Could Jonas end up as cover next season?

I think Hatem has proven that he can play RW and do a much better job than Ober and Raylor can.

I expect him to start on the RW maybe next season. So I think that's our RW position sorted.

Now to my main point. Jonas is a hard working midfielder, who tracks back very well, and can support a full back.

However, I think Marveaux showed in his appearances so far in a toon strip, his creative qualities are far better than Jonas'.

Marveaux put in some deadly balls into the box, and I think that's what we'll need next season, that we don't often get from Jonas. We'll have two big blokes in the box, both great in the air, and we will need qualities deliveries into the box to aid them, if we want to get the best from them.

Jonas can attack well, but his crossing is very average, and I don't think a few cracking goals a season justifies keeping him in the side.

Santon looks like he'll be class for us, and unlike Raylor, he will not need the winger in front of him to track back constantly to support him.

Santon can hold his own. He has pace, tackling ability and decent strength and great movement with the ball. He doesn't really need Jonas' defensive qualities.

Jonas has greater defensive qualities than Marveaux, but Marveaux IMO definitely looks better at creating things. We need our wingers to get forward, and we need to have a pair of fullbacks that don't need constant aid from the player in front of them.

I could really see this next season -

--------Ba-----------Cisse------------

Marveaux--Tiote---Cabaye----Hatem Ben Arfa

Santon----Colo-----Saylor------Simpson

---------------Krul-------------------

This is assuming we don't get a new left back so we can put Santon on right, but even so, hopefully the new fullback we get wont need constant aid from a left sided midfielder.

Anyone else agree?

 

No, Jonas has proved this season how good a player he is.

In his performances, Marv looked lively, but not really threatening imo.

I think Jonas and HBA on the wings, and Marv, Ober and Best as impact subs.

V. good article though

 

With Marveaux and HBA on the flanks , the full backs would get absolutely no help whatsoever though.

 

I hope not. I love Jonas and we would be more beneficial with him in the team than not. Although, I do agree Marveaux will be good when fit. Hopefully push for a place.

He could be our Barton of last season and Hatem of this.

 

I disagree. When HBA first came here he didn't track back and was incredibly greedy, but over the course of his time here, he has matured and has tracked back more often than he used to and works harder.

And Marveaux did track back and put pressure on defenders at times, it's all about the manager telling the player his role.

But anyway, hopefully we'll have two fullbacks that can hold their own and not need much support from their mids in front of them.

 

Marv put in some fantastic balls into box. Do you not remember last minute vs Villa away? He put in a fantastic, curved ball into the box that Cabaye should have finished from 2 yards out, but couldn't put the chance away.

Marv also got the assist for the Cabaye goal vs Wigan, and was the main reason why we were still in the cup after the 4-3 game vs Forest.

Marv is much nippier on the ball and his deliveries are far better.

Jonas doesn't put in a good ball often enough.

 

Doesn't track back as much as Jonas does though. And whilst Jonas actually possesses defensive qualities and abilities when it comes to tackling and winning the ball , Ben Arfa doesn't.

I'm willing to give Ben Arfa some time to prove me wrong though.

 

Jonas does so much good work that is missed, look at how we had no go to man vs Chelsea when he was suspended. The number of times he picks up the ball when we're defending and wins a free-kick to relaese the pressure, its unreal. He wins free-kicks in dangerous positions for Raylor/Cabaye/Ba, cuases huge amounts of problems for opposition defences and has shown he has the quality to put mistakes to the sword.

TBH, I wouldn't mind which of them gets in the team, I trust Pardew to make the right choice.

 

Too many ifs. If Marveaux stays fit. If Marveaux fits into the system Pardew wants. If we sign another winger. If Jonas gets injured. If, if, if.

 

Well If it was a straight choice between Ben Arfa and Jonas, I'd pick Ben Arfa, he need wingers for our attack mainly. Ben Arfa can't win the ball as well as Jonas, but he can still put pressure and double up on players with his full back.

Santon was put under immense pressure at times against physically superior opponents vs Blackburn. That 6ft 6 14 stone black bloke was on him, and I thought Santon was going to get out muscled and the black guy would have been in on goal, but Santon battled hard and nicked the ball away from his feet.

Santon can handle himself, and doesn't need Jonas' assistance nearly as much as Raylor did. All we need our wingers to do is track back and put pressure on the opponents wingers, even though Jonas' tackling ability is much appreciated, I wouldn't use it as a reason to pick him over a winger with superior attacking capabilities.

 

Overall, Jonas has possibly been our best player over the past two seasons. He's looking dangerous going forward again, now that we have a decent LB in Santon, and still gets stuck in defensively. He's just class, unsung hero of our team.

Totally undroppable imo.

 

Jonas can play to a decent standard on the left, right, centre and even as an emergency full back. If we have a squad competing in/for Europe we'll rotate a lot, I bet anyone he starts 25+ games next season barring injury. And on that note, it's well worth noting Marveaux will not be fit all the time if his record is anything to go by.

 

I agree that Jonas' isn't appreciated enough, and as you said he wins a load of free kicks and relieves pressure, but we need someone that can put quality balls into the box.

On the subject of winning free kicks, does it not frustrate anyone else when we try that same **** where we aim for Williamson or Saylor on the edge of the box to head it back across goal?

It never works.

Saylor was totally wasted from free kicks, he was used to just be a target man to put it back across the box. When he's allowed to do his own thing and move around the box and do his magic, he can score quite often.

If we was actually allowed to move his own way, he could score IMO around 5-7 goals in a season.

 

Yea but I didn't say that I would rather play Jonas instead of Ben Arfa. I'm saying that if you're playing Ben Arfa on the right I'd prefer to see a more hard working winger on the other side of the pitch like Jonas.

Santon was great in the first half against Fulham but looked a bit shaky second half and was lucky to stay on the pitch. He may not need Jonas to track back but neither did Jose when he was here but it was for all to see that Jonas' help at the back was still much appreciated even though we had a top class left back that can out muscle nearly any player in the league.

I also think that Jonas is decent going forward but often seems a bit exhausted when attacking because of the amount of defensive work he does when tracking back.

 

What's the latest with Marveaux recovery - is there a possibility of a return by March ?

 

Not sure, but sure he is in Spain with the lads and was training today. Well I think it was him haha

 

I agree, It's a tough call, I guess that we'll have to leave it up to Pardew, but I definitely think you're looking for someone for creativity, Marveaux is the man.

 

Agree with that , Marveaux has more tricks up his sleeve whilst I'm afriad Jonas is a bit of a one trick pony going forward.

Hope he can stay fit when he returns from injury , Jonas performs better when he feels his position is under threat.

 

No return date set from his groin injury.

 

I think once we sort out our defense we will strengthen the right wing