These are the players we've signed who have played some role in the first team this season. I won't cover the likes of Scott Tancock or Jamie Proctor because I know nothing about them. Michu - For obvious reasons the pick of the bunch, although not as far ahead of #2 in my view as many others would have him. An absolute steal for the money, nineteen goals in all competitions despite regularly being forced to play outside his preferred AM position is one helluva return. Keeping hold of him will be a big boost. Chico Flores - When people were slating him early season I just read the diatribes with an increasingly baffled look on my face. For me he has been absolute quality from the off. He's got all the attributes to play at any level of the game he wants to, and we've sorely missed him in recent games. Already worth at least five times what we paid for him. Jonathan De Guzman - Another player who took some clueless stick early on, he's proved himself to be a classy creative influence on pretty much everything we do, and has got better and better as the season progresses. An excellent return of goals and assists from a slightly deeper position than perhaps suits him best, securing him permanently should be job #1 come the close season. Dwight Tiendali - A good catch on a freebie. We needed something to fill a gap in the squad and he's come in and done as well as we could have wanted him to. A lack of game time lately may suggest that Laudrup's not particularly bothered about keeping him full time, but he can still be proud of his contribution for us this year. Kyle Bartley - I like what I've seen of Kyle so far, and can't quite figure out why Gary Monk is featuring ahead of him in the side at the moment. He's got all the physical and technical attributes he needs to excel for us, but perhaps needs to develop a little more mentally to make the best of them. Ki-Seung Yung / Pablo Hernandez - I can't separate these two, so I'll put them together. Both men are obviously players of real, genuine ability. Both have played well at times, occasionally very much so. Both are also equally capable of putting in some truly awful displays. Both have failed to provide a proper return on what we shelled out for them. It's early days yet, but we need to see more consistency from them next season. Roland Lamah - Very much "one for the future IMO. Hasn't done much so far, but there have been glimpses of ability there also. I wouldn't expect too much from him until next season. Itay Shechter - Utterly hopeless. Completely lacking in pretty much every attribute required of a Premier League striker. Laudrup's acquisition of him and continued utilisation (until recently) is one of the more puzzling things he's done as manager. Itay's a whole hearted lad and does his fair share of donkey work, but from his first couple of games onward it's been obvious that he's just not good enough. Needs to be elsewhere.
Hey, Lone - nice analysis. Agree for the most part. Bartley has clearly done something to piss management off. Whatever they saw against Liverpool they didn't like; since then he is being re-calibrated. I can't for the life of me figure out what he lacks versus Monk. Ki is one who started more slowly and we would have liked, but is getting better as time goes on. I think he has been more aggressive in midfield in the last month or so; chases and hounds opposition more, slips the odd nasty one in. Our challenge with Ki is getting him in involved more in games because when he puts his foot on the ball he has the calm to take control. Expecting much better from him next season. Pablo .... well, he's like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get. Tiendalli - would have preferred to have seen Jazz get a look - but can't fault him for his contribution. Chico - sublime defender - a very close second to Michu because he's in the thick of it every minute of every game; works well with Ash and Bartley. Itay ... does his best, but would prefer to see more of Moore.
Tend to agree with you regarding Ki slowly improving. Thought he was our best player against Arsenal. Overall though he's not contributed anything like enough considering what we paid. He has however played almost non-stop for two years so we'll see how it goes next season. The theory that Bartley has annoyed Laudrup somehow is the only one that makes sense.
Ki sung and Bartley are not Laudrup signings by all accounts. Apparently the Ki deal was in motion before Laudrup signed and Bartley was another one being tracked by the clubs own scouting team. I think Laudrup and the club have done fantastic with the new signings, the only one that hast perhaps worked out great is Itay, but he has played his part so respect mst be given there. We would have IMO struggled this season if it wasnt for Laudrup signing Michu,JDG,Chico and Pablo, these boys have been top draw, though pablo blows hot and cold more than anywone else! Another manager would probably have struggled to replace caulker,sinclair,allen and siggy , Laudrup has been immense considering where we were at last summer, full credit to all the signings made, everyone has played a massive part in our success .
The club scouts its own players to avoid being as bereft of options as we were when Kevin Reeves departed. Laudrup would still have had the final YES/NO say on the deals.
I wouldn't say this is the case - he's become very consistent in the last 6 or 7 games. Consistently crap. I don't want him on the field at the moment as he is a liability. He has the talent but something is not working for him right now.
Interesting analysis. Michu is obviously the diamond signing but I agree that Chico is not far behind. I said he'd become a cult (that's an "L" in there) the first time I saw him play and posted as such on here. My views on Ki and JdG are well known. I very much rate them as talented players going forward but in a defensive role they are badly lacking, although Ki is starting to get a bit more physical. We cannot afford to have either of them perform as one trick show ponies. Attacking midfielders have to be able to do some of the dirty stuff in the same way holding midfielders have to get forward when the situation calls for it. A good example is Rooney. He's a striker but often to be found on the edge of his own penalty area putting in decent challenges. Okay, they don't have his ability but I would like to see them adopt his attitude. There should be no part of the pitch where the oppo find it easy to stroll through and, when we can bring this philosophy into our game, we will have made a giant stride as a team. I think this is what Vorm had in mind when he commented on our lack of physicality recently. Bartley bemuses me. I agree with the consensus on here that he must have upset the manager in some way. He is young, has all the physical attributes to go with decent ability, but if he is playing second fiddle to Monk then something is badly wrong. Pablo is an enigma. Has all the talent to succeed with us but has badly dropped off the pace recently, which has to be a concern for Laudrup. Always capable of some brilliant creative play but, equally, can misplace a ten yard pass. I still think he can be a big asset for us though if he can find consistency. Good thread.
On the money there Lone Rangel, though you've not mentioned Laudrups gaff in letting Orlandi go, just goes to show you can't get it right all the time, not bad though!....................
Hell yes, that's two gaffs from you Lone Rangel! Fancy not mentioning Routledge as a new player!................... please log in to view this image
Could possible throw Tremell in there as well as he has been outstanding given the lack of opportunity last season.
No musty - Mrs Tiendali is quite fond of him. ..............................Oh and I have suggested before now that we play him and move Rangel up into midfield - at least Rangel has some energy and can pass the ball ( not like some)
