Anwar El Ghazi - gone to PSV

[Ads]

He looks like Ronaldo when he's on it, absolutely unstoppable, powerful and direct winger. Can go with either foot, works hard and can beat a man.

Then he looks like a pub player.

[Ian.]

Him and Traore between them have really stepped up at times and are a joy to watch.

[Risso]

He looks like Ronaldo when he's on it, absolutely unstoppable, powerful and direct winger. Can go with either foot, works hard and can beat a man.

Then he looks like a pub player.

Agreed mate. He looked every inch the top half Premier League attacking player yesterday. Against West Ham, he looked Beazer Homes league, he literally didn't do a single thing right. Be interesting to see who gets dropped out of him and Bert when Grealish is fit. On yesterday's form you couldn't see it being El Ghazi. I suppose the good thing is Smith probably feels there's no pressure to rush Jack back if he's not quite ready now.

[ChicagoLion]

If you are talking about Traore and AEG fighting for a place, where does that leave Barkley?

[Brazilian Villain]

I suppose the good thing is Smith probably feels there's no pressure to rush Jack back if he's not quite ready now.

No point rushing Jack back for the Sheffield Utd. game. If he is fit have him raring to go for Wolves and use the next game to have a further look at our options in midfield.

[Mister E]

If you are talking about Traore and AEG fighting for a place, where does that leave Barkley?

On the bench?

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

If you are talking about Traore and AEG fighting for a place, where does that leave Barkley?

On the bench?

If he's lucky!

[Mellin]

Our best form since the start of the season was with Ghazi left, Grealish central and Traore right. I'd like to see us go back to that when Jack's back.

[Richard]

Our best form since the start of the season was with Ghazi left, Grealish central and Traore right. I'd like to see us go back to that when Jack's back.

Interesting as you could equally argue Trez Barkley Jack if you're talking about the whole season so far....nice to have options anyway

[pauliewalnuts]

He looks like Ronaldo when he's on it, absolutely unstoppable, powerful and direct winger. Can go with either foot, works hard and can beat a man.

Then he looks like a pub player.

Agreed mate. He looked every inch the top half Premier League attacking player yesterday. Against West Ham, he looked Beazer Homes league, he literally didn't do a single thing right. Be interesting to see who gets dropped out of him and Bert when Grealish is fit. On yesterday's form you couldn't see it being El Ghazi. I suppose the good thing is Smith probably feels there's no pressure to rush Jack back if he's not quite ready now.

That's the thing though, Traore and AEG are sometimes great and often really not at it at all, which is the difference between good players and great ones.

He looked well up for it last night, was great to see.

I always remember people would get annoyed by Carew being inconsistent, and Woodhall always used to point out that if he was consistently at his (very good) best, he wouldn't be here in the first place. Don't think that has direct relevance to AEG, but just sprang to mind.

[exigo]

Looked like he was using the red card from his last game at that shithole as motivation last night. We should tell him he was wrongfully sent off at Bramall Lane as well.

[Olof's Beard]

He looks like Ronaldo when he's on it, absolutely unstoppable, powerful and direct winger. Can go with either foot, works hard and can beat a man.

Then he looks like a pub player.

Agreed mate. He looked every inch the top half Premier League attacking player yesterday. Against West Ham, he looked Beazer Homes league, he literally didn't do a single thing right. Be interesting to see who gets dropped out of him and Bert when Grealish is fit. On yesterday's form you couldn't see it being El Ghazi. I suppose the good thing is Smith probably feels there's no pressure to rush Jack back if he's not quite ready now.

That's the thing though, Traore and AEG are sometimes great and often really not at it at all, which is the difference between good players and great ones.

He looked well up for it last night, was great to see.

I always remember people would get annoyed by Carew being inconsistent, and Woodhall always used to point out that if he was consistently at his (very good) best, he wouldn't be here in the first place. Don't think that has direct relevance to AEG, but just sprang to mind.

El Ghazi has started 8 matches, scored 6 and in one of the games he didn't score, he could have had a hat trick (Burnley at home).

I think the accusation of inconsistency is a hangover from last season. He has been anything but inconsistent this season. Before he got his chance from the start, he had looked good in his cameos from the bench. Then when he did start, he kept scoring. Everyone seems to remember his one bad half against West Ham when he had come in from the cold post-Covid and the whole team was awful.

His current scoring rate would earn him 25 goals plus across a season. Of course it is unlikely that he would keep up that ratio but he has definitely earned the right to give it a go. Our attacking output is greater when he is in the team on current evidence.

Him, Jack and Traore behind Watkins should be the default option when we expect to be on the front foot. We can mix it up for trickier games as we did yesterday. I like the idea of this tactical flexibility lark.

[darren woolley]

He played well scoring his sixth goal of the season.

[Flamingo Lane]

It won't win any goal of the season award, but his goal yesterday was quite superb, showing anticipation, control, clinical finishing and, above all, remarkable balance at a time early in the game when every other player on the pitch seemed to be struggling just to stand up.

I always thought that El Ghazi was extremely unlucky to lose his place in the team after his run of scoring in December, and unfair that he received a degree of singling out for what was a terrible team performance against West Ham.   So I'm pleased that he 'came good' again when selected to start yesterday. 

[Mellin]

Our best form since the start of the season was with Ghazi left, Grealish central and Traore right. I'd like to see us go back to that when Jack's back.

Interesting as you could equally argue Trez Barkley Jack if you're talking about the whole season so far....nice to have options anyway

Against Liverpool and Leicester definitely. Half of that start was without Barkley though. But like you say, nice options. Squad's really stepping up.