I personally like de ridder. He might of had first season sydrome next season he could be a world beater!
As things stand De Ridder will not get into the first 11. He does exude energy though and is surely a useful asset to have on the bench when things need a bit of uummpphh. Depending on the quality of new signings though he could find himself further down the pecking order.
Maybe it's not the final ball, it is an inability to look up, to have an awareness of what is around him. A poor man's Tommy Jenkins..
Tommy Jenkins. I'd forgotten about him. Quite a good comparison actually. On his day, brilliant! Unfortunately not "on" often enough as I recall.
As for De ridder I really like the bloke and he has all the atribute to turn into a top player. His end product is poor and at the moment resembles somewhat of a headless chicken however he has changed several games with his impact so if he improves will be an important player.
Tommy Jenkins wow a blast from the past. Never reached the standard of John Sydenham and Mr Southampton, Terry Paine. And your right a good player on his day, but we need more from Steve if we are not going to be in the bottom three battle.
I think Steve should be judged over a longer period and if he is i think he will be proved a success it may well be as a impact style player but he is unpredictable quick and skillful ie he has all the natural qualities that a wide player needs he still needs a bit more polish to shine but he is at the right club for that and even the top drawer wingers are prone to inconsistancy the unpredictability to a wingers game is generally what makes them dangerous
st G, you are on to something here. I can't quite belief all the hype around De piddler either. Bags of energy and speed yes but his end product is lamentable. there have been many occasion this year when has worked good space to execute poor delivery or not looking where the forwards are. his quality (or rather lack of it) will be found out next year. I am relabel informed that the club Re seeking a quality right winger for this very reason
Was only looking him up in ITN, the other day. He could be brilliant or dreadful, with no in between. I do remember him being able to waltz through tackles leaving a trail of defenders in his wake, and then he'd pass it to the opposition. Absurdly skillful player though.
I remember we signed Tommy from Reading not quite as good as the talent he replaced. According to Wikipedia we used to sing: "Tommy Jenkins on the wings, 6ft 2 eyes are blue, Jimmy Steele is after you ..." but I don't remember that song.
We used to sing one about Tom and Gerry (or Jerry?), "Gerry, Tom and Gerry, Tom and Gerry on the wings" that might be the on your thinking of. The Jim Steele ditty was a song in its own right. Gerry who though? Was it O'Brien?
Despite St Godders satirical post on the state of threads, I'll put my two pence worth in as well. I also like De Ridder, and sometimes he looks like he's really good, but sems to hold back, in that he tracks back instead of maybe taking on his man. Maybe he is under instruction. He keeps the ball well and obviously gives an outlet late in the game, and helps to create space when he does peg it up the wing. He's set up a couple of goals I believe, but indeed needs to improve. I'm hoping that he will metamorphosize (if that is indeed a word) into Arjen Robben, who he does remind me of slightly when he runs!
Strewth I do recollect the chocolate box boys chanting that or similar. I had forgotten, somehow don't remember Tommy Jenkins though.....oh this getting old lark is getting me down...
Hype? Are you serious? This whole forum is against him. Like you say, he has all the physical attributes needed. All he needs to do is improve the technical side of his game a bit in training and he's there. There has to be a reason Adkins featured him so much this season.
I put forward the notion that if steeeve works hard on his passing in the summer he will be a premier league first11 player. Pace, skill, energy, determination, can score goals. IMO he's only missing that one attribute
Just think about most of the times hes deliver these "bad end products". Its more often than not after hes just taken on two defenders on the wing, dragging one of them out of position to help deal with him, beaten both of them, and is delivering the ball into the box or making an attacking pass. If he works hard on improving that pass, hes easily solved our RM problem. Have a little faith, trust in the coaching staff and in the lad himself. As Nige always says, they strive to create an environment so that they can be the best they can be. In my humble opinion, the best de Ridder can be will be easily good enough for a premier league starting 11 place. If he works hard over the summer.
Yes Gerry O'brien signed from somewhere north of the Border. Met a guy on a golf course in Spain about 10 years ago who, (I think, but can't swear to it that it was Cowdenbeath), anyway he was the goalkeeper in the team that O'brien play in before joining us.. his view was he was the most skilful footballer he ever played with.. Back to Tommy Jenkins, 2 memories abide the first was turning Wright (England fullback) of Everton side out for 2 crosses and late goals around 1970? when the Everton of the Ball/Harvey/Kendall midfield were league champions, Saints won 2-1. Also a trip to West Ham where Jenkins beat about 5 players on a mazy run and then finished on about 35 minutes only for the 2nd half to resemble Leeds away this season.. we won 1-0. I had hitch hiked up and scrounged a lift back with Taunton's School bus; we stopped somewhere close to Heathrow,(no M3), for a communal leak only for somebody to come out of his house and fire a shot gun above our heads.. happy days
