2019/20 Marcel Brands

[brieverton]

Said it previously, but in 40-odd years of watching football, I have never, ever seen a player, at any level, look as mentally shaken as Keane did when he gave a Sky interview in the aftermath of the 2-5 beating by Arsenal at GP. He looked terrified, was sweating, and staring into space, and that was after the game.

I'm still surprised nothing more was made of it but I thought the lad needed a spell away from the squad for a bit, after that. His woeful lack of confidence and complete lack of any form comes as no surprise to me in the aftermath. Something has gone badly wrong, I'm sure not what it is, but it looks like its not being dealt with.

 

[fandjango]

Because he’s not creative, fast, dynamic, he’s unable to run with the ball, go past people with the ball, control the flow of the game, stamp his authority when things are going bad.

Basically all then things you want from an attacking midfielder.

So you dont rate a player injured for half the season and played out of position the rest of the season
Some times we are a bit too brutsl . I certainly think your asessment is a bit too hardh
Personally I am prepared to give him a chancd within a new set up. He looked a different player at WC where the team was set up to get the best from him
Too many opinions based on what we paid "too much for sure " and what he brings " jury still out for me"
I certainly dont think he needs to join the exiled 3 as you suggest

 

[nsno-chris]

What more would you want of him in that situation?

Creating chances from open play and controlling games, not much like for someone who is supposed to be this great no. 10

 

[nsno-chris]

So you dont rate a player injured for half the season and played out of position the rest of the season
Some times we are a bit too brutsl . I certainly think your asessment is a bit too hardh
Personally I am prepared to give him a chancd within a new set up. He looked a different player at WC where the team was set up to get the best from him
Too many opinions based on what we paid "too much for sure " and what he brings " jury still out for me"
I certainly dont think he needs to join the exiled 3 as you suggest

I didn’t rate him at Swansea or spurs, so my assessment is not based on his form for us. I watched him hide when the going was tough on numerous occasions, when the team needed a leader and someone to put the foot on the ball and start controlling things. Excuses at Spurs because he wasn’t played in his right position, excuses at us because we of the same or lack of team confidence or not having the right personnel

I’ve always been critical of him, so please don’t think tis because of his “fee”. This is to do with someone who is massively overhyped and coveted in excuses. He’s a modern day Charlie Adam, every now and then he’ll hit a worldie or get an assist from a dead ball and people will be jumping for joy....then he’ll disappear for the next 10 games

 

[nsno-chris]

"skinning all the players then rounding the keeper and lying on the floor and tapping it in with his head or hes sh*t yanno laaaaad"

No mert

 

[Connor]

CB and CM please Marcy

 

[Nymzee]

Creating chances from open play and controlling games, not much like for someone who is supposed to be this great no. 10

He was in the Swansea team to score and assist and whether open play or deal balls he did that *shrug*

 

[fandjango]

I didn’t rate him at Swansea or spurs, so my assessment is not based on his form for us. I watched him hide when the going was tough on numerous occasions, when the team needed a leader and someone to put the foot on the ball and start controlling things. Excuses at Spurs because he wasn’t played in his right position, excuses at us because we of the same or lack of team confidence or not having the right personnel

I’ve always been critical of him, so please don’t think tis because of his “fee”. This is to do with someone who is massively overhyped and coveted in excuses. He’s a modern day Charlie Adam, every now and then he’ll hit a worldie or get an assist from a dead ball and people will be jumping for joy....then he’ll disappear for the next 10 games

Fair enough

 

[Sir Alan]

Sigurdsson will be moved on in the next 18 months, he won’t fit in with what Silva is wanting to do.

Him and Bolasie gone and the ghost of Steve Walsh will be gone.

 

[SixtyGrand]

Seems to have a decent eye for a player HOWEVER... the bloke needs to realise when your whole season is resting on 1-2 key positional signings you just pay the asking price and stop dithering - he aint in a farmers league we are in the billionaires league and he needs to learn when to negotiate a bargain and when to pay the going rate to secure the top signings.

Liverpool needed a GK and CB desperately so they spent whatever the cost to bring those in.

He's effectively let us start the season on -3 as no way will we get anything at Wolves with the current CB pairing and Morgan and if he doesn't get his act together he'll cost Silva his job as no chance are we keeping the opposition from scoring 2+ a game with the current clowns at the back.

 

[dholliday]

He's failed already if he doesn't strengthen CB with at least one purchase who's proven first-team quality.

 

[AmericasToffee]

Seems to have a decent eye for a player HOWEVER... the bloke needs to realise when your whole season is resting on 1-2 key positional signings you just pay the asking price and stop dithering - he aint in a farmers league we are in the billionaires league and he needs to learn when to negotiate a bargain and when to pay the going rate to secure the top signings.

Liverpool needed a GK and CB desperately so they spent whatever the cost to bring those in.

He's effectively let us start the season on -3 as no way will we get anything at Wolves with the current CB pairing and Morgan and if he doesn't get his act together he'll cost Silva his job as no chance are we keeping the opposition from scoring 2+ a game with the current clowns at the back.

No.

 

[Lob]

I feel more optimistic that we will get some signings before thursday including at least one but hopefully two central defenders with Brands on the case than i would have ever done with Walsh anyway that for sure. I think he will come up with the goods.

 

[Tez]

He's failed already if

This forum never fails. lol

 

[catcherintherye]

Seems to have a decent eye for a player HOWEVER... the bloke needs to realise when your whole season is resting on 1-2 key positional signings you just pay the asking price and stop dithering - he aint in a farmers league we are in the billionaires league and he needs to learn when to negotiate a bargain and when to pay the going rate to secure the top signings.

Liverpool needed a GK and CB desperately so they spent whatever the cost to bring those in.

He's effectively let us start the season on -3 as no way will we get anything at Wolves with the current CB pairing and Morgan and if he doesn't get his act together he'll cost Silva his job as no chance are we keeping the opposition from scoring 2+ a game with the current clowns at the back.

Liverpool broke the transfer record to acquire both of the players they needed. One is top class, the other is very good (the same as Pickford). They have a manager who is bedded in, well liked in the game and has consistently proven he can improve players. Therefore players will cue up to join them. We are miles behind Liverpool not just in pulling power financially, but also in terms of clarity and structure.

Brands is not going to be able to bridge this gap in 3 months. It is not fair, or helpful to measure him against Liverpool.

We have had a lot of areas that needing dealing with this summer. The left side was a problem, particularly defensively which has been solved. Centre back has now emerged as an issue, which hasn't been dealt with. Others want a dominant central midfield player, some want more creativity in the middle of the pitch. Some even want another striker. Essentially most positions on the pitch people claim Brands needed to solve, in a reduced window with expectations of trying to reduce the wage bill first. It was never going to happen.

For me the key positions were left back, and centre back. If we can deal with them 2, then anything above that is a bonus. Hopefully some of the other solutions can be solved internally or in future windows.