Weirdness Abounds (or the Idrissa Gana Gueye Thread)

[Romey 1878]

He should be able to make a forward pass.

Schneiderlin is further back so Gana has more responsibility going forward.

And he does. Just because he gives it away sometimes doesn't mean he can't actually pass the ball forward - his job is to get it and give it, which he does just fine. Then it's up to the likes of Davies, Klaassen, Gylfi, Rooney, Barkley if he still here, to actually make something happen.

[pete0]

And he does. Just because he gives it away sometimes doesn't mean he can't actually pass the ball forward - his job is to get it and give it, which he does just fine. Then it's up to the likes of Davies, Klaassen, Gylfi, Rooney, Barkley if he still here, to actually make something happen.

Barely does anything over the half way line than run into players and then tackle them making the ball loose to anyone. Getting back into position he's not sure where to be and ends up on the wrong side of his man and gives away silly free kicks or even worse they score. He's a liability.

[Haiku]

Gana is ball-winning midfielder. He should tackle, win the ball high up the pitch and layoff simple passes.

[pete0]

Gana is ball-winning midfielder. He should tackle, win the ball high up the pitch and layoff simple passes.

I've highlighted the problem. Edited August 23, 2017 by pete0

[Palfy]

When your playing three in the middle and your deepest player is Schneiderlin then he has to have more to his game than just win it and give it, he has to be creative and assist the front men, but he hasn't got that ability in his game, imo he's had his opportunity to prove he can provide and he's failed, the only place he can realistically play is Schneiderlin's position, but to me that would prove to dangerous, because of the amount of free kicks he gives away in front of goal, how we never got punished against City from the free kicks he gave away in front of goal I don't know usually teams with their ability convert those chances.

The reality is he needs to do a lot more with the ball, not just run around for ninety minutes looking busy.

[Romey 1878]

Barely does anything over the half way line than run into players and then tackle them making the ball loose to anyone. Getting back into position he's not sure where to be and ends up on the wrong side of his man and gives away silly free kicks or even worse they score. He's a liability.

We'll have to agree to disagree because this awful player you describe just isn't Gana for me.

[Shukes]

Didn't he play a major part in our seasons opening goal?

Didn't he link up with Rooney and score in the first leg?

 

I wouldn't say that isn't proving yourself, more like he IS proving himself. Agreed, he needs to keep that up, but it isn't a bad start to the season to be fair.

[Hafnia]

In other news claude makelele was shit.

[Palfy]

City highlighted what he is average, when he's up against players of their quality, he ends up committing more fouls than tackles won, that's because there abilities are far greater than his, I'm gonna stick my neck on the line and say he will look average against all the six teams that finished above us.

And look better against the lesser teams.

[Hafnia]

Chuckling away here. I'm waiting for the shouts of bring gibson back.

[Palfy]

Pleased to be keeping you amused Haf, at least I've achieved something that not many have put a smile on your face. Lol

[Hafnia]

I'm a happy chappy. My posts don't appear as such but yeah I'm quite the opposite of what my posts appear. Honest.

[Bailey]

And he does. Just because he gives it away sometimes doesn't mean he can't actually pass the ball forward - his job is to get it and give it, which he does just fine. Then it's up to the likes of Davies, Klaassen, Gylfi, Rooney, Barkley if he still here, to actually make something happen.

 

This is exactly him in a nut shell and its what Koeman bought him for and wants him to do, and at the moment, he is doing it very well.

 

He isnt the cleverest attacking footballer and he does get caught wrong side (mainly because he was breaking forward and is trying to track back) but if thats why people dont rate him then they should be more pissed off with Koeman not Gana.

[Palfy]

The problem we've got is that when we play five at the back and three in midfield we can't have two of those midfielders doing a defensive job, and not expect to be constantly under pressure, now I don't for one moment think that Koeman had that in mind, I think he thought that Gana would have been linking up play and getting forward a lot more, but he never because that's not what he's about.

Davies tried but he was isolated and on his own with Gana thirty to forty yards behind him.

He will play the next few games mainly to fill in for Schneiderlin but I can see him sitting on the bench very soon, and making way for more forward thinking midfielders.

[Shukes]

I think he will be rotating with Morgan when Siggy is fit and intergrated.

Morgan to play when we need to sit more, and Gana to play when we need to move forward faster.

 

Morgan is the slow down play type for me. He's like a defensive Barkley.

[nyblue23]

I dont get the passing thing. He plays quick, smart passes consistently, and plays the occasional incredible through ball. Scheiderlin, McCarthy and Besic all slow down forward movement far more than Gana.

 

He's not the most creative player in our midfield, but he's not meant to be and does more than adequately at setting up our attacking midfielders quickly.

[StevO]

Barely does anything over the half way line than run into players and then tackle them making the ball loose to anyone. Getting back into position he's not sure where to be and ends up on the wrong side of his man and gives away silly free kicks or even worse they score. He's a liability.

Hahahahahaha

?????

Pete you do make me laugh you strange bastard!

[StevO]

City highlighted what he is average, when he's up against players of their quality, he ends up committing more fouls than tackles won, that's because there abilities are far greater than his, I'm gonna stick my neck on the line and say he will look average against all the six teams that finished above us.

And look better against the lesser teams.

When up against some of the best football players in the world he isn't as good as them. Doesn't make him a bad player, or average, just shows he isn't world class.

[StevO]

The problem we've got is that when we play five at the back and three in midfield we can't have two of those midfielders doing a defensive job, and not expect to be constantly under pressure, now I don't for one moment think that Koeman had that in mind, I think he thought that Gana would have been linking up play and getting forward a lot more, but he never because that's not what he's about.

Davies tried but he was isolated and on his own with Gana thirty to forty yards behind him.

He will play the next few games mainly to fill in for Schneiderlin but I can see him sitting on the bench very soon, and making way for more forward thinking midfielders.

I'm pretty sure when Koeman plays with the back three he would ideally like just one of Schneiderlin or Gana in there. The problem is that they are both on form and have a good partnership that he probably doesn't want to break up. With a back four though, these two are exceptional.

[Bill]

I dont get the passing thing. He plays quick, smart passes consistently, and plays the occasional incredible through ball. Scheiderlin, McCarthy and Besic all slow down forward movement far more than Gana.

 

Don't think you can put Besic in that category, he's always looking to go forward, a bit too gung ho at times but always looking to go forward.

[Palfy]

Don't think you can put Besic in that category, he's always looking to go forward, a bit too gung ho at times but always looking to go forward.

He proved that in the little time he had against City, on one occasion broke from our area to there area and was unlucky with his back heel, because if that had come off DCL was in with just the keeper to beat.

You could watch ten games and never see Gana making that sort of charge, which is what he needs to do when we're playing five at the back and three midfielders with Schneiderlin camped in front of the three central defenders, Koeman doesn't need Gana holding Schneiderlin's hand all game, that just let's any team we play keep the ball in our half, that happened so much last season it was embarrassing, but last season we had the saving grace of Lukaku to play out to not now.

But Bill getting back to your point you are 100% right to highlight that Besic does more than his fair share of getting forward and turning the tide unfortunately Gana doesn't and imo can't.

[Hafnia]

lets sell him... he's a defensive midfielder who excels at being a defensive midfielder - he's just another busquets, makelele, mascherano, kante.

[Palfy]

That's right he is a defensive midfielder so Koeman needs to make his mind up either Gana or Schneiderlin, but please not both, in reality he was 7.65M twelve months ago, and he does play in the same role as the players you mentioned but they do it better, hence there costs and who they play for.

[Hafnia]

That's right he is a defensive midfielder so Koeman needs to make his mind up either Gana or Schneiderlin, but please not both, in reality he was 7.65M twelve months ago, and he does play in the same role as the players you mentioned but they do it better, hence there costs and who they play for.

Do they? Statistically he is on a par with kante...explain how.

[nyblue23]

Don't think you can put Besic in that category, he's always looking to go forward, a bit too gung ho at times but always looking to go forward.

I agree and I like Besic a lot, but his passes don't have a lot of weight on them. Was noticing that against City. Still a big fan, though.

[Matt]

lets sell him... he's a defensive midfielder who excels at being a defensive midfielder - he's just another busquets, makelele, mascherano, kante.

Agreed, absolutely ridiculous judging and criticizing someone who's one of the best at what they do (just a joke, not fishing, please don't go down the Rom route)

 

Seriously though, the criticism of Gana is just bizarre. His attacking play has been average to good, but he's in the team to press and break up play further up, Schneiderlin is there to mop up and, if he has the opportunity, create from the back with his distribution (Schneiderlin that is). If people want to worry about 2 DCM playing, try thinking about the formation more as the following rather than the traditional 4231 or whatever Sky conjures up;

 

GK

RB CB CB LB

DCM

RW AMC Gana LW

FW

 

That's more of what he plays like going forward, and if the opposition are trying to build from the back. Only once they've crossed the halfway line do we go 4231 - I'd even argue it's more of a defensive 451. He's more an all-round CM than an out and out DCM, and he's bloody good at what he does.

Edited August 24, 2017 by Matt

[pete0]

lets sell him... he's a defensive midfielder who excels at being a defensive midfielder - he's just another busquets, makelele, mascherano, kante.

He's only similar to Mascherano but without the passing ability,none of the others are headless chickens. Lucas done all the real defensive work at Liverpool and Barca got mugged buying the wrong player.

[Palfy]

Do they? Statistically he is on a par with kante...explain how.

Well statistics don't always paint a true picture as you well know but publish them so we can compare.

This is a hypothetical but if every manager was given a free pick of Kante or Gana for their team, be honest who do you think would get the most picks, and the answer doesn't begin with G.

[Matt]

I watch Gana every week, not Kante. I know who I'd pick

[Palfy]

He's only similar to Mascherano but without the passing ability,none of the others are headless chickens. Lucas done all the real defensive work at Liverpool and Barca got mugged buying the wrong player.

Probably true, I didn't really pay much attention to Mascherano but always thought Lucas was great team player