He has an excellent goalscoring rate so far in the games he has participated in and seems to be a real physical presence in the box, but I do believe that each Swansea fan is rating him based on what we each want to see from a striker, this is where the goggles have different colours depending on the viewer (fan). Some want a profilic goalscorer who is in the box at the right time, wether he works his behind off doesnt matter, as long as he scores. This is perhaps what we should be expecting from Bony in all reality, he wasnt bought to play like Anelka did against us for WBA ... however this is what some other fans are looking for, a player who participates in the buildup and is often involved wether seeking wide, deep or in the box. I criticised Bony heavily in a different forum for a single game, not his overall performance. I thought his first touch was poor and he failed to hold up the ball most times, but in all fairness to Bony .... I was a looking for a second Michu upfront, not the goalscoring Michu ... but a guy who works hard, runs deep, back and everywhere while at the same time holding up the ball when necessary. I have to get into my head that Bony is a box striker and stop judging him from other silly expectations I do have. I made the mistake of judging Bony untill now by my silly perception of wanting to see an AM/ST type of player, but I should also known from the youtube clips that Bony isnt the roaming striker, he is more of a stationary type and only the future will tell about his success at Swansea. I think some negative fans have had the same expectations I had and perhaps wrongfully so. My final conclusion: Far too early to tell wether he will be a success, but so far he has done what can be asked of a typical striker, he scores goals. I am hoping he will improve his first touch in order to hold up the ball when we are sitting deep, but good start at the club nevertheless. Discuss, be friendly and consctructive please.
I think he has been used a little oddly so far this season. For his price tag, he has made only part appearances in three Prem games. Is this a fitness an issue? Has he been carrying a knock. Was he sub'd against WBA for tactical reasons or for fitness / injury? Time will tell how this all pans out. I think his potential is great and his goal against United showed a superb touch and finish. Against WBA he received the ball outside the box, turned, carried a yard or two and shot from distance ... we haven't seen that from a striker in a long while. Looking forward to seeing more of him and hopefully all the midfield players can get on his wave length and provide him the service he needs. Depending on what happens with Vasquez (can he come on-line immediately at the Prem Level), it will be interesting to see whether Bony can swap duties with him, or whether he really needs to be playing all if not most of the time to be effective.
I think we have to look at what we want from our striker. I would rather have the one whose work rate isnt the best but gets us 20 goals(i wish) than the one who works his socks off closes down and doesnt get that many goals. Ideally a combination of both would be best, But that would cost 30m and have a surname of Van Persie. Bony looks dangerous in and around the box, which is what I like. He is starting to gain an understanding with Michu, which will only improve as the season goes on. Not forgeting he came to us late pre season, so was weeks behind our other players. Saying that he should be more than fully up to speed now. I do agree his first touch on times can be a little suspect, but i am sure that will improve. The guy comes alive when we are in the last third and he looks immensly strong. I have no doubt he will turn out to be a very good signing.
Good post, I had hoped to prepare people for this kind of thinking with my reports in July but its difficult to not compare him to Michu. He is not Michu in any way, he is not as fast not technically gifted, but he doesn't need to be. He is a typical target man that needs to be supplied with the ball near or inside the box. Once the team gels to that position and tactic he'll get his goals, no doubt about it.
I think he will come good given time. I agree he has had a disruptive start to the season in terms of starts. The home game against Malmo he looked really good and seemed to have developed a good understanding with Michu and that hopefully will flourish. In the Spurs game when he came on as a sub I thought he posed the Spurs defence a problem which they hadnt had in the game to date. So hold the faith lads
Bony has a very predatory presence about him,full of menace and intent,hence the close attention he gets from defenders,who are desperate to close him down,to snuff him out. His reputation precedes him,and defenders are wary of him,in the way antelope are wary when they see a lion heading in their direction. Being built like the proverbial s**thouse helps his cause. He will score goals,perhaps not the numbers we would all like,but others will benefit from his presence in and around the penalty area. I haven't seen much of him yet,but I like what I've seen so far.
The thing with Bony he is bulky and powerful and a huge threat to any team, I don't know if it's me or has anyone noticed he can easily take out 2 players when he holds the ball up leaving a gap for the likes of our wingers and michu to slip through, if only they can pull it off
My report on him in January: Bony is the Drogba kind of player. Good technique, great vision and he can rip through a defense in a second. He is lethal in the box, he is extremely inventive and can score a goal when it looks like it's impossible to do. The only two problems he has is his speed, he just can't run effectively. He is unfit for counter football, one of the slowest strikers I've seen in a while. His second problem is his mentality. He can get carried away on the pitch at times and get himself into trouble, he has a bit of that African temper. But he is a very creative player, very consistent and he has a type of hunger for a goal that he still wants to score so badly, even when the team is 4 or 5 goals up he is still giving everything to score at least one goal a game. But his greatest asset is his strength. The guy is insanely strong, I once saw three defenders trying to push him to the ground and they failed, he stayed up and managed to score. His stamina and endurance are incredible, he just never quits and chases the ball till the 95th minute if that is needed. In my January Transfer blog I rated him between 10 and 15 million pounds. http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/180373-The-January-Transfer-Window?p=4021712&highlight=bony#post4021712 Goals: [video=youtube;GRdXt-l4c2A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRdXt-l4c2A[/video] Random clip of Bony in the game against Heracles Almelo: [video=youtube;g9x-xrSVwpk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9x-xrSVwpk[/video] Was I right?
My demands are negotiated over last year with the NUFC board: 5k a week, a Merc AMG SLR, and all you can eat skittles coupon at the nearest candy shop.
Some very good responses, thank you all very much for the input. I would definately have prefered an "Anelka" type of player upfront thus my original post and bad attitude when it came to judging Bony, I will just have to cheer the guy and hope that he scores bundles, I definately see a light at the end of the tunnel. Funny to see how differently people view a strikers performances depending on what they "WANT" to see, well, better get my house ready, expecting guests for the Malta-Denmark game night, better have the place a bit tidy.
Think he might be playing in the Ivory Coast game v Morocco on 7th Sep so hopefully will come through unscathed. Good thread and I've said before I see him as Scotland on another level. Stuff the tracking back, if he does have as well as our Jase he'll be doing well.
Bony looked a very good player at his last club but he is now in the hardest league for a striker in the world where the pace of the game is faster, He has scored one goal so far but because of the pace that to be fair to him he is not use to he has missed a couple of goals. If he was to shed a few LBs then i think he will score a lot of goals this season. michu is a bit to fast for him atm and you can see it frustrates him by his anger and once they click then sky is the limit. with shelvey just behind then that is some trio up front, But Bony has to gain that half a yard for everything to gel and i'm sure it will.....with routledge and dyer chipping in goals as well then we should beat our goals tally so far in the premiership....one thing i don't like is players playing out of position and that is down to laudrup, he has to stop that unless he is forced into it, we have already lost Ki because he was told to play out of position all the time and that is not why we got him from celtic where they used him correctly and he caught our eye..
..I did say "Scotland on another level" Dai. I was referring to his apparent lack of workrate - both of which they seem to share. Hopefully that won't matter. It didn't for Scotland. Agree with you on Ki though. The guy was never used correctly.
Bony is definitely a Jason Scotland type of player, and that's good enough for me, those that are not happy with him at the moment, need to show some patience, he is adjusting to the pace, and stronger defencive units of this league, but he will get there, he's got too much talent not too, but it would help if our midfield could give him the service he deserves, it's been very poor, and must improve!..............
