http://georgeweahscousin.com/its-time-to-talk-about-graziano/ Article talking about what Pelle brings to the team in goals, assists and hold up play. Discussing how he is Marmite to some fans, despite his contributions. I like the mention of his passion and how he celebrates every goal like its his first.
I think that's a strong thread title Fran, maybe too strong. I'll not go upsetting people but will just post these few thoughts: He was brilliant against Chelsea, top drawer. He was very, very good against Swansea. Game of two halves against United - brilliant first half; stopped second half. Away to west Brom he was poor and did the not working thing and stood moaning at players that I mentioned second half of united game. Norwich he was ok; scored a great goal Watford away he was poor Everton at home he just wasn't on it Newcastle away - I wasn't at and didn't see live. 8 games in and what I would say is let's ignore the first four and say the team were settling in together. He then has shown performance going in the right direction in the next four, but I would just caution that he has hit the very low and the very highest in performances. I hope my comments last week that Koeman has pulled him aside are true and that we see the Pelle we have of the last two games and first half of united game. Long may it continue in the current graph.
No one has doubted his quality, just the consistency with which he exerts himself and displays said quality. If he continues in the fashion he has in the last two matches, there will cease to be any such doubts.
After watching him in parts last pre-season and at the WBA game, I feared we had a donkey on our hands. I remember making a comment after that game about how I didn't think he was going to make it. It was his most notorious critic (FLT) who was the first to comment back about giving him a proper chance. I think at that time I had been so used to Lambert and his grace on the ball that Pelle seemed like a clumsy Elephant in comparison. His form has been great in the last few games. I think as a front three Tadic, Mane and Pelle have finally had the game time to start to really gel together and Koeman has found the team balance to get the best out of all three. Overall i've been impressed with Pelle. I think his effort and passion is first rate and he is one of the best in the league when it comes to winning his aerial duels
Hi Fran, I have never doubted him either. I started a 'time to drop Pelle ?????' thread a couple of weeks ago as a question really to our tactics away from home and if we should try a new combination. Pelle away form had not been great - nothing special v Newcastle, poor v Watford, poor v west brom and before that only 2 away goals. I think it was a fair question to discuss. As it happens Ron kept with him anyway and wow, what a performance against Chelsea. Like FLT, I would like to think Ron had a word about improving his game and he has responded in the best way possible. At the end of the day I support who ever puts on the red n white stripes or green kit and think it fair to comment if we think a player has played well or poorly. COYS
I don't think that he stops trying. He gets frustrated and he moans a lot, often because he doesn't get the service he wants. Hit the ball to his chest and he will accept it all game long, and give him the ball when he wants it, and he will be happier. I've said in a previous post, about Pelle, that he sees things very quickly, which I think is one of the reasons why he is always trying the flicks. He knows where people are, or should be, so hits first time balls (that don't always come off) and I think he expects the same from his teammates. I also get the impression that he plays the role, RK tells him to play, which is mainly down the centre, within the confines of the edges of the penalty area, leaving the wing men and the full backs to stretch the defence. Interesting to see, against Chelsea though, that he was playing more across the whole width of the pitch, especially second half, which made us far more dangerous as an attacking unit. This is more in line with how SRL used to play, and so long as someone else moves into the middle, then I would like to see him do it more often.
Pelle is not the offense. When we weren't scoring, it wasn't all his fault. Now that we are doing well, it's not because he's made some miraculous turnaround and is suddenly awesome. Honestly, Chelsea's defense was horrible. Everyone on Saints had their way with them. A game or two from now, we might run into tough side away who chooses to park the bus and then if we don't score I suppose Pelle will be a lazy, terrible player again.
I've never doubted him, I think he is a fabulous CF. I think he does his job extremely well, and gets a lot of unfair criticism from fans because of occasional off games which are typical of most players that lead the line. Apart from the great players at the big teams, not many are that consistent in this position. It's a bloody tough job and he is bound to get frustrated when the team are playing badly or he's not having a good game.
Are we getting value for money from Graziano?....absolutely. When you compare him with similarly priced Strikers from the continent (van Wolfswinkel anyone?) he had a fine first season in the Premier League and with a bit of luck could've easily had 20+ goals if he hadn't hit the woodwork so much. He has been recognised at International level and is now first choice for Italy, just think how much Balotelli has cost in transfers! We have to be a bit realistic at Saints, we do have a relatively low ceiling on wages, so we are unlikely to sign an upgrade on Pelle in the near future (and I don't consider Charlie Austin to be an upgrade) . I do think that he suffers just by not being SRL, he is a different type of player with probably a little bit more Italian flair than Rickie. Yes, his flicks and lay offs don't always work, but when they do it can be devastating. I think that we would definately miss Graziano if he happened to leave, but that's just my opinion.
Forget the past, forget that Man Utd have signed Martial. Hypothetical question for the present day: Who would you rather lead the line in your team... Pelle or Rooney?
Back to goal is a very difficult game to play, so inevitably he will have good days and not so good. When he is on his game he would be an asset to most sides. Is he top four? As much as Giroud is..
I'll just say this. Back, when I first started supporting Saints, Ron Davies was the man. In retrospect he is loved and people often wax lyrical about how high he used to climb and then how unexpectedly good he was on the deck too, considering he was supposed to be **** at ground zero. Well, the unvarnished truth is that, half the time he wasn't Superman. And, as a kid I couldn't believe the amount of moans and groans I would hear directed towards my first football hero. Supporters expect superhuman performances and nothing less will do - especially now that they are paid superhuman salaries. But they're just the same, only fitter and richer. So when I watch the games and see Pelle isolated up front during away games and he gets discouraged I kind of sympathise with him because I know he's quite hard on himself anyway. He isn't he best player in the world, but he heads the ball as good as anybody else these days, and he manages to do it without stirring a hair on his head - some achievement. And, for such a unit of a bloke [if a bit weedy in the chest area] he has a fantastic touch that isn't 100% perfect. On the days it is, it's superb. On the days it isn't, well let's hope Sadio has a good 'un. But he makes goals, scores goals, looks good and he's all ours. Now carry on.
Always a difficult argument, that one. You don't know, for example, how well or poorly Kane/Sturridge/Lukaku would do playing for Saints, and vice-versa with Pelle playing for thier teams. I'm guessing that Pelle would have probably looked ****e in a Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool team.
Pelle to me is an above-average but not great player. Put the best PL team around him, and he will get his goals. Put a bad team around him and he will struggle. But either way, he will neither embarrass himself nor lift his team to a new level. I'd say sort of about the same general level as Lallana, or younger Lambert (only if Lambert played on a different team where he would not have his considerable Saints mojo).
Considering we only paid between £6-8m for him he was a bargain, look at the players who cost twice as much but scored much much less. Frustrating at times but a good player he is.
