Nigel Pearson said in the summer he was frustrated with the transfer market and we missed out on a lot of targets for one reason or another and I think it was that which lead to the sacking of Terry Robinson. So looking back at who we actually did get through the door and if they proved to be good signings or not? Matt Upson He was injured for 90% of the season and when he did play he wasn't fantastic and scored a 90th minute own goal which cost us 2 points at Everton. 1/10 Marc Albrighton It took him 30 games to turn up and did look like things just wasn't working out for him for one reason or another. But he came into the team and made a massive impact on the season for us. But he needs to do it over a whole season next year. Not getting a higher rating for only making an impact at the end of the season else would have been a 9. 7.5/10 Ben Hamer He was brought into the team as cover for Kasper Schmeichel and wasn't expected to play much if at all. But when Kasper did get injured Hamer did very well for us 8/10 Leonardo Ulloa Record signing for a fee which will now rise to £10M. He scored 13 goals including some massive goals at the start and end of the season. Overall did a very good job in his first season in the Premier League 9/10 Danny Simpson He wasn't in the team for big parts of the season but got a decent run in the middle of the season and did ok and then disappeared again and now he criminal charges against him. 2/10 Esteban Cambiasso Best free transfer the club has ever had. A masterclass everytime he took to the pitch He scored some very important goals and the one which started out late revival. Legend of the game 10/10 Tom Lawrence He was always brought with the future in mind but looks a decent player but in his few appearances in very difficult circumstances he showed ability but just wasn't ready for Premier League football 5/10 Nick Powell Turned up with a big reputation but struggled on his few appearances and had a very poor attitude on the training ground 1/10 Mark Schwarzer He came in as cover when Kasper got injured and his experience without doubt proved very useful. Kasper's form improved a lot when he returned and Schwarzer may have had a role in that 7/10 Andrej Kramaric He came in very difficult circumstances aswell and he could have taken the easy option of a move to Chelsea. He came with a big price tag and showed a lot of raw ability but he needs time to adjust. Could be a very big player in the future for us 7.5/10 Robert Huth He came into a leaky defence and made us solid which gave us the platform to go on the run. He made Morgan and Wasilewski look like solid Premier League defenders aswell. Class player and a very good signing. 10/10 Overall Cambiasso, Huth and Ulloa proved to be brilliant signings for us while Kramaric, Albrighton, Hamer and Schwarzer turned out to be good signings. Tom Lawrence has signed with an eye for the future. Everyone else was disappointing
I think his experince did help us off the pitch Only way i would give him a new contract though is if its a coaching role
I'd forgotten Nick Powell signed for us! Worse than Upson in my opinion, didn't he only get on the pitch for about half an hour overall? Your Kramaric might be a bit high considering he's been on the bench most of the time, but I do think his arrival may have spurred on the rest of our strike force.
How could he turn up if he wasn't being picked? Would really love to know why Pearson wouldn't select him. He has come in and made a SIGNIFICANT difference to the team - 9/10 from me
Pearson said he wasnt training well enough Pearson was hardly not picking him out of spite. There was a reason. And a 8 game run doesnt give him a 9 IMO. Over the course of the season he wasnt good enough but in the final 8 games he was brilliant
It was Albrighton's fault he wasnt getting in the team and the few times he did he didnt really make much of an impact He came on as a sub against West Ham and the rest as they say is history
I think this was the issue. Accommodating him AND Mahrez has turned things around. Three at the back allowed us to play Albrighton and Sclupp to play as part of a back five but with plenty of support (both are really attackers) plus it offers cover for Morgan's abberations. It also enabled Mahrez to occupy a free attacking midfielder role. A wise man once said you play your best players then work out a formation. That's what Pearson did. Konch & Simpson out, Albrighton & Huth in. A no-brainer really, but we all get so obsessive about formations we didn't think it was possible.
Don't think I've ever seen a positive post from you Proud on Albrighton. Not your favourite player mate? Lol As for your statement on Pearson saying" he wasn't training well enough" I doubt very much he would come out and say that so openly about one of his players... Regardless, Albrighton has been superb since Pearson finally gave him an opportunity and he grabbed it with both hands. The best crosser of the ball we have had in a long time .
Think Pearsons comment was that he had been training well in recent weeks. You can either take from that he hadnt in former weeks, or it may have been a get out statement from the manager as to a reason for non selection previously. In all honesty, none of us on here know the truth of the matter, it is all opinion and none of it fact. What cant be disputed is that he did come into the side and made a major contribution to our rise up the table. Saw a stat that said he made the most tackles against QPR. As for ratings, again, they are all opinion and neither right or wrong. If people want to rate Albrighton with a high score, no problem or reduce it cos of his match time, again no problem.
I'd agree that Albright on made a key difference, but at the same time you know Pearson won't play him regularly until he's fully fit and ready to give 100% Its like how we were screaming for Knocky and Mahrez to start more games when they initially arrived.
No I rate Albrighton and like he very much as a player but some people on here can't understand why he wasn't in the team. Nigel has already said he was performing to the standard required in training and when he did play he struggled to make an impact. He got his chance towards the end and took it and I want to see him kick on and be more consistent over 38 games Here is Nigel Pearson quote on Albrighton "I am delighted for him. He has performed very well for the team, and on an individual level he is now showing in training and in matches the sort of form he is capable of. Reading in between the lines he wasn't performing well enough on the training ground and that is something we have to trust the manager with. There was a reason why Albrighton wasn't getting in the team
Biggest load of hogwash I've ever heard. From memory Albrighton got 70 mins. vs Newcastle away and was then completely ignored until Pearson had exhausted every other option, including bringing young Lawrence on vs. Hull.
Schmeichel Tripper Huth Chester Friend Albrighton Jedinak Clasie Cambiasso Schlupp/Brady Kramaric/Gignac Vardy
When did he play other than Newcastle away? F**k me Pearson kept picking under performing players during the winless run - perhaps they looked good on the training ground!
