[Archived] Vince Grella Signs

[Kelbo]

So Vinny is better than Essien when he's fit?

A mile better at that? Tell Neill's parents they're talking out of their arses.

The best defensive midfielder we had at Rovers was Batty, he broke play up, dropped off and made himself available for the pass, not good going forward, but, without question a top defensive midfielder, watch Grellas game, very similar and he can pick a pass too!!

OK, yes he's been injured quite a bit, but listen, his game is good, trust me, bugger Essien, yes hes decent, I just hope Grella gets some fitness to show what he can do, because you really dont play in Italy at any top pro level for a number of years if you are not decent.

Trust me on that one, he does everything correctly, just fitness seems to be a problem, but he's tough, strong, purts a foot in and can pick a pass, what more do you need as a defensive Midfielder?

Oh I know Keith Andrews lol

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

The best defensive midfielder we had at Rovers was Batty, he broke play up, dropped off and made himself available for the pass, not good going forward, but, without question a top defensive midfielder, watch Grellas game, very similar and he can pick a pass too!!

OK, yes he's been injured quite a bit, but listen, his game is good, trust me, bugger Essien, yes hes decent, I just hope Grella gets some fitness to show what he can do, because you really dont play in Italy at any top pro level for a number of years if you are not decent.

Trust me on that one, he does everything correctly, just fitness seems to be a problem, but he's tough, strong, purts a foot in and can pick a pass, what more do you need as a defensive Midfielder?

Oh I know Keith Andrews lol

The thing is we'll never know how good he is because he never plays more than two games on the bounce.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Personally, though I don't think he is the best defensive midfield player in the EPL, we do look a lot more solid as a team on the few occasions he has been fit enough to play. Our game also tends to be more structured and we keep the ball better. I am dreaming of a fully fit Grella lining up alongside Nzonzi. The few times they have played together we look very solid - hopefully giving a platform for our attacking players.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

We don't doubt his ability and we would love it if he was an outstanding player but it's hard to agree with a statement saying he will be miles better than anyone else when he can't even do up his shoe laces without pulling a muscle and with age not on his side either, it's make or break time for Grella.

[47er]

[Thinks to himself] Essien, Mascherano, Parker... [/Thinks to himself]

yep, he'll definately be the best by a mile

That's definitely changed my view. Ince is a genius and 4M was a steal

[ada2020]

Personally, though I don't think he is the best defensive midfield player in the EPL, we do look a lot more solid as a team on the few occasions he has been fit enough to play. Our game also tends to be more structured and we keep the ball better. I am dreaming of a fully fit Grella lining up alongside Nzonzi. The few times they have played together we look very solid - hopefully giving a platform for our attacking players.

Dont the stats prove we have lost more game's with him in the team than when he is out (injured) or otherwise.

[Kelbo]

Dont the stats prove we have lost more game's with him in the team than when he is out (injured) or otherwise.

Stats are great, remember Gareth Bale at Spurs!!!

[ada2020]

Stats are great, remember Gareth Bale at Spurs!!!

What has bale and spurs got to do with it? Prove to me that we are better with grella in the team. Massive waste of money!

[Amo]

It doesn't matter how good Grella is, he's proved to be an expensive mistake. £4m (plus wages) for 30 appearances in two years is not value for money. We can't afford to keep players like this on the wage bill.

What has bale and spurs got to do with it? Prove to me that we are better with grella in the team. Massive waste of money!

The same Gareth Bale considered an unlucky omen for Tottenham who's now one of their most improved players.

[LDRover]

I bet he plays every minute of every game for Oz.

You'd better believe it.

It seems the longer he's out injured, the better he gets according to some contributors on here. Maybe it's me but I can't remember him being anything other than mediocre at best and downright pony most of the time.

[Ant]

Did'nt do much to impress me again today.. pretty poor passing and @#/? tackling

[JAL]

Did'nt do much to impress me again today.. pretty poor passing and @#/? tackling

I'm with you Ant, Grella is one player Rovers can definitely target to improve on. Hes far too slow for me and his passing is average at best, change him into a running ball player and the team would look a lot better.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

I'm with you Ant, Grella is one player Rovers can definitely target to improve on. Hes far too slow for me and his passing is average at best, change him into a running ball player and the team would look a lot better.

To me the guy is a very workable central midfielder who can pass and tackle who, given a period of games free from injury, would suit us down to the ground. I dont think he was ever going to hit top form today given the amount of time he has spent with the physio.

Agree we should get rid if we can though. A club like ours cant afford to pay a guy to sit in the stand for weeks on end who then gets injured warming up for the ressies.

[The Rover of Finland]

Grella is useless if we don´t play 5-man midfield. 4-4-2 is the formation which most of us would like to be used. Grella is much too slow and has absolutely nothing to give for attacking. Never seen PL midfielder who can´t pass the ball at all. Grella does have a good attitude when he plays, no doubt. We just have to have better players there.

[CrazyIvan]

Grella is useless if we don´t play 5-man midfield. 4-4-2 is the formation which most of us would like to be used. Grella is much too slow and has absolutely nothing to give for attacking. Never seen PL midfielder who can´t pass the ball at all. Grella does have a good attitude when he plays, no doubt. We just have to have better players there.

I take it you didn't watch the match then?

[thenodrog]

Grella is useless if we don´t play 5-man midfield. 4-4-2 is the formation which most of us would like to be used.

So what? In case you've not quite caught on yet, our manager does not really do 4-4-2 does he?

[den]

I take it you didn't watch the match then?

I also take it that you didn't see how uncomfortable he is on the ball? When under any kind of pressure he loses composure and lifts it into the air, pretty much aimlessly.

[CrazyIvan]

I also take it that you didn't see how uncomfortable he is on the ball? When under any kind of pressure he loses composure and lifts it into the air, pretty much aimlessly.

I watched him with interest yesterday and he does get caught a bit in possession occasionally. When you consider that he hasn't really played much this year, it's no surprise really. However, I thought he did very well yesterday. We looked a lot, a hell of a lot, more solid in midfield. We looked even better when he and Dunn were linking up. He can pass the ball and he showed some of that yesterday. We were playing United yesterday Den.

[thenodrog]

It doesn't matter how good Grella is, he's proved to be an expensive mistake. £4m (plus wages) for 30 appearances in two years is not value for money. We can't afford to keep players like this on the wage bill.

1. We can't afford to get em off it either.

2. Paul Ince had lots of faults. He's obviously a million miles off being a manager or leader of men for one, he's as thick as a bar top for two, but even I as his biggest critic on here cannot criticise him for not counting a crystal ball amongst his possessions.

[unluckymorton]

I also take it that you didn't see how uncomfortable he is on the ball? When under any kind of pressure he loses composure and lifts it into the air, pretty much aimlessly.

I don't think Grella can be singled out for that, I thought he had one of his better games yesterday (I'm not saying his display was flawless) and with a bit of luck if he has a couple more displays like that before the end of the season we may get a couple of quid for him.

My issue is that when a majority of our players are under pressure they lift it into the air and away from trouble. That's o.k but I've noticed that when other teams do it they at least play it into zones where team mates might have an idea where it is going, we seem to just belt it away. We are improving but I don't see Grella in our long term plans.

[thenodrog]

I'm with you Ant, Grella is one player Rovers can definitely target to improve on. Hes far too slow for me and his passing is average at best, change him into a running ball player and the team would look a lot better.

How do we do that Jal? Magic wand perhaps?

[thenodrog]

I watched him with interest yesterday and he does get caught a bit in possession occasionally. When you consider that he hasn't really played much this year, it's no surprise really. However, I thought he did very well yesterday. We looked a lot, a hell of a lot, more solid in midfield. We looked even better when he and Dunn were linking up. He can pass the ball and he showed some of that yesterday. We were playing United yesterday Den.

Lets view this another way. If Grella wasn't playing against the Champions then Julie would have!

imo yesterday was another example of the only really big fault that we have at the moment. Way too many of our players do not run into space to make themselves available for the ball when their teammates are in possession. Most guilty are the midfield with Emerton, MGP and even N'Zonzi standing out for that regularly. When the forward lads are marked and teammates in midfield are either 'hiding' or ball watching and flat footed, then the player on the ball coming under pressure from the opposition ends up aimlessly lumping it in the vague direction of a corner flag. Simply conceding possession without a fight is daft at this level.

Every player of the top teams wants possession amd will work for it, whereas all too often our players seem to want to avoid it.

It could only do good if pre season training next year were to be carried out by the staff at the Nou Camp willing to do a 'foreigner' whilst the Barca squad are still on their jollies.

[Amo]

1. We can't afford to get em off it either.

2. Paul Ince had lots of faults. He's obviously a million miles off being a manager or leader of men for one, he's as thick as a bar top for two, but even I as his biggest critic on here cannot criticise him for not counting a crystal ball amongst his possessions.

1. Not necessarily. If he gets a decent WC under his belt (irony of ironies) then I wouldn't discount it.

2. His previous season with Torino was interrupted by injury. You can't say there weren't any warning signs.

[joey_big_nose]

I thought he was defensively good yesteday but very poor passing the ball. To be fair there was not much to aim at but he put the ball nto the stands pretty regularly. A shame as previously he has shown more passing quality.

Realistically we have to be looking to sell if we can. His time at Ewood has been a disaster as far as the club is concerned. We can't burn four million quid on a player who does not often play, and when he does only have a few good performances.

[The Rover of Finland]

£2M is enough for him. It´s a bad deal I know but atleast it would be half the price we paid. Otherwise he´ll be here two more years and return Italy for free. Finding buyer it´s a different story. Nobody in England will buy him. Imagine if had been in Everton (just an example) all this time with same history than here. Would we be glad if Rovers signed him? Damn you Paul Ince.