With Lallana making Messi look ****e and Chaplow making Ronaldo look ****e, then we don't need De Ridder to start!
Yep, it probably is a matter of time. Someone will be injured, suspended or rested, and De Ridder's time will come, but at the moment he really shines coming off the bench.
De Ridder has proved against Reading that he can change games by coming off the bench, although he will probs get more starts as he continues to adapt to english football
He started against Palace and was gash. Guly and Chaplow are in great form and Lallana is class even when he isn't entireoly fit. De Ridder will get his chance, but no need to rush it.
I must be missing something. For me De Ridder is not up to the level we need for a top 6 team. He doesn't track back , Cant tackle, His control while stationary is suspect and has no idea of his surroundings when running with the ball. He tried his hardest to miss the goal against Reading. Play De Ridder in the following circumstances:- Impact player to run at tired defenders, yes When we are winning comfortably, yes When we are losing and are desperate, yes Start ahead of our current crop, No He may well adapt to the English game but for me he flatters to deceive.
De Ridder was the first to admit, he's struggling with the pace of Championship football. Remember reading somewhere, he was quoted as saying 'In Holland, you get 2 or 3 seconds on the ball before the opposition are on you, here in England you get just 1 second.' I'm sure he'll come good, but it is the gamble you take when you bring in players from abroad. We've see it with Schneiderlin, Papa Waigo and Guly. Now we're seeing it with De Ridder - you have to adapt your game, not the easiest thing.
As others have said, there isn't anyone who deserves to lose their place. He was given his opportunity to start against Palace, and by all accounts he failed to take it big time, and in his opportunity to start against Watford I would say he was nothing more than "alright". When players are performing well and getting results, then the fringe/back-up players need to utilise their rare starts to the absoloute maximum - something which Chaplow for example has done, and subsequently been rewarded for. Also, until Barnard is fully back in the squad, I'd suggest that De Ridder is a vastly better option to come off the bench a make an impact than Connolly or Guly are/would be.
I think it's even more frustrating that in spurts you can see he has great skills, but we don't see it enough for him to start.a I think we've been spoiled with the overseas players that have come in so far. I suppose you can't win em all!
