Wes

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

Best player on the pitch. Should we still get rid?

[JF 694]

Best player in our squad and always has been. Poor management by Hughton to limit his games this season. Should always be one of the first players in the team, he turns us from a hopeless long ball team into a football team.

[killiecanary 0]

Absolutely agree Lincoln. Thought he and Hooper seemed really tuned in, and some of their link up play was lovely.

I think he played far too well to be Jeff out for. Palace - My question though, is will he show the consistency we all know he needs to find and play to that standard again?

Would love to see him given some time to gel with Hooper.

Also think today''s formation helped him to shine, as he had lots of support around him for a change.

[killiecanary 0]

*left out for Palace*

No idea who Jeff is or how he got involved!!

[morty 0]

If he plays like he did today, yes, he can stay.But whens the last time you saw him play like he did today?And try not to be a complete bellsniff and answer "Well he doesn''t get a chance, does he?"

[*** 0]

Hoolahanhahaha...........get rid asap.

[JF 694]

But whens the last time you saw him play like he did today?

May have the wrong game but the first half against Palace? Ran the show setting up Hoopers goal but tired in 2nd half due to lack of game time.

[JF 694]

To quote another poster on another thread "do one Wiz"

[Highland Canary 78]

Had a super game today. Thanks Wes.

[morty 0]

[quote user="JF"]But whens the last time you saw him play like he did today?

May have the wrong game but the first half against Palace? Ran the show setting up Hoopers goal but tired in 2nd half due to lack of game time.[/quote]So the example you offer isn''t really similar to how he played today.I have always found him inconsistent.

[Dubai Mark 0]

He was great today and it was good management putting him in I thought, but agree, unfortunately he doesnt do it consistently, and you know I actually dont think Palarse away managed by Pulis is a game he should start....wont complain if he does and has a stormer though.......    

[JF 694]

Well he hasn''t really played since then, so in answer to your question the last time he played like today was the last game he started!

[killiecanary 0]

[quote user="Wiz"]Hoolahanhahaha...........get rid asap.[/quote]

Constructive as ever Wiz?

He was great today. I can''t imagine any Norwich fan would dispute that????

So the point you are trying to make would be what exactly?

[BOO 0]

Great performance from Wes today, well done!

[Redders Right Foot 22]

he must be playing new years day. if he can keep up the performances he is going to keep his place.

I''d like to see him stay in the squad and have him play in the middle with rvw and hooper up top. time to drop Bradders.

[*** 0]

[quote user="killiecanary"][quote user="Wiz"]Hoolahanhahaha...........get rid asap.[/quote] Constructive as ever Wiz? He was great today. I can''t imagine any Norwich fan would dispute that???? So the point you are trying to make would be what exactly?[/quote]

 

He always overplays things Mark, and mostly he wil lose the ball in dangerous areas, take the blinkers off mate.

[killiecanary 0]

But he didn''t overplay things today...he was direct, threatening, full of confidence and Man U really didn''t know how to deal with him.

No blinkers on....I accept he is too inconsistent, but his quality really isn''t in doubt for me.

I also felt the formation today helped him, which may be a clue as to how to improve his consistency longer term.

I assume you didn''t see today''s game, as your points just don''t add up on today''s evidence

[JF 694]

I love this he is to inconsistent arguement. If he consistently played like today he wouldn''t be here, would he?

[morty 0]

[quote user="JF"]I love this he is to inconsistent arguement. If he consistently played like today he wouldn''t be here, would he?[/quote]Whilst I take your point, I could stomach if he had the odd off game, but when he has a bad one its not just poor, he''s totally anonymous, its one extreme to the other.

[killiecanary 0]

[quote user="JF"]I love this he is to inconsistent arguement. If he consistently played like today he wouldn''t be here, would he?[/quote]

Fair enough JF - if he played that he did today all the time he probably wouldn''t be here for that long.

But how would you frame the argument.? He is too inconsistent - much as I love the guy when he isn''t playing very well he is a lightweight passenger and we can''t afford one of those in this league.

When he plays like today he is every inch an international class footballer.

I guess I''m not saying it is fair to expect him to play like this every week, but that his standard performance has to be closer to this than to the sometimes totally anonymous figure he is on here periphery.

As I said, I feel that today''s formation gave him more support and cover and his link up play with Hoops was very encouraging...maybe we can start there!

[killiecanary 0]

Ah...Morty beat me to it!!

But I think he has the potential to make more impact than maybe you do. Morty?

[morty 0]

[quote user="killiecanary"]Ah...Morty beat me to it!!

But I think he has the potential to make more impact than maybe you do. Morty?[/quote]Hughton never picks me.[:(]

[Surfer 1,547]

Whilst I take your point, I could stomach if he had the odd off game, but when he has a bad one its not just poor, he''s totally anonymous, its one extreme to the other.

But isn''t that what we have what - 5 - sub''s on the bench? If he isn''t up to snuff, sub him off. He had a really good game today - would have been great if he had scored - and Snodgrass (and to a lessor extent IMO Redmond) were very ineffective. So I''d start Hoolahan in front of one of those two, and if Howson is fit, I''d play them in front of both of those two and they can come on as subs if needed.

[Surfer 1,547]

" Whilst I take your point, I could stomach if he had the odd off game, but when he has a bad one its not just poor, he''s totally anonymous, its one extreme to the other. "

But isn''t that why we have what - 5 - sub''s on the bench? If he isn''t up to snuff, sub him off. He had a really good game today - would have been great if he had scored - and Snodgrass (and to a lessor extent IMO Redmond) were very ineffective. So I''d start Hoolahan in front of one of those two, and if Howson is fit, I''d play them in front of both of those two and they can come on as subs if needed.

[Gingerpele 0]

[quote user="Javiers Deaf Translator"]he must be playing new years day. if he can keep up the performances he is going to keep his place.

I''d like to see him stay in the squad and have him play in the middle with rvw and hooper up top. time to drop Bradders.[/quote]

You what?

Drop Johnson for Wolfswinkle? Not that he should be dropped at all at the moment, been most consistent midfielder last five games, but let''s not get into that.

Hoolahan will not be playing behind two strikers. If he playes with two strikers he''ll be down as a winger who drifts inside a lot. It can work if he''s given a lot of fluidity and whoever is playing CM next to him is very ready to cover.

[morty 0]

[quote user="Surfer"]Whilst I take your point, I could stomach if he had the odd off game, but when he has a bad one its not just poor, he''s totally anonymous, its one extreme to the other.

But isn''t that what we have what - 5 - sub''s on the bench? If he isn''t up to snuff, sub him off. He had a really good game today - would have been great if he had scored - and Snodgrass (and to a lessor extent IMO Redmond) were very ineffective. So I''d start Hoolahan in front of one of those two, and if Howson is fit, I''d play them in front of both of those two and they can come on as subs if needed.[/quote]The point is though that Wes is a player you build the formation around.He isn''t a winger, depending on the game he can be too lightweight in midfield, especially in defensive duties. Everyone else has to work harder so he can have the freedom to do what he does, and that doesn''t always work out. He has such a narrow, specialist role that its difficult to fit him into most formations.He really doesn''t suit a lot of games, especially if we play two strikers.

[killiecanary 0]

I would drop BJ when. Howson is fit, have Leroy holding and Wes on today''s form just behind Hooper.

Bradley''s commitment isn''t in doubt, but he simply isn''t anywhere near as good a footballer as any of those three. Big Leroy can protect the back four with Howson and Wes just ahead of him.

I''d have BJ on the bench ready for when we need him to protect a lead (wishful thinking there!!)

[ron obvious 1,711]

I think Wes''s improvement has been missed by many of us. He now hounds the opposition remorselessly, is much stronger on the ball (the commentator today remarked how strong he was in resisting Carrick''s fouling) & doesn''t tend to go round & round in circles as previously.

Against CP he was total class first half; his flicked one touch passing wouldn''t have looked out of place in an Arsenal midfield.

He ran out of puff second half then, but lasted better today. He needs playing regularly to keep match fit.

I accept he''s not always the answer, but by God he can answer questions that nobody else in the team can.

[mre2 5]

I would play Wes every time and accept that he is going to be inconsistent. When he is on form the whole team just clicks. When he is not playing we just look pedestrian. He is always looking for the ball and when he gets it tries to make something happen. We have no one else in the team like him.

He has his limitations, but he cost less then 500K. To get someone with a similar style of play without the limitations will probably cost us £20m+, which is not going to happen.

[Monty13 2,736]

Personally think today was our best formation with most of our best players in the current squad, just missing Howson, Turner and arguably Pilks instead of Redmond.

We nearly always look better playing Wes in the hole imo, but as much as I like the guy we could really do with someone better in that position and Wes as the backup.

But what I don''t understand is having failed to replace him in the Summer we haven''t really gone back to this tried and tested system with him in the hole for more games this year.