Is anyone worried when AJ comes back he won't be the same?

[Lighthouse]

If AJ had played and was fit in the final of the Europa then who knows what would have happened? But better to have the best finisher in the squad then without him.

Remember he ran into the corners under instruction. As stated MH may well find the right key to open the lock of the safe that hides within it, the enigma that is AJ. 

[ImperialWhite]

the enigma that is AJ. 

The goal scorer that is AJ. Pretty sure he has the highest career total and career goals per game average of any player in the current squad.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

the enigma that is AJ. 

The goal scorer that is AJ. Pretty sure he has the highest career total and career goals per game average of any player in the current squad.

To be fair when your strike force consists of:

Bobby Zamora
EJ
Kamara
Dembele (Doesnt really count as he played as a winger)
Elm

It is easy to see why that is the case.

That said, I think that AJ is a quality player who will prove some naysayers wrong this season.

Then we can bring back the chant: do-do-do-do, Andy Johnson!

[Jimpav]

AJ was top English scorer when Palace were in the premiership.

[Logicalman]

Although a lightweight, I still believe AJ has been one of our best strikers in recent history.

I think we can all agree that under RH we played a little more defensively that we do under Sparky, and so, that said, it will be interesting to see what sort of service AJ will get when he returns. There are two distinct camps on this thread, and both ides have valid points, so only time will tell I guess and no amount of words written in this place will preempt what happens on the pitch, so it's a game of wait and see then.

[Hazey]

When we FINALLY sealed the deal with AJ I was excited to see if he could produce for us.  Remember how we were travelling at the time, having just avoided relegation it was tough to get anyone, let alone a striker interested in coming to play for us.  I took it as a sign of intent from the club that they wanted to move forward after just surviving in the EPL to that point.

He took a while to get started and has been on and off with injury, so we are yet to see hm deliver any consistency.  He started last season really well I thought and looked sharp until he got steam rolled by the Ruskies.  Then in an attempt to do what was best for the club he may have come back too early and at the top level carrying one injury can often lead to incurring another.

I have no doubts he was playing to instruction under Roy and used to be as frustrated as anyone when he was getting stuck out on the edges of the pitch.  Look to Etuhu to see what a fresh outlook and set of instructions can do for a player - I was actually starting to think that Dickson lived in the central circle at The Cottage!

In having an extend break he will hopefully have given his body time to fully recover.  It is probably the longest break he would of had in his life just about and could in the end, extend his career by a few years if things fall the right way.

Get back soon AJ and stick it up all those who are doubting you mate.  Let's get behind the boys instead of just writing people off.

[Me-ate-Live, innit??]

He will come back, skip and hop around the left wing, fall over trying to get on to the end of a good pass. After doing that several time he will be injured again by the Stoke  game.

He is the past, he smells of old man already   :005:   

[Mr Fulham]

Mark Hughes himself was a top-class striker. AJ will be fine and I reckon that Sparky can get something really special out of him. In Sparkyticus I trust! :clap_hands:

Edit@ Hazey :045:

[epsomraver]

Apparently he is fitter and stronger than he was before and looks really sharp. this is according to a friend who trains AJ's son, AJ helps with warm up etc and he is really raring to go, only time will tell whether he can match results to enthusiasm

[SoCalJoe]

Credit to AJ for the putting in the work to finally get back to this point. I don't have high expectations, and anything he produces will be a bonus (especially for his initial appearances). Hopefully the supporters give him the necessary games he needs to reacclimate to the speed of the Prem, gain match fitness and touch, before making any judgments.

[Burt]

I really hope he comes back "new and improved" because for me the reality when he was fit and playing for us never lived up to the expectations created by his signing.