Gentingthereslowly

Agreed, think he'll sit this one out... horses for courses

hes fit, he will start , he will get an assist for one of bents two goals (hopefully )

Noticed he didnt feature at all for the Irish 19s. Any particular reason for this?? Was he carrying a knock? Do they have an abundance of talent coming through? Drennan seemed to have done quite well.

5 points from 7 games.... i really hope it doesnt get much worse to be honest. I know I have publicly criticised him but I have by no means written him off and I feel many are in the same boat. I merely pointed out that just because the rest of our team have been underperforming (or performing to their ability and may be just crap) and he has been slightly better doesn't mean he has been good in contrast with others teams players. I fully agree he needs time and am willing to give him that but I think the purchase of a defensive midfielder is essential for the formation we use to work and for him to develop as a player into his role in the team.

Dribbles perhaps not, aim was to show he isnt driving us forward by carrying the ball. What stats would you use? I personally think passing and tacklng are very important in the role he has been tasked with.

Shouldnt of opened the stats can of worms.... in fairness his are ok 2.3 but still significantly behind Schneiderlin (4.3) Macarthur, Arteta, Leigerwood and only marginally ahead of Nzonzi, Faurlin and Granero and a key point to note here being KEA is our second highest for interception whilst the people he placed above, named above are further down the list in their respective clubs lists on the interception front. Before people say it im not blinded by stats and know there are other aspects to peoples games but do see them as useful for comparison in this situation. BTW Schneiderlin looks like a right player on paper and has been decent anytime ive seen him.

Your right. Comparing to those is very unfair so for the purposes of demonstration I have included a couple of players playing at what id consider our level at the moment in similar positions (included Arteta for good measure). note these are per game average stats Tackles Passes Dribbles Schneiderlin (Southampton) 4.8 53.8 .2 Faurlin (QPR) 3.8 69.5 0 Granaro (QPR) 2.8 51.4 .8 Bradley Johnson (Norwich) 2.9 46.3 .9 Mikel leigertwood (Reading) 2.8 42.4 .1 James Mccarthy (Wigan) 3.1 52 .2 James McArther (Wigan) 3.7 56.8 .5 Nzonzi (stoke) 3.3 39 .3 Claudio Jacob (West Brom) 3.7 45.9 .1 Arteta (Arsenal) 4.6 94 1.7 Karim El Ahamidi (Aston Villa) 2.3 47.4 .4 The majority of the above are not from top tier teams. I feel for useful comparison we should compare him only against opposition players and not our own because the point im making is not that he isnt better than what we have, but that so far he hasn't been up to scratch. I see peoples point about allowing for time but based on the above, anyone that thinks hes been great so far needs to consider what similar opposition players are doing as these are who he is competing with on a weekly basis. KEA has the worst tackling statistics versus all of the above. Missing the mark significantly. This highlights his defensive frailties i eluded to earlier. Has only marginally outscored 4 of the above on the passing stakes. Not what I expect to see from our great link man (delph actually outscores him on this and pass accuracy). He does outscore a number of dribbles but this isnt exactly what he is there for. The list above isn't exhaustive obviously but for me it highlights he hasnt been "great for us" is underperforming in line with his competitors and more is needed from him week in week out like everybody else. Apologies for formatting, harder than expected

The fact that we are getting run through midfield time and time again despite the fact that we have 3 players playing centrally in Delph, him and holman. He isnt a defensive midfielder. A defensive midfielder is Nigel De Jong, Essien, Makele. Cattermole is a better ball winner for gods sake. Hes a deep lying midfielder if anything at the moment except without the passing range of a Arteta, carrick, huddlestone or James McCarthy. Theres a massive difference between these two midfield positions. He plays short 5 yard passes backwards, sideways and occasionally forwards. He never pings a ball to feet of Holman, Gabby or others to facilitate a quick break. Delph has clearly been told to sit deeper when hes started with him and the gap KEA is leaving between himself and Holman when we have the ball is far too large. If we break slowly with these 5 yard passes it gives opposition time to scurry back and get shape to defend, if this is the way hes going to play he needs to get higher up the pitch to support holman in attack as we become overrun in attack by their players who have retreated. Seen it time and time again and the move breaks down.

Well looks like hes going to be nailed on for the season, he and delph simply cant start a game together again. They win absolutely no ball in the air, win none on the ground and offer no protection to the defense...which is strange as they both sit so deep... Neither of them gets forward and support (Holman today) and the gap is too big in midfield which leaves us get walked through. If KEA is going to be the one to play we have to buy a ball winner in January because we cant go on like this. We have seen it against southampton and now spurs both in the second half were teams get to grip with the formation and find loads of gaps. I dont know whether to lay the blame with lambert or KEA for the second goal but KEA had sat deep on delph for the whole game and then the second delph went off, KEA left the space THEY had been occupying empty for Dempsey to pick up the ball and feed Lennon. Its too easy. I'm not saying KEA was the worst today but I am saying that him and his midfield partner is integral to our problems at the moment. In the match thread I mentioned someone like Diame (obv not available in jan) but I feel this is the only player type that will give us a stable midfield with KEA in it. Our players arent technically good enough to play without a ball winner like the Man Uniteds of this world.

Cant really say its on lambert because Benteke missed two sitters, I'm sure on another day he would of buried them and lambert would be a tactical mastermind...what defo is on lambert is the lack of organisation straight after the double subsititution which gifted them a goal.

Diame would of been a decent signing for us looking at this

A ball winner is needed in midfield...end off....

KEA sits on delph for the entire game and the second he goes off he leaves the position empty and they pick up the ball in that position and score....WTF....no shape at all there

KEA and Delph are too similar... take one off and put on Bannan...Delph preferably as hes booked

Was that holman with that cut out

holman needs to get on the ball more

so much time in box...terrible

what a ball Albrighton, what a chance..

great play bennett on lennon there

While ball retention is very important, some penetration wouldnt go astray....I saw a lot of stats about Joe Allen at the start of the season with 100% pass rate, 99% pass rate but they created nothing...lost and drew games.... Point being someone needs to take responsibility and try the riskier passes

Weve had a fair bit of possession, I'd expect more to be honest

grt play gabby

Dont think Albrighton has offered anything so far

think delph is coming in for some unfair criticism despite the silly booking

Dont think Benteke has shown anything to warrant his place ahead of bent who is 2 for 2