[Archived] Brett Emerton

[bellamy11]

You should've quit when you were ahead.....which was at no point during that post. He's not lightning, I'll grant you that, but he's very quick - more than enough acceleration and top end speed to get past a full back.

His problem? He's an athlete playing football, he simply doesn't have a footballing brain. The skill is there (trapping the ball, crossing, dribbling, passing), but his though process is always a second or so behind the defender.

369383[/snapback]

I made this point a while back. It seemed like Emerton was a great athlete but didn't seem like a natural football fan. His decision-making is generally awful, and he seems to do almost the exact opposite of what the fans would do in his situation, if you know what I mean.

Now I read somewhere that he'd stay up late as a child to watch footy on TV so this doesn't seem to be the case. In which case I worry - the ability to make the right choice isn't usually there, and thus he'll always be frustrating to us.

I thought at one point he was getting much much better. He IS quite quick, and he can combine this with power as well. At his best, he could knock the ball past the defender and then knock the defender out of the way. Not the most skillful, but very very useful. Hughes has also said that Emerton is the man they look to to take the ball away from our own goal in times of pressure.

He'll always be much better than Thommo, and I have no problem with him being in our side, but I think we have to accept that the Emerton that destroyed Wolves will only come around a few times a year, and most of the rest of the time he is simply a decent Premiership player.

[herbergeehh]

He'll always be much better than Thommo, and I have no problem with him being in our side, but I think we have to accept that the Emerton that destroyed Wolves will only come around a few times a year, and most of the rest of the time he is simply a decent Premiership player.

369390[/snapback]

Exactly, and the few times he actually does beat his man, like the game against Leeds in the cup, it's worth it imo.

[AxesFirstTouch]

Anyone else really impressed with Emerton tonight? surely that display has won him his place back, he seemed really high on confidence, and always looking to get past the fullback. The run to make that chance for kuqi shows what Emerton really is capable of.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Anyone else really impressed with Emerton tonight? surely that display has won him his place back, he seemed really high on confidence, and always looking to get past the fullback.  The run to make that chance for kuqi shows what Emerton really is capable of.

380829[/snapback]

Never mind that - anyone else agree with me that Reid was awesome second half. He gave us the pace that we so often miss in our midfield.

Gotta say with Reid and Emerton running from our midfield we had plenty of pace to hit on the break.

[ABBEY]

2 ;PINTS XXXX MATE

[joey_big_nose]

Anyone else really impressed with Emerton tonight? surely that display has won him his place back, he seemed really high on confidence, and always looking to get past the fullback.  The run to make that chance for kuqi shows what Emerton really is capable of.

380829[/snapback]

I thought he looked good but then he always looks good when the opposition fullbacks bomb forward leaving space behind. The problem he has that if the opposition are not chasing the game and defend properly he just runs out of ideas. Still worth a crack though if we play Reid in the middle on Saturday.

Incidently Pedersen defended superbly today, absolutely superbly.

[Neil Weaver]

Yep, I thought he did well when he came on for the second half yesterday, both attacking and defending. Not outstanding, but good. Reasons most of us get frustrated with him though are -

1 - he only does this about every third game

2 - it just shows he's got the ability, but why does he not show it more often?

[Bobby G]

I agree with the last post completely.

He is a frustrating player.

[DJ Rich]

Good strong player, plenty of pace, but often very inconsistant, and never had any real competition for his place and it began to show, although there's glimpses of the real Emerton shining thru again. I reckon he's gonna show strong in the run up to the World Cup.

[pleasure]

Good strong player, plenty of pace, but often very inconsistant, and never had any real competition for his place and it began to show, although there's glimpses of the real Emerton shining thru again. I reckon he's gonna show strong in the run up to the World Cup.

381202[/snapback]

watching him on weds i thought "he's trying a bit more" then i realised world cup only weeks away!

reflects badly on him, hope he has a good world cup and we can sell him for a profit!

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

He now has a battle on his hands to retain a regular place on the right wing. The all new improved Reid gives us so much more in that position. Anyone else notice how many times Reid attempted crosses from deep in our half trying to get Kugi and Bentley in behind the Utd defence - an obvious training ground ploy - which almost worked on a number of occasions.

Back to Emerton - he could have been so much more - but I fear we will never see the best of him.

As previous people have said - maybe the best thing is for Emerton to have a good world cup - so we can sell him on for a profit to some Italian team. Though I more worried about Neil's form - at the moment he looks the complete attacking full back - if he continues in this vein of form I think Rovers should brace themselves for some serious interest.

[philipl]

I am pretty sanguine about Bert- I think the guy is going to come really good in the second half of the season.

Rovers having strong players all over the park takes a little of the pressure and focus away and gives him that extra bit of space which he was using on Wednesday evening to great effect.

His short passes always find their man and we could see him causing havoc to the opposition rather than our attacking intentions if speed merchants like Bentley, Pongolle and Bellamy come short for him.

[Flopsy]

he'd do a lot better if he tried RUNNING DOWN THE BLOODY WING and hitting a cross from the goal line - hes brilliant when he does that

although thats once or twice a season

[Rovers_4_life]

it looks like Bentley will be needed up front for the next fe weeks and i think Reid is far better in the centre of midfield so hopefully tht will give Emerton a chance to win his place back, he usaully plays well when he has something to prove, shame it doesn't usually last though.

[pick32]

i think brett is the best right winger we have got and is it true his original posistion was right back

[Eddie]

He played as a wingback in the dutch league. He can play both at the back and in midfield but prefers to play in midfield, it was his reason given for joining us over Newcastle.

[joey_big_nose]

he'd do a lot better if he tried RUNNING DOWN THE BLOODY WING and hitting a cross from the goal line - hes brilliant when he does that

although thats once or twice a season

381547[/snapback]

He just isn't interested in doing that FLops. He never ever ever NEVER ever wants to take his man on the outside. Utd was a case in point, everybody was impressed because he beat his man, but even then it was on the inside!

If WBA sit deep and hold a line of four against the back Emerton will be completely useless. If the Baggie full backs come forward he should have a decent game because he will have the space to come inside and pull their centrebacks apart.

Personally I think he is a decent player but would, out of the current squad (ie. not including Amo, Gresko, Douglas etc. who are essentilly reseves and need shipping) be one of the first (actually I think the first apart from maybe Kuqi) member I would be looking to sell in the summer, providing we could find a better alternative.

Can run/cross/strong/reasonably quick although dribbles slowly. BUT Can't beat a man on the outside. Unfortunately that last point undermines so much of his game.

[nonaynevernomore]

i dont think he will stay for long. hughes nevr helps his confidenxe as he never gets a full game. in one game i sat near the dugout he didnt come on and had a face of thunder.

[allan]

Contract expires May 2007. Rovers will accept any reasonable offer (say £1m) this summer. Bring in Lawrence from Sunderland.

[herbergeehh]

Emerton won't leave for 1m pound, unless Hughes desperately needs that million to bring in a new class player.

I think Lucas & Emerton had some neat link-ups earlier in the season, but since then Bert has played very rarely. Tugay out, Bert in for Everton please.

[rogerjonesgloves]

What are your thoughts on him? I believe:

1- Good player with bags of pace but.....

2-Not enough confidence in his own ability.

It is obvious he is potentially a great player but he needs to believe that. He seems like hes nervous as to how the fans will react if he f""ks up. In his first game(v Wolves 5-1). he was sensational. Great skill and loads of confidence. If he reproduced this he could be the man to lead us to europe.

I have a bad memory, in 03-04 did he do well??? What did he play like. My memory is blank from then, yet I remember all of the season before.

Your thoughts?

369108[/snapback]

Doesn't seem like a typical Aussie sportsman. Thay never seem to lack confidence (arrogance)

[Perth_Rover]

Doesn't seem like a typical Aussie sportsman. Thay never seem to lack confidence (arrogance)

381935[/snapback]

well arrogance breeds confidence

[herbergeehh]

I'll take an arrogant Emerton any day, if it makes him run at defenders.

[joey_big_nose]

Emerton won't leave for 1m pound, unless Hughes desperately needs that million to bring in a new class player.

I think Lucas & Emerton had some neat link-ups earlier in the season, but since then Bert has played very rarely. Tugay out, Bert in for Everton please.

381879[/snapback]

I think Hughes will sell him if he sees a player who he thinks offers more. Its a tricky balance because fundamentally Emerton is sound, especially defensively, and passes okay and all the rest of it.

But having such a hardworking midfield generally (even Pedersen is showing himself to be a fine defender) I think it would be worth a punt on a player who is more defensively suspect but can cause real problems for the opposition full back. Somone with pace would be awesome.

If Brum goes down there is absolutely no doubt that we should go after Pennant, and no doubt either that Emerton would be worth selling to get him. The Eddie connection works in our favour and while others - Spurs/Everton/Borough - I am sure would be interested it would be in many ways the ideal signing.

[Bobby G]

I think he is in line for a start. But I fear he may be best off the bench.