[Archived] Morten Gamst Pedersen

[DE.]

MGP is generally overrated as an attacking threat by opposition fans... he has to do more than he should have to in defence to concentrate fully on attacking.

On the other hand, sometimes he does just disappear from games and he's still a little bit lightweight, although he's improved from when he first joined.

I personally think people are a little harsh on him, and that if he was once again playing in a creative and confident team he'd be a real threat.

[broadsword]

How many times has he taken a corner where it's not cleared the first man?

[Tom]

How many times has he taken a corner where it's not cleared the first man?

Reffering to this does abyone remember a goal Dickov scored at Ewood at the front post from a Pedersen corner? I always think we should aim to have a man before the first defender to get a flick on. Maybe have Nelsen attack the edge of the 6 yard box to flick it on (cause he'll never score anyway )

Also there is rarely a good corner taken at Ewood, does anyone else think the pitch slopes off far too quickly and severely making the corner taker run uphill and strike the ball awkwardly?

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Also there is rarely a good corner taken at Ewood, does anyone else think the pitch slopes off far too quickly and severely making the corner taker run uphill and strike the ball awkwardly?

I've thought this for years but only recently realised the flaw in my logic is that other teams don't seem to have any trouble taking corners, so we can discount the pitch, I think.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

What always interests me - he reminds me in many ways of Wilcox - hard working, can deliver a good cross (but not always), provides good balance and defensive cover.

In the same way as Wilcox invoked mixed reactions from the fans - we have the same mix with MGP.

For me MGP has suffered following on from Duff - without doubt our best left winger for many years.

IMO he is worth his place in the team for his industry and general team play. When he doesn't play - you can see what impact he has on general team play. Though not always appreciated - his running off the ball does create options and room for other players - I think fans are too quick sometimes to forget it is a team game - and a players influence isn't just what he does with the ball.

IF he could get back his previous dead ball accuracy - and threat of spectacular goals - he could once again become one of the most sought after left-midfield players in the country. At the moment he is a decent left midfield player for a mid to lower EPL team - which is after all what we are.

[den]

How many times has he taken a corner where it's not cleared the first man?

To be fair Bryan, if he was just looping them over to the far post, with some height on them, it would be much easier for him, but also much easier to defend against.

He is trying to hit the near post at a height where they are far more difficult to defend against, but there isn't as much room for error, height wise. Don't get it quite right and they either fly over everyone, or hit the first man.

It's harder to do, the way he takes the corners, so more go awry, but alternatively they are far more dangerous when he does get them right.

[broadsword]

How does he do that then?

Because whenever I've seen him over the past few years, he's about as much threat as a marsh-flaming-mellow.

someone needs to put something in his tea. or maybe get him to wrestle grizzlies, make him drink bull's blood and give him a number 1!

Tell him to stop being such a bloody girl.

[Hasta]

His inital contribution when he came into the side was superb. Great delivery from set pieces and spectacular goals. Unfortunately after the honeymoon period he has proved to be a very average player who has benefited from having no real competition in his position.

I think two things happened in Pedersen's Rovers career. Firstly he missed that header against Chelsea at Old Trafford. His confidence was flaking a bit then and ever since that happened it has been questioned by many. I've said this before but when he was scoring goals early on he used to arrive late or make excellent runs into the box. He very rarely does nowadays. If he does he becomes like a rabbit in the headlights, looking for the easy option or to pass the responsibility. At Man U last weekend, regardless of how much contact there was, he could have gone on and pulled the trigger. He took the easy option. That to me was a lack of confidence. 3 years ago he'd have took one more touch and hit that.

However the other thing that happened is Premiership players and coaches worked him out. Initially they had him down as a danger man so started man marking him or denying his space. Soon they realised that he wasn't some flying winger or cunning, probing midfielder. They realised he had no pace and couldn't beat a man.

Pedersen is an average player at this level who works hard and keeps the shape well. Unfortunately Rovers fans now have him down in their heads as our creative, free-scoring wide man whose crosses can cause terror into the hearts of the opposition. He's not.

No-one hates him and he does a job. However there must be better left-sided midfielders out there to put him under pressure for his place. Treacy doesn't have the skill. Peter didn't have the brains or the character. Maybe Diouf is that person?

[broadsword]

To be fair Bryan, if he was just looping them over to the far post, with some height on them, it would be much easier for him, but also much easier to defend against.

He is trying to hit the near post at a height where they are far more difficult to defend against, but there isn't as much room for error, height wise. Don't get it quite right and they either fly over everyone, or hit the first man.

It's harder to do, the way he takes the corners, so more go awry, but alternatively they are far more dangerous when he does get them right.

So, it should be the same for all corner-takers then?

Everyone has the same failure rate as Pedersen?

Ever heard of practice makes perfect, Den, 'cos I don't think he has?

[super_arran]

How can you call Pedersen crap?

He's top of our assist table so far this season...

http://www.rovers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Tea...,,10303,00.html

Just seems like people dislike him for the same reason people don't like Beckham...cause he's a bit flash and boy bandish

BUT! there is a reason for his boy band looks.....

enjoy

[imy9]

Considering how poor certain people think he is, isnt it funny how in THREE out of the last FOUR years MGP has been leading the assists table for us- including the current one.

I would also add what others have said in that defensively he is excellent and the issue is that he is supporting the left back too much, maybe if we had a better defensive minded left back then MGP could concentrate on getting forward and scoring goals.

[rover6]

Because of his ordinary pace and vision, he's team-reliant, that is he's a team-player who can't function to any sort of level without a lot of help from his team-mates. So, in a team performing badly, he is a stinker.

He's basically in that Garry Flitcroft/Brett Emerton category of secure obscurity, where he is not performing well enough to earn a move but well enough to remain in our team, earning plaudits for effort - and sticking around for many years.

[Jan]

What always interests me - he reminds me in many ways of Wilcox - hard working, can deliver a good cross (but not always), provides good balance and defensive cover.

In the same way as Wilcox invoked mixed reactions from the fans - we have the same mix with MGP.

For me MGP has suffered following on from Duff - without doubt our best left winger for many years.

IMO he is worth his place in the team for his industry and general team play. When he doesn't play - you can see what impact he has on general team play. Though not always appreciated - his running off the ball does create options and room for other players - I think fans are too quick sometimes to forget it is a team game - and a players influence isn't just what he does with the ball.

IF he could get back his previous dead ball accuracy - and threat of spectacular goals - he could once again become one of the most sought after left-midfield players in the country. At the moment he is a decent left midfield player for a mid to lower EPL team - which is after all what we are.

He's not in the same league as Wilcox, never mind Duff. There were some who said they wouldn't swap MGP for Duff. Think that was a bit silly now, don't you?

The "tracking back" thing is, and always has been, a blind. He is only useful at the back for free kicks and corners (which he's usually given away or forced Warnock to give away with his positioning). When it comes to open play, he may track back, but couldn't tackle me- never mind a Premier League player. His spatial awareness is non-existent, and there hasn't been a player yet that he can beat for pace. Unfortunately I sit on the JW Lower, so when we shoot towards the Blackburn End in the second half- as we used to always do- I have to watch his efforts for the whole of the second half "up close and personal", and it isn't pretty. Believe me, it was nothing to do with him that Warnock looked good. 9 times out of 10 Warnock would be looking for a pass and wouldn't pass to MGP as he knew he'd lose it.

Unortunately, though, he's the best we've got at the moment.

[Eddie]

Good 'ol Jan, football genius.

[broadsword]

How can you call Pedersen crap?

He's top of our assist table so far this season...

LIKE THAT MEANS ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Blue n White Rover]

LIKE THAT MEANS ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why does it not???

We lost David Bentley this season and half this board is bloody crying about the fact we never bought in a replacement. Why has Roque not scored as much as last season? Other than his injury problems, it's mainly because we don't have the supply from Bentley. Our right hand side is crap.

If Morten ain't gonna come up with the assists then who will?

[broadsword]

We're hardly setting the league on fire at the moment, it's quite easy to top the stats in a struggling team, doesn't mean you're playing well.

[Mr. E]

Diving clown that can't cross. Get rid.

[thenodrog]

Diving clown that can't cross. Get rid.

Thank you Alan Hansen.

[DeadlyDirk]

I could never hate a Rovers for so that's a simple answer.

I still like the lad to be honest, I'm dissappointed with his performances that's all, that's probably because I know he can play so much better. I can't question his work ethic and his determination but he just seems to be almost non existent going forward lately. People have suggested that perhaps he has been asked to play a more defensive role but I find it hard to believe that 3 different managers have now wanted him to do this.

If he can get back to his early Rovers career form then he could be one hell of a goal threat for us, at the moment if the strikers don't score I'm wondering who is going to come up with a goal, probably part of the reason why we draw so many games.

Come on Peds, let's see the old you!!

[LeftWinger]

Considering how poor certain people think he is, isnt it funny how in THREE out of the last FOUR years MGP has been leading the assists table for us- including the current one.

I thought Bentley was top of our assists table for last season and the season before. He certainly was in Premier League assists.

[JC4LAB]

With Bently we had two great providers...Teams have just sussed if they can snuff out MGP theres no one else so if they put their best man on him.we are knacked..Maybe Peter could have done a good job if we kept him.. Pennant as a loan option is a great deal for Portsmouth..we should have gone for it...

[LeftWinger]

If we're going to stay up, at some point between now and the end of the season, one player is going to score a goal that we all look back on and say that it kept us up. It'd be great if it was Pedersen. Others that I would like to see score the goal to keep us up would be Tugay, Andrews, Mokoena, Diouf or Samba.

[thenodrog]

I noticed when Spit came on at Ewood v Villa he immedietely had 2 men marking him. If that continues the form of the other players including MGP will likely improve as they will be able to find a little more time and space.

[RovertheHill]

I noticed when Spit came on at Ewood v Villa he immedietely had 2 men marking him. If that continues the form of the other players including MGP will likely improve as they will be able to find a little more time and space.

I think that's a great point. When Pedersen burst onto the scene he was unknown but over time he was seen as one of our biggest threats and he got marked out of the game. That wasn't a problem because we had another "little known" player on the right called Bentley - who coincidentally (?) had his best ever premiership season at the same time as Pedersen's form dipped