Birkir Bjarnason - Released

[PaulWinch again]

When playing in the DM role he looks like a poor mans Nigel Reo-Coker, his athleticism get him into positions to win the ball before his lack of any kind of talent means he gives it straight back to the opposition.

I admire his effort, I really do, not so much anything else.

Sounds like he did alright to me.

[Edvard Remberg]

When playing in the DM role he looks like a poor mans Nigel Reo-Coker, his athleticism get him into positions to win the ball before his lack of any kind of talent means he gives it straight back to the opposition.

I admire his effort, I really do, not so much anything else.

Sounds like he did alright to me.

This is why i questioned if the dislike is purely based on performances, as he played well against Barnsley- not like PW describes it.

[tomd2103]

When playing in the DM role he looks like a poor mans Nigel Reo-Coker, his athleticism get him into positions to win the ball before his lack of any kind of talent means he gives it straight back to the opposition.

I admire his effort, I really do, not so much anything else.

Sounds like he did alright to me.

He did Paul.  Kept it nice and simple when he had the ball and made a couple of good interceptions.  My only concern about him in there is that he maybe lacks the big of physicality Jedinak brings.  In this league the ball spends quite a bit of time in the air in that area of the pitch and he wasn't really imposing in that regard yesterday. 

[UK Redsox]

When Jedi is fit, he obviously starts. However, I much prefer Bjarney as his back up ahead of Whelan

[oldhill_avfc]

Poor in the air.
A lot of negative back passes which jack rightly  had a go at him for.
Misplaced too many forward passes which he blamed others for.
If I was NRC I'd be on the phone to my lawyers.

[tomd2103]

When Jedi is fit, he obviously starts. However, I much prefer Bjarney as his back up ahead of Whelan

Yep.  Would still like to see how he gets on in a more advanced midfield role as well. 

[Nastylee]

Claude Makelele made a career out of standing around passing square and backwards. Didn't stop the media creaming themselves even though I thought he was crap.

[Hairbandinho]

He is in Italy today. Short break or transfer I wonder?

[Matt Collins]

Claude Makelele made a career out of standing around passing square and backwards. Didn't stop the media creaming themselves even though I thought he was crap.

I guess that’s why Chelsea didn’t win anything with him and nor did Real Madrid; and why both found it so easy to replace him

[Nastylee]

My point was when Claude does it it's fantastic. When a Villa player does it they're shit.

[UK Redsox]

He is in Italy today. Short break or transfer I wonder?

There was something a week or so ago about a Serie B team being interested in Bjarney

[passitsideways]

Nobody questions Makelele's ability to protect the back four, but he was way more than a sideways or backwards merchant with the ball at his feet.

[cdbearsfan]

I really hate that stupid dance he invented.

[PeterWithe]

When playing in the DM role he looks like a poor mans Nigel Reo-Coker, his athleticism get him into positions to win the ball before his lack of any kind of talent means he gives it straight back to the opposition.

I admire his effort, I really do, not so much anything else.

Sounds like he did alright to me.

This is why i questioned if the dislike is purely based on performances, as he played well against Barnsley- not like PW describes it.

 I thought he was poor again, too many passes went either backward or to the opposition. Plus he’s not a lot of use defending set pieces.

[RussellC]

It will be interesting to see what Bruce does now, against Sheff Utd. Usually he’s very reticent to change a winning team, but with the likes of Donaldson and Clarke in their line-up we’re going to have to be solid at set-pieces (which we haven’t been of late) if we want to get anything up there.  I can definitely see Barney being sacrificed if Jedinak is fit. Potentially even if he’s not, for Whelan or Onomah (or maybe Tuanzebe..?!).

He’s shown enough in the last game and a half to keep him around for the rest of the season though, if only as an option from the bench. Unless, of course, we get a cash offer that would allow us to bring someone in that would be a guaranteed improvement to the team.