Michael Bradley

[ozzjim]

American players tend to adapt. I would have risked it given his age.

[garyshawsknee]

Was pretty happy we signed him. Played very well in the world cup and a tough tackling box-to-box midfielder was exactly what we needed.

But he had a poor debut at City and never really got another chance after that. With thre cost cutting we were never going to spend 4m on an unproven midfielder.

Him, Makoun and Delph should've been our new midfield to replace Petrov but for one reason or another, it dosen't look like to me it's going to happen for the other two either here.

I thought he looked really good in the WC,played well against England which isnt saying much i suppose. Needed more time to bed in,he couldve adapted in time,just like the Jean the second. It could all be ifs and buts,truth is though,weve been struggling all season in midfield and these two could have helped.

[Legion]

I'm in the minority then, I thought he was awful against Man City and couldn't string a pass from 2 yards.

He didn't impress me either.

[PeterWithesShin]

I love how people feel they can make a full judgement on a player from four appearances of which I think one was a cameo, another against Blackpool when we had only ten men on account of Makoun being sent off, a game where we played a shadow side and one other I've forgotten.

Indeed. He played less than 20 mins at Blackpool after Makoun went off, the Man City cup debacle, 10 minutes at the Emirates and a couple of minutes against the dippers last match of the season. He just about managed 100 minutes in a Villa shirt. Which apparently is enough for some on here to write him off. It really is a joke.

Meanwhile months or years into their Villa careera Zog needs more time, as does Ireland. And Bannan. And Albrighton. And Fonz etc.

[Doorbell]

He hadn't impressed me in his time at villa, but I don't think he'd had enough time to adapt or build up his confidence in a new league, ok some players take to it like a duck to water, but others need time...how long did it take stilian petrol to start finding his feet?!!

[SoccerHQ]

Was pretty happy we signed him. Played very well in the world cup and a tough tackling box-to-box midfielder was exactly what we needed.

But he had a poor debut at City and never really got another chance after that. With thre cost cutting we were never going to spend 4m on an unproven midfielder.

Him, Makoun and Delph should've been our new midfield to replace Petrov but for one reason or another, it dosen't look like to me it's going to happen for the other two either here.

I thought he looked really good in the WC,played well against England which isnt saying much i suppose. Needed more time to bed in,he couldve adapted in time,just like the Jean the second. It could all be ifs and buts,truth is though,weve been struggling all season in midfield and these two could have helped.

I loved that goal he scored against Slovenia, the desire he showed by running 30 yards to get on the end of a knock down and score.

By all accounts, he played well for Monchengladbach and is doing well in Seria A so yet a bit of a missed opportuinity I think certainly as Delph has been given countless chances, keeps getting injured and still isn't convincing me he can dominate prem games.

[KevinGage]

You don't necessarily need pace to play CM in England.  Barry has never been overly blessed in that department.

But Bradley did look lightening slow, and didn't have enough quality on the ball to compensate for it.

I accept he only had a limited time with us, but things like pace and technique can usually be clocked fairly quickly.

[Monty]

You don't necessarily need pace to play CM in England.  Barry has never been overly blessed in that department.

But Bradley did look lightening slow, and didn't have enough quality on the ball to compensate for it.

I accept he only had a limited time with us, but things like pace and technique can usually be clocked fairly quickly.

Except he was really unfit, and his technique was proven from a couple of years previously of very good performances. I believe it was unfair to write him off.

[Dave]

I love how people feel they can make a full judgement on a player from four appearances of which I think one was a cameo, another against Blackpool when we had only ten men on account of Makoun being sent off, a game where we played a shadow side and one other I've forgotten.

Indeed. He played less than 20 mins at Blackpool after Makoun went off, the Man City cup debacle, 10 minutes at the Emirates and a couple of minutes against the dippers last match of the season. He just about managed 100 minutes in a Villa shirt. Which apparently is enough for some on here to write him off. It really is a joke.

Meanwhile months or years into their Villa careera Zog needs more time, as does Ireland. And Bannan. And Albrighton. And Fonz etc.

*nods*

[KevinGage]

You don't necessarily need pace to play CM in England.  Barry has never been overly blessed in that department.

But Bradley did look lightening slow, and didn't have enough quality on the ball to compensate for it.

I accept he only had a limited time with us, but things like pace and technique can usually be clocked fairly quickly.

Except he was really unfit, and his technique was proven from a couple of years previously of very good performances. I believe it was unfair to write him off.

He played for Monchengladbach and Heerenveen before he came to us, so probably fair to say he was one of the better players at struggling or small clubs.  Also, he was such an asset and his technique was so good that even a team like Monchengladbach decided to let him leave on loan, despite battling relegation at the time.

Being unfit might mean that the quality of his performance would dip after 50/60 minutes.    But he looked like he was running through treacle and misplacing passes all over the shop from the get go. This was even into March/ April, and he joined us in January.  So it's not exactly as if we threw him in at the deep end, after months out of the game.

[Lizz]

I'm in the minority then, I thought he was awful against Man City and couldn't string a pass from 2 yards.

He didn't impress me either.

Until reading this thread, I'd completely forgotten he played for us. Not sure whether that's a reflection on my memory or his contribution to the cause.

[Shoody]

In retrospect it was a bad move by us to not sign him considering how well he's playing this season.

Would've loved to have seen our midfield under Houllier this season.. Bradley, Cabaye, Makoun, Delph looked promising last season.

I miss Ged. From some of the things that came out he had some good ideas for players to bring in.

[luke25]

I'm in the minority then, I thought he was awful against Man City and couldn't string a pass from 2 yards.

He didn't impress me either.

Until reading this thread, I'd completely forgotten he played for us. Not sure whether that's a reflection on my memory or his contribution to the cause.

Its always the players we sell or the ones that are injured tha would've been or will be our saviour.

[KevinGage]

It's genuinely hard to ascertain just how things would have panned out. 

With time, would GH's more progressive ideas and approach shone through?   Or would he have continued to fall out with players -even the ones he signed?  He always gave off an air of a technical consultant too, someone who wasn't entirely wrapped up in the project and had other irons in the fire.

That said, I'd have preferred even Gary Mac to continue rather than the current bloke. If that had meant pissing off Dunne, Collins and Warnock that would just be a bonus.

[Monty]

You don't necessarily need pace to play CM in England.  Barry has never been overly blessed in that department.

But Bradley did look lightening slow, and didn't have enough quality on the ball to compensate for it.

I accept he only had a limited time with us, but things like pace and technique can usually be clocked fairly quickly.

Except he was really unfit, and his technique was proven from a couple of years previously of very good performances. I believe it was unfair to write him off.

He played for Monchengladbach and Heerenveen before he came to us, so probably fair to say he was one of the better players at struggling or small clubs.  Also, he was such an asset and his technique was so good that even a team like Monchengladbach decided to let him leave on loan, despite battling relegation at the time.

Being unfit might mean that the quality of his performance would dip after 50/60 minutes.    But he looked like he was running through treacle and misplacing passes all over the shop from the get go. This was even into March/ April, and he joined us in January.  So it's not exactly as if we threw him in at the deep end, after months out of the game.

Being unfit can have all sorts of effects on a player (and he got injured, IIRC, since joining us, further setting back his rehabilitation).

Besides, yes he was one of the better players in weak or struggling teams (and I'm willing to call his time at Heerenveen irrelevant), but in Germany that didn't affect the quality of the opposition, and technique is all about what you do to react to opponents. He's a good player, who is proving that, and I feel we missed out. I'd certainly prefer him over Delph, Herd (though I do like the kid) and, FFS, Heskey in mid-fecking-field.