Surely We Must be Able to Sign A Better Midfielder Than El-Abd

[bobbyzam]

Having watched the Albion put in a respectable performance against Cardiff last night, it showed we are not too far off being a decent side. It did show however what most people have been predicting, our midfield is a disaster zone.

Thought Fraser did ok and showed reasonable technique but he is not a right sided midfielder and I feel sorry for him being played out wide as it must be damaging his confidence.

However Adam El-Abd was quite frankly woeful, if released I am sure he would go the same way as Chris McPhee and be playing non-league football. Can someone please tell me a single one of his qualities (apart from he tries hard), he certainly can't tackle, head the ball, control the ball, pass it to someone on his own team or read the game. He certainly isn’t a midfielder, but neither is he a center back or full back. He doesn’t even ‘put it about’ although he looks like a thug he doesn’t play like one.

Please, Please Wilkins can you sign someone to play in central midfield to replace him, even with our limited budget surely you can find someone who is better than Adam ‘Touch of Rapist’ El-Abd!

 

[saltash seagull]

hammond needs to be the sitting midfielder not elabd

for the minute we need to play cox or reid as the attacking midfielder but we desperatly need some1 in the middle of the park capable of creating something

 

[Silent Bob]

hammond needs to be the sitting midfielder not elabd

for the minute we need to play cox or reid as the attacking midfielder but we desperatly need some1 in the middle of the park capable of creating something

If you have Hammond as the sitting player you lose one of his biggest assets though, his goal threat. Alright he's not really creative but with Reid and Cox ideally playing on the flanks they should be able to create.

We do need someone better than El-Abd. If we can't sign anyone why not give Fraser a go in his natural position?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

We do need someone better than El-Abd. If we can't sign anyone why not give Fraser a go in his natural position?

Be good to see him make the step up, I think if given a few games he could do well

 

[Lokki 7]

If you have Hammond as the sitting player you lose one of his biggest assets though, his goal threat. Alright he's not really creative but with Reid and Cox ideally playing on the flanks they should be able to create.

We do need someone better than El-Abd. If we can't sign anyone why not give Fraser a go in his natural position?

Agree with all of that, I can only assume that Fraser is not playing the defensive central midfield role because Reid is not yet fit enough to play 90 mins on the right. I hope that's the reason anyway.

(Although surely Bas or now Jake are worth a go on the right in the meantime?)

 

[Basil Fawlty]

We need to take El-Abd out of midfield fast, because last night Whing took a throw-in to El-Abd. He took a dreadful touch and lost the ball. This proves why he will never been an centre-midfielder.

 

[bobbyzam]

We need to take El-Abd out of midfield fast, because last night Whing took a throw-in to El-Abd. He took a dreadful touch and lost the ball. This proves why he will never been an centre-midfielder.

Or a league footballer!

 

[Les Biehn]

I think Fraser may be too lightweight to play in the centre at the moment. El-Abd is a weird one, some games he looks quality others he looks gash. I don't think playing with Mr Anonymous helps.

 

[Scotty Mac]

agree totally with that

last night, what fraser did he did well. he showed a good first touch, and his passes always seemed to go to one of our men. trouble is, he CANNOT get past a man to save his life, or create ANYTHING. but what strengths suggest he would make a decent central midfielder

as for el-abd, god knows how many fouls he gave away. everytime he tackled he HAD to use his arms, he then got booked for what appeared to be mouthing off at the ref, and apart from one move where he beat a man, allbeit after the ball had ricocheted into his face, i cannot remember one positive thing he did

 

[Silent Bob]

I think Fraser may be too lightweight to play in the centre at the moment. El-Abd is a weird one, some games he looks quality others he looks gash. I don't think playing with Mr Anonymous helps.

You don't really think El-Abd is a better midfielder than Hammond?

 

[Les Biehn]

I think the thing is with Fraser it's more of an attitude than physicallity that makes him lightweight. I remember seeing Barry Ferguson and he was a slight bloke but always seemed willing to get stuck in for Rangers and Blackburn.

At the age Fraser is players aren't always that confident to mix it up with blokes of the size of professional footballers, however this will come and hopefully Charlie can give him a few pointers.

 

[Les Biehn]

You don't really think El-Abd is a better midfielder than Hammond?

No. If I did I would have said that.

I do think Hammond goes missing though and this contributes to El-Abd charging around trying to do to much and making mistakes.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

ADAM El-ABD - EX MANCHESTER UNITED triallist on a day when the director of youth obviously came into work half-cut.

 

[Silent Bob]

No. If I did I would have said that.

I do think Hammond goes missing though and this contributes to El-Abd charging around trying to do to much and making mistakes.

Well I couldn't disagree more really, Hammond was probably our most influential player last season and even when not at his best he gets through a lot of work.

 

[BensGrandad]

hammond needs to be the sitting midfielder not elabd

Why have you ever seen him win a tackle without giving away a free kick in or around our penalty box.

He is ok in the opponents penalty box but keep him out of ours.

The answer when he is fit !!!! is Hinshlewood who can tackle, head and play football.

 

[Da Man Clay]

Why have you ever seen him win a tackle without giving away a free kick in or around our penalty box.

He is ok in the opponents penalty box but keep him out of ours.

The answer when he is fit !!!! is Hinshlewood who can tackle, head and play football.

Ill be amazed if Hinshlewood plays many games this season.

 

[Del Boy]

We need to take El-Abd out of midfield fast, because last night Whing took a throw-in to El-Abd. He took a dreadful touch and lost the ball. This proves why he will never been an centre-midfielder.

Okay... And Gerrard, Lampard etc never do that?

 

[algie]

hammond needs to be the sitting midfielder not elabd

for the minute we need to play cox or reid as the attacking midfielder but we desperatly need some1 in the middle of the park capable of creating something

Read your first line and thats enough to say you talk shit.
Hammond needs to go forward not sit back

 

[John Byrne]

I think the problem is El-Abd is not a midfielder he's a right back. When he used to play in that position i personally thought he had potential.

 

[John Byrne]

Why have you ever seen him win a tackle without giving away a free kick in or around our penalty box.

He is ok in the opponents penalty box but keep him out of ours.

The answer when he is fit !!!! is Hinshlewood who can tackle, head and play football.

imo hinch is barely a defender let alone a bloody midfielder....