Seb Larsson

[SteveB]

Originally Posted by neechi

Tidied.

Cracking player and I for one hope we keep hold of him for a long time to come.



^^ Spot on.

I hope we keep him as a back up for a proper threat down the right

[Seaham Towny]

Why are people so quick to criticise a player on here?

Lets look at the facts...

Larsson scored 8 goals last year. He has dramatically improved our threat from set pieces and is the first proper right winger we've had since Edwards only this is a division above. He also grafts his tits off every single game.

What else does he have to do to be considered good enough not to be replaced.

But no it's only right that because Elmo is quicker and Steed did more flicks they must be better.

Bardsley can take the free kicks once we get rid anarl...

[SteveB]

Originally Posted by Seaham Towny

Why are people so quick to criticise a player on here?

Lets look at the facts...

Larsson scored 8 goals last year. He has dramatically improved our threat from set pieces and is the first proper right winger we've had since Edwards only this is a division above. He also grafts his tits off every single game.

What else does he have to do to be considered good enough not to be replaced.

But no it's only right that because Elmo is quicker and Steed did more flicks they must be better.

Bardsley can take the free kicks once we get rid anarl...

I like SEB but think he needs to be replaced by a faster, stronger player. Will be suprised if Martin does not replace him

If he can adapt his game and replace that knacker Cattermole in the middle then all the btter - but he is not strong enough for that IMHO

[neechi]

Originally Posted by PS

After the first half of the season, his biggest contribution seemed to be 'working back' - i.e. he was an 'advanced full back'. In such a position he worked hard, The question I would ask is - is that what we want?

What I want is for us to buy a right-sided McClean - a young lad with bags of pace and enthusiasm that's happy to sit on the bench and come on in the latter stages of a match to replace Larsson once he (and his marker) starts to tire.

Larsson may have weaknesses to his game (defensively he's prone to the occasional mistimed tackle in a dangerous place, and he doesn't have the pace of an out-and-out winger or wing-back) but his strengths - his set-pieces and crossing, are worth fielding him for alone. Dare I say, Beckhamesque? Beckham was largely bollocks in open play - shit at dribbling, nonexistant defensively, slow as a carthorse, but give him the ball when he's got space for a cross, or in a dead ball situation and he was awesome.

There's people criticising his assist rate, but given the fact our gameplan was usually a counter-attacking strategy (reliant on pace) while usually fielding strikers without huge amounts of pace alongside him (he himself lacking in pace), it's hardly surprising. I'd be interested to hear a statistic for how many of our goals he played a key pass in the build-up to, but because it wasn't the last pass it wasn't counted as an assist.

I'd be over the moon if Larsson stayed with us as first choice right wing until he retired, and in the meantime we had a young lad acting as his "understudy" on the bench, bringing the attributes Larsson lacks for when we need a change in strategy.

[wanny]

Originally Posted by Walkabout

Does it matter if he is tecnically a RW or RM? as a RW or RM you should still be seen to be taking on the full back look at mcleans first season in the prem compare to larrsons numours seasons, he manages to do it (yes i know thats from the otherside but its much of the same you still both using your natual foot)

to get a quality cross in the box you need to get in the posistion to do it. no matter how good you are sitting on the half way line is never going to allow you to put in a quality cross. i agree whit what alot of people say on here about him. hes a good sqaud player but not good enough to play down the right side. no pace or skill, at least one of these is needed to play there. he would be better suited as part of a cm trio. that then limits our attacking threat, if you play 5 in midlfield i see him as more of a sqaud player. Put him on the pitch to cover for injuries and buy a true rm/rw player.

There's a huge difference. What you're saying is akin so saying Niall Quinn should have been dribbling past a load of people and scoring goals each game.

Beckham didn't get past the full back to the byline to get crosses in, he worked a yard of space 15-40 yards out.

Wingers hug the touchline, and wide midfielders play 10 yards infield. With a good overlapping full back we'd get more out of Larsson.

If you disregard aesthetics, he's probably one of the most productive wide midfielder/winger we've had for a fair while.

As with every single player we have, if we can get better then do it.

However when we have far greater deficiencies in six or seven other positions, it seems Larsson is being discussed a disproportionate amount.

[LunaSlave]

Originally Posted by neechi

What I want is for us to buy a right-sided McClean - a young lad with bags of pace and enthusiasm that's happy to sit on the bench and come on in the latter stages of a match to replace Larsson once he (and his marker) starts to tire.

Larsson may have weaknesses to his game (defensively he's prone to the occasional mistimed tackle in a dangerous place, and he doesn't have the pace of an out-and-out winger or wing-back) but his strengths - his set-pieces and crossing, are worth fielding him for alone. Dare I say, Beckhamesque? Beckham was largely bollocks in open play - shit at dribbling, nonexistant defensively, slow as a carthorse, but give him the ball when he's got space for a cross, or in a dead ball situation and he was awesome.

There's people criticising his assist rate, but given the fact our gameplan was usually a counter-attacking strategy (reliant on pace) while usually fielding strikers without huge amounts of pace alongside him (he himself lacking in pace), it's hardly surprising. I'd be interested to hear a statistic for how many of our goals he played a key pass in the build-up to, but because it wasn't the last pass it wasn't counted as an assist.

I'd be over the moon if Larsson stayed with us as first choice right wing until he retired, and in the meantime we had a young lad acting as his "understudy" on the bench, bringing the attributes Larsson lacks for when we need a change in strategy.

That's pretty much how I have described him, I think he's a mostly better version of Beckham (although Beckham's a bit better defensively IMO)

[gretzky]

Originally Posted by naughtynose

This

The lad played through the pain barrier on more than one occassion last season and even played against City (h) when he was dead on his feet, had spent the previous 2 days or so bed-ridden, we all remember him collapsing on the pitch at the end before Ji's goal. He had a cracking game in CM that day btw

One of our main contributors last season and he's getting big stick on here. This place

Definitely this, the lad played through significant injuries. Great attitude, top lad and a very good player.

[---Nemo---]

So that's Mig, Bardsley, Turner, Bramble, Richardson, Kilgallon, Cattermole, Vorn, Elmo, Gardner, Campbell, Wickham, Ji and Seb to be shot of.

[wanny]

Originally Posted by ---Nemo---

So that's Mig, Bardsley, Turner, Bramble, Richardson, Kilgallon, Cattermole, Vorn, Elmo, Gardner, Campbell, Wickham, Ji and Seb to be shot of.

Yep, and if we do the same people wanting shot will be bemoaning the high turnover of players once more.

I'd much prefer we kept the majority of the players here (bar perhaps Elmo, who I really don't rate) and bring in two or three real quality signings that will walk into the first team.

Under Bruce and Keane, we bought quantity without seemingly having an idea how those players would be used in a system.

O'Neill has a very strong idea IMO of how he wants his teams to play, therefore I'd hope that in future pre seasons if not this one we're not bringing in 8, 9, 10 new players, as we have been recently.

[---Nemo---]

Originally Posted by wanny

Yep, and if we do the same people wanting shot will be bemoaning the high turnover of players once more.

I'd much prefer we kept the majority of the players here (bar perhaps Elmo, who I really don't rate) and bring in two or three real quality signings that will walk into the first team.

Under Bruce and Keane, we bought quantity without seemingly having an idea how those players would be used in a system.

O'Neill has a very strong idea IMO of how he wants his teams to play, therefore I'd hope that in future pre seasons if not this one we're not bringing in 8, 9, 10 new players, as we have been recently.

Agreed. The bairns on here do appear to enjoy a signing or ten mind.