After promotion, player you've missed the most?

We've sold/lost a large number of players since promotion.
This thread is about which player you miss the most after promotion.

To name a few, Carroll, Barton, Nolan, Smith, Butt
Simpson, Enrique, Cabaye, Ba, Harps etc.


Player I miss the most would definitely be James Perch.



For whatever the rest left us, Enrique sucked the latter half of the season, Cabaye was great and all, but he was slightly inconsistent in his performances until this season where he was spectacular.... Simmo never had the outstanding talent...

Perchino was horrible his first season or two, but he adapted and turned himself into a versatile and useful squad player. Gradually , he endeared himself to the fans (us) , and I was truly disappointed when news came that he was leaving us.

What player would you say you've missed the most?

 

Barton, Nolan and Perch.

 

Barton, Carroll, cabaye

 

Barton
Nolan
Cabaye

 

Tough but good question this one:

Nolan - Clear leadership qualities and always up for the big games (particularly the derby)
Barton - Again a leader on the pitch and gave us a bite we have lacked ever since
Perchino - Not a great player but very versatile. His transformation from laughing stock to what he became was remarkable. Never let us down in the end.
Carroll - A physicality in the front line we never replaced. Would have been handy in the relegation battle last year when all we knew was how to panic and lump it. Can play any style of football though.
Harper - Great foil for Krul to learn from and ultra consistent
Enrique - Terrific left back
Cabaye - Our talisman and crucial to our set up this year

Carroll was a cracking striker for us but we have had the likes of Demba, Remy and even Cisse at his best, to fill the void. Harper has been sorely missed in my opinion as Krul hasn't been as good since what he saw as genuine competition left. We've never replaced Enrique but he is a full back. Nolan and Barton have been huge misses, their knowledge of the league and how to perform when their chips are down, well there is zero doubt we lack that backbone over the last couple of years. Perchino's absence has also been keely felt as our thin squad has seen us have to try the likes of MYM at full back. Overall though I still have to go Cabaye. After all of the above problems we finally had a clear game plan in the first half of this season. It was very effective and we had clear identity with the ability to swap between 4231 and 442 seamlessly. We then ripped that out, didn't replace and have stumbled to a close. Its almost as if we didn't care about a replacement, as we knew this would guarantee mid table due to the points already amassed.

 

Barton, Nolan and Carroll.

 

None of the senior players for me are worthwhile missing. All had issues in their own right.

For me it is Tamas Kadar and only because I had high hopes for him (now that falls on Curtis Good)

 

Barton Carroll and Noble for me.

Cabaye was a great player who oozed class and skill but he was never dedicated or as passionate the way the others were.

 

Ba

 

Hmm good call, we've certainly felt his departure but you could argue that Remy has filled that void (temporarily)

 

I'd have argued Carroll if we could have had a guarantee that he would have stayed fit and in form if he'd stayed put - not so much of a miss considering how he 'played' for Liverpool though... And he funded all our other decent signings.

Probably Ba as good goalscorers are like hen's teeth. Remy isn't ours so we'll be back to square one next season, in desperate need for that Ba-like player. Cabaye whilst decent in his first season, was only really good for 6 months whilst playing for a move and I hope wont be as hard to replace.

 

You could argue though that Ba was never really ours with the terms of that contract! In fact you could argue no modern player is ever really yours as once they agitate, the move. Examples to the contrary are few and far between. We did it with Yohan, Liverpool with Suarez. Strangely enough, both were beneficial.

 

Ba.
We were immense with him scoring for fun.

 

I'm not saying he is my most missed but I regret the fact that Fraser Forster left the club.

 

Ba, I think. Apart from the fact Pardew couldn't get it right with him here, I felt if we'd actually been a top 5 side, as in consolidated where we finished the year before, he'd have stayed.

 

Nolan, played his heart out for the club and was always chucking in goals.

it was a real surprise to me when he went.

 

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Ba was brilliant under Pardew, best football of his career. Only mistake Pardew made was the same 90% of the fans did and pandered to Cisse.

 

Sure has hell made up for this though

 

I really liked Carroll when he was at the club but his career has stalled since he left us. What a pleasure it was watching him score against the mackems the other night. I'd love to see him back here and he is still only 25. He should have the best years of his career ahead of him (if he can stay fit).

 

Andy Carroll - but what sort of team would we have had, if he hadn't been sold.