Andy Johnson. Starting eleven vs Villa?

[Frankie-Peter Taylor]

For me - he has totally earned his spot in the starting 11 against Aston Villa next week and it's a battle between Clint and Mousa for that LM role, which I think will go to Clint as he's fitter than Dembele*.

AJ has been immense (albeit against lower quality teams but he's got great pace, great workrate, and there's not many better that work the channels as he does.

*I have a friend that looks on from the reserve side and he's told me that Mousa Dembele is terribly unfit and that's what is missing from his game. Technically gifted player, needs to work on his fitness. People choose to believe me or not but I have a very reliable source that tells me he's unfit. I've not made it up and I'm not a liar.

[ghost]

He certainly deserves it. If he can carry his Europa League form into the season...  :004:

[goffc]

He certainly deserves it. If he can carry his Europa League form into the season...  :004:

have to make the decision on who is in form.  i think we would be hard pressed to find another player in the side, aside from possibly ja, who is playing better right now. 

[RidgeRider]

For me - he has totally earned his spot in the starting 11 against Aston Villa next week and it's a battle between Clint and Mousa for that LM role, which I think will go to Clint as he's fitter than Dembele*.

AJ has been immense (albeit against lower quality teams but he's got great pace, great workrate, and there's not many better that work the channels as he does.

*I have a friend that looks on from the reserve side and he's told me that Mousa Dembele is terribly unfit and that's what is missing from his game. Technically gifted player, needs to work on his fitness. People choose to believe me or not but I have a very reliable source that tells me he's unfit. I've not made it up and I'm not a liar.

I'm not surprised by your mates comments. As I look at him as an athlete, he looks a little soft to me. Doesn't have that hard edge around him of someone who is super fit and very lean. It could explain a few things with regards to his game as well. Still a gifted player.

[epsomraver]

He has been carrying an injury for a long time,not suprised, Clint has been playing a lot of competitive football lately as well.

[ScalleysDad]

AJ may wel have worked hard for a starting slot and good luck to him.
I'm surprised the captains starting slot has not been questioned. His performance last night was poor, petulant and at times pathetic somewhat disguised now by being on the score sheet. His delivery was poor, he was moaning his way around the pitch and waving his arms around at Riise, who played so much better than him, as well as opennly critiscing him was plain daft. The way the ref was going his late pointless lunge could have been seen a red, possibly a good thing at the time. As discussed in the P2 massive Jols biggest decision has to be dropping him from a starting eleven closely followed by what to do with Etuhu. We got home just after 2am. I hope both were tucked up with their toys well before then.

[HatterDon]

I have a friend that looks on from the reserve side and he's told me that Mousa Dembele is terribly unfit and that's what is missing from his game. Technically gifted player, needs to work on his fitness.

A Belgian walks down the street.
Says "Why am I soft in the middle?
"Why am I so soft in the middle when the rest of my life is so hard?
"I need a shot of redemption; I need a photo opportunity.
"Don't want to wind up a cartoon in a cartoon graveyard."  :HD:

[ImperialWhite]

*I have a friend that looks on from the reserve side and he's told me that Mousa Dembele is terribly unfit and that's what is missing from his game. Technically gifted player, needs to work on his fitness. People choose to believe me or not but I have a very reliable source that tells me he's unfit. I've not made it up and I'm not a liar.

That's really disappointing.

Not surprised, unfortunately - I'd read the Jol has a bit of a reputation for being slack of squad fitness.

[TonyGilroy]

AJ may wel have worked hard for a starting slot and good luck to him.
I'm surprised the captains starting slot has not been questioned. His performance last night was poor, petulant and at times pathetic somewhat disguised now by being on the score sheet. His delivery was poor, he was moaning his way around the pitch and waving his arms around at Riise, who played so much better than him, as well as opennly critiscing him was plain daft. The way the ref was going his late pointless lunge could have been seen a red, possibly a good thing at the time. As discussed in the P2 massive Jols biggest decision has to be dropping him from a starting eleven closely followed by what to do with Etuhu. We got home just after 2am. I hope both were tucked up with their toys well before then.

No opinion is "correct" but I completely disagree.

I thought Etuhu was excellent sweeping up in front of defence, filling in and distributing accurately. As ever.

Murphy got angry and lunged out but as ever he provided leadership. Everything goes through him and we'll be much weakened without him. Our best playmaker since Haynes.

In my opinion of course.

[MJG]

*I have a friend that looks on from the reserve side and he's told me that Mousa Dembele is terribly unfit and that's what is missing from his game. Technically gifted player, needs to work on his fitness. People choose to believe me or not but I have a very reliable source that tells me he's unfit. I've not made it up and I'm not a liar.

That's really disappointing.

Not surprised, unfortunately - I'd read the Jol has a bit of a reputation for being slack of squad fitness.

why the Jol comment, if dembele is unfit a lot of that is down to him, I would say the squad looks very fit and let's remember Dembele missed anumber of games last season and it was not all down to one injury.

[ImperialWhite]

*I have a friend that looks on from the reserve side and he's told me that Mousa Dembele is terribly unfit and that's what is missing from his game. Technically gifted player, needs to work on his fitness. People choose to believe me or not but I have a very reliable source that tells me he's unfit. I've not made it up and I'm not a liar.

That's really disappointing.

Not surprised, unfortunately - I'd read the Jol has a bit of a reputation for being slack of squad fitness.

why the Jol comment, if dembele is unfit a lot of that is down to him, I would say the squad looks very fit and let's remember Dembele missed anumber of games last season and it was not all down to one injury.

Don't shoot the messenger! I'll try and find the article - but the gist of it was that Jol didn't crack the whip sufficiently on some of the lazier players.

[MJG]

[quote author=TonyGilroy link=topic=14221.msg160481#msg160481 date=1312564217  
 
I thought Etuhu was excellent sweeping up in front of defence, filling in and distributing accurately. As ever.  
 
[/quote]really! For an hour he was tidy but for the last part of the game I thought he fell apart making more and more mistakes, under hit passes, lacking concentration, he is an accident waiting to happen. Well that's what I think.

[TonyGilroy]

/quote]

We've been waiting 3 years and the accident hasn't happened yet. Rated by Hodgson, Hughes and, it seems, now Jol.

And me.

[MJG]

*I have a friend that looks on from the reserve side and he's told me that Mousa Dembele is terribly unfit and that's what is missing from his game. Technically gifted player, needs to work on his fitness. People choose to believe me or not but I have a very reliable source that tells me he's unfit. I've not made it up and I'm not a liar.

That's really disappointing.

Not surprised, unfortunately - I'd read the Jol has a bit of a reputation for being slack of squad fitness.

why the Jol comment, if dembele is unfit a lot of that is down to him, I would say the squad looks very fit and let's remember Dembele missed anumber of games last season and it was not all down to one injury.

Don't shoot the messenger! I'll try and find the article - but the gist of it was that Jol didn't crack the whip sufficiently on some of the lazier players.

I don't doubt that it has been said before as I have heard it before, but i don't see it as anything to do with Dembele not being fit, that I think is an issue for that player, if others looked unfit I would be one of the first to worry if the Jol story was true.

[jarv]

Murphy's lunge was revenge for a couple on the receiving end and a few (not many) decisions which were questionable by the ref. Murph did the same against Wolves last season (or was it Stoke).
I thought Etuhu was excellent. The good far outweighed his mistakes. (IMO).   :clap_hands:

[HatterDon]

Murphy's lunge was revenge for a couple on the receiving end and a few (not many) decisions which were questionable by the ref. Murph did the same against Wolves last season (or was it Stoke).
I thought Etuhu was excellent. The good far outweighed his mistakes. (IMO).   :clap_hands:

Begging the question, I've been watching football since the mid-60s and can't remember anyone who ever played a perfect 90 minutes -- no mistakes. If Etuhu didn't make any mistakes until after the 60 minute mark, that certainly sound remarkable to me.

[ScalleysDad]

AJ may wel have worked hard for a starting slot and good luck to him.
I'm surprised the captains starting slot has not been questioned. His performance last night was poor, petulant and at times pathetic somewhat disguised now by being on the score sheet. His delivery was poor, he was moaning his way around the pitch and waving his arms around at Riise, who played so much better than him, as well as opennly critiscing him was plain daft. The way the ref was going his late pointless lunge could have been seen a red, possibly a good thing at the time. As discussed in the P2 massive Jols biggest decision has to be dropping him from a starting eleven closely followed by what to do with Etuhu. We got home just after 2am. I hope both were tucked up with their toys well before then.

No opinion is "correct" but I completely disagree.





It is of course about opinions but :
The reliance on going through Murph breaks down more often than not these days. I'll use the moan/groan factor where I was sitting as a guide. It was quite high last night. The corners he took were lethargic at best and why does he take them on as a chore. Theres time to cover the posts, mark everybody up, instigate plan B and have a chat whilst he dawdles up for the kick. Duffers were 'in the mix' and executed with applomb. One good recovering tackle masked a genuinely poor first half. Second half was fairly messy all round. Demps disappeared and the Etuhu decline was really shown up when their frail by comparisn no.44 was taking a hold of the game. The ball or the player with the ball passed him
by on numerous occassions. Sidwell would have chased the ball down or been in a position to intercept. For a brick outhouse he is not very commanding is he? May be I did'nt see the game plan, may be it was all experimental and I missed the point but what I did see in our midfield was too many lapses which a feisty oppostion took advantage of. A prem team will love those lapses and all the space offered.
Anyway agreed that Hodgson, Hughes and Jol must see something in Etuhu or is that a replacement has not been available?

[ron]

Quite honestly, I think those who praise Etuhu's performances are judging him by his own standards, rather than by what might be reasonably expected from a Premier League midfielder. He never thinks constructively when he is given the ball.. he is in fact more likely to return pass in a tight situation which pressurises our possession. He never gives himself time to learn to be comfortable on the ball...............just get rid !

[Scrumpy]

Quite honestly, I think those who praise Etuhu's performances are judging him by his own standards, rather than by what might be reasonable expected from a Premier League midfielder. He never thinks constructively when he is given the ball.. he is in fact more likely to return pass in a tight situation which pressurises our possession. He never gives himself time to learn to be comfortable on the ball...............just get rid !

But his main job is not passing, it is breaking down opposition attacks, forcing mistakes and making tackles. I thought he played well yesterday.

[ron]

It still seems to me that the mistakes he too often forces are by passing short, and giving the ball away. I'm not convinced that what he does constitutes breaking up the opposition play.