Oscar

[WhingForPresident]

Do you not think Crofts deserves his place in the centre on current form...and if you add those three...would u not think u have four players too similar?

This is true, Croftsy has been very impressive recently, so pleased to see him doing well again.
And with Orlandi still to come back as well and Agustien and JFC waiting in the wings, Oscar has some massive selection dilemmas.
Also, Barnes, CMS and Ulloa to choose from up top soon, our squad is looking overloaded with class. It's a great predicament to be in.

 

[Stat Brother]

Do you not think Crofts deserves his place in the centre on current form...and if you add those three...would u not think u have four players too similar?

This is true, Croftsy has been very impressive recently, so pleased to see him doing well again.
And with Orlandi still to come back as well and Agustien and JFC waiting in the wings, Oscar has some massive selection dilemmas.
Also, Barnes, CMS and Ulloa to choose from up top soon, our squad is looking overloaded with class. It's a great predicament to be in.

 

[Acker79]

Ince deserves praise for taking the opportunity that circumstances has provided him. Pre-season he would have been lucky to get a look in, maybe making the match squad for minor cup games.

He could have come in and "done a job" (which, imo, is all JFC has done so far). He could have come in and done enough to keep the side ticking over until Andrews/Bridcutt is fit, and then when they were he would fade back into the DS.

He has surpassed "doing a job" and shown himself to have enough quality that he can put pressure on the club for a regular place in the squad. If he breaks into the squad even after our injured players are fit, it will be because he had an opportunity due to injuries and loan rules, and he took that opportunity and fully embraced it.

If March, JFC, Chicksen, Maksimenko fade back into the DS it will be because they didn't. It won't be because Oscar didn't give them a chance (like it's not Gus's fault they didn't take their chances last season, or the season before when JFC had 5 starts and 3 other squad appearances, the two starts plus 5 for hall and Cook, 3 squad apps for kasim and one for Barker - despite a 5 man bench, or the year before where he brought dunk through, gave JFC and ksm some early match day experience).

 

[saafend_seagull]

I don't think there is any reason why we can't play Bridcutt, Andrews AND Ince at the same time. Andrews averaged nearly a goal every two games for Ipswich a few seasons back, I reckon he could definitely suit a more attacking role. Quality players can always play together.

Indeed.play Andrews attacking mid v Ipswich, bound to score. Although when did we have a player last score v an ex club?!?

 

[el punal]

Bringing in the young players is something he has done, Gus didn't really apart from a few odd appearances for JFC.

Could this be one of the main reasons that prompted Gus's leaving. He very rarely picked any development squad players except in an emergency - think Southampton (H) in Jan.2012 when we had 10? first teamers unavailable, so in came JFC and Steve Cook.

The board/Tony Bloom must have been aware of FFP and therefore were unwilling to finance any more large transfers which probably, and I'm guessing here, Gus did'nt agree with and so exit stage left.

Oscar comes in, is told the score : use what we've got and get on with it, and . . . he has.

All supposition of course.

 

[Hornblower]

If Oscar continues to improve us as he has it won't be long before bigger teams will be eyeing him up. Premier and La Liga. We could go from a manager who touted himself at every opportunity but never got the jobs he wanted to one who just gets on with the job and finds himself in demand. Could we hold onto him in that situation? Managers like players have their price..

This is my biggest worry. Just as long as he gets us up - passing Palarse on the way - then I will wish him well if opportunity knocks.

 

[edna krabappel]

Indeed.play Andrews attacking mid v Ipswich, bound to score. Although when did we have a player last score v an ex club?!?

Barnes against Plymouth?

 

[edna krabappel]

The argument with Poyet vs Garcia & the younger players is also skewed because of their age: both are now another year older and physically more mature. The fact that Poyet didn't really pick either may be simply down to the fact that he didn't feel them physically ready. That, and the fact that Ince didn't join until the spring anyway.

I'm not convinced JFC has shown enough to justify his place in the side anyway, once a few others come back. We were better on Saturday, albeit against weaker opponents, with two wingers and no JFC than we were at QPR & Reading. Ince is another kettle of fish- his performances have exceeded all expectations and he's entirely justifying his place so far.

 

[portslade seagull]

Can see Bridcutt being allowed to leave in the January transfer window as we have plenty of cover in place. Also tend to agree with KTR on this as Poyet would not have let any of the youngsters near the 1st team and would have played some-one out of position to cover

 

[Stat Brother]

Can see Bridcutt being allowed to leave in the January transfer window as we have plenty of cover in place. Also tend to agree with KTR on this as Poyet would not have let any of the youngsters near the 1st team and would have played some-one out of position to cover

I just don't see either point for the same reason.

If we are competitive why sell (play a development player) an integral player for the sake of 4 months.

Ince is fabulous but with so much to learn, Andrews is rock solid, Bridcutt has been our best player for 2 seasons.
An injury to one and the ready made replacement is there plus the bench place is covered, for a critical position.

Come the Summer, Andrews loan ends and we are back to 2 holding midfielders.
That's the time for the who to keep, who stays, who do we need, permutations, not January with only 18 league games left.

 

[fat old seagull]

If Oscar continues to improve us as he has it won't be long before bigger teams will be eyeing him up. Premier and La Liga. We could go from a manager who touted himself at every opportunity but never got the jobs he wanted to one who just gets on with the job and finds himself in demand. Could we hold onto him in that situation? Managers like players have their price..

Yes that had crossed my mind too. But sadly it's the way of footy today. All you can do is get a few bob for him and start again, it's difficult enough to keep a player to his contract. Impossible with a manager/coach there's too much to lose, see team tactics CP playoffs 2nd leg.

 

[ferring seagull]

Yes that had crossed my mind too. But sadly it's the way of footy today. All you can do is get a few bob for him and start again, it's difficult enough to keep a player to his contract. Impossible with a manager/coach there's too much to lose, see team tactics CP playoffs 2nd leg.

It is indeed the way of football today but, if any other club comes looking for Oscar, we will be looking for substantial compensation but, Oscar seems to be an extremely honourable man and, unlike someone else I can think of, will probably not whore himself to all and sundry. He is a model of PR excellence !

I seriously hope that Oscar will see out his contract as I think he has proved to be a considerable step forward for the Albion.

 

[LamieRobertson]

The argument with Poyet vs Garcia & the younger players is also skewed because of their age: both are now another year older and physically more mature. The fact that Poyet didn't really pick either may be simply down to the fact that he didn't feel them physically ready. That, and the fact that Ince didn't join until the spring anyway.

I'm not convinced JFC has shown enough to justify his place in the side anyway, once a few others come back. We were better on Saturday, albeit against weaker opponents, with two wingers and no JFC than we were at QPR & Reading. Ince is another kettle of fish- his performances have exceeded all expectations and he's entirely justifying his place so far.

I think you need to qualify that statement with we were better in the second half....the only winger doing himself justice first half was lua lua....and have to say that i thought we looked pretty good against Reading with our midfield setup...i'm not a champion of JFC but he certainly didnt look out of place against a Reading side who picked up six points in there next 2 games

 

[W.C.]

Ince & JFC couldn't even get on a 7 man bench under Poyet. Now they are first team regulars. Did they really improve that much over the close season Garcia is a real manager, who gives youth a chance. If your good enough, you play simple. No agenda's like Poyet

'We could not rotate the players because we do not have the fit options, and for that reason we had four young players on the bench today.

“The injuries have allowed young players like Rohan Ince and Jake Forster-Caskey to get many minutes on the pitch and they have helped us a lot in this situation.'

Oscar Garcia.

 

[Mackenzie]

Different teams will require different selections. They'll all have a role to play.

 

[Stat Brother]

'We could not rotate the players because we do not have the fit options, and for that reason we had four young players on the bench today.

“The injuries have allowed young players like Rohan Ince and Jake Forster-Caskey to get many minutes on the pitch and they have helped us a lot in this situation.'

Oscar Garcia.

Do you honestly think quoting Garcia against Kev's opinions will change his perspective?

 

[Stat Brother]

http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/albion/10693092.Oscar__Our_best_is_yet_to_come/?ref=twt

 

[Soulman]

Who would have thought a few weeks ago that we would be unbeaten, especially against sides away like Reading/Qpr, with a supposedly weaker midfield.
No Liam or Orlandi, and JFC and Ince playing in big games, yet still they did not let us down. What a lovely position to be in, all the options in midfield.
Take the game against Bolton, a midfield with Crofts, Ince and a below par Dave at the beginning of the season would have seemed very worrying, but with the rest of the team gelling and a superb defence which should not go unnoticed, then it was fine.
Oscar has a happy squad, and a happy club right through, he is settling in very quickly and did not have time to get things sorted in the first few games, as the performances/results showed.
I think Oscar has sussed how to get the best out of KLL, Crofts and other players as well. Maybe it is down to man management like fans of his previous club stated after we signed him as manager. He took a little while to get the best out of his previous club.
Hopefully he will get the best out of CMS when he comes back, now that would be a bonus and could be like a new signing.....hopefully.
At the moment it shows what a good transfer window we had, signing Upson, keeping hold of players, and bringing in quality to the squad like Ward and Andrews.
When the whole squad is fit, what a bench we will have and the odd suspension or injury will not harm us too much.
With the new training facilities to come, then the future looks very promising.

 

[Triggaaar]

The only time Poyet put youth on the bench was when he had little or no choice. That is not re writing history, that is a fact.

Says you

So when people claim Oscar has only played our younger players because of injuries to established players, you say 'says you', but when Gus played the younger players, it was because he had little or no choice - but that's not an opinion, suddenly that's a fact

I'll tell you what's a fact, we finished 4th last season. That was impressive, and when chasing promotion, sometimes you have to play your best team ahead of blooding young talent.

 

[Stat Brother]

So when people claim Oscar has only played our younger players because of injuries to established players, you say 'says you', but when Gus played the younger players, it was because he had little or no choice - but that's not an opinion, suddenly that's a fact

I'll tell you what's a fact, we finished 4th last season. That was impressive, and when chasing promotion, sometimes you have to play your best team ahead of blooding young talent.

He came for an argument but left with a contradiction.