Tom Cleverley - Now signed for Everton

[nick harper]

Meh. Looked good-very good in a few games, looked shit in most. If he doesn't want to stay, fuck him.

Succinct and spot on. Hardly any on here wanted him, he was for at least 80% of the games he played utter crap, and now there is sadness to see him go.

I hope that we get taken over, and Cleverley becomes a symbol of the poor standard of player that was symptomatic of finishing 17th in the table.

On the basis of the first 25 league games, there isn't a player who was doing himself justice solely because of Lambert's increasing conservatism. When Sherwood allowed him to get ahead of the ball, we began to see what he is capable of.

Sure, we may be able to do better but I suspect it will be difficult unless we buy potential and have the patience to see it come through. Either way its at least £5m out of Sherwood's kitty this summer to replace him.

[PeterWithesShin]

This deal must have been brewing for weeks / months ?? In which case why play him in the final when he'd been shite the previous 2 games.

Probably because we don't have many other options in CM. Cole and Sanchez were the 2 on the bench.

[Toronto Villa]

It's not the end of the world, but we were starting to see what he was capable of. He gave us tons of energy in the middle with Delph and he began to add goals which remains a criticism of all of our midfield players. He didn't play well initially under Lambert but which of our players really did? He got swept along with the tidal wave of negative football and only began to play at a higher level when Sherwood arrived.

However I have no doubt there are other players out there that we will find that can do a similar job for less money long term. I don't blame him for making a decision that suits his career and personal preferences.

[pauliewalnuts]

Before Sherwood arrived, he was fucking awful. Abysmal.

Then he had six or seven games where he was excellent.

Then three where he was awful again (although in his defence, they were all awful at this point).

Not hugely disappointed in him not signing. Slight annoyance that he's going to Everton, stinks a bit of having slipped further down the pecking order. Which is hardly surprising, but even so ...

[Chico Hamilton III]

If Cleverley and Benteke leave this summer ( I said "if" before anyone starts), then we'll need to splash out some big money just to be in the same position as this season which really worries me.

Oh, and fuck Cleverley, obviously.

I hope I'm wrong about Sherwood as well, but I'm not convinced that he's anything more than a Keegan-style manager, someone who can motivate a team but does little else, tactically. 

[levico]

Many may not agree but I think our 'stock' is pretty low right now after the very public Wembley debacle. What good player would want to join us at the moment?

[olaftab]

Meh. Looked good-very good in a few games, looked shit in most. If he doesn't want to stay, fuck him.

Well said Mr Shin.

[olaftab]

Depends if you think pissing down your leg is a good idea at any time!

It's a great idea ...when you are four! You do what comes naturally and you are warm for 5 seconds and than you are left with a problem!

[Clampy]

Maybe he wanted to go back up north. For a free transfer, it would have been a good move. That said, I'm not overly gutted that he's not stopping either if he dosen't want to.

[Ads]

We have better in Delph. What we need is to spend money improving upon the holding player and bringing in somebody with more experience than Jack to provide not only more quality, but greater variety which will lead to balance.

[Monty]

We have better in Delph. What we need is to spend money improving upon the holding player and bringing in somebody with more experience than Jack to provide not only more quality, but greater variety which will lead to balance.

Variety is the point. I like Westwood, but he is better suited to some games than others. I would argue the player we need to upgrade on is Sanchez.

[Clampy]

We have better in Delph. What we need is to spend money improving upon the holding player and bringing in somebody with more experience than Jack to provide not only more quality, but greater variety which will lead to balance.

Variety is the point. I like Westwood, but he is better suited to some games than others. I would argue the player we need to upgrade on is Sanchez.

I would personally perserve with Sanchez for another season. Some players just need time to settle.

[Ads]

Agreed Monty. A real dominant ball playing sitter would anchor the midfield in a way that the players who've tried over the past few seasons have failed. Somebody that brings something different to the table. You've still got Westwood in the squad for when two deep midfielders suits the ocassion or injuries etc.

If Swansea can get more out of three players in Ki, Shelvey and Sigurdson, than we can in Westwood, Delph, Cleverley and Jack, then that tells you the balance isn't there.

[olaftab]

We have better in Delph. What we need is to spend money improving upon the holding player and bringing in somebody with more experience than Jack to provide not only more quality, but greater variety which will lead to balance.

Variety is the point. I like Westwood, but he is better suited to some games than others. I would argue the player we need to upgrade on is Sanchez.

Or make Sanchez better?

[passitsideways]

Agreed Monty. A real dominant ball playing sitter would anchor the midfield in a way that the players who've tried over the past few seasons have failed. Somebody that brings something different to the table. You've still got Westwood in the squad for when two deep midfielders suits the ocassion or injuries etc.

If Swansea can get more out of three players in Ki, Shelvey and Sigurdson, than we can in Westwood, Delph, Cleverley and Jack, then that tells you the balance isn't there.

Each of those three has more ability than our lot though, which I think is more telling than a matter of balance. Ki is like Westwood with the right physical build for a defensive mid and with goals in him (8 of them this season); Shelvey has a better eye for a pass than anyone we have; and Sigurdsson has the instinct and technique to get goals from midfield (which we only see in flashes from Delph, and barely at all with Westwood or Grealish - yet). The only trait where our players might have an edge is energy and tenaciousness, but that might only be because the Swansea three don't need to run around like mad to make up for lack of dynamism.