N'Zogbia

[SoccerHQ]

Once again.

Our forward line is very good and full of different options.

If only we could sort out midfield and defence.

Yep, I'd start the same front three on Tuesday and we'd have Weimann and Bent as back up options on the bench.

I think it's fair to say no other team in the bottom half has those options upfront.

We really need to sort the defence and midfield out.

[ozzjim]

IF we sorted the defence and midfield, which is 3, maybe 4 signings at most, I think we would hurt a lot of sides regularly enough to be top 8, maybe higher.

[brontebilly]

lets not go OTT on him. he has shown the odd flash of inspiration before but has an awful lot of catching up to do to be a reliable regular. Both Gabby and himself seemed reborn yesterday in the first half . I had pretty much given up on both of them. Need to do it consistently though. He was completely anonymous against Southampton last week.

Gabby, Delph, Nzogbia - three key players for us to avoid the drop. If they pick it up for the next 6 or 8 weeks we will be nowhere near relegation.

[Concrete John]

Thinking about it, if he does have a good run between now and May it could have the double benefit of helping keep us up and also disguise his previous poor form to the point we may be able to off load him.  I know it would seem daft to sell him when he's playing well, but given his history do we expect it to last?  If he has good last third of the season and someone then comes in with a decent offer, I'd bite their hands off!

[paul_e]

As a few others have mentioned too often he's had no end product.  Saturday was a glimpse of the player he could be if he concentrated on doing what's best for the team.  He's done that in 3-4 games in the entire time he's been with us and he's got assists every time, but then he falls back into head down running into trouble.

It's summed up by the fact that Benteke's goal was his first league assist of the season, and he hadn't scored either.

On Saturday we saw an hour of a £10m player but it's only when we start seeing that player regularly that I'll think he's worth keeping.  At the moment he's at the point Ireland reached against Chelsea last year, if he goes missing for a month like Ireland did then we still need to replace him, if he steps up now then we've got once less player to look for in the summer.

[danno]

Thinking about it, if he does have a good run between now and May it could have the double benefit of helping keep us up and also disguise his previous poor form to the point we may be able to off load him.  I know it would seem daft to sell him when he's playing well, but given his history do we expect it to last?  If he has good last third of the season and someone then comes in with a decent offer, I'd bite their hands off!

Agree totally, knowing Charles if he does play well, he'll possibly engineer the move himself.

[N'ZMAV]

He has the ability. That's never been in question.

[villan from luton]

Maybe he is actually enjoying himself playing under a manager who actually wants his team to play football

[Rip Van We Go Again]

IF we sorted the defence and midfield, which is 3, maybe 4 signings at most, I think we would hurt a lot of sides regularly enough to be top 8, maybe higher.

Agree.
3 or 4 of the RIGHT quality would make all the difference.
We don't necessarily have to spend a fortune to do it either.

As you pointed out on another thread, about £15m would do it.

Peanuts compared to what we'd lose being relegated.

[Brend'Watkins]

Our defending at corners is really pitiful.  Albion's 2nd testament to that with none of our lot attacking the ball sent in.  It's painful to watch and we're watching it week in week out.  Sort it out Villa and by that I mean get a big tall defender who makes the box his own.  I'd have any of our former defenders of the last 5 years in that position instead of Clark.  A good prospect he might be but he's not a central defender in a million years.

[N'ZMAV]

Zat Knight?

[Risso]

Maybe he is actually enjoying himself playing under a manager who actually wants his team to play football

He's had a couple of good games, let's not get over excited.

[Brend'Watkins]

Zat Knight?

Yes, even Zat Knight.

[PaulTheVillan]

Maybe he is actually enjoying himself playing under a manager who actually wants his team to play football

I don't think we actually play that good football, personally.

[N'ZMAV]

Maybe he is actually enjoying himself playing under a manager who actually wants his team to play football

I don't think we actually play that good football, personally.

We are better under Lambert at keeping the ball than we was under McLeish (******)