[Archived] N'zonzi Deal Agreed

[thenodrog]

N'zonzi's injury was worrying. Teeth / Jaw could easily be broken after watching the replay. Losing him for any length of time would be a hammer blow.

[Hughesy]

N'zonzi's injury was worrying. Teeth / Jaw could easily be broken after watching the replay. Losing him for any length of time would be a hammer blow.

Lost a tooth.

I felt last night was one of his weakest for us so far.... anyone else?

[alexanders]

Lost a tooth.

I felt last night was one of his weakest for us so far.... anyone else?

1st half yes. He had to do the job of two. Second half with Dunn a lot better.

[G Somerset Rover]

Lost a tooth.

I felt last night was one of his weakest for us so far.... anyone else?

Definitely, but older heads in the team should have led by example.

I've said it before though, N'zonzi will have to become more adventurous if he is ever going to become an excellent player. He's very tidy, but 99% of his passes are either sideways or backwards (at least he doesn't hoof it ala Nelsen).

[Muddboy]

Lost a tooth.

I felt last night was one of his weakest for us so far.... anyone else?

I think you're probably right but I still couldn't fault him for endeavour and commitment.

Let's not forget he was doing the job of two centre midfielders for much of the game and that's bound to have an effect.

I really feel sorry for the lad because the rest of the sh!t in our squad is dragging him down. Just hope it doesn't have a lasting effect.

[Hughesy]

Ok so its clear to 99% of fans that 1 major problem for us is Keith Andrews - Lets get rid of him!

[LeChuck]

I think N'Zonzi looks better when he's playing alongside Grella and can move more freely around the park. When he's restricted to babysitting Andrews he looks a pale imitation of his usual self.

[SAS]

Definitely, but older heads in the team should have led by example.

I've said it before though, N'zonzi will have to become more adventurous if he is ever going to become an excellent player. He's very tidy, but 99% of his passes are either sideways or backwards (at least he doesn't hoof it ala Nelsen).

Agreed, he is terrible at going forward. Which to be fair is representative of the whole team.

[mellison24]

Agreed, he is terrible at going forward. Which to be fair is representative of the whole team.

He's a CDM. He isn't there to go forward, BUT he does need to be more adventurous with his passes. When he is confident, he plays some delightful balls that wouldn't be too far off Tugay standard. Thouh I've only seen them in 5/6 gamnes, but that is due to his youth. A future Tugay minus shooting?

[S15]

N'Zonzi is an average player. Every week I see him play and then read what people write about him on here and it staggers me. I think people want him to be good so bad they actually trick their mind into thinking he is better than he is. Stick him in Mark Hughes' Rovers team and he's a liability IMO.

He's a CDM. He isn't there to go forward, BUT he does need to be more adventurous with his passes. When he is confident, he plays some delightful balls that wouldn't be too far off Tugay standard. Though I've only seen them in 5/6 gamnes, but that is due to his youth. A future Tugay minus shooting?

Typical. Five sentence of absolute garbage, though that shouldn't suprise me much considering who wrote it.

N'Zonzi a future Tugay? Now I've heard it all, at least Vieira can sleep easy again.

[Hughesy]

I dont think he's a bad player - especially for a young lad at 20. Reminds me of Samba when we signed him - and I think he can go on to become as big a player for us as Samba is.

[Majiball]

I dont think he's a bad player - especially for a young lad at 20. Reminds me of Samba when we signed him - and I think he can go on to become as big a player for us as Samba is.

The boys got potential and has a good chance. However I wonder if we maybe stunting his development by playing alongside Andrews, its a bit like the blind leading the blind.

A youngster needs guidance an experienced head to help him through. The trouble is with our midfield it seems like N'zonzi is doing this for andrews at times.

[Amo]

Claude Makelele was never a stunning passer of the ball. He simply shielded the backline and kept the ball moving. Our own Vince Grella is good at this, when he's not handing in his doctor's note. Nzonzi has adapted very well to a high-level of football in a short space of time, but there's also a lot of pressure on him to lead the midfield. If we had someone who could complement his defensive covering, he'd certainly develop as a player. Shoving him alongside Andrews is not conducive to that.

[mellison24]

N'Zonzi is an average player. Every week I see him play and then read what people write about him on here and it staggers me. I think people want him to be good so bad they actually trick their mind into thinking he is better than he is. Stick him in Mark Hughes' Rovers team and he's a liability IMO.

Typical. Five sentence of absolute garbage, though that shouldn't suprise me much considering who wrote it.

N'Zonzi a future Tugay? Now I've heard it all, at least Vieira can sleep easy again.

So he has NO chance of getting to Tugay's level in the space of 18 years?

[alexanders]

Claude Makelele was never a stunning passer of the ball. He simply shielded the backline and kept the ball moving. Our own Vince Grella is good at this, when he's not handing in his doctor's note. Nzonzi has adapted very well to a high-level of football in a short space of time, but there's also a lot of pressure on him to lead the midfield. If we had someone who could complement his defensive covering, he'd certainly develop as a player. Shoving him alongside Andrews is not conducive to that.

Totally agree with this.

When he plays with Andrews they both run around like headless chickens as soon as Andrews went of and Nzonzi's job was protecting the backline he started doing a very good job. He won some balls and passed the ball around nicely to the back four and Dunn.

[S15]

So he has NO chance of getting to Tugay's level in the space of 18 years?

Absolutely non whatsoever.

[ultrablue]

N'Zonzi is instantly replaceable. He hasn't played his way into the team- its more a sign of the dirth of quality we have in midfield that he has played so much. Just two or three years ago he'd have been alongside DeVita, Peter and Treacy in the reserves.

[T4E]

So he has NO chance of getting to Tugay's level in the space of 18 years?

Correct. Less than zero. Totally different player - N'Zonzi actually has certain attributes that Tugay never had, but Tugay had more raw natural talent in his hair that N'Zonzi has in his whole body.

There will never be another Tugay, if I can accept it so can you. What we really need is another Savage.

[mellison24]

Correct. Less than zero. Totally different player - N'Zonzi actually has certain attributes that Tugay never had, but Tugay had more raw natural talent in his hair that N'Zonzi has in his whole body.

There will never be another Tugay, if I can accept it so can you. What we really need is another Savage.

If only Grella could run.

[Shabani]

N'Zonzi is instantly replaceable. He hasn't played his way into the team- its more a sign of the dirth of quality we have in midfield that he has played so much. Just two or three years ago he'd have been alongside DeVita, Peter and Treacy in the reserves.

Have you ever actually seen him play?

If you had you'd know what you'd written is utter ######

[ultrablue]

Have you ever actually seen him play?

If you had you'd know what you'd written is utter ######

Of course I've seen him play - he was the guy in the blue and white halves who refuses to make any movement towards the edge of the oppositions box, the lanky lad with a uncanny ability to pick out a pass to our full backs at all times, the lad whose shots nearly hit me in the upper tier.

You can tell me he's a defensive midfielder and he's good at dismantling the oppositions plays, likening his role to that of makelele, but its rubbish. It's not like we are piling forward with the likes of Lampard, Essien, Joe Cole, Veron, Duff or whoever. This team does not need such a limited player. He's promising at what he does, but he's doing half the job that steven reid left behind. Nothing against the lad - he shows passion and tries his best for the team. But I woould put a long list of premiership midfielders in our team ahead of him.

[thenodrog]

Of course I've seen him play - he was the guy in the blue and white halves who refuses to make any movement towards the edge of the oppositions box, the lanky lad with a uncanny ability to pick out a pass to our full backs at all times, the lad whose shots nearly hit me in the upper tier.

You mean like Batty and Sid Cowans?

Imo you will be eating your words soon. One thing holding the lad back is playing alongside Keith Andrews far too often but thats no one's fault but Grella's dodgy thighs really.

N'Zonzi doesn't possess the attributes to make him an attacking midfielder but if he's encouraged to specialise in the defensive role he will go far.

[ultrablue]

Seems to me some people are striving so hard to find positives at the moment that they are making some rather strange excuses. To absolve a player of his shortcomings because he's in the same team as Keith Andrews means you are not making a sound judgement call. Look at N'Zonzi's merits alone.

[rebelmswar]

If only Grella could run.

In my opinion if Grella could run faster he would just foul more.

We need another Savage as T4E says, Grella is not that.

[Hughesy]

June 28th

"N'Zonzi is a well respected talent."

and in response to "Should we be cautiously excited about the N'Zonzi deal Eddie?" on the 29th

"Yes and no. He certainly has potential, but has yet to be tested at a serious level and so it is really unclear as to how good he really is. I've seen him only a handful of times and he was only a sub, he didn't totally stand out at that level, but I could see why people were getting excited about him. He's unlikely to do anything for us this season, but the league will suit him physically and he may well become a player that we can use."

That seems pretty similar to what I just said. Surprised that he's played as much as he has I must admit. I'm glad to see that he's taken it pretty much in his stride.

Just to back Eddie up abit.....iv dug up the old NZonzi thread...