[Archived] Gaël Givet

[LeChuck]

Did you even read my post?

"He's a very limited left-back; which is why I agree that we need an expert in that position"

Yeah, I read it. I don't see how we can afford one with our current squad. Givet as fourth choice seems a waste, especially when Hanley is coming through as well.

[Tom]

Givet is a great player we'd be daft to sell him

[G Somerset Rover]

He was bloody awful today. Had a good view of him all game and he cost us two goals (pretty sure it was he who left Bale unmarked for his header). I usually rate him, but make no mistakes today he was abysmal.

[bluebruce]

No, he's not.

Givet has been a good player for Rovers, but his first position is centre-back. He's a very limited left-back; which is why I agree that we need an expert in that position. But selling Givet? That's harsh.

There is no height issue. He is what, six feet tall? That's acceptable. However, he just isn't good enough as a centre half to play centre half. Despite the fact he was poor today and sometimes is, he is excellent at other times, and I think he acceptable as a left back for us. However, it would be great if we could find somebody better. We could probably get close to £3 million for Givet...enough to get somebody better if we do our homework, but it'd be a risk.

[LeChuck]

Givet is a great player we'd be daft to sell him

I don't recall the Givet ever having a great game, City away maybe? Usually he's solid at best - he isn't capable of heroic heading like Samba and Nelsen, and he's not capable of creating anything from left back. Usually he's anonymous.

[Tom]

Each to their own but ideally you need cover in every position and Nelsen wont last forever.

I like him in the middle but everyone has their own opinion

[LeChuck]

Each to their own but ideally you need cover in every position and Nelsen wont last forever.

I like him in the middle but everyone has their own opinion

If we didn't have Jones and Hanley coming through I'd agree. I can't see Givet ever playing as a regular centre back though, meaning he'll always be out on the left.

[Tom]

Jones for sure but Hanley is far too much of a risk to count on at this stage for me.

Then again I've always rated Zurab but Sam obviously doesn't.

[Amo]

Hanley has played ONE GAME, which was last season. He's hardly staking a claim.

[bluebruce]

Each to their own but ideally you need cover in every position and Nelsen wont last forever.

I like him in the middle but everyone has their own opinion

Nelsen won't last forever, but Samba and Jones have plenty of time in them and have never shown they're prone to injury. As for cover, I don't feel Chimbonda (granted, may leave in summer) is any worse in that position than Givet, we've got Hanley (yes, like topman said, only one game so far, but surely he counts as COVER we can at least check out IF something goes wrong). I reckon there's a few players we could try there in absolute emergencies, but specialist cover would be good, I agree. If we did sell Givet to fund a better left back, it isn't really hard to find cheap, sufficiently solid centre halves. Not at your Jones and Samba levels necessarily, but dependable enough for rare emergencies IF Hanley can't make the grade. And yes, we may sell Samba or Jones- but if we do, we will have a lot of money and be able to look for a decent replacement.

[AHoyle90]

Givet had a poor game at Tottenham today, but in the main he's a reliable, solid defender. Also very tough and gives 100%. Not sure who else we'd get.

[LeChuck]

Hanley has played ONE GAME, which was last season. He's hardly staking a claim.

I'm only on about as fourth choice here.

I don't know why Sam would have bothered playing him if he didn't think he had long term future in the first team squad. It would be daft not to consider him when talking about the long term, he didn't look out of place against a good Villa team.

[DP]

He's solid and usually reliable, and his efforts when he was here on loan made him somewhat of a hero in my eyes. Today's performance was abysmal though but it's totally knee jerk to suggest we should sell him. He does more than a decent job at left back and if required can fill in a centre half which is a bonus.

Saying that though I do think we have a rough diamond who's ready made for the left back position and that's Olsson. If Big Sam really is the expert then he'll already be working on getting Olsson gradually moving in to this role.

[ben_the_beast]

I like Givet. He is a good player. Today wasn't his day. I'm sure he knows that and will go home today, come back and be his usual reliable self. It was just one of those days today. Sometimes it happens.

Calls to sell him are stupid. Stand by players and we can hope for a little in return. He is committed and gives his all and IS a talented player. As I said. A bad day at the office

[Mr. E]

Time he's dropped to the bench to recollect himself.

[bluebruce]

Saying that though I do think we have a rough diamond who's ready made for the left back position and that's Olsson. If Big Sam really is the expert then he'll already be working on getting Olsson gradually moving in to this role.

You're not serious? Olsson has already demonstrated he isn't good enough in that position, but is a good left mid. His defensive game is highly suspect!

Time he's dropped to the bench to recollect himself.

Dropped for who?

[Eddie]

The team that I would love to see would be

Emerton-Nelsen-Samba-Jones-Chimbonda

Hoilett-N'Zonzi-Pedersen-Olsson

Kalinic

[Dunnfc]

I like Givet, great tackler on his day and tbh i think he's one of a few who loves playing for us! I do think he looks jaded though and it would be best to drop him. He's played allot of our games most preseason, all season and cup games, hopefully just needs a rest! He will never stand out but gives 100% most games. Just a bad day at the office for him today.

[Mafioso]

I wish ALL our players made up for their errors by scoring.

[CrazyIvan]

I wish ALL our players made up for their errors by scoring.

He needed to score three to make up for his mistakes. I like Givet but yesterday he had a mare

[JMillZz]

I think he's been quite poor a lot recently. Maybe he does need a rest as suggested? I would say "he's not a left back" but at the same time he's not a centre back and loses a lot of aerial battles.

[JAL]

Just because Givet has one bad game it doesnt mean that big Sam has to drop him, after all he wasn't alone in playing badly at Tottenham.

A good long week to recover should see Givet raring to go, ready to put the past behind him and help Rovers stuff Villa.

[LeChuck]

Just because Givet has one bad game it doesnt mean that big Sam has to drop him

Not drop, sell.

I decided to find my post from a while back to counter the 'knee jerk' comments:

Givet was the worst player on the field, I'd be looking to get rid of him in January; too small to be a centre half, far too limited as a footballer to be a full back.

Doesn't make me right obviously, but at least it shows I'm not reacting just to Saturday's game.

He's an honest pro and gives his all, but he's just not right for this league. We'd be a hell of a lot stronger if we replaced him with a proper left back and left Samba, Nelsen and Jones fighting over the two central spots.

[imy9]

Not right fit this league? Strong in the tackle, good positional sense and wears his heart on his sleeve. I think it has been forgotten how much of a difference he made during the relegation battle when he first joined. I am massive fan, you need players of his ilk in the side and the squad.

[JAL]

Not drop, sell.

I decided to find my post from a while back to counter the 'knee jerk' comments:

Doesn't make me right obviously, but at least it shows I'm not reacting just to Saturday's game.

He's an honest pro and gives his all, but he's just not right for this league. We'd be a hell of a lot stronger if we replaced him with a proper left back and left Samba, Nelsen and Jones fighting over the two central spots.

If Rovers can get someone better then fair enough, though you could say that about every other Rovers player. For me hes a far better defender than Steven Warnock.