him then?
let's be really clear. He is not a left back, not a winger and not a mid fielder. He was a Jol panic buy when we lost Dembele and Dempsey. Ship him out
Listen. On FIFA Ultimate Team he's a left back...hence he's a left back.
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 09:27:42 PM
let's be really clear. He is not a left back, not a winger and not a mid fielder. He was a Jol panic buy when we lost Dembele and Dempsey. Ship him out
we had been linked with him for weeks, so hardly a panic buy.
Quote from: CurryForMario on December 29, 2012, 09:45:59 PM
Listen. On FIFA Ultimate Team he's a left back...hence he's a left back.
Oh!. OK then
Quote from: MJG on December 29, 2012, 09:48:05 PM
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 09:27:42 PM
let's be really clear. He is not a left back, not a winger and not a mid fielder. He was a Jol panic buy when we lost Dembele and Dempsey. Ship him out
we had been linked with him for weeks, so hardly a panic buy.
We are linked with hundreds of players. He was a panic buy
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 09:49:52 PM
Quote from: MJG on December 29, 2012, 09:48:05 PM
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 09:27:42 PM
let's be really clear. He is not a left back, not a winger and not a mid fielder. He was a Jol panic buy when we lost Dembele and Dempsey. Ship him out
we had been linked with him for weeks, so hardly a panic buy.
We are linked with hundreds of players. He was a panic buy
I'm saying that Jol was after him before Dembele left. He was also coming in whatever happened to Dempsey. So no not a panic. I'm not saying hes a good or bad buy, but he was not a panic last day purchase.
Quote from: MJG on December 29, 2012, 09:52:36 PM
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 09:49:52 PM
Quote from: MJG on December 29, 2012, 09:48:05 PM
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 09:27:42 PM
let's be really clear. He is not a left back, not a winger and not a mid fielder. He was a Jol panic buy when we lost Dembele and Dempsey. Ship him out
we had been linked with him for weeks, so hardly a panic buy.
We are linked with hundreds of players. He was a panic buy
I'm saying that Jol was after him before Dembele left. He was also coming in whatever happened to Dempsey. So no not a panic. I'm not saying hes a good or bad buy, but he was not a panic last day purchase.
Semantics. We are linked with hundreds of players and Jol had to do something quickly as soon as D and D went. He HAD to sign someone in the remaining hours. Richardson deal got done quickly. I wonder why. Sunderland must be relieved
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 10:00:03 PM
Quote from: MJG on December 29, 2012, 09:52:36 PM
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 09:49:52 PM
Quote from: MJG on December 29, 2012, 09:48:05 PM
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 09:27:42 PM
let's be really clear. He is not a left back, not a winger and not a mid fielder. He was a Jol panic buy when we lost Dembele and Dempsey. Ship him out
we had been linked with him for weeks, so hardly a panic buy.
We are linked with hundreds of players. He was a panic buy
I'm saying that Jol was after him before Dembele left. He was also coming in whatever happened to Dempsey. So no not a panic. I'm not saying hes a good or bad buy, but he was not a panic last day purchase.
Semantics. We are linked with hundreds of players and Jol had to do something quickly as soon as D and D went. He HAD to sign someone in the remaining hours. Richardson deal got done quickly. I wonder why. Sunderland must be relieved
I suggest you go back and look at the timings of the transfers and press around that time.
Quote from: MJG on December 29, 2012, 10:04:52 PM
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 10:00:03 PM
Quote from: MJG on December 29, 2012, 09:52:36 PM
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 09:49:52 PM
Quote from: MJG on December 29, 2012, 09:48:05 PM
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 09:27:42 PM
let's be really clear. He is not a left back, not a winger and not a mid fielder. He was a Jol panic buy when we lost Dembele and Dempsey. Ship him out
we had been linked with him for weeks, so hardly a panic buy.
We are linked with hundreds of players. He was a panic buy
I'm saying that Jol was after him before Dembele left. He was also coming in whatever happened to Dempsey. So no not a panic. I'm not saying hes a good or bad buy, but he was not a panic last day purchase.
Semantics. We are linked with hundreds of players and Jol had to do something quickly as soon as D and D went. He HAD to sign someone in the remaining hours. Richardson deal got done quickly. I wonder why. Sunderland must be relieved
I suggest you go back and look at the timings of the transfers and press around that time.
I am well aware of who we were linked with at the time. When we lost D and D at the 11th hour we panicked and closed the Richardson deal.
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 09:49:52 PM
Quote from: MJG on December 29, 2012, 09:48:05 PM
Quote from: St Eve on December 29, 2012, 09:27:42 PM
let's be really clear. He is not a left back, not a winger and not a mid fielder. He was a Jol panic buy when we lost Dembele and Dempsey. Ship him out
we had been linked with him for weeks, so hardly a panic buy.
We are linked with hundreds of players. He was a panic buy
If I remember, they announced Richardson's signing about five minutes before the deadline and three minutes after Dembele went to Spurs, so I'd agree he was a panic buy. We expected to lose Demps, but I think Jol thought they'd hold onto Dembele. I wouldn't ship Richardson out, but we have to figure out some way of utilizing him, because I doubt we'll recoup what we paid if we put him up for sale.
So, he is not a LB. let me say, he is not a premier standard footballer in any position. Complete waste of space. Why was he signed?
Quote from: jarv on December 30, 2012, 03:54:29 AM
So, he is not a LB. let me say, he is not a premier standard footballer in any position. Complete waste of space. Why was he signed?
Because he looked like a "cheap" way to get pace up front and maybe draw some defenders off Ruiz and Berbatov.
Quote from: CurryForMario on December 29, 2012, 09:45:59 PM
Listen. On FIFA Ultimate Team he's a left back...hence he's a left back.
Ooh another source other than Football manager2012. If our scouting system wise up to this we're looking at champions league next year
Quote from: leonffc on December 30, 2012, 09:49:31 AM
Quote from: CurryForMario on December 29, 2012, 09:45:59 PM
Listen. On FIFA Ultimate Team he's a left back...hence he's a left back.
Ooh another source other than Football manager2012. If our scouting system wise up to this we're looking at champions league next year
I'm not sure if Curryformario comment was tongue in cheek, but I have it on good athourity that Fulham are sacking all their scouts, and bringing in some fulham fans aged between 14-24 and letting them play Fifa 13 for a few weeks, they will then have to report to Martin Jol and tell him who are the best players on FIFA 13 so Jol knows who to go buy
http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/sport-comment/if-fifa-has-its-way-then-virtual-will-become-a-reality (http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/sport-comment/if-fifa-has-its-way-then-virtual-will-become-a-reality)
If Fifa has its way then 'virtual' will become a reality
Art imitates life.
Sometimes, life imitates art.
It is debatable whether video games can be classified as art, but millions around the world certainly consider football their life.
And where in the past video games would be based on the Beautiful Game, Fifa's latest proposal now sees football imitating the gaming industry.
For football geeks who since 1992 have spent days, weeks, even years immersed in never-ending sessions of the most addictive video/computer game of them all, Football Manager (or it's predecessor Championship Manager), your time has finally come.
Saturday, at the 7th Dubai International Sports Conference, Mark Goddard, the general manager of the transfer market in Fifa, revealed that the world's governing body is set to introduce Global Player Transfer (GPX), a new worldwide database that will look to facilitate transfers between clubs by listing the personal statistics of all of the world's registered professionals online.
Football managers would, finally, have a real life version of Football Manager.
The idea goes something like this: clubs interested in a certain player can discreetly approach the potential selling club via the system and, crucially, not through a third party, to start the negotiating process.
The greater transparency provided by the database, as well as Fifa's existing Transfer Matching System (TMS), would, according to Goddard, ensure all clubs get the maximum, and identical, information.
In theory this would, Fifa hopes, eliminate bidding wars in which clubs give out false information, and should lead to many players being transferred for less.
GPX would be of particular help to out-of-contract players, who make up 70 per cent of all global transfers annually, according to Goddard.
It should also prohibit players from tapping up young players.
Complicating matters is the fact that some players' data will be posted anonymously.
No name, no club. Just numbers.
The purists, or Luddites depending on which side you are, will be horrified by such a state of affairs. Football, which for decades resisted statistics, is now in danger of being shaped by them.
And not surprisingly, there were snorts of derision from those who potentially stand to lose the most; football agents.
Rob Jansen, the chairman of the European Football Agents Association could barely hide his contempt for the concept, repeatedly insisting at yesterday's forum that it is not workable, and questioning Fifa's power to implement it.
At least everyone present agreed on one thing: this would not be a system aimed at the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, or indeed any of the world's top 50 to 100 clubs, all of whom have extensive, multimillion dollar scouting networks.
Clearly, even those networks are far from perfect; after all, for every Cristiano Ronaldo, there is a Bebe.
Still, these big clubs are unlikely to start doing their shopping in football's equivalent of Amazon.
Just stick a Stewart Downing in your trolley and proceed to checkout. ("Managers who bought this item also bought Jordan Henderson".)
This is primarily for the benefit of the vast majority that make up the world's less affluent clubs.
Manchester City would not need GPX, but a third division Belgian club might well do.
Still, too many questions remain.
Take anonymous listings. Essentially, what you have is a description of a random footballer from a random part of the world. You would know his height, weight and what foot he favours. But what of those unquantifiable traits that only a good old-fashioned football scout can spot?
Bravery. Vision. Teamwork. A cultured left foot (note: only left feet can be cultured in football parlance). And can he hack it on a cold Tuesday night at Stoke City?
In fairness, Goddard conceded that the system is still at an embryonic stage: clubs, agents and, above all, players would have to be extensively consulted, and on board, if GPX is to work.
And even if it works logistically, the ethical implications would still need serious clarifications. Would the system fundamentally change the role of the football agent? Do players have the power to remove themselves from such a database or is it up to the clubs? And can accurate information be collated on that promising winger in Senegal?
Then there is the question of whether it will actually be utilised by clubs who will surely be under no legal obligation to do so.
Indeed, will it become football's Amazon? Or its Google+?
But whether you think it is a brave technological leap by the geniuses at Fifa, or the death of the football transfer market as we know it, Jansen's protestation that he would have no idea how it can work in practice, if implemented, seems somewhat contrived.
It sounds easy enough. Just type the following: "1.69m", "stocky", "left foot", "Striker", "Rosario", "Argentina".
Click "search".
