Carlos Sanchez

[Clampy]

Benteke has had enough rest over the last 12 months with injury and suspension. What he needs more than anything is games to recapture the form of a couple of years ago.
He has to play against Blackpool. It's the FA Cup for crying out loud.

I agree about Benteke. Sanchez might deserve a rest before the Leicester game though.

[supertom]

Benteke has had enough rest over the last 12 months with injury and suspension. What he needs more than anything is games to recapture the form of a couple of years ago.
He has to play against Blackpool. It's the FA Cup for crying out loud.

I agree about Benteke. Sanchez might deserve a rest before the Leicester game though.

Yeah I'm more concerned about Sanchez.
Benteke looks fit as a fiddle at the moment. In an ideal world he can come off on 70 minutes at Palace with the game sewn up (for us).

[Gareth]

If I was Sanchez I'd already be looking at my exit strategy, it must be soul destroying for him everytime he gets the ball to look up and see 3/4/5 players in front of him barely moving just staring at him - I think I saw Hutton make one run for him to aim at a moving target & that was it.  Just can't see what they do in training beyond the triangle passes...

[olaftab]

If I were Carlos Sanchez I would be looking at my passing skills. It must be heart breaking for him to see his every other pass miss the team mate by a few yards to either an opposition player or out for a throw in.

[Matt Collins]

If I were Carlos Sanchez I would be looking at my passing skills. It must be heart breaking for him to see his every other pass miss the team mate by a few yards to either an opposition player or out for a throw in.

Sanchez completed 100 passes versus palace which was the second highest of any player in the league that day. He had about 98% accuracy v Sunderland

[supertom]

If I were Carlos Sanchez I would be looking at my passing skills. It must be heart breaking for him to see his every other pass miss the team mate by a few yards to either an opposition player or out for a throw in.

Sanchez completed 100 passes versus palace which was the second highest of any player in the league that day. He had about 98% accuracy v Sunderland

Yeah the few times he gave the ball away yesterday was when he tried to encourage a bit of movement and urgency only for whatever teammate he was aiming for to end up flat fucking footed. Sanchez is absopositively the least of our worries.

[Dave]

Signing Sanchez for £4m is exactly the thing to point to when arguing why we shouldn't be signing Tom Cleverley for £7m.

[Ads]

You're thinking of the pass out right to Weimann in the second half. He passed it in front of him for him to move onto, but Weimann just stood still like a lemon.

[supertom]

You're thinking of the pass out right to Weimann in the second half. He passed it in front of him for him to move onto, but Weimann just stood still like a lemon.

Yeah. I think Cissokho got caught leaden footed at one moment too.
Carlos at least tried a few forward passes too to try and make something happen. The movement ahead of him was dreadful. I would imagine he still had over 90% success last night though.

[Ads]

He is a cut above. An attacking midfielder of his quality would be worth three or four places, which must equate to £4 million in prize money and make it worth the outlay.

[supertom]

It's interesting to note his stats on Whoscored (a site which lists one of our playing styles as "play in their own half!"). He had a slow start when he was struggling to settle, I recall his pass completion wasn't massive. But obviously in the last couple of months he's really settled and his impact and starts are improving. His average rating is on the rise, as are his passing stats. I would imagine, if he keeps it going, by the end of the season he'll probably be the top player in our side.

I think his first 6 were a struggle. Then he had a very good game against West Ham in the 0-0. Since then he's been very steady.

http://www.whoscored.com/Players/26720/Fixtures/Carlos-Snchez

[oldham_villa]

He has been excellent for us in recent games. We need someone with pace alongside him who isn't afraid to make runs ahead of the strikers

[Chris Smith]

He has been excellent for us in recent games. We need someone with pace alongside him who isn't afraid to make runs ahead of the strikers

I think you have just described Fabian Delph. In theory those two with Westwood or Cleverley makes a strong midfield.

[Richard E]

I think if Delph had been there to give us some drive we'd have won yesterday.

[supertom]

I think if Delph had been there to give us some drive we'd have won yesterday.

He was sorely missed. It makes that silly tackle (albeit a harsh decision) all the more galling.