Charles N'Zogbia

[dont_do_it_doug.]

I feel like N'Zogbia is doing all the things you are asking him to do Ben.

I tend to watch every game twice of late. Once in the flesh and once thanks to Chewie. I am noticing more and more on second viewing his perhaps understated contribution, he has almost become the attacking 3rd version of Westwood (though he himself has evolved of late).

He keeps things ticking over, he carries the ball well, tracks back, keeps his head up and in the game and this allows others to do a bit more of the inventive stuff.

I think he has evolved as a footballer in a way that was unexpected and I think that makes it harder to appreciate.

[Stevo985]

I honestly think the complete opposite of that

Funny how people see things differently.

Too many times our attacks are wasted through Nzogbia. That about sums up how I see it. I don't think he keeps things ticking over at all. That's what delph and Grealish do. Keep possession, pass it back and forth, find a pass. Benteke will hold it up and lay it off for somebody.

But NZogbia just runs. And most of the time its down a blind alley and the best we can hope for is a throw in or a corner.

There's a place for that, but its wasteful.

He'd be the first person out of the first XI for me given a choice. Even ahead of Richardson.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Stevo985

[DCJonah]

That's what delph and Grealish do. Keep possession, pass it back and forth, find a pass.

While not comparing the two, as delph does things nzogbia could only dream of, he actually had a better pass completion rate than delph against Everton.

[Stevo985]

Because he doesn't pass. Which is my point.

Running it into the corner and getting tackled doesn't count as a misplaced pass.

Looking at the stats he made less than half the amount of passes Delph did.

And only Lukaku was dispossessed more often than NZogbia.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Stevo985

[KHV]

I don't want to turn this into another Gil thread, but calling Gil a passenger and concluding he doesn't do anything defensively seems incredibly harsh and unfounded to me.

 He has great ability but not the attitude that you need in a dog fight. personally i can find no fault with what CNZ has done since Sherwood arrived and I am more than happy to see him on the team sheet. Gil could be useful next season but not now IMO,

[Stevo985]

I think that's an opinion based on not very much to support the manager.

Which is fair enough.

But I'm not sure how you can draw those sorts of conclusions regarding Gil's attitude based on what we've seen of him. It's a wild guess at best.

Especially considering Gil was part of a successful "relegation dogfight" last season.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Stevo985

[ismail-villa]

I think at times he is wasteful, but he also provides us with the ability to move up the pitch quickly when the pressure is piling up on our defence and when it goes out of play it buys a few more valuable seconds to relieve the pressure. He's just lacking end product imo.

[VillanousOne]

Because he doesn't pass. Which is my point.

Running it into the corner and getting tackled doesn't count as a misplaced pass.

Looking at the stats he made less than half the amount of passes Delph did.

And only Lukaku was dispossessed more often than NZogbia.

This is what he used to be like, under Sherwood he has been instrumental in driving the team forward on the break and making important incisive passes. He is doing exactly what we signed him for, he doesn't score enough and to be honest it is very late in his career with us to be showing the type of form we have been hoping he could for years.

 

Gabby has been great under Sherwood but I don't think i would drop Zog at the moment as the team looks so well balanced.

[Stevo985]

He's been better under Sherwood, no doubt. Its the best he's ever played for us, although that's not saying much.

I just think of our attackers he's the weakest.

And he certainly is not instrumental.

[VillanousOne]

He's been better under Sherwood, no doubt. Its the best he's ever played for us, although that's not saying much.

I just think of our attackers he's the weakest.

And he certainly is not instrumental.

instrumental... well yes that's again a highly subjective term - maybe the wrong term, but its my opinion.

 

next you'll be questioning his fashion sense, which clearly has improved under Sherwood

Edited May 4, 2015 by VillanousOne

[Tippers]

I think it's a matter of weighing up the opposition with Charlie. There have been many occasions in the past where something a little different is required and we have sometimes lacked that spark. He has it in his locker no doubt but the problem he faces now is two-fold. Firstly I would question his ability to do the business on a regular basis and secondly, he now has real competition for his place. Gabby, Sinclair, Sir Grealish of Aston, Gill and Cole can all arguably offer as much if not more. Sherwood clearly rates him though and as long as he keeps performing like he is I have no qualms about him being in and around the first XI

[bannedfromHandV]

I don't want to turn this into another Gil thread, but calling Gil a passenger and concluding he doesn't do anything defensively seems incredibly harsh and unfounded to me.

I base my opinion on the performances I've seen him put in, you can call it harsh but not unfounded.

[bobzy]

 

I don't want to turn this into another Gil thread, but calling Gil a passenger and concluding he doesn't do anything defensively seems incredibly harsh and unfounded to me.

I base my opinion on the performances I've seen him put in, you can call it harsh but not unfounded.

 

 

I'd still rather have Gil on 20k/wk wages than N'Zogbia on 60k/wk.  The guy doesn't deliver enough for what he costs us.  Sure, he's doing well under Sherwood, and fair play to him.  I'd still get rid, though.  You can tell Gil to track back if you needed that graft from him and it was a major issue.

[kurtsimonw]

He does little things that often don't really go noticed, in big games too.

 

Creating the first goal against Albion in the Cup when he had no right to do so. Winning the ball, in the air no less - twice - to create the winning goal against Liverpool at Wembley. 

 

He took the piss out of Sunderland, including beating 3 of them in the middle of the park with one touch for our third goal I believe. Came on and really helped turn the game around against Man City. Comes on against QPR, instantly wins the free kick which puts us back in the game. Along with Benteke splits the defenders to create the winning goal against Everton.

 

Yeah he might not be getting assists and goals all over the place on the stat sheet, but he's damn well contributing to them. I'd argue Sherwood hasn't started him enough if anything.

[AvfcTheObsession]

I think CNZ is a player that Sherwood is trying to squeeze every once of effort and ability out of in the run-in, as he's a player who knows the league well and has been in relegation battles before with us and Wigan.

 

I don't think he's a player Sherwood will necessarily want in his starting eleven next season.

[Tomaszk]

Charles goes for it. He goes for everything.

 

I can't tell if it's confidence or inability to see a pass, I strongly suspect the latter.

 

Probably about a sixth of what he tries comes off, and the rest of the time is him losing it, or putting others under pressure.

 

He's rightly in ahead of Weimann, not rightly in ahead of Gil.

[AVTuco]

The first few good games we played under Sherwood, I thought Charles was instrumental (!). He was part of many of our best attacks in those games and looked to me very very good.

He has slowed down a bit since then, but I would definitely not underestimate his effect in our rise in fortunes. He hasn't scored, but has been building up counter attacks well.

However, if Gabby was healthy, I'd drop Charles at the moment. Sinclair and Charles are a close call.

I have no idea why you guys are bringing Gil into this. He's next year's project.

Edited May 5, 2015 by AVTuco

[Keyblade]

I think Charles is getting judged on a lot of stuff he cut out of his game. He doesn't get dispossessed nearly as much as he used to. He makes the right decision now more often than not, and his dribbling is actually dangerous now especially during counterattacks. 

[lexicon]

I don't think what he does on the pitch justifies his comparatively high salary. I'd sell him for sure.

[Dante_Lockhart]

That's assuming there is a buyer.