Season so far: Who gets a pass? Must try harder?

[supertom]

Looking at the squad, who's doing the business so far, and who needs a rocket?

Pass:
Friedel- gold star
Downing- gold star
Reo-Coker- gold star
Heskey
Clark
Cueller (when he's played that is)
Collins
Albrighton

Must try harder:
Dunney monster- dunces hat
Warnock- dunces hat
Carew- dunces hat with a picture of table dancer stuck on it.
Ireland
Petrov
Ash Young

The rest are in middle ground, aside from Sidwell, who would be "try harder" if not for the fact I just think there's no more he can offer us. He's just shit.

[UsualSuspect]

Agree with most of that

I think i'd give Clark a gold star plus i think Lijah looked fairly composed against Burnley.

Downing would get a Silver from me, vast improvement compared to last season but i'd just like to see a bit more consistency, having said that Id like to see more consistency all round

[Eigentor]

Simple/simplistic analysis: Goalkeeper, defenders (minus Dunne) and Reo-Coker have done well. Attacking players (possibly excluding Downing) have been poor*. Result: We don't concede goals, but we don't score any either.

*Ignoring Heskey's mini-revival.

[UK Redsox]

Clearly I'm not as impressed by NRC as the majority are.

Yes, he runs around a lot and can be destructive but his passing is very poor on a lot of occasions and as for his play near the opposition goal......................................

[Concrete John]

Clearly I'm not as impressed by NRC as the majority are.

Yes, he runs around a lot and can be destructive but his passing is very poor on a lot of occasions and as for his play near the opposition goal......................................

So he gives it simple and sits back.  When he does that we have a very effective player on our hands.

Adding to the above, I'd also say Ash has done pretty well so far, although his form has been 'patchy'.

[darren woolley]

I would agree with you aswell Supertom the must try harder must up there game because they are just not doing it.

[KevinGage]

Similar to the OP but I don't think Ash has been that bad and I don't think Downing has been that good.

Stats don't tell the whole story but the massively disappointing Ashley Young has two assists and one goal to date in the league whilst Gold star Downing has the sum total of zero assists and three goals.

Ash (and Heskey) also played a crucial role in our win v Blackburn in the cup and he was the best player on the pitch v Everton at home.

We need more from him, yes. I wouldn't argue with anyone on that. But to hear the way some go on about him you'd think he was Nigel Callaghan mkII.

[The Man With A Stick]

I'd add Bannan to that as well.  He's done well whenever he's been called upon and I hope we see a lot more of him this season.

[pedro25]

I thought Petrov did absolutely fine and played at least as well as Reo Coker when he had Nige alongside him for company.  Under K Mac when Petrov had Ireland, Young, Albrighton and Downing all bombing on I think he found it very hard work, but then I think most defensive mids inc. NRC would have done with such little help.

[UK Redsox]

Clearly I'm not as impressed by NRC as the majority are.

Yes, he runs around a lot and can be destructive but his passing is very poor on a lot of occasions and as for his play near the opposition goal......................................

So he gives it simple and sits back.  When he does that we have a very effective player on our hands.

Adding to the above, I'd also say Ash has done pretty well so far, although his form has been 'patchy'.

....... often to the opposition (eg frequently against Burnley)

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Clearly I'm not as impressed by NRC as the majority are.

Yes, he runs around a lot and can be destructive but his passing is very poor on a lot of occasions and as for his play near the opposition goal......................................

Totally agree he has done ok but if we are going to really progress he is not the soloution .........

[jembob]

Clearly I'm not as impressed by NRC as the majority are.

Yes, he runs around a lot and can be destructive but his passing is very poor on a lot of occasions and as for his play near the opposition goal......................................

Totally agree he has done ok but if we are going to really progress he is not the soloution .........

NRC will never be the solution but he's the sort of player that every team need to be able to call upon. His passing is crap and if the ball had broken to anybody else apart from him against Chelsea we would have had the 3 points, but I'm a real fan because he adds a bit of steel at times when we need it. Messrs Young and Downing aren't the greatest of tacklers and that leaves Petrov to do an awful lot of work on his own. Should MON have used NRC more intelligently last season we would have finished closer to 4th.

I would give Ash a Pass for effort alone and I think he's done well trying to fit into a new role. Petrov has his critics because they expect him to be the marauding midfielder he was supposed to have been at Celtic, but I think that Saturday's game showed how much we miss his calming influence in midfield - for the unspectacular work which he gets through in a game I'd give him a Pass too.

[Mazrim]

Sidwell gets a pass




...but then gives it straight to the opposition.

[Concrete John]

Clearly I'm not as impressed by NRC as the majority are.

Yes, he runs around a lot and can be destructive but his passing is very poor on a lot of occasions and as for his play near the opposition goal......................................

So he gives it simple and sits back.  When he does that we have a very effective player on our hands.

Adding to the above, I'd also say Ash has done pretty well so far, although his form has been 'patchy'.

....... often to the opposition (eg frequently against Burnley)

His pass completion stats are actually quite good, which is normally because he doesn't try to do too much with it.  His job should be to win it, give it to the nearest Villa player and then wait to win it again.

I agree he's crap getting forward.

[pedro25]

He's good at getting forward, just when he's there he doesn't know what to do.