How Do You Rate AJ's Impact

[Tom]

He's been pretty good. A lot better than I expected.

[psand22]

  Since he's gotten back into the team, he's been doing well.  That overrated work rate is infectious and rubs off on the team.  Twice last game, he keep hustling to the bi-line and was able to play the ball back into the box.  One should of been a penalty. Yes, he won't out duel anyone on a header, but I'd have him in my squad, no matter what we paid.  He might not score a lot of goals, but he creates problems.

 I guess we need to set up a poll to see who gets throw under the bus next....
Or have we emptied the bus of players and coaches?

[ImperialWhite]

Since we have started playing well (Stoke Away), over the last 10 games,  AJ has contributed the following:

3 assists - Stoke, Stoke, Man City
2 goals - Wigan, Villa

A decent return. Maybe not the return of a £10m striker but we obviously paid over the odds - is that AJ's fault?  

His stats in 08/09 were 7 goals scored, 4 assists - is he more of a rounded player now?

(interestingly, Moussa has only 1 assist since the game against stoke. I still think he has helped make us look better, but in terms of 'end product'....)

Also, we're a low scoring, low conceding team.  The team is built in away that is good at defending at the expense of attacking. Therefore, goals scored (or chances created) are "worth" more. AJ generating those 5 goals is worth more to us (we've scored 32 and conceded 31) than they would to, say, Blackpool (42 scored to 55 conceded). To illustrate this point, consider that the season we qualified for Europe, he was our top scorer but scored only 10 (7 league) in all competitions!

I've really admired AJ this season. I'm really not sure why Dembele gets so much praise when AJ is criticized so harshly (must be his price tag I suppose, but as FC says, not a lot he could do about that).

I find it interesting that AJ is seemingly admired by most neutral observers (both the Guardian Football Weekly and the Football Ramble podcasts have said good things about him).

[HatterDon]

When did you last see him strike a ball cleanly?  Make a good pass?  

His fantastic ball to Duff for the Man City equaliser.

He does a job for the team. Pulls centre halves all over the pitch to create space and does it brilliantly. Should have had two pens on Saturday.

Agreed, he needs to score more and isn't a £10m player but that price was a few years ago in an inflated market.

ha, you're right. Other than that though?

well, there's the acqueducts, the plumbing, the roads, and it's safe to walk about at night  :005:

[SmithyFFC]

Well hes better than EJ.  :59:

[Tonywa]

not a great fan tbh. Thought we did much better when he wasnt in the side.

Seriously? AJ coming back into form coincided with our recent run.

For me, he has been excellent over the last 2 months but was struggling before that. He has scored a couple and laid on several assists. Along with this, he stretches defences and gives defenders a headache. If he was slightly taller and stronger, he would be an excellent player.

He also should have got two penalties on sat.

Yes surely Blingo cannot be serious.  The pace and hard work AJ contributes up front has made us look far more like scoring since his return.  His speed frightens defenders and he has layed on several goals in the last few games.  All it needs now is a few more goals and his value to the side will be unarguable.

[Tonywa]

Well hes better than EJ.  :59:

So am I ;-)

[VicHalomsLovechild]

He came back from a pretty serious injury and a long long lay off. He works hard and chases stuff others wouldn't bother to. I also think he's a smart player. Watch him off the ball, he always ties up players they don't get a minutes break with him. 
He's been brilliant.

[Edwatch_Winston_Malone]

He hasn't scored a lot for us or his previous Premiership clubs.

Has he ever been any good since that first season with Palace in the Premiership?

Not really...