Yet he was third best in his position in the league for breaking up play, I.e. winning the ball back.main job of a 6 imo I’m as guilty as the next person for saying he’s had a poor game when he’s given the ball away a lot, but probably don’t realise the dirty side of the game he obviously (statistically at least) consistently did all season!
Cazorla offered to play for free for Oviedo as well but as their owner is absolutely wedged they paid him. You love to see when players do it. Lucas Perez actually went further, he bought out his own contract for hundreds of thousands so he could go Depor and play for nowt. The beautiful game.
Imo, Neil had some iffy games. But even when I thought he wasnt at his best, his off the ball work was always good. Being a good holding midfielder is two things imo. Someone who can slow or stop opposition from getting at the back line, and dictate tempo and territory. The latter is the more important in the modern game and he does it really well most of the time. Yes he gets caught on occassion, but so does every single player in our team. Because of his position it is amplified, but I would be staggered if coaches arent saying keep doing it. In terms of out of possession I think his positioning is really intelligent. He stops the killer pass because he is blocking angles. That isnt by accident. We all remember big tackles, but it is just as important to slow attacks down by being in a great starting position. He has to step up, but there isnt a player in the squad who doesnt need to improve their level. I include Le Fee in that. I have a lot of confidence that a lot of players will really relish the premier league. It is why I think 4 or 5 major acquisitiona is the way to go, and stick with a relatively tight group.
There was a 2/3 month period where Neil was arguably the best CM in the league, thats the form that'll make him a PL CM. He was inconsistent last season but it's never easy playing that deepest CM role in a new system while also learning to be a leader. CDM is the hardest role to play in football imo, it's why there's very few top draw CDMs in the game these days so hopefully Neil will be better next yr. He's really growing into that leadership role, loved his interviews after we won and how he thanked the players that had gone before - class touch. I want to see him improve when pressed, feel he can panic a bit at times when pressed and it forces him to be sloppy. I think it'll come and I hope he signs a new deal and then smashes it next season
I dont want to get too deep about it. But I am a bit of a believer in footballers needing what clever people call a growth mindset. That you can get cleverer and better through persistence and open to new experiences. Young footballers, imo, flourish when challenged and fail, if they have that mindset. Jobe has shown it this season, having struggled a bit last at times. Neil, has progressed every one of his years to date. Rigg is maybe the best of them all in this regard, god knows what we will see with him next year. Regis is far cleverer than me. He talks a lot about the adaptability of these young lads, and their game smarts. I think he has a psychology qualification? He will be all over the growth mindset thing. There will be times when I think Neil struggles next season, the trick for Regis will be to watch him in training afterwards and see if he is learning from it. I would back him to do it personally as I have always felt he is a premier league player in waiting and havent changed my mind. Add the leadership qualities like you say and he is really putting himself in a good place to succeed.
Could we realistically sign anyone better for the position he's likely to play ... ... if the answer is 'no' then he's definitely worth a two year contract with no relegation clause imo.
A video starts- the slow version of WMS starts, clips of Roker Park and the SoL fans old and young celebrating throughout the years, cuts to flashes of former players, then, cuts to the Jimmy Montgomery stand, a wide shot with a single person in the stand as the camera pans in flahses of a young Jordan, clips of what he has done with us and his time with Liverpool & England, then the camera zooms in on Hendo, with the title " Hendo's home"
I've pushed back on this one, but apparently, as already suggested IF he comes home it'll be inline with the new shirts, timewise.
