The new players

[Cricko]

Ok let us discuss the new players that have joined the squad this year to hopefully help the mid table team from last year..How do you see there progress so far and give them a rating.

This is my opinion.

Neil Harris: failed to impress at all so far , maybe the hoof ball has not helped his game but failed so far...5

Jemal Johnson: I am not sure what to say about this man..total non event so far..3

Ryan Leonard : A youngster that without doubt shows promise and in time IMO will be ok...6

JP Kalala: I quite like the look of him but he is definitely a stopper rather than a player who helps the forwards...4

Liam Dickinson: looked ok so far , cant head a ball but seems to know where the back of the net is..6

Hmm I thought we had more new boys than that...Have I missed somebody? If not oh dear.

 

[CasualBlue]

Harris - Not had much of a chance as we just have not played to his strengths. However, if he stays fit I do believe he will get goals. 5.

Johnson - He must have someting but we are yet to see it. Needs to settle in and prove his worth to the side. Maybe a run of games will help but he has to earn it. 3.

Leonard - From what i've seen looks good. Good potential. One for the future maybe. 6.

Kalala - Absolute sh!t. Waste of space. 2

Dickinson - Pick of the bunch in my eyes. Looks like he knows where the net is. Strong and does a good job up there, unsettles players. But once again we need to keep him fit. 6.5.

 

[Angell Delight]

Harris - Not had much of a chance as we just have not played to his strengths. However, if he stays fit I do believe he will get goals. 5.

Johnson - He must have someting but we are yet to see it. Needs to settle in and prove his worth to the side. Maybe a run of games will help but he has to earn it. 3.

Leonard - From what i've seen looks good. Good potential. One for the future maybe. 6.

Kalala - Absolute sh!t. Waste of space. 2

Dickinson - Pick of the bunch in my eyes. Looks like he knows where the net is. Strong and does a good job up there, unsettles players. But once again we need to keep him fit. 6.5.

What a balanced and well thought out opinion. You don't think there's a link then as to why with him out injured we have shipped 6 goals in the last 3 league games?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Early days and all can change, but my impressions so far

Harris 4 - surprisingly heavy touch for a player with championship pedigree, missed quite a few chances for a goalscorer without scoring and the legs look like they've gone. Get's extra mark for good column in Echo. Three year deal:unsure:

Johnson 4 - has made me feel nostalgic for Soares.

Leonard 7 - looks like there's something there to work with. Really pleased with his signing. Young enthusastic, versatile player who Sturrock can mould. More signings like him please.

Kalala 5.5 - meh. Not a bad player, but we have better

Dickinson 7.5 - can't wait to see him fully fit

N'Diaye 1 - for comedy value in looking like a tank

Timlin 6.5 - only a brief cameo appearance so far, but he's already passed it more than anyone else

 

[Cricko]

Ta YB....N'dead..0

Timlin will do well I think 5

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Says it all that Leonard has been the most impressive, hardly played a league game befoe this season.

Luggy wouldve expected big things of Harris and JJ, they were key to his plans Im sure but both have been disappointing. Harris has looked off the pace but JJ has been very poor. Had both had the impact we hoped for and had seen on youtube no doubt we'd be in the top 3. JPK and Dicko have been ok, Liam certainly looks good but how many strikers with questionable fitness records can we carry, especially without a fitness coach. I imagine Luggy must regret the day Lawrence Bloom left, if persistent niggles are going to dog Dicko, Corr, Sawyer, Phillips and Harris then we will not be anywhere near the top 7.

 

[IloveShrimp]

Harris 6 - Makes many intelligent runs that others on the pitch (and on here) do not recognise. He also makes space for others. We are not playing to his stregnths, and he should not be being made to chase back at his age. Leave him up there give him the correct support and he will score.

Johnson 2 - very lightweight and dare I say seems to bottle out from 50 50's

Leonard 7 - Really pleased with his signing. Young enthusastic, versatile player with plenty of promise

Kalala 5 - Not a bad player, but we have others who play the same way. I think he was signed because the manager thought that Ferdinand or Grant was going and came unstuck

Dickinson 7.5 - another where we do not yet play to his stregnths. He is not a target man! Beliel is!

N'Diaye 1 - Poor says it all

Timlin 7.5 - quality player last time he was here and will be again this time I am sure

Overall apart from Johnson an improvement on those who left... but only if we play to their stregnths!

 

[palexander]

Harris - Not had much of a chance as we just have not played to his strengths. However, if he stays fit I do believe he will get goals. 5.

Johnson - He must have someting but we are yet to see it. Needs to settle in and prove his worth to the side. Maybe a run of games will help but he has to earn it. 3.

Leonard - From what i've seen looks good. Good potential. One for the future maybe. 6.

Kalala - Absolute sh!t. Waste of space. 2

Dickinson - Pick of the bunch in my eyes. Looks like he knows where the net is. Strong and does a good job up there, unsettles players. But once again we need to keep him fit. 6.5.

Your having a laugh mate!?

Harris: Poor touch and looks as slow as expected. Struggling and needs a goal. 4

Kalala: Pick of the new boys for me. Does a totally unappreciated job and I've not seen him put a foot wrong. 7

Dicko: Potential is there and he's done it at this level. If we get him fit, could be a massive asset. 6

JJ: Soooo disappointing. Was really excited when we signed him, now shows why nobody else bothered before us. 3

Leonard: I'll be honest here, not seen enough of him.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Harris - best I've seen him play so far was at Dartford when he looked keen, fit and possessed of a great football brain. Unfortunately, for whatever combination of reasons, that was the only match in which he's shone. Desperately needs to open the floodgates which I'm sure will happen, needs a fellow striker to play with/off....Mohsni is not it. 5
JJ - another that impressed in preseason but has struggled to impact in the league. We have, though, seen that he does have that turn of pace which can beat opposition defences. Has suffered through fellow players not having peripheral vision to see that he offers an option wide and opposite to Hall. 5
Leonard - one of only a few players in the side who doesn't look scared of the ball and is always willing to have a shot. Definitely offers a decent alternative to Hall from free kicks, love the way he and Clohessy are combining so well. Best of the bunch for me so far. 7
Kalalalala - seems too similar to what we already have in Grant and Ferdinand, who both on their day, I feel, are better. We seem to be over run with central midfield players though. Not bad and may yet be useful if the other two depart in January. 6
Dickinson - is he too similar to BBBC? Not sure, he's done ok. Wish we could have a look at the various combinations of our strikers. 6
N'Dire - very poor. 2
Timlin - still would have preferred to keep Craig, tidy little player, needs to grow into the team a bit. 6

 

[ooh-andy-ansah]

Interesting how everyone including me rates Leonard highly yet Sturrock said he signed him as cover, hmm

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Interesting how everyone including me rates Leonard highly yet Sturrock said he signed him as cover, hmm

I think Leonard is a great footballer, had a good brain, good skill, good movement. Once fully fit I expect him to be a regular in the starting 11. 7

Dickinson is a very good player, has some neat touches about him. Again, once fully fit, he will be a real handful. 6

Kalala I like too, has played well wherever he has been. 6

JJ I'm very disappointed with. 3

Harris I hope will come good. Hasn't been used to his strengths as yet. 5

Timlin will be good cover and is different to what we have. 5

 

[southendkid]

Harris - not getting the goals but I think he will come good in time 5.5
JJ - done absolutely nothing, hopefully if he gets confidence he will perform 3
Leonard - not sure I've seen much of him that I can remember, sounds like he's doing a job but can't really comment
Kalala - I like him, he may not be as creative as grant or Ferdinand but I think he does the defensive side of the job much better, unfortunately we need to be creating right now 6
Dickinson - has good days and bad days, but knows where the net is 6

 

[CasualBlue]

What a balanced and well thought out opinion. You don't think there's a link then as to why with him out injured we have shipped 6 goals in the last 3 league games?

I personally dont rate the bloke, and I fail to see what all the fuss was about with him to start with. Grant and Ferdinand are far superior players. Kalala is an average League Two player at best.

 

[Angell Delight]

I personally dont rate the bloke, and I fail to see what all the fuss was about with him to start with. Grant and Ferdinand are far superior players. Kalala is an average League Two player at best.

I'll say again that I believe our problems at the back are partly due to the fact that Kalala has been injured. Of midfielders capable of sitting in front of and protecting the back 4 it is Kalala who does the best job. You may not like him as he does the ugly things very well but doesn't provide anything going forward, but a player like that is an asset in any team. Claude Makelele is another example of such a player, and he was essential to Chelsea.....

For me Kalala has been the pick of the new boys so far, closely followed by Dicko. I also have no doubt Harris will score goals in this team once Sawyer returns as he'll finally have a player behind him capable of picking out his runs (come to think of it Harris will probably benefit from Timlin too).

 

[Benfleet Blue]

I'll say again that I believe our problems at the back are partly due to the fact that Kalala has been injured. Of midfielders capable of sitting in front of and protecting the back 4 it is Kalala who does the best job. You may not like him as he does the ugly things very well but doesn't provide anything going forward, but a player like that is an asset in any team. Claude Makelele is another example of such a player, and he was essential to Chelsea.....

For me Kalala has been the pick of the new boys so far, closely followed by Dicko. I also have no doubt Harris will score goals in this team once Sawyer returns as he'll finally have a player behind him capable of picking out his runs (come to think of it Harris will probably benefit from Timlin too).

Spot on balanced and fair, couldn't agree more.

 

[Cockle43]

I'll say again that I believe our problems at the back are partly due to the fact that Kalala has been injured. Of midfielders capable of sitting in front of and protecting the back 4 it is Kalala who does the best job. You may not like him as he does the ugly things very well but doesn't provide anything going forward, but a player like that is an asset in any team. Claude Makelele is another example of such a player, and he was essential to Chelsea.....

For me Kalala has been the pick of the new boys so far, closely followed by Dicko. I also have no doubt Harris will score goals in this team once Sawyer returns as he'll finally have a player behind him capable of picking out his runs (come to think of it Harris will probably benefit from Timlin too).

Which was exactly my point about Easton last year, was very effective without being noticed. Funnily enough we struggled last year when Easton was out injured for some time and we have done the same again without Kalala; we all love to watch the flair players but every team needs someone to do the donkey work.

 

[Welly7]

I personally dont rate the bloke, and I fail to see what all the fuss was about with him to start with. Grant and Ferdinand are far superior players. Kalala is an average League Two player at best.

While I think Ferdinand has more talent than Kalala, sometimes you don't realise the value of someone until they are unavailable. Kalala is a perfect example of this and his absence has contributed to the amount of goals we've conceded since his injury.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Remember people comparing JFC to Makelele initially.......:stunned:

 

[Shrimpers are Magic]

Harris 6 - Makes many intelligent runs that others on the pitch (and on here) do not recognise. He also makes space for others. We are not playing to his stregnths, and he should not be being made to chase back at his age. Leave him up there give him the correct support and he will score.

Johnson 2 - very lightweight and dare I say seems to bottle out from 50 50's

Leonard 7 - Really pleased with his signing. Young enthusastic, versatile player with plenty of promise

Kalala 5 - Not a bad player, but we have others who play the same way. I think he was signed because the manager thought that Ferdinand or Grant was going and came unstuck

Dickinson 7.5 - another where we do not yet play to his stregnths. He is not a target man! Beliel is!

N'Diaye 1 - Poor says it all

Timlin 7.5 - quality player last time he was here and will be again this time I am sure

Overall apart from Johnson an improvement on those who left... but only if we play to their stregnths!

Haven't read the other posts after this one but the above is spot on.

 

[united we stand]

Interesting how everyone including me rates Leonard highly yet Sturrock said he signed him as cover, hmm

isn't that becasue he was signed as cover for right back , but becasue of injuries , and JJ not living up to expectations he is getting a chance in midfield. Anyway it s massive positive for the squad