[Archived] Morten Gamst Pedersen

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

I SUSPECT THIS CHAP IS NOT A ROVERS SUPPORTER

Turn the caps lock off.

And Vinjay is uhm...not without his history.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Its been well publicised that Pedersen is after a new deal, his current one runs out at the end of next season.

So would you offer Pedersen a new deal and if so why?

Personally I wouldn’t offer him a new deal, I think offensively he has been dire for several seasons now, especially his crossing into the box and set piece delivery. When we sold Bentley we were crying out for Pedersen to make the step up and provide the service for our forwards and in my opinion he failed.

I think its time he moved on both to give himself a new challenge and allow us to bring someone else in that can provide more of an attacking threat. A deal if done could help both parties.

I’m fully aware I may be in the minority who feel Pedersen isn’t up to scratch, I don’t consider myself one of these Pedersen bashers who every week go on and one about him and I’ve noticed the amount of protection he provides defensively. But I can only go of what I’ve seen for the past few seasons and my overall personal view is we need to move on.

[LeChuck]

I'd offer him a new contract purely based on the fact that he'd still be worth a good few million, why let that slip away by letting his contract run out?

[RibbleValleyRover]

Now that i have found the Pedersen thread and bumped it we might as well discuss it here, rather than clog up the Big Sam's Shopping List Thread:

I don't really understand why you have got it in for Pedersen. He has done okay, much better since Sam came in, and he does his job well enough. He has not been any poorer than any of our other midfielders (which is not saying much, but still). And on top of that we simply don't have the money to throw him out for nothing and replace him.

I think he will have a good year next year under Sam's guidance.

I can only go of what i've seen Joey and as they say football is all about opinions. Some fans rate some players and some rate others.

I'd be lying if i said i was happy with Pedersen's contribution over the past few seasons, i'm not bothered about the wonder goals he used to score often more the lack of quality delivery into the box and the set piece issue. His corners now 90% of the time never seem to beat the first man.

I just don't feel comfortable in rewarding Pedersen a new 2, 3 or 4 year deal when he hasn't in my opinion earned it. You may have a valid point about our limited resources and trying to find a replacement, we will have to see what Sam decides is best for the club.

If he turns it around then i will be the first to hold my hands up, but i just can't see Pedersen doing so.

[gumboots]

In my opinion he's become the scapegoat for a lot of other things that are wrong with the team. Yes, he's not been what he was at his best, but who else is available who actually wants to play for us and could do better. He's settled where he is, blatantly likes it here again, and has shown signs of improvement which, whilst not taking him back ot the level we have seen earlier, show that he is still willing to adapt his play and learn. I'd give him a new contract.

[roversmum]

I'd give him a new contract. He's saved a few goals off the line, provided a fair few assists (one of the top wingers for assists in the league); and his corners are better that Dioufs. He's just begun to start running at defenders again. Many of his free kicks have been excellent, on target and only saved from going in the net by good goalkeeping. He's not injury prone, and will play where needed without fuss. He's loyal to Rovers and wants to stay. Give him a break and support him.

[Majiball]

Pedersen set the bar and since then hasn't come close to it. Ryan giggs succsessor at one stage, but now??? He works his socks off but he's not what he was. Where is his flair, his cheekness, those rockets from outside the box, corners whipped in to try and score. Somethings gone very wrong with pedersen he's changed.

Personnally I think he needs to do more than ask for a contract, I'd want to see him get someway back to his best first. But I wouldn't push him out the door this summer.

[DeadlyDirk]

I thought towards the end of the season he was showing signs of getting back on the right track, he has a while to go before he is back to his best but at least it's a sign. His work ethic and desire to support the cause has never been in question though for me. Sure he didn't have the best of seasons but then who did? I agree I think at times he was a bit of a scapegoat, hopefully he can chip in with a few more goals and prove worthy of a new contract. I'd certainly offer him a new deal, if only not to let him leave on a free!

[jannerman]

I'd give him a new contract. He's saved a few goals off the line, provided a fair few assists (one of the top wingers for assists in the league); and his corners are better that Dioufs. He's just begun to start running at defenders again. Many of his free kicks have been excellent, on target and only saved from going in the net by good goalkeeping. He's not injury prone, and will play where needed without fuss. He's loyal to Rovers and wants to stay. Give him a break and support him.

Totally agree with this - with a good preseason and guidance from Sam and co who knows?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

He's coming out of contract at a bad time for us. In an ideal world my heart says I'd like to see what Sam can do with him. But in my head I just think deep down the rest of the Prem have worked him out now. If I have to chose I'd sell him if we can get a buyer.

[American]

Pedersen set the bar and since then hasn't come close to it. Ryan giggs succsessor at one stage, but now??? He works his socks off but he's not what he was. Where is his flair, his cheekness, those rockets from outside the box, corners whipped in to try and score. Somethings gone very wrong with pedersen he's changed.

Personnally I think he needs to do more than ask for a contract, I'd want to see him get someway back to his best first. But I wouldn't push him out the door this summer.

Agree with this. When he hit his stride, he showed the potential to be one of the top 5 left wingers in the league. He isn't there, but he isn't in the bottom 5, either.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Agree with this. When he hit his stride, he showed the potential to be one of the top 5 left wingers in the league. He isn't there, but he isn't in the bottom 5, either.

I think he is that poor, I'd swap him for Stephen Hunt tomorrow.

[braddock]

very underrated when it comes to his defensive abilities but is an impact player and therefore if he isn't making an impact it is easy to become restless. one thing not to be excused however is simply blasting the ball upfield to no one when he has time four times a game, and shirking challenges. looks to have lost confidence and physical presence since the broken ribs.

i wouldn't sell him unless we had someone lined up who was a better attacking player. having a left footed left winger is invaluable, adds balance. sticking dunn or reid out there just isn't the same and tends to just negate them. will be interesting to see the new winger when he's fit.

[tony gale's mic]

but is an impact player

I wouldn't even call him that. Jason Roberts is an impact player, Pedersen hasn't made a big impact on a game for years.

[budha]

He's "ok", but worth the reported £40k/wk? And the possible new contract surely won't include a salary decrease.

[Mc Love]

I would give him a new contract only to save us a couple of million, but he needs to be gone sooner or later, he has completly disappeared off the radar and is nothing special.

[bennyboyt11]

He's "ok", but worth the reported £40k/wk? And the possible new contract surely won't include a salary decrease.

If Gallagher is on £20k/wk I would pay double for Gamst...

[braddock]

If Gallagher is on £20k/wk I would pay double for Gamst...

or sell them both and get a good winger for £60k/wk

[bennyboyt11]

In an ideal world perhaps...

[CrazyIvan]

Some of the stuff written on here is utter pap. Gamst has had poor performances this last year or so but who the hell would we replace him with? At our level he is the best we are going to get and considerably better than a lot of other players in the Premier League in his position.

[dopper69]

Gamst seemed to pick up for the last half of the season and although he can be frustrating at times, I would still consider him one of the five most important members of the squad.

[braddock]

Some of the stuff written on here is utter pap. Gamst has had poor performances this last year or so but who the hell would we replace him with? At our level he is the best we are going to get and considerably better than a lot of other players in the Premier League in his position.

3 years

[TimmyJimmy]

MGP is a very good player who consistently plays well below his best. If he was playing at the top of his game every week we'd have an awesome player on our hands. I was excited when he signed but something's changed with him.

I think managerial instruction is a place to start. He is praised for his defensive work covering the full back and tracking players around midfield. This is good stuff but only if it's an element that was to be ADDED to his game. It seems to have REPLACED his game not added to it. With solid cover behind him he could focus on what he's good at and for me that's flair attack and taking chances, sometimes with spectacular results.

Sam's style of management will work for him I think and he could regain most what he's lost. Players who don't need so much protection will be slotted in e.g. Givet and he'll get more freedom.

He's obviously lost confidence but probably as a result of not enjoying what he's been converted into. I think back to what 'management' did for Duffer, he was asked to track back so often that he lost his ability to focus on scaring defenders to death and started crossing from deep or short passing on the inside. We saw it begin at Ewood but Chelsea bought on reputation and they didn't get what they were expecting IMO because his game had been dismantled by trying to 'add' something extra.

Good management may yet save MGP but it's often hard to regain what you've lost. On balance he's worth a place on my team sheet but as we are watching the pennies he's vulnerable.

[47er]

I agree that he plays a much more important defensive role these days and does it well but that doesn't explain the absense of those lethal free-kicks from a fair way out or the dangerous corners landing just under the cross bar or those volleys eg at Old Trafford and against Fulham at Ewood in season before last. Even the long throw-in was missing till Allardyce took over. Its as if all confidence has ebbed away from him.

[Hughesy]

I agree - his corners used to cause havoc when we had Kuqi - if he could do that now with Samba making the runs then we would gain several goals that way.

I think MGP is worth keeping, we should offer him a new deal (no big pay increase though). If we sign Rothen and we have also got Elrio & Diouf so we would then have 4 wingers (3 of which can play on the left) and that would hopefully provide MGP with the competition to improve his game!