[Archived] Emerton Out For 9 Months

[CrazyIvan]

Should hopefully play a part on saturday - last 30 mins for him would be good to see.

It'd be odd if Emo makes his comeback against the team he made his debut against...

[Blue blood]

It's hard to think how slated Emerton was when he first came to the club.

Now he's an integral part of the team, and a class act both at right back and central midfield as well as being ok at right mid, not to mention being one of our longest serving players. Funny how things work out.

Great to hear he'll be back soon.

[S15]

It's hard to think how slated Emerton was when he first came to the club.

Now he's an integral part of the team, and a class act both at right back and central midfield as well as being ok at right mid, not to mention being one of our longest serving players. Funny how things work out.

Great to hear he'll be back soon.

It's a combination of Emerton slowing adjusting to the league, and our team getting worse. Bentley was a huge part of Emertons' upturn in form, and therefore our perceptions of him.

I think he's a good player, and I look forward to him returning, but he isn't going to inspire a huge change in fortunes.

[thenodrog]

I think he's a good player, and I look forward to him returning, but he isn't going to inspire a huge change in fortunes.

Maybe not but if he's fully fit he will offer a lot of options to Sam. Sam's stated way forward in reducing the wages bill with versatile utility type players being absolutely invaluable to a club in our situation and leading to a smaller squad overall.

[Blue blood]

Bentley was a huge part of Emertons' upturn in form, and therefore our perceptions of him.

I thought a lot of it was the other way round. Class though Bentley was having Emerton overlapping regularly brought Bentley a lot of space for his crossing.

[S15]

I thought a lot of it was the other way round. Class though Bentley was having Emerton overlapping regularly brought Bentley a lot of space for his crossing.

Couldn't disagree more, the two player treatment Bentley got often gave Emerton the luxury of not having to actually mark anyone, along with the freedom of the right hand side.

[T4E]

Emerton close to making comeback.

There are some reassuring quotes about him feeling 'as good as ever' in there. I can't wait for him to get back, we desperately miss his energy and ability to carry the ball.

I wonder where he'll play though? For me it seems almost certain he'll play in centre midfield; Diouf is an Allardyce favourite on the right and we've got loads at right back.

I really hope you're right on that. He's shown glimpses of being an excellent CM, and if he stays fit and plays in there with a similarly fit Grella I think we've got an excellent partnership.

It'd be odd if Emo makes his comeback against the team he made his debut against...

I'll never forget that. Thought he was better than Duff!

[bellamy11]

I'll never forget that. Thought he was better than Duff!

Your exact quote on the way to the train station was "Emerton and David Thompson - I don't think there is a pair of fullbacks in the world who could have contained them."

I've just made myself sad thinking about how good David Thompson used to be

[Hughesy]

It's a combination of Emerton slowing adjusting to the league, and our team getting worse. Bentley was a huge part of Emertons' upturn in form, and therefore our perceptions of him.

I think he's a good player, and I look forward to him returning, but he isn't going to inspire a huge change in fortunes.

I think you under-estimate the amount of work and effort Emo puts in.

Bentley never used to pass to Emerton if he could help it - Emerton bombing forward to create space helped Bentley week in week out

[S15]

I think you under-estimate the amount of work and effort Emo puts in.

Bentley never used to pass to Emerton if he could help it - Emerton bombing forward to create space helped Bentley week in week out

Never underestimated his work rate. I just don't overrate his quality.

[Hughesy]

OK - based on our current midfield - would you play him? Or is he not good enough?!

[S15]

OK - based on our current midfield - would you play him? Or is he not good enough?!

Again, you have completely and utterly dragged my initial post out of proportion. Go and read my first post please, I am not allowing you to suggest I have said anything of the kind.

[Hughesy]

No my post is a completely seperate question - you dont 'over-rate' his ability - so do you 'rate' him as good enough for our current starting 11............Is it that difficult to answer?!

[S15]

In the current squad he is good enough to play centre midfield, in place of Andrews. We have better right backs and better right wingers. Perhaps the 'wingers' shouldn't be plural, but I'd play Diouf there ahead of him.

[Hughesy]

In the current squad he is good enough to play centre midfield, in place of Andrews. We have better right backs and better right wingers. Perhaps the 'wingers' shouldn't be plural, but I'd play Diouf there ahead of him.

Good - I agree.

Id play him ahead of both Andrews & NZonzi. Not sure Sam will though, especially with Grella playing Defensive Midfield.

Hopefully against Wolves we dont play a defensive midfielder and go with Emerton & Dunn in the middle.

[S15]

Good - I agree.

Id play him ahead of both Andrews & NZonzi. Not sure Sam will though, especially with Grella playing Defensive Midfield.

Hopefully against Wolves we dont play a defensive midfielder and go with Emerton & Dunn in the middle.

My initial point was though that we don't have some hero coming back. His form has always been inconsistent, and in an ideal world, say three seasons or so ago, the team would be good enough for him to not get in it at all.

He will strengthen the squad, but not make a huge impact as far as results go.

[Amo]

Emerton performs a steady job in the side, with his athleticism. His tireless running would add some much needed energy to the middle of the park, where our midfield has grown decidedly sterile.

[den]

I think Berts biggest strength is that he is the only member of our squad that can take a ball away from the danger area and to the oppositions penalty area - without losing posession. That's vital when you're under pressure.

[DanLad]

I think Berts biggest strength is that he is the only member of our squad that can take a ball away from the danger area and to the oppositions penalty area - without losing posession. That's vital when you're under pressure.

I'm not sure what you're getting at with this. Bert isn't a great dribbler at all and it's virtually a dear diary monent when he beats a man. I cannot see him ever dribbling from one box to the other. The only way I can see him delivering a ball from one area to the other is if he hoofs it!

[gumboots]

I'm not sure what you're getting at with this. Bert isn't a great dribbler at all and it's virtually a dear diary monent when he beats a man. I cannot see him ever dribbling from one box to the other. The only way I can see him delivering a ball from one area to the other is if he hoofs it!

He didn't say dribble - just run with the ball. You don't have to be a mazy dribbler to cause the opposition problems if you run determinedly and are strong on the ball. Obviously the more skilful you are the better chance you have of doing damage but at the moment we have few players who can actually run with the ball at their feet. Emerton is one.

[den]

Spot on Gumboots.

Bert's a strong runner - with the ball. Some players can run, not all of them with the ball.

[DanLad]

He didn't say dribble - just run with the ball. You don't have to be a mazy dribbler to cause the opposition problems if you run determinedly and are strong on the ball. Obviously the more skilful you are the better chance you have of doing damage but at the moment we have few players who can actually run with the ball at their feet. Emerton is one.

If it's being said that Emerton can run with the ball at pace from one penalty area to another I agree that he could, so long as there were wasn't an opposition team in the way. He had the fitness and strength for a prolonged 'run' of that length, but I just can't see it ever happening in match conditions as he rarely goes past a man and I can't see him going unchallenged over that distance.

Anyway, he'd probably do that crappy semi-Cruyff turn thing he does after 10 yards, anyway!

Oh, I agree that we don't have enough people who can run at the opposition or dribble round them, either.

[roversmum]

I seem to remember plenty of occasions when Bert would power up the pitch with the ball, only to find there was nobody there waiting to receive it...

[bellamy11]

Sparky once said that Emerton's big strength was at the end of a game when we were under the cosh and he could take the ball away from our own area and power to the other end of the field.

I think as a side we have missed him. It has also been way too long since we last saw the "Emer-heel".

[47er]

I seem to remember plenty of occasions when Bert would power up the pitch with the ball, only to find there was nobody there waiting to receive it...

Spot on.