When he was at his best he was exactly the kind of player we need. As we move into a new season, I think a 451 is likely so we will want a guy like him for sure!
When he was good he was very very good but when he was bad he was horrid. If only he would offload the ball as soon as he won it - the last bit he did well. But no, he always wanted an extra 2/3 touches and then got tackled and caught out of position. He played his best when we had Ramsey as Aaron always found the time and space to receive the ball with minimum effort. Unfortunately once he left we had no one with that skill. McPhail wasn't bad but was always carrying an injury so not as effective and was then injured for the last few games. Raeding had done their homework for the second leg and once they got ahead they were onto Oli as soon as he got the ball so he had no chance. The bottom line is that Oli will thrive with intelligent space creating players around him. Without them he tries to do too much and we end up losing possession and on the back foot. Also, for his size he ought to be a lot tougher. Seems like a nice guy and a gentleman but in the hurly burly of midfield more aggression is needed. How many times was he booked?
+1 what BFB said, but midfield generals that don't get knocked of the ball to easy are hard to come by, come on Arsene lend us Aaron for the season
Suppose we will mss him, he did blow hot and cold. But at his reported £27k per week contract he has with Hull...no ta.
I heard that we could have taken him off Hull this season on a free as long as we honoured his contract. Hull couldn't afford him and Bullard last season and needed to shift both of them. They do not want him back on his present salary but are stuck with him contractually. Possibly another shared cost loan period coming up?
If he played like he did with Rambo by his side then yes (or perhaps I just want rambo back). But back to thread, for a big lad he didnt often use his strength, but when he did, he did look good. So yes at a fraction of the wages he had at Hull.
I was working on a project with a Hull supporter the other day, and he mentioned the Oli situation - that's where the info came from. BTW, did anyone know his nickname up there was Oily Vagina?
Have to agree for a big lad he got knocked about a bit to easily, we need a midfielder with a bit of dog in him, a no nonsense type who will win the ball and give it to the more creative players, Oli seemed to phaff about to much and want to many touches, which meant he got closed down to often IMO. When he was good (50% of the time?) he did OK for us, I wouldn't mind keeping him, but not on £27K a week
I always thought Oli was a DM but he claimed he was an AM, he is definitely not what we need as an AM but I would have him as a DM!
So long as he performed in the PM, I'd like him to stay (or come back as is the case) He's shown what he can do (and what he can't) and maybe under a new manager/system can show more of the first and less of the latter.
i've got to agree, whenever i got to see a match at the CCS he was excellent, i must have just caught him on some of his good days! on £27k not a cats chance we would be able to afford a fee and wages to go with it but still, along with bellamy and ramsey i felt he was the only loanee to make an impact at the club, fair play to him.
Will miss Oli, though he did go missing on more than one occasion, but please not Alan Smith, can only play in front of the back four now as was proven in Newcastles promotion team, we need more of a box to box midfielder, but not at 27k a week
alan smith would probably be on a massive wage at newcastle, probably £50k + a week. decent player, but i dont think he would want to join us anyway, if he would drop down it would be for his hometown team (leeds) so they'd be welcome to have him IMO.
If I remember the Hull fans last season said he would fade as the season went on, and so he did. To me he would make a good squad player but no more. Not worth 27k.
Have to agree with Rhondda, Oli is a squad player and the risk is he'd not perform when called upon. A no from me I'm afraid, not consistent enough and salry is way to high.
