[Archived] Pedersen Needs Converting!

[Neil Weaver]

But it's a hell of a lot better than the Duff kind of winger on the opposite side, who beats his man once every match.

374943[/snapback]

Stop exaggerating. Twice a season and the cross ends up in the fans behind the goal . It's the nature of Rovers fans to moan - if we had MGP's clone on the right wing we'd still complain.

[ihateburnley]

It'd mean we'd have no goals coming from midfield though.

I don't prescribe to this theory of having goals come 'from all over the park'. A goal is a goal - simple as. Bellamy is running one on one against a keeper and looks like he is going to score, if he squares it to a midfielder and he bags, does this make our team any better statistically than if Bellamy (as a striker) would have bagged himself.

I would try Pedersen up front if it meant playing Peter on the wing. Two points though. I have never witnessed Pedersen playing up front, nor have I ever seen Sergio Peter in the flesh. So I suppose this makes my opinion useless!

I reckon we give it a do in the cup against West Ham.

[S15]

I don't understand why MGP gets this criticism now, we all know he's not the Damien Duff kind of player. He can pass the ball well from his left midfield role, and can hold up the ball well. Not the typical winger? True. But it's a hell of a lot better than the Duff kind of winger on the opposite side, who beats his man once every match.

374943[/snapback]

Now let's not go comparing Bert to Duff!!!

To be fair to myself, I have had a long fustration with Pedersens' lack of involvement other than his goals. The only reason I voice my concerns a little louder now is because the team is on the verge of breaking into the highest relms we can realistically challenge for.

With this in mind I feel most players have to step or their game somewhat, or be replaced by people who will get us into those relms. That includes Pedersen, who, as I've said a million times, needs to improve his all round game, or once the goals dry up, he's useless to our quest to break into this european dream.

[herbergeehh]

Now let's not go comparing Bert to Duff!!!

374975[/snapback]

Fair enough

I tend to agree with most of your points tbh, but I think the problem lies elsewhere, e.g. on the right wing - and also the movement upfront. I would like to see Gamst Pedersen put in more crosses though, he tends to slip the ball back to Mickey Gray (who's always there, good man!) or try to make two on one-situations with one of the central players. (which often ends in losing possession)

[Exiled_Rover]

I don't prescribe to this theory of having goals come 'from all over the park'. A goal is a goal - simple as. Bellamy is running one on one against a keeper and looks like he is going to score, if he squares it to a midfielder and he bags, does this make our team any better statistically than if Bellamy (as a striker) would have bagged himself.

I would try Pedersen up front if it meant playing Peter on the wing. Two points though. I have never witnessed Pedersen playing up front, nor have I ever seen Sergio Peter in the flesh. So I suppose this makes my opinion useless!

I reckon we give it a do in the cup against West Ham.

374973[/snapback]

It takes a lot of pressure off the strikers to convert every chance they see. It also makes the team much harder to defend against

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Too many people compare MGP as a winger with Duff. I have long held the belief that MGP is more left sided midifield player than left winger. On that basis he does an excellent job. He is hard working, his set piece delivery is excellent (remember that players he deliver at pace, with swerve often end up with a series of average set pieces only to then set up a goal - Beckham when at United is a good example) - and personally I feel his passing shows imagination lacking in our midfield (I would be curious as to how many assists he has). He is also hard working - bit like Wilcox, not necessarily putting in huge tackles but always doubling up cutting down space etc. His heading ability is a useful outlet for Friedal.

As for him being a striker - remember Platt and Scholes - two excellent goal scoring midfield players who weren't as effective when pushed up front. It is often the runs from deep that create the space for Pedersen.

One final point on attcking dribbling wingers - according to some people on the forum Ronaldo had a good game against us. Which would you prefer - MGP (who scored) or Ronaldo who beat his man three or four times but didn't actually create anything ?

Edited January 16, 2006 by DavidMailsTightPerm

[philipl]

Good points. I have this nightmare that having Ronaldo suspended will actually strengthen the Mancs against us.

Elsewhere, there is a post saying that MGP's goals to games ratio is better than Duff's.

The guy is a great left midfielder. Let's not do a Souness and play him out of position.

[Bobby G]

My thoughts exactly.

When it aint broke, dont fix it!

Just cause he can score, doesnt mean he can play upfront.

[Fife Rover]

Strangely enough I was also thinking along these lines during the game yesterday . He could only have been more effective than Bentley and as OJRovers said earlier , Peter could have given us something down the wing .

374770[/snapback]

Ditto. I was also thinking exactly the same in the frustrating second half, but unfortunately there was no Peter on the bench to supply the left wing play. My thoughts were to put Bert on the left wing and move MGP up front to support Bellamy as a striker and take Bentley off.

[all you need is duff]

Pedersen has a lot more to his game than just his finishing. His off the ball movement is phenomenal and causes defenders nightmares. He's always making intelligent runs and at times has dominated games picking up the ball all over the pitch (e.g. Southampton last season, Portsmouth this season). He's got two great feet, his cross from the RIGHT wing which set up Dickov's second against West Ham was great movement and use of initiative before a good cross. His heading is better than a lot of right backs which can cause problems and is first touch is superb - he takes so many long balls in his stride.

On top of his great attacking qualities, his defensive work has improved so much over the last year.

[ihtd]

I wouldn't want MGP to be sold. I know he has got his weaknesses, but he also has scored vital goals for us and is on his day, one of the best players we have got. His corners are getting worse, but i think a lot of that has to put down to the fact that nobody is telling him were to place them, when i look at teams like Chelsea, they seem to have numerous corner plays set up that they can call upon for certain situations. What i mean there is that Chelsea play the ball directly to One player, aim for Terry or Carvalho whereas MGP is just aiming for the near post. To solve his corner problem all he really needs is telling by Sparky to try that.

I do not want to see MGP leave for a long time......well until we know Sergio is up to the job week in week out anyway

[colin]

Personally I am sick to death of watching MGP playing down our left flank.

374736[/snapback]

Have you looked at this from the "something interesting" thread

MGP

MGP is obviously at his best coming in from the left or taking free kicks where his left foot is an asset. OK he might not be Damian Duff, but he's doing a job OK.

To be honest I really can't see why you are bothering. He's our joint second top scorer and our top scorer in the Premiership. Whatever happened to "if it ain't broke, don't fix it?"

[Hypo-Luxa]

Have you looked at this from the "something interesting" thread

MGP

MGP is obviously at his best coming in from the left or taking free kicks where his left foot is an asset. OK he might not be Damian Duff, but he's doing a job OK.

To be honest I really can't see why you are bothering. He's our joint second top scorer and our top scorer in the Premiership. Whatever happened to "if it ain't broke, don't fix it?"

375244[/snapback]

To further that, who in blazes would we replace him with? Bentley? No thanks. Emerton? Please no. Sergio? Maybe but not straight away. Whilst we have more pressing areas of strengthening (striker, better left back coverage) I believe Gamst should be left alone. Maybe the schedule is getting to him and a few more rests are needed for the lad but criminey's he's still a young lad and still only a little over a year in the English game. He's maturing before our eyes and we can't yank back on the leash because of his at times frustrating play. He has to learn by playing. Now if he is still the same player this time next year then yes I will agree that his growth has topped out and he needs to possibly be replaced, but at this stage it's just too early to call the lad a waste.

[thenodrog]

One final point on attcking dribbling wingers - according to some people on the forum Ronaldo had a good game against us. Which would you prefer - MGP (who scored) or Ronaldo who beat his man three or four times but didn't actually create anything ?

375025[/snapback]

Becks used to have a quiet game against us simply because he was instructed to help Neville with Damien Duff who was our main threat. Similarly MGP spent much of the time tracking back to cover Gray marking Ronaldo. If Ronaldo is suspended next wed I imagine MGP will be given a much free'er (is that a word?) role.

[EIEIEIO]

You're all idiots.

374897[/snapback]

With only 2 recognised strikers remaining, maybe not eh?

[grizfoot]

Did he play upfront yesterday when Dickov went off injured or did we switch to 4-5-1?

[cn174]

Yes he did. Sergio Peter came on and took his place on the left wing, and he went up with Kuqi. Could say it worked because he probably wouldn't have been in that position to score such an incredible goal had he still been playing on the left.

[grizfoot]

Yes he did. Sergio Peter came on and took his place on the left wing, and he went up with Kuqi. Could say it worked because he probably wouldn't have been in that position to score such an incredible goal had he still been playing on the left.

377053[/snapback]

Thanks for that.

To be honest i'd much rather see MGP play upfront than Bentley and put Peter on the left-wing.

[Florida Rover]

Off the top of your heads,name me the best 3 wingers converted into forwards in the last 25 years.I 'd love to see who has made that a succesful transition.(BTW,I mean an out and out winger converted not a striker who played out wide in a system a la Bellamy at nuke/wales)

Florida Rover

[AussieinUk]

Off the top of your heads,name me the best 3 wingers converted into forwards in the last 25 years.I 'd love to see who has made that a succesful transition.(BTW,I mean an out and out winger converted not a striker who played out wide in a system a la Bellamy at nuke/wales)

Florida Rover

377068[/snapback]

Henry is one

[joey_big_nose]

Off the top of your heads,name me the best 3 wingers converted into forwards in the last 25 years.I 'd love to see who has made that a succesful transition.(BTW,I mean an out and out winger converted not a striker who played out wide in a system a la Bellamy at nuke/wales)

Florida Rover

377068[/snapback]

Henry sort of, although he was a striker then a winger then a striker again.

I think SWP was a striker who became a winger.

Duff did a decent job for ROI as a striker as did Giggs for Wales.

[AussieinUk]

I thought Henry always played left wing at Juve?

[yawnsie]

Well, there's the obvious one: Thierry Henry was a crap winger for Juventus before he signed for Arsenal.

He's so obvious, in fact, that three people mentioned him before I did, therefore making me look a bit silly. Bah.

Edited January 22, 2006 by yawnsie

[joey_big_nose]

I thought Henry always played left wing at Juve?

377073[/snapback]

He played striker for Monaco under Wenger before that but then was switched to the wing because they had a Brazillian up front (junior something, can't remember exactly). Defo started out as a striker though.

Also he was rated. Juventus paid Monaco 14 million pound for him.

[rover6]

Henry may play as a 'striker' these days but a lot of his good work comes from drifting out wide (usually the left) and taking advantage of space left by the opposition winger/full back, to collect the ball, turn and run at the defence.

MGP is clinical in front of goal but he doesn't have exceptional skill or pace or body strength. I know there are strikers who have scored goals without those useful attributes but they are in the minority.

I suppose the best example is Michael Owen. Nowadays, you see less of his blistering pace that brought him fame, but more of the predator in the box. MGP, conceivably, could be the 'fox in the box' but I'm still not sure after his disappointing attempts at playing up front earlier in his Rovers career. However, there's no doubt he has the shooting, a decent leap and the energy.