Craig Noone - Should we have sold him?

[Zebedee]

It looks as if our chums in Cardiff value Nooney rather more than we did (see article below) and consider him to have great potential. Let's hope that we don't end up regretting this particular piece of business, especially since we have yet (so it would seem) to invest the money we received on another attacking player.

Personally, I wish we had kept Noone or at least got a better fee for him. I know he was inconsistent but when he was on song he gave the opposition a lot to think about, which is more that most of our current squad do.

Malky Mackay says there is plenty more to come from Cardiff winger Craig Noone | Football365 | Championship News

 

[Mellotron]

I have to admit he looked absolutely SUPERB from the highlights of Saturday's game. Hit the woodwork twice and scored.

 

[clippedgull]

It looks as if our chums in Cardiff value Nooney rather more than we did (see article below) and consider him to have great potential. Let's hope that we don't end up regretting this particular piece of business, especially since we have yet (so it would seem) to invest the money we received on another attacking player.

Personally, I wish we had kept Noone or at least got a better fee for him. I know he was inconsistent but when he was on song he gave the opposition a lot to think about, which is more that most of our current squad do.

Malky Mackay says there is plenty more to come from Cardiff winger Craig Noone | Football365 | Championship News

Sometimes players just perform better when they move on. The fee we received was decent if not spectacular and hopefully there is a sell on clause. Lua Lua's struggle to get back to some sort of form has probably highlighted the sale of Noone and maybe Gus sold him too early but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

[Zebedee]

I have to admit he looked absolutely SUPERB from the highlights of Saturday's game. Hit the woodwork twice and scored.

I saw that too and couldn't believe what i was seeing. His movement bordered on breathtaking at times.

 

[Napper]

In hindsight No

Was happy enough when sold though as thought would be ok with Lua Lua , Buck / orlandi (which of course we still may be)

 

[Nathan]

At the time it seemed good business as he wasn't really doing it for us. But he does look a different class for Cardiff.

Maybe he has a more free role to play, and the 'system' we play didn't get the best out of him.

 

[Titus]

Hindsight is always 20/20.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I am CONVINCED Gus let Noone go because he wants to ATTACK and that does NOT fit in with the DEFENSIVE SIDEWAYS style of play we have.

 

[mune ni kamome]

He was like a bird released from the cage. Nuff said

 

[crabtree seagull]

Not to a team who we considered at the time to be a promotion rival. No

 

[Perkino]

He was our 3rd choice winger behind Buckley and Lualua, we now have Lopez and Orlandi added to the squad. I was gutted to see him go but I think Gus knew it was a great offer for someone who wasn't a regular starter

 

[kevtherev]

I am CONVINCED Gus let Noone go because he wants to ATTACK and that does NOT fit in with the DEFENSIVE SIDEWAYS style of play we have.

Nail, head...We would not have seen that form from Noone...Just as worrying as Lualua seems incapable of going passed a man anymore and plays infield a bit. Totally pointless, he will be another one who moves on and pulls up trees when his confidence is back. Confidence is such a massive part of a players form, it should never be under estimated. Certain players need to be told they are starting the next four games, regardless and see if they can play themselves into a bit of form. Lualua was unplayable when he was on his game and I don't believe it's a simplistic as just moving up one division. Ask Liverpool fans, he is the one player they remember from Anfield and not just because of the goal.

 

[Easy 10]

Whilst I liked Noone, its worth bearing in mind that he'd been patchy at best for us for quite some time, so I wasn't overly disappointed to see him go. When he was on song he was absolutely terrific, but those performances seemed to be getting fewer and further between. His shooting was atrocious, his crossing erratic, and he'd try to beat the same guy 3 times before getting thinking about getting his head up.

Since then, Lua Lua's form has gone down the toilet, and Noone has been reinvigorated by a fresh challenge. I'd not heard all that much about him at Cardiff other than his debut and last Saturdays game though, so it might not quite be the case that he's transformed himself into Ronaldinho week-in, week-out. I suspect he's having a good game here and there, maybe more frequently than he did with us though.

If they hit the form we know they're capable of, we SHOULD have more than enough with Buckley, KLL and Orlandi (I'm not at all convinced by Lopez yet mind).

 

[Easy 10]

Certain players need to be told they are starting the next four games, regardless and see if they can play themselves into a bit of form. Lualua was unplayable when he was on his game and I don't believe it's a simplistic as just moving up one division. Ask Liverpool fans, he is the one player they remember from Anfield and not just because of the goal.

I agree with you here. Lua Lua, when on form, is unplayable. He'd beat the fullback 9 times out of 10 and get a ball across, but unfortunately would rarely get much credit for it as we hardly ever have the numbers in the box to get on the end of it and finish.

The one start he was handed this season he utterly STANK the place out, probably as he felt under so much pressure to justify such a rare start and do something special (in fact he fluffed that chance in the first few seconds v Ipswich, and that kind of set the tone for the night). And whaddya know, sure enough he's dropped for the next game again. In my opinion he DESPERATELY needs a run of starts in the side instead of these 10-15 minute cameos when we're invariably chasing the game.

 

[Zebedee]

I agree with you here. Lua Lua, when on form, is unplayable. He'd beat the fullback 9 times out of 10 and get a ball across, but unfortunately would rarely get much credit for it as we hardly ever have the numbers in the box to get on the end of it and finish.

The one start he was handed this season he utterly STANK the place out, probably as he felt under so much pressure to justify such a rare start and do something special (in fact he fluffed that chance in the first few seconds v Ipswich, and that kind of set the tone for the night). And whaddya know, sure enough he's dropped for the next game again. In my opinion he DESPERATELY needs a run of starts in the side instead of these 10-15 minute cameos when we're invariably chasing the game.

I agree. What annoys me the most is that other players, such as Barnes, can have several bad games in a row and still get picked in the following game. Some players do seem to be undroppable but I'm sure that Gus knows best.

 

[Easy 10]

I agree. What annoys me the most is that other players, such as Barnes, can have several bad games in a row and still get picked in the following game. Some players do seem to be undroppable but I'm sure that Gus knows best.

In fairness to Barnes though, he does get through a fair amount of work tracking back and helping to defend - thats not much of an aspect of KLL's game, which is probably why Gus is so reluctant to use him as anything other than a sub against tired legs.

Saying that, when the onus is on us at home I think we should be looking to put teams on the back foot far more and sieze the initiative. There's a case for starting Barnes up top with CMS, KLL on the left and Buckley on the right. Or Buckley through the middle with CMS, and Orlandi on the right. With any combination of Hammond, Bridcutt and Crofts in front of the back 4 we should have enough about us to remain solid whilst sacrificing Barnes's left-midfield role.

I'd have thought anyway.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Was happy with the fee we got for him originally but after seeing him play for Cardiff and LuaLua play against Ipswich, not so much.

 

[Rugrat]

we now have Lopez and Orlandi added to the squad.

neither of whom have showed much of anything imo

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Hindsight is always 20/20.

Too true. Fast forward two years and posters will be wailing that we should never have sold Barnes as he was the best striker we had.

 

[Icy Gull]

At the time I thought we should but hindsight is a wonderful thing