[Archived] Vince Grella Signs

[Kelbo]

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.

Exactly Nodrog,

The player on the ball has to have options off the ball and we need to have that movement to enable us to do that, however, I think in setting his team up yesterday against a decent opposition, he may have sacrificed that to nullify a team who had had a midweek European game and hope that our fitness told in the last 15 to 20 minutes.

remember, Valaencia has been playing well, as has Nani and we kept a very smart eye on those two! But whoever is in midfield, if there is no movement off the ball, then we have no chance of playing a passing game!! I did notice some great overlaps by Salgado and whilst he didnt get the ball, took the attentions of a defender and opened up a space for us!!

[den]

Exactly Nodrog,

The player on the ball has to have options off the ball and we need to have that movement to enable us to do that,

Tugay never lumped it up into the air when he didn't have options in front of him. He had the vision and technique to retain possession, or find another option. It's called "class".

[BRFC95]

Tugay never lumped it up into the air when he didn't have options in front of him. He had the vision and technique to retain possession, or find another option. It's called "class".

Don't tell me you could see his invisible friend too

[47er]

Tugay never lumped it up into the air when he didn't have options in front of him. He had the vision and technique to retain possession, or find another option. It's called "class".

To be fair I don't think N'Zonzi lumps it into the air either, not often anyway. He usually stops if no-ones available and holds it till there is. N'Zonzi is one of the few at Ewood who is "comfortable on the ball". I think he has a great future. Lets hope its with us.

[den]

To be fair I don't think N'Zonzi lumps it into the air either, not often anyway. He usually stops if no-ones available and holds it till there is. N'Zonzi is one of the few at Ewood who is "comfortable on the ball". I think he has a great future. Lets hope its with us.

Yes, I agree with you there 47er. Nzonzi has a great chance of making the grade. He's been asked to do far too much this season, but he's done exceptionally well - "for a young lad from a foreign country"

[Bobby G]

I thought the jury was out on him earlier in the season as he had been showing some promising signs. I never thought we would be getting such an injury prone player.

Overall, what a waste of money.

[roversmum]

Nzonzi does well but he needs to be a bit quicker - he nearly got caught in possession a couple of times whilst he was standing dreaming with the ball.

I have posted many times commenting on the way our players do not run in to spaces, indeed those passing the ball do not anticipate them doing so either. I particularly noticed that the United players were able to get the ball and take it out of a danger area without conceding a corner or a throw in but our players generally just lump it out of play - this is pointed out by drog as well. What I am wondering is, if I notice this, how come our coaches never seem to as nothing seems to change and we just play on in the same old way. It's been going on for years.

[JAL]

How do we do that Jal? Magic wand perhaps?

I mean changing him, Grella, for another player Theno.

[CrazyIvan]

Nzonzi does well but he needs to be a bit quicker - he nearly got caught in possession a couple of times whilst he was standing dreaming with the ball.

I have posted many times commenting on the way our players do not run in to spaces, indeed those passing the ball do not anticipate them doing so either. I particularly noticed that the United players were able to get the ball and take it out of a danger area without conceding a corner or a throw in but our players generally just lump it out of play - this is pointed out by drog as well. What I am wondering is, if I notice this, how come our coaches never seem to as nothing seems to change and we just play on in the same old way. It's been going on for years.

Quite simple really, we're not in the same league as United in terms of quality of player. If we had Man City kind of money, we could buy that kind of quality.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Movement off the ball or the lack of it is the single most inportant reason why our possession stats are so low.

It's nothing to do with class, it's the willingness to make runs knowing the chances are you won't get the ball but you'll make space and time for the player that will. Also the guy at the back on the ball have options instead of just the long ball down field. Our play is very static, OK we're hard to break down most of the time but our attacking play is laboured and very predictable.

We can play and move at times, the first half hour at Villa in the cup they didn't know what had hit them. It was like we'd 12 players to their 11.

[Kelbo]

Movement off the ball or the lack of it is the single most inportant reason why our possession stats are so low.

It's nothing to do with class, it's the willingness to make runs knowing the chances are you won't get the ball but you'll make space and time for the player that will. Also the guy at the back on the ball have options instead of just the long ball down field. Our play is very static, OK we're hard to break down most of the time but our attacking play is laboured and very predictable.

We can play and move at times, the first half hour at Villa in the cup they didn't know what had hit them. It was like we'd 12 players to their 11.

Exactly!!

[den]

Movement off the ball or the lack of it is the single most inportant reason why our possession stats are so low.

It's nothing to do with class, it's the willingness to make runs knowing the chances are you won't get the ball but you'll make space and time for the player that will. Also the guy at the back on the ball have options instead of just the long ball down field. Our play is very static, OK we're hard to break down most of the time but our attacking play is laboured and very predictable.

We can play and move at times, the first half hour at Villa in the cup they didn't know what had hit them. It was like we'd 12 players to their 11.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here TS, but Grella didn't play in that game.

My point was that good midfielders can keep posession when under pressure and to me, when Grella is under pressure, he can't.

[DeadlyDirk]

Is it just me that assues Grella is injured again everytime this thread is bumped?

Jury's still out for me, looks decent but unless he can put together a run of games we'll never really know what level he's at.

[John]

Any word on why he did not start yesterday?

When fit, he should be starting IMO.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Probably got a splinter in his bum after being on the bench so long

[Exiled_Rover]

He's a joke. If he can't play back to back weeks he can (Please don't use that word again) off.

[Steve Moss]

I've been thinking he might be decent for nearly two full seasons now. I give up on him. I think Rovers should, too.

I've come to the same opinion. He may be one of our better midfielders, but he plays far too infrequently to be worth his wages.

[67splitscreen]

I've come to the same opinion. He may be one of our better midfielders, but he plays far too infrequently to be worth his wages.

To true, 26 starts to date in two seasons as near as dam it, he will have cost us over 10m by the time his contract expires in just wages(excluding NIC Etc.) and his transfer fee, what gets me is it does not seem to be a recurring injury with us but maybe they are the same that limited his appearances in Italy, since 2002 he has only ever reached 30 games a season twice, 02/03 Empoli and 05/06 Parma. Either he has been injury prone all his career or not consistent enough, it has to be injury prone.

Hope he proves us all wrong next season, doubt it though.

[Majiball]

Is it just me that assues Grella is injured again everytime this thread is bumped?

Jury's still out for me, looks decent but unless he can put together a run of games we'll never really know what level he's at.

You are not alone, because in the main its true.

You've got to laugh almost the end of his second season and we still don't know if he can play???? Its that or crying.

To true, 26 starts to date in two seasons as near as dam it, he will have cost us over 10m by the time his contract expires in just wages(excluding NIC Etc.) and his transfer fee, what gets me is it does not seem to be a recurring injury with us but maybe they are the same that limited his appearances in Italy, since 2002 he has only ever reached 30 games a season twice, 02/03 Empoli and 05/06 Parma. Either he has been injury prone all his career or not consistent enough, it has to be injury prone.

Hope he proves us all wrong next season, doubt it though.

Perhaps we could get him doing some other jobs round the training ground??? He could mow the pitches and the such and least that way he'd be doing something to justify his crazy wages for sitting at home.

The more and more I think about it the more I understand why mr Winklebottom reined in the purse strind on Ince.

[hollowsr]

Vince in some bother for a nasty challenge today in a friendly v New Zealand.

Just after a minute here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJnosDaylQs&feature=player_embedded

[EwoodGlory]

[Tim Southampton Rover]

[Billy Castell]

Should get a 3 game ban in time for the World Cup.

[LeChuck]

Should get a 3 game ban in time for the World Cup.

NO! If he can fluke a few good games in a row we might be able to trick someone into signing him from us.

It's our only hope really, otherwise he'll just keep medical staff busy until his contract runs down. Not just our medical staff either judging by that video.

[Hughesy]

NO! If he can fluke a few good games in a row we might be able to trick someone into signing him from us.

It's our only hope really, otherwise he'll just keep medical staff busy until his contract runs down. Not just our medical staff either judging by that video.

Fingers crosses Nickos article turns true then eh!!