Keyblade Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I don't know why so many people had him as MOTM, he was his frustrating worse in the second half, and despite good link-up play with Delfouneso in the first half he was still falling into his peculiar habits. Namely trying to beat 2/3 players at a time and/or insisting on nutmegging the player instead of going around him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponky Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I actually think he is just suffering from a pretty non-existent pre-season. Wigan gave him extra time off after being involved with the French team, then he trainied with Wigan's youth while the team went on their pre-season tour and was kicking back in Dubai when we signed him. He was clearly unfit, carrying a few extra pounds and lacking touch in his first few weeks and only in the past few weeks has he seemed willing to put the miles in during a match. The min problem with Charles is that he is not a very good team player. At one stage yesterday he played a little pass on for Albrighton to run on to and did his nut at Marc when he was not in the right place, yet minutes later he was doing step overs in front of three Liverpool defenders while Albrighton was wide in acres of space screaming for it, and by the time Zog gave up on beating 3 men and passed it it was way too late and Albrighton had been closed down. That said, I think he is definitely showing some encouraging signs. He will get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 No vision, little skill, did we really pay £10m for him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I actually think he is just suffering from a pretty non-existent pre-season. Wigan gave him extra time off after being involved with the French team, then he trainied with Wigan's youth while the team went on their pre-season tour and was kicking back in Dubai when we signed him. He was clearly unfit, carrying a few extra pounds and lacking touch in his first few weeks and only in the past few weeks has he seemed willing to put the miles in during a match. The min problem with Charles is that he is not a very good team player. At one stage yesterday he played a little pass on for Albrighton to run on to and did his nut at Marc when he was not in the right place, yet minutes later he was doing step overs in front of three Liverpool defenders while Albrighton was wide in acres of space screaming for it, and by the time Zog gave up on beating 3 men and passed it it was way too late and Albrighton had been closed down. That said, I think he is definitely showing some encouraging signs. He will get there. It was Bannan he got pissed at, but I hear ya man. He is an extremely frustrating player. Why he always insists to nutmeg 3 players at a time is beyond me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThornburyVilla Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 As i said in the McLeish tactics thread i sat next to Roberto Martinez yesterday, and he was quite clear about what was wrong with N'Zogbia, he is just being played in the wrong position! He got the best out of him at Wigan and he said he should be playing much further up field on the right, not deep on the left. He said he doesn't carry the ball from deep - that isn't his game. He should be playing the role Downing played last year, cutting in from the right and running on to the ball - so its no wonder he is getting frustrated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis_B Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Come on, are you trying to say our manager doen't know how best to set him up in the side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted December 19, 2011 Moderator Share Posted December 19, 2011 I actually think he is just suffering from a pretty non-existent pre-season. Wigan gave him extra time off after being involved with the French team, then he trainied with Wigan's youth while the team went on their pre-season tour and was kicking back in Dubai when we signed him. He was clearly unfit, carrying a few extra pounds and lacking touch in his first few weeks and only in the past few weeks has he seemed willing to put the miles in during a match. All fair points. It should though perhaps also be considered that during the international break (around end of Sept start of Oct) when the players not called up were given a break what did he do? Did he think, A) I've missed pre-season, I'm not 100% fit and certainly not at the top of my game, I'm at a new club and I need to prove myself so I'll come in a do some extra training? Or did he piss off to New York at the earliest opportunity? It was B, it was his choice and he was free to make it and I'm not going to be critical of him for taking time off that was offered. However it does impact on the amount of slack I'm willing to cut him for a lack of fitness contributing to his lack of form. I would guess from McLeish's recent comments about N'Zogbia needing to focus more on football rather than the finner things money can buy was at least in part connected to that decision. The min problem with Charles is that he is not a very good team player. At one stage yesterday he played a little pass on for Albrighton to run on to and did his nut at Marc when he was not in the right place, yet minutes later he was doing step overs in front of three Liverpool defenders while Albrighton was wide in acres of space screaming for it, and by the time Zog gave up on beating 3 men and passed it it was way too late and Albrighton had been closed down. That said, I think he is definitely showing some encouraging signs. He will get there. For me the main problems with N'Zogbia are the questionable attitude he has which has been a feature of his game since he has been in the PL combined with the fact that McLeish despite paying £10m for him seems to have never seen him play before buying him. He is being played on the wrong side of the pitch and far too deep but I guess that is McLeish for you, perhaps he wants to convert him into a full back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponky Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Fair enough points Trent. I agree that his form and attitude and the coaching he has been given at the club are all culpable for his poor performances. But I cannot agree with those who are simply writing him off as an expensive mistake after less than half a season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted December 19, 2011 Moderator Share Posted December 19, 2011 I don't disagree Ponky it is always a little premature to write a player off after such a short period of time. Many made the mistake with Young, Milner and Downing all were labelled as being "average" or "a waste of money" at one time or another in their early days with us. Because of that I think a few people are perhaps holding back on judging N'Zogbia at this moment in time having learned from experience others are diving right in and judging him now. I guess only time will show which of the two will be right. I think the difference for me though between N'Zogbia and the other 3 I mentioned is that Downing came to us on the back of a long term injury and the other two were young and relatively lacking in experience. Neither of these things are really true of N'Zogbia and he has always had a reputation for having a questionnable attitude/work rate and has never been consistent. Personally I don't think I'd have signed him but he has talent and is capable of being a decent player even if he will never be as good as the three I previously mentioned. How good he can be for us depends upon both him and how McLeish uses him, one thing is for certain we really need the signing to work out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 i think he needs help. albrighton did nothing yesterday and when they double on n zogbia we have nothing to create we need another winger desperately Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanthemanisgod Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Yes he's often isolated, and I think he's frustrated by the type of ball he's receiving. But that also doesn't mask poor decision making on his account when he does have the ball, one time in particular stands out from yesterday where he received the ball on the edge of the box took a couple more touches than he should have to control the ball, still tried to beat to men, then evetnaully passed to Marc who was screaming for it out wide. By the time he did pass to Marc the opportunity to put in a decent ball had long gone. But yes he's being marked out of the game in the majority of cases because there is no cutting edge anywhere else in our team, especially when Gabby is not there. What we need is 2 effective wingers, then either a deep lying forward who can use the ball through the middle, or an attacking central midfielder who can cause a threat, ensuring a defence has to split it's focus 3 ways rather than going into a game knowing if they keep N'zog quiet they cancel out any attacking threat from us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCU Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Probably a long shot but I'd love to try N'Zogbia up top with Agbonlahor if Bent decided to move on this January. I know we bought Charles primarily for the wingers position but half a season in and the majority of us have come to the conclusion that he's shit, or atleast we expect better. Yesterday I noticed him drifting down the centre ALOT and there he got a couple of shots away (pretty much our only chances). He scored most of his goals for Wigan playing as a striker (or just behind Rodallega) including the one they scored against us last year, so we know he's capable of finishing. Then we go shopping for a left winger in the market, somebody not as over-priced ofcourse... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHV Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 In the second half on Saturday he just seemed to be wondering about??? To be honest I just think McLeish lost the plot on Saturday. The players seemed confused about what they were supposed to be doing. Nzogbia looked totally lost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Witheorwithoutyou Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 He's appalling and not going to get any better. A blind man could see this was the case. What a waste of a modest transfer kitty. Those who derided my opinion at the start of the season must surely see now what a terrible decision it was to bank on this loser to replace downing and Young. Mark my words, Bent will be gone in the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBM Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 wasnt he said to be one of the best left wingers in the prem when we signed him? somebody was playing tricks on us... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irreverentad Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 I am looking forward to seeing how he does tonight. Got a feeling he will play well. With Albrighton, Gabby and N'Zogbia we will have a lot of pace and no static forward players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyOne Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 He has improved alot lately. Hope it continues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaRoy Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Gotta say, N'Zogbia tonight was awesome. Worked hard, dribbled and took on players well. Him and Albrighton were extremely dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Best performance in a Villa shirt tonight by some way. He actually looked like a 10 million pound player. Lets hope he can keep it up and it wasn't a flash in the pan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smetrov Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Sorry I cant agree - Fancy footwork - but the end product was to often missing for me. Granted this his better than him showing nothing at all - but tonight he reminded me of Tony Daley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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