Maher

[Ron Manager]

Quote[/b] (TonyTheKray @ Jan. 16 2005,12:22)]We need a central midfielder on loan, a ball winner, someone in the Peter Butler, John Cornwall, Keith Jones and Jay Smith mould!  Now all of them can be counted as proper 100% players, people prepared to roll their sleeves up and spill blood for the likes of Southend United Football Club.

Sorry, but I disagree with you. We will struggle to get anyone in on loan who is better than what we have.

Whilst I thank you for quoting my post and agreeing with one aspect of it I should point out that I also stated in the same post that Maher is one of the best players in his position in the division. We were under par yesterday, but please let's not start talking about ripping out the heart of the team and replace it with loan signings - in my opinion that would be pure madness.

 

[Its grim up north!]

I would certainly like to see Barrett sporting the captains arm band.

In my opinion he is more of a leader than sideways Kev!

(Sorry ORM)

 

[KrustyTheKray]

Quote[/b] (Its grim up north! @ Jan. 16 2005,12:33)]I would certainly like to see Barrett sporting the captains arm band.

In my opinion he is more of a leader than sideways Kev!

(Sorry ORM)

BARRETT for captain!


UP THE BLUES!

 

[sufcintheprem]

"evolution not revolution"

 

[KrustyTheKray]

Yes we need a midfielder that can create things and give the two central guys a kick up the a**e.

Surely there must be another Keith Jones out there!


UP THE BLUES!

 

[Its grim up north!]

Dont know about a kick arse but Im sure ORM would give Kev something up the arse!

 

[Ron Manager]

Quote[/b] (TonyTheKray @ Jan. 16 2005,12:42)]Surely there must be another Keith Jones out there!

Well if there is then he will probably be playing for one of the better teams in League One (or possibly higher) and cost a fair whack of money - much like the old Keith Jones.

In other words - if he's out there, we ain't gonna get him!

 

[Richard Hearn]

Quote[/b] (Ron Manager @ Jan. 16 2005,13:16)]

Quote[/b] (TonyTheKray @ Jan. 16 2005,12:42)]Surely there must be another Keith Jones out there!

Well if there is then he will probably be playing for one of the better teams in League One (or possibly higher) and cost a fair whack of money - much like the old Keith Jones.

In other words - if he's out there, we ain't gonna get him!

We've got him! But he's crocked for the duration!

 

[Its grim up north!]

Quote[/b] (seenyeva kryevyetka @ Jan. 16 2005,13:19)]

Quote[/b] (Ron Manager @ Jan. 16 2005,13:16)]

Quote[/b] (TonyTheKray @ Jan. 16 2005,12:42)]Surely there must be another Keith Jones out there!

Well if there is then he will probably be playing for one of the better teams in League One (or possibly higher) and cost a fair whack of money - much like the old Keith Jones.

In other words - if he's out there, we ain't gonna get him!

We've got him! But he's crocked for the duration!

Yeah, I think having Jay in our sqaud right now would be a massive boost for our push for promotion. Shame.

 

[The Fitter]

Quote[/b] (TonyTheKray @ Jan. 16 2005,11:22)]So what if we rest Maher! (thats if we have someone to fill his place), he's not the be all and end all of the team.

IMO he is.

 

[TrueBlue]

Stats speek for themselfs yes they do I suppose but stats can also have Hidden facts
Lets say Maher had a pass rate of 85% which Is good but are thoes passes possitive or negative? Is he just passing the ball around at the back or is he playing it out to the wing?

In my view I think that mahers on the ball play has only 2 directions, back and sideways their seems to be no forward drive no all out charge in him now maybe thats just him but if thats the case we NEED a creative fast paced player next to him so that Maher can do what he does best and distribute the ball.

 

[TrueBlue]

Quote[/b] ]IMO he is.

Nobody is bigger then Southend United

 

[Proud Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (TrueBlue @ Jan. 16 2005,13:39)]Stats speek for themselfs yes they do I suppose but stats can also have Hidden facts
Lets say Maher had a pass rate of 85% which Is good but are thoes passes possitive or negative? Is he just passing the ball around at the back or is he playing it out to the wing?

In my view I think that mahers on the ball play has only 2 directions, back and sideways their seems to be no forward drive no all out charge in him now maybe thats just him but if thats the case we NEED a creative fast paced player next to him so that Maher can do what he does best and distribute the ball.

Could someone please explain to me what in God's name is wrong with switching the play to the flanks which is one of the things Maher is extremely good at. It stretches the opposition and allows for crosses to be delivered into the box for the forward players - it is a stonewall fact that over 40% of goals eminate from wide areas.

I still can't believe some people question Maher's importance to this football club, quite simply if there was no Maher we wouldn't have a cat-in-hell's chance of promotion.

 

[sufcintheprem]

Straight off the top of my head, I can think of Claude Makelele and Josep Guardiola as players who rarely push forward and drive the team on, even if that is true of Maher, but are still (or were still) world class players.

The classic midfield is one where one player sweeps up the midfield and pressurises the opposition while the other tends to drive forwards. You can't blame Maher for Bentley not turning up yesterday.

He's good but he can't do two players' jobs in midfield on his own.

Seriously, next time you're watching Chelsea, watch how Makelele plays. Now consider how much worse Real Madrid, supposed super team of Europe, have been since he left.

 

[Javea Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (TrueBlue @ Jan. 16 2005,13:39)]In my view I think that mahers on the ball play has only 2 directions, back and sideways their seems to be no forward drive

So you'd rather he play the ball forward, even if there was a better ball to be played sideways or backwards, and lose the ball to the opposition but it's OK because he played it forward. Is that what you're saying?

WS

 

[The Fitter]

Quote[/b] (TrueBlue @ Jan. 16 2005,12:40)]

Quote[/b] ]IMO he is.

Nobody is bigger then Southend United

I agree. However Maher is a player the team needs to go places.

I for one have defended Maher (not as vocally as ORM) through thick and thin but personally hoped he would go when he looked to be off last time. This was not because I wanted him to leave, just that I was sick and tired of the same old twaddle being spouted each and every time we lost. I thought it was time for a new player to suffer constant abuse, because people that's what I feel he has suffered. If I had to put up with that every week at work I would have found a new job.

 

[sufcintheprem]

Quote[/b] (The Fitter @ Jan. 16 2005,14:58)]If I had to put up with that every week at work I would have found a new job.

I love that thought. One of our test runs (when I was working last year) gets delayed and people in my team start shouting, "Jones, you're sh*t!" or "get him out!"

 

[Guest]

Quote[/b] (sufcintheprem @ Jan. 16 2005,15:04)]

Quote[/b] (The Fitter @ Jan. 16 2005,14:58)]If I had to put up with that every week at work I would have found a new job.

I love that thought.  One of our test runs (when I was working last year) gets delayed and people in my team start shouting, "Jones, you're sh*t!" or "get him out!"

Yeah that's hilarious!

 

[Beefy]

The only problem I had with Maher's performance yesterday (other than the woeful set-pieces....) was that sometimes, especially late in the games he spent too much time on the ball. This is actually one of Kev's strengths in that he is one of the few players at this level who is confident enough in posession to put him foot on the ball and control the tempo of the game. Many times that is a real asset that he brings to the team, but when we were looking for a goal and in desperate need of getting the ball forward its a real disadvantage if the player that your entire team plays through is happy to sit and wait before knocking it square to the full back. A couple of times yesterday we had the chance to break and didn't take it because Kev wanted to play cautiously.

You couldn't knock his effort yesterday, but I though that Hunt, Prior and Barrett were all more deserving of the MOTM award.

 

[Kris]

Quote[/b] (Proud Shrimper @ Jan. 16 2005,14:04)]Could someone please explain to me what in God's name is wrong with switching the play to the flanks which is one of the things Maher is extremely good at. It stretches the opposition and allows for crosses to be delivered into the box for the forward players - it is a stonewall fact that over 40% of goals eminate from wide areas.

I still can't believe some people question Maher's importance to this football club, quite simply if there was no Maher we wouldn't have a cat-in-hell's chance of promotion.

Phew! At last, someone speaks some common sense. Maher is absolutely pivotal to the way we play - he is the heartbeat of the team and his ability to soak up opposition attacks in front of the back four and start new attacks is a Godsend.

People who criticise his 'sideways passing' need to grasp some knowledge of football tactics. It's not his fault if the move subsequently breaks down due to a team-mate's lack of ball retention (sadly an all too common theme recently).

Quite simply, when Maher doesn't play, we look absolutely clueless - see the Grimsby game for a reference.