Where's Marcel Gecov been?

[General]

From the small bits i've seen of him I've been extremely impressed and interested in him and his potential that said he's hardly played, been on the bench only a small amount but not been playing in our reserves a whole heap either from what I can tell through match reports etc... does anyone know why?

Is he too good not to be in the first team squad? Is he too good to allow to play lots of games for our development/reserves teams?

If so where is he and why?

[TonyGilroy]

I've also seen very little of him (obviously) but my impression is of a tidy but somewhat ineffectual player.

I can't see any reason to play him ahead of Murphy or Diarra and now Dembele who are our midfield trio when we don't necessarily want more than two.

Add Sidwell, Etuhu and IMO the really promising and 4 years younger Kasami and I see no room for him.

Last year people were saying similar things about Dikachoi and he's found his level.

Minkwitz could be ready for a breakthrough, Frei like, next season. To me he looks the real deal whilst Gekov doesn't.

[MJG]

Gecov does not standout when he plays because he is a simple give and go passer of the ball. Very neat and tidy. Players like Frei are always going to show more because of the type of player he is.

I watched Gecov in the U21's and in the few games he has played he has done ok. I would like to keep him and with I suspect Etuhu moving on at least he will begin to get more involved.
I dont see Kasami as a CM at the moment so dont think they are competing for the same place.

[Frankie-Peter Taylor]

I really hope we don't sell him. In the European Championships, he was one of the stand out players and was man of the match in the Czech Republic's game vs England where he broke up play extremely well and recycled the ball to the more creative players.

Tidy is definitely the way to describe Gecov, and actually with our possession football, players like him are vital. Keeping it simple is vital. The only problem is that he battling Murphy, Dembele and Diarra to starting places. I hope we keep him because he is a touch of class, if we do sell him, that side is getting a talent.

What I will say about Kasami, I think he wants to play centrally, he doesn't really have the pace to play out wide, saying that, Ruiz and Dempsey aren't exactly Pacemen. He's looked classy in stages too, without the Europa League and Carling Cup, these players haven't got the minutes they perhaps should have.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

I've also seen very little of him (obviously) but my impression is of a tidy but somewhat ineffectual player.

I can't see any reason to play him ahead of Murphy or Diarra and now Dembele who are our midfield trio when we don't necessarily want more than two.

Add Sidwell, Etuhu and IMO the really promising and 4 years younger Kasami and I see no room for him.

Last year people were saying similar things about Dikachoi and he's found his level.

Minkwitz could be ready for a breakthrough, Frei like, next season. To me he looks the real deal whilst Gekov doesn't.

Gecov reminds me of the job Etuhu used to do or what Busquets does for Barca - breaks up play and plays the simple pass but importantly keeps the ball moving.

It looks like he is doing nothing but in actual fact, he allows others to excel.

The issue, as you point out, is that he has a lot of competition. That said, I reckon he will last longer than both Sidwell and Etuhu at the club even if he remains a back up player.

[twang]

I remember when we had a lot of injuries and were going to play Swansea away, and Jol chose to play Davies who had just come back from injury over Gecov.

Can really see him being this seasons KG - rated by many supporters but obviously not good enough (or he would have played more) and will play in a lower league when he finally leaves.

[elgreenio]

not prem quality in my opinion but i'd imagine there'll be a few players higher on the list of unwanted's, namely those on higher wages.

[RidgeRider]

He's only 22. Let's see how he is used this upcoming season before we write him off as not being Prem quality. We have seen so little of him, a supporter couldn't really say how he will turn out unless they were camped at Motspur. He is clearly not ready to start, and maybe Jol brought him in as an inexpensive backup...only. We need backup's. Every team needs backups. They sit on the bench, waiting for playing opportunities when players get hurt because the backups are good players, but not quite good enough to start, so they don't start until someone gets hurt or they work their backsides off in training camp, create reasons to play and then take the job away from the guy who has it now.

We've made similar comments about other players....Kelly comes to mind...and he seems fine at the Prem level and in fact has done a good job for us.

[MJG]

He's only 22. Let's see how he is used this upcoming season before we write him off as not being Prem quality. We have seen so little of him, a supporter couldn't really say how he will turn out unless they were camped at Motspur. He is clearly not ready to start, and maybe Jol brought him in as an inexpensive backup...only. We need backup's. Every team needs backups. They sit on the bench, waiting for playing opportunities when players get hurt because the backups are good players, but not quite good enough to start, so they don't start until someone gets hurt or they work their backsides off in training, create reasons to play and then take the job away from the guy who has it now.

We've made similar comments about other players....Kelly comes to mind...and he seems fine at the Prem level and in fact has done a good job for us.

He's older than that he's 24

[Jack Fulham]

Not gonna get a look in whilst murphy, diarra, dembele, Sidwell and Etuhu are in the mix. Probably worth sending him out on loan next season. Wasted in the reserves. Might improve with a full season of competitive football under his belt.

[RidgeRider]

He's only 22. Let's see how he is used this upcoming season before we write him off as not being Prem quality. We have seen so little of him, a supporter couldn't really say how he will turn out unless they were camped at Motspur. He is clearly not ready to start, and maybe Jol brought him in as an inexpensive backup...only. We need backup's. Every team needs backups. They sit on the bench, waiting for playing opportunities when players get hurt because the backups are good players, but not quite good enough to start, so they don't start until someone gets hurt or they work their backsides off in training, create reasons to play and then take the job away from the guy who has it now.

We've made similar comments about other players....Kelly comes to mind...and he seems fine at the Prem level and in fact has done a good job for us.

He's older than that he's 24

Yep, born in 88 so 24. Point stands though.

[MJG]

Not gonna get a look in whilst murphy, diarra, dembele, Sidwell and Etuhu are in the mix. Probably worth sending him out on loan next season. Wasted in the reserves. Might improve with a full season of competitive football under his belt.

I think, well I'll be honest, I hope Etuhu moves on. He has served us well and did his job under Roy, but we have I think moved up a level in our play and we have others who can cover that role.

[MJG]

He's only 22. Let's see how he is used this upcoming season before we write him off as not being Prem quality. We have seen so little of him, a supporter couldn't really say how he will turn out unless they were camped at Motspur. He is clearly not ready to start, and maybe Jol brought him in as an inexpensive backup...only. We need backup's. Every team needs backups. They sit on the bench, waiting for playing opportunities when players get hurt because the backups are good players, but not quite good enough to start, so they don't start until someone gets hurt or they work their backsides off in training, create reasons to play and then take the job away from the guy who has it now.

We've made similar comments about other players....Kelly comes to mind...and he seems fine at the Prem level and in fact has done a good job for us.

He's older than that he's 24

Yep, born in 88 so 24. Point stands though.

And I dont disagree with a  word of it.   Well apart from the age thing but that's sorted.

[Jack Fulham]

Not gonna get a look in whilst murphy, diarra, dembele, Sidwell and Etuhu are in the mix. Probably worth sending him out on loan next season. Wasted in the reserves. Might improve with a full season of competitive football under his belt.

I think, well I'll be honest, I hope Etuhu moves on. He has served us well and did his job under Roy, but we have I think moved up a level in our play and we have others who can cover that role.

The concerning thing is that I can see dembele, Sidwell and Etuhu all leaving this summer. Then you have to factor in murphy leaving or retiring though hopefully not. The depth of our midfield will be crushed. Sidwell will probably stay though, I suppose he hasn't been playing due to injury but yeah our centre midfield could look very different next season.

[HatterDon]

How terribly have we missed Sidwell? Not at all, really. I would think he'd be gone as well. It's a shame he grabbed all the money to waste his best years 8th or 9th on the Chelsea depth chart. Off all our central midfielders, he was always the best bet to get red carded. He turned in some good performances, but in our existing squad we have at least 4 central mids I'd prefer to him.

C ya, Sids.

[Mr Fulham]

How terribly have we missed Sidwell? Not at all, really. I would think he'd be gone as well. It's a shame he grabbed all the money to waste his best years 8th or 9th on the Chelsea depth chart. Off all our central midfielders, he was always the best bet to get red carded. He turned in some good performances, but in our existing squad we have at least 4 central mids I'd prefer to him.

C ya, Sids.

I don't agree at all. I like Sidwell and I think we've certainly lost some competitive edge in some matches, Swansea away or Everton away.

Obviously, a player like Sidwell doesn't stand out against the likes of Wolverhampton, Wigan or Sunderland, but he certainly was a very important player against the likes of Arsenal etc.

I think we missed him, not in our parade matches, but without a doubt in the competitive, narrow matches. Or in some of our away performances.

You need players like Sidwell in your team. He's certainly not the most skilfull player, but his technique is not too shabby either.
Plus he's the only real box-to-box midfielder we have apart from Diarra.

I definitely want him to stay.

[ClarksOriginal]

How terribly have we missed Sidwell? Not at all, really. I would think he'd be gone as well. It's a shame he grabbed all the money to waste his best years 8th or 9th on the Chelsea depth chart. Off all our central midfielders, he was always the best bet to get red carded. He turned in some good performances, but in our existing squad we have at least 4 central mids I'd prefer to him.

C ya, Sids.

I don't agree at all. I like Sidwell and I think we've certainly lost some competitive edge in some matches, Swansea away or Everton away.

Obviously, a player like Sidwell doesn't stand out against the likes of Wolverhampton, Wigan or Sunderland, but he certainly was a very important player against the likes of Arsenal etc.

I think we missed him, not in our parade matches, but without a doubt in the competitive, narrow matches. Or in some of our away performances.

You need players like Sidwell in your team. He's certainly not the most skilfull player, but his technique is not too shabby either.
Plus he's the only real box-to-box midfielder we have apart from Diarra.

I definitely want him to stay.

Agreed Mr Fulham. I too like Sidders and hope he stays.

[elgreenio]

would argue that Dembele is box to box as well nowadays. Sidwell is a real honest player and were he not on big money (all speculation of course but you can take an educated guess) i'd love to keep him around.

Get rid of Gecov and then maybe we can include Kasami in the list of CM's where he should be and wants to be instead of lumping him out on the wing.

[Mr Fulham]

Bearing in mind that Dembele, Etuhu, (Murphy, Gecov, Baird) are all on their way out at the end of the season, you really got to keep someone. Sidwell was rather impressive during his time here and I don't see a reason why he should go. Jol has almost always played him when he was fit and even now, with Diarra here, he'd be a nailed on squad member.

[elgreenio]

yeh I think this is all a null issue really until we know what's happening with the likes of Dembele, Murphy and Diarra (though I cant imagine us not taking the option, or have I missed the news already).