Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
- Status
I think the bang he took to the head in his first game for us, v Hammers, has sapped his confidence in going for high balls.
Blue Cheese
Mental Patient, GOT Ward
Was thinking the same thing. I didn't watch him a ton but I feel like he kind of backs off the 50/50's he might get clobbered in.
But he got knocked the F out that match. Still can't believe he wasn't taken off. He was completely unconscious.
4737carlin
Player Valuation: £90m
They also have 6 less points?
Osamabindiesel
Player Valuation: £70m
This. If people are going to roast Bolasie, you have to be willing to see the other side of the argument. It goes both ways because while Bolasie's deliveries are often poor, our players butcher the majority of good attempts he does create.
Very true, which begs the question - if Lukaku is rubbish with his head, why bother with all of these crosses? Surely Koeman must take responsibility for it.
Osamabindiesel
Player Valuation: £70m
Our possession play and play through the middle has surely taken a dive since he got here. We need to find a balance if we are to have any success in this league because our wingers and our striker are inconsistent as hell.
That's the point I tried to make in the Koeman thread. If we want to be a team that crosses into the box massively, fine. But we have a striker who really isn't THAT good at it. We have a striker who is EXCELLENT if the ball is played in front of him to run onto. Yet we don't play that way.
When you hear people say 'Koeman needs the players who will play HIS way', it begs the question: just what IS his way? It seems we are saying Koeman can't find a system that works with the players we have, even tho we had quite a potent attack for a few years with these players. His job is to make the most out of the players he has.
deipnosophist
Player Valuation: £80m
I've long thought this; he discernibly shies away from competitive aerial duels. That bang on his bonce at Upton has spooked him (imo)
Blue Cheese
Mental Patient, GOT Ward
What's that got to do with how many goals they score? I'm talking about the influence he may have had in the attack? I wasn't actually making any kind of point anyway just fishing
4737carlin
Player Valuation: £90m
To be fair mate he came at the same time as a new manager so cant really compare the play from last season.
I remember reading an article where he supposedly got a nasty head injury when he was about 15 years old which played a part in him shying away from aerial duals for a while. It was an interview with someone, like a coach from his younger days. Will see if I can find it later.
@deipnosophist
dholliday
deconstructed rep
ffs, he's out for the whole season...is this old news? just came across it:
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...-sign-players-in-january-admits-ronald-koeman
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...-sign-players-in-january-admits-ronald-koeman
it was Luke Garbutt @Khalekan @deipnosophist who mentioned this in the Echo in October -
Discussing Lukaku, Mearns said: "Garbs I wanted you to recall a story you told me once, about one and a half years ago, about big Romelu Lukaku.
"You'd think he wins headers all the time. But I remember you said you put a ball in during training and he didn't head it and I remember you asked him why and he said 'I had an accident when I was a kid and I don't like heading the ball'. Was that true?
Garbutt replied: "At the time he wasn't particularly confident and I don't know if he was ducking out of the way of headers.
"Because he's scored a header this season against Sunderland and has had a couple of good opportunities where he's stuck his head in there; I don't know whether Koeman has said to him he needs to do more in the air or whatever.
"He used to say to me that heading wasn't really his strong point.
Discussing Lukaku, Mearns said: "Garbs I wanted you to recall a story you told me once, about one and a half years ago, about big Romelu Lukaku.
"You'd think he wins headers all the time. But I remember you said you put a ball in during training and he didn't head it and I remember you asked him why and he said 'I had an accident when I was a kid and I don't like heading the ball'. Was that true?
Garbutt replied: "At the time he wasn't particularly confident and I don't know if he was ducking out of the way of headers.
"Because he's scored a header this season against Sunderland and has had a couple of good opportunities where he's stuck his head in there; I don't know whether Koeman has said to him he needs to do more in the air or whatever.
"He used to say to me that heading wasn't really his strong point.
- Status