Michu - a Spanish international. Pablo - a Spanish international. JDG - a Dutch international who played well at the World Cup - not our player but we didn't want him apparently. Vorm - a Dutch international. Yes, real duffers. Of course we've lost Spanish and Dutch stars. We're Swansea not Chelsea.
How many of them were stand out players for us last season? Pablo and JDG had a handful of good games under Monk and that's about it Gomis, Gylfi, Montero and Emnes are an improvement on them.
Did you miss the bit that said 'Holland and Spanish' The last 6 years of supporting the Swans must have been a dreadful trial for you if you find it so easy to disrespect some of the finest players ever to have worn a Swansea shirt because the are Spanish or Dutch.
I'm basing it on last season. They were not stars at all Our stars last season were Bony, Routs, Leon.
Of course you hero Taylor has been the real stand out player over the past two years. Hopefully the players you mentioned will be huge successes but Gomis and Montero are untried, Gylfi may be more effective than JdG (Dutch international 3rd placed in World Cup - that said I was never a huge fan) in the way monk wants to play and Emnes was a decent option off the bench who got injured as soon as he had a contract and has various been described on this site and others as a waste of space and championship player at best.
I'd add every player who wore our shirt and played with pride, skill and effort. Therefore very few who represented the team I've actively supported since 1960 would not be classed as stars.
But you and others make out that those gone, with the exception of Ben, makes us weaker. Not once, have you given Monk or Huw credit for not only replacing them, but signing better players than those who have left
Unfortunately, we cannot say whether the replacements will be any better, its your opinion, thats all, there is no fact behind it. Can you honestly say you think Siggy is a step up from Michu, granted on last seasons injury hurt showing, you would have a case to believe that opinion, but 1 season doesn't make a player, same goes for his first, so look at both as a whole, and I still would prefer Michu, the guy can play with pride, there are not many of those. You then have Vorm, now you say we brought in a better keeper in Fab, which again is your opinion, mine on the other hnd see's that Vorm has gone to a top 6 club, whilst Fab has joined us from a top 6 club. Personally I would have Vorm of the two, agian like Michu an injury seen his performances drop, but like any player that will only last so long, look at Ramsey, tentative at first after his injury, then look what he does now. Its all about confidence, Taylor will lack it at first playing week in week out, but as he plays more, his confidence will grow and he will hopefully return into the Taylor we all remember. You then have JDG, who has been replaced by Emnes, sorry no comparison there, and I am one of JDG's biggest critics with his defensive abilities, but I would have JDG over Emnes any day. That is not to say I am not glad Emnes is here, but Emnes is a squad player, JDG was a first teamer. You then have Pablo, who has been replaced by Montero, now on the face of it, looks like an ok swap, I liked Pablo, was my favourite player and I am gutted he has gone, granted he was a little injury prone, but he was the only oneon the pitch that was willing to try something audacious to get a chance on goal, and when he pulled it off, we had great chances. Yes his short passing left a lot to be desired, but that is something that can be had through playing time, which his was always interrupted. Do you not remember when he would first come back, he would be a bit sloppy, then by the time he got injured again, we were all talking about how influential he was becoming again. We persisted in Bodde for years without ever seeing him, yet Pablo who could play a lot longer was not offered the same luxury. Ferrie made 54 appearances for us, Pablo made 57. So where was the loyalty there? I am also a tad concerned about Montero, the guy clearly has skill, but I am worried he is going to be a Sinclair type of player, as in trying to do too much with the ball and not looking up. In the video we seen, there was very little head up moments from him, he could dink his way past a player, but the end product wasn't there. Sinclair in his first prem season ring any bells? We were better when he went IMO. Because Routs keeps looking, he is not your show boater player. And I am worried that is what we have bought in Montero, a showboater. So for me Sigurdsson < Michu Montero < Hernandez Emnes < JDG Fab < Vorm Gomis? We will have to wait and see how that pans out. So no, I do not believe we have bought better players than those who have gone out. That does not mean I think they will be flops, I think they are good players, but for me personally, not as good as those who have left.
Our "stars" you mention valley saved us from relegation last season , our "stars from the season before took us top ten and into Europe . Our new "stars " to start this season havent played a game so its a little early to announce success on the transfer market , with a new manager .
And just to point out about Pablo, people moan, yet he started 17 prem games, and was a sub in 10, in those 27 appearances he scored 2 and had 7 assists. You then have Routs, who started 32 games, and was a sub in 3 games, in those 35 appearances he scored 2, and created 6 assists. In his 27 games, Pablo had a pass success rate of 82.1%, from an average pass per game of 37.2 In his 35 games, Routs had a pass success rate of 80.6%, from an average pass per game of 32.8 So please do tell, how Pablo was a bad player to have, his passing let him down, yet his success rate was still higher than Routs. Both players are great players, but the reason people are moaning about Pablo and not Routs, is because Pablo is leaving, Routs is not.
The points you are determined to miss are we don't know yet if they are better. Players have been bought in at great expense (wages, fees, knock down rices out if reports and Huw's words are to be taken as reasonably accurate) to cover positions that would not have needed covering if the club had been able to hold on to their assists. Positions needed, pretty much by common agreement, at the end of last season have not been filled - they may be soon but again with players who we know little about and at inflated prices (Huw's term from last night). Players out have been largely due to the club (Huw) mishandling situations and Monk's 'personal' interaction with them. I will give Monk all the support I have given our previous managers but will still criticise if I believe it's appropriate (like they know, care or take any notice!). As yet Monk has not convinced me he has the ability to manage or coach a successful premier League club. that is an opinion based on his games in charge, the way players have left and the loss of our playing identity. You have also slagged off everything that was achieved by the previous manager and decried anything associated with him which, again in my opinion is unfair. For the record, I am willing Monk to be a roaring success. I would be mildly surprised if you don't reply but I'm not playing your game any longer. Have a nice life
Peopel have also moaned about Canas, yet rave about Leon, especially when it came to tackling, getting stuck in and what not. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Yet look at those stats, more tackles per game, more inteceptions, more clearances, more blocked shots. The only 2 defensive stats he was worse in was fouls and being dribbled past. So why the dislike for the bloke and the raving for Britton? Because he is leaving, or was told he was surplus? On those stats he was a better player for us in the DM role than Britton. Brittons passing % was 90.3% Canas was 90.8% Average passes Canas = 62.4 Britton = 60.9 Am sorry but the hatred that seems to be aimed at the group of players leaving, is absolutely disgusting. These players were equal, if not better than counterparts we are keeping based on the stats, yet you love them, and criticize the ones leaving. They were all bloody stars for us. Each and every one of those still here, or have gone.
Wow... An extremely detailed debate about whether our new players are better or worse than the old...before we've even played a competitive game. So from what I've read from Swanselona's post, we have to wait to see if the players are better than last year, but it's perfectly fine for him to assume that they are worse now? Talk about a lobsided argument... Why don't we all just wait to see what happens either way? And for the record, I believe that two of your comparisons are incorrect: Gomis should be compared with Michu as he will be playing striker/number 10. Sigurdsson should be compared with JDG as he will be playing Number 10/midfield. Emnes was just brought in as extra. He was here last year and can't be viewed as a replacement as he played with all the players we're mentioning. He was always going to be a squad addition even if nobody left. Onto the OP - if Hernandez was denied a longer contract, that's a gutter that he's gone as he's a quality player and the fact that he reported for pre-season training did get me excited to think he was staying! I think comparing him to Ferrie is a bit wild though as Bodde was a cult hero and was seriously playing at a high level during his time here - injury free prior to that injury against Brum. Hernandez has been dogged by niggly injuries ever since his arrival and has never been able to get a good string of great performances together. Maybe his body operates better in warmer climates - it really makes that much of a difference for some people. Shame that he's gone, and great to see his words of farewell. Something we're still missing from Michu.
"As yet Monk has not convinced me he has the ability to manage or coach a successful premier League club. that is an opinion based on his games in charge, the way players have left and the loss of our playing identity." You have a point here Bob. But as BK has said we'll have to wait until we see how this season pans out with new personnel. Like most Swans fans I'd hate to see us go back to hit-n-hope balls (Shelvey) up to a big front man (Bony) and we've seen that happen increasingly under Monk. If this continues apace we'll go back ten years. If Monk really is an aficionado of 'The Swansea Way' then , fast, attacking, free-flowing football will be the order of the day and we've seen little evidence of that pre-season. It really is up to Monk to prove us doubters wrong isn't it?
If you read it properly, Valley said we should credit Huw and Monk for bringing in better players. That is pointing out we haven't done something based on his own opinion. Me personally they are not, but that is my opinion, I am not however saying that you should all send a letter to the board to complain. Or all slag Huw and Monk off, because I am aware not everyone has the same viewpoint as me. There in lies the point of my post. Sorry that you missed it.
According to Monk, Hernandez approached him and asked to leave and not to ask for an extension, as did Chico and, of course, Michu. As Monk said, "when a player asks to leave he is no longer any good to me". We, fans and management I imagine, want players who want to play for us. If we keep unhappy players then we run the risk of them moping around the pitch a la Michu last year. You simply can't trust disillusioned players to put in any where near 100% for you. Add Chico, who asked to go, Michu, who asked to go, Ben, who asked to go and we'd have half the team firing blanks, with no strength or desire to fight for the club and no interest if we win or not. The fact that they ASKED to go means they HAD to go. The Monk abides.
If we release every player who asks to go we could be in the mire in no time at all. Suarez and Rooney did OK last season. It's all in the art of management. He'll learn.
Sorry to see Michu, Pablo, JDG and Vorm go. Happy with the replacements. I've no opinion on who is better yet, time will answer my questions on that. Certainly not anyone on this forum or anywhere else can. I still maintain that you compared the wrong players in your original post. Cut back on stating that I missed the points of your posts, please. I interpreted your post differently and you explained it. That happens on online forums. I don't care for being treated in a manner that insinuates that you are intellectually superior to me.
Seems I am one of the few who thought Canas did well for us last year when called upon - reminds me of Flamini in Arsenal - strong tackler, helps organize things in front of the defence, and good stability when he plays. If he goes (which it looks like he will) - then I think a big loss for us - hecould be our answer to our DM worries.
