Steven Naismith

[Stan Lee Park]

He's now scored more than the entire Liverpool team have managed so far.
He'll do for me.

 

[ilikecheese]

I am not one of those fans who would be completely bias. He is as I have said a great finisher who can find space where most others can not, has a excellent workrate but is not technically brillant with the ball

While I agree with this summation, he's got a bit of snide about him as well. Gets under defender's skin.

 

[Haston]

To be fair mate, I am sure many would of said playing against the Champions isn't a Naismith type game if you asked them on Friday afternoon. Swansea is perfect for him.

You're right, and judging by the match thread many weren't happy when it was Naisy that replaced Besic. I didn't doubt him though. I'd be more than happy to see him start the next game, his confidence will right up. He'll never let anyone down. I was just thinking tactically, I don't doubt Martinez either, however he decides to play it.

 

[JAYTALITY]

He scores three and his rubbish football is forgotten about?

Not for me. There needs to be consistency on this. The vast majority on here and elsewhere have always seen Naismith as someone you turn to on the bench to shake it up. That cant be allowed to change because his starting will drive a coach and horses through the way Martinez wants to set up around retaining the ball. We all know what happened last season when he was a regular starter - the season was a near disaster.

Your first sentence is an oxymoron you daft man.

 

[davek]

Your first sentence is an oxymoron you daft man.

It's entirely up to you. Do you want a player who's given a starting position, strolling round the pitch worse than useless and giving the opposition the ball, or a player coming off the bench who can score goals?

 

[Chang Elephant]

I would drop lukaku next week, needs a kick in the backside

Jesus

 

[Stan Lee Park]

It's entirely up to you. Do you want a player who's given a starting position, strolling round the pitch worse than useless and giving the opposition the ball, or a player coming off the bench who can score goals?

He played virtually the whole game, so the "coming off the bench" argument is irrelevant.
He scored a superb hat trick.
Against Chelsea.
Glad he's part of our team.

 

[catcherintherye]

It's entirely up to you. Do you want a player who's given a starting position, strolling round the pitch worse than useless and giving the opposition the ball, or a player coming off the bench who can score goals?

I think he does more than just stroll about though. He is a very reliable player and relishes playing better players than himself. He's like Ferguson and Cahill before him, he raises his game against the top teams and relishes playing people better than himself. When he kicked Ivanovic in the balls was a fantastic moment, it let that snide know that he wouldn't get away with bullying our younger players. We need that snidey type of player in the team against top teams who do their defensive duties.

Also against top teams there is going to be a premium we have on possession and taking our chances. He finishes well and whats what we need.

He is also a player in form and a player who depends quite a bit on form. He is in good form currently so I can see him starting.

But essentially the lad is Tim Cahill. Unfortunately Cahill was overused a bit at the end and kept in all of the time. It probably held the team back a bit at the end as he like Naismith had limitations. I agree overall with your point that he shouldn't be used every week though for that reasons.

Freshness will also be a big advantage for Naismith as well, so he needs to be rotated.

 

[davek]

I think he does more than just stroll about though. He is a very reliable player and relishes playing better players than himself. He's like Ferguson and Cahill before him, he raises his game against the top teams and relishes playing people better than himself. When he kicked Ivanovic in the balls was a fantastic moment, it let that snide know that he wouldn't get away with bullying our younger players. We need that snidey type of player in the team against top teams who do their defensive duties.

Also against top teams there is going to be a premium we have on possession and taking our chances. He finishes well and whats what we need.

He is also a player in form and a player who depends quite a bit on form. He is in good form currently so I can see him starting.

But essentially the lad is Tim Cahill. Unfortunately Cahill was overused a bit at the end and kept in all of the time. It probably held the team back a bit at the end as he like Naismith had limitations. I agree overall with your point that he shouldn't be used every week though for that reasons.

Freshness will also be a big advantage for Naismith as well, so he needs to be rotated.

Bottom line for me is that we're a passing team, a possession based side. Naismith is anathema to that.

As said: good squad player to come off the bench for me. It's no coincidence that we played some of our worst football under Martinez when he was starting each week. Which is why Martinez has relegated him to the bench since the start of the season.

 

[JAYTALITY]

 

[vagant59]

There may be better players at the club with regards to 'overall' technical and footballing ability, but that doesn't mean Naismith isn't useful.

Firstly there are those key mental attributes he posses: tenacious; determined; a footballing mind. These clearly help his play in many ways.

He shouldn't win so many headers? But he does. He shouldn't find the space he often gets on the pitch. Yet again though, he does.

When he is through on goal I'm normally pretty confident that he'll score, often with a pretty lovely finish: placed or brushed into the net.

Should he be starting all the time? No, as sometimes we need to utilise pace and width, but in games like yesterday he can often shine. I totally agree. Every game is different and there will be games when naisy is better suited than Kev or Dell that is why we have a squad Dave. Square pegs round holes

A good squad player who I'm happy to have!

There may be better players at the club with regards to 'overall' technical and footballing ability, but that doesn't mean Naismith isn't useful.

Firstly there are those key mental attributes he posses: tenacious; determined; a footballing mind. These clearly help his play in many ways.

He shouldn't win so many headers? But he does. He shouldn't find the space he often gets on the pitch. Yet again though, he does.

When he is through on goal I'm normally pretty confident that he'll score, often with a pretty lovely finish: placed or brushed into the net.

Should he be starting all the time? No, as sometimes we need to utilise pace and width, but in games like yesterday he can often shine.

A good squad player who I'm happy to have!

 

[4737carlin]

It's entirely up to you. Do you want a player who's given a starting position, strolling round the pitch worse than useless and giving the opposition the ball, or a player coming off the bench who can score goals?

Agree with that, three times he gave Chelsea the ball to kickoff again from the center spot, what was he thinking?

 

[davek]

Agree with that, three times he gave Chelsea the ball to kickoff again from the center spot, what was he thinking?

Good one. Maybe that'll inspire him to get his average amount of passes to the opposition to below 40% when he next gets off the bench.

 

[vagant59]

The reverse is true: he's not started him all season and we've done well. If after one performance (when he came off the bench let's not forget) he starts him, it looks weak, unprincipled and opportunistic.

He needs dropping to the bench to avoid that charge. It's what any top manager would do.

He does not need dropping to the bench nor should he be guaranteed a start. Who we are playing and what system we are going to play will dictate who starts and who sits on the bench and that my friends is down to the manager

 

[davek]

He does not need dropping to the bench nor should he be guaranteed a start. Who we are playing and what system we are going to play will dictate who starts and who sits on the bench and that my friends is down to the manager

...yes, the manager who's benched him in every game this season.