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[Albion] Mats Wieffer SINGS on 5 year contract
- Thread starter saafend_seagull
- Start date
Perry Milkins
Just a quiet guy.
Agreed. The point I was making was issues around how each player comes across intangibly as opposed to efforts in a game.
This is where I'm at with it. Weiffer and O'Riley both came in with big reputations, from inferior leagues and with big price tags. Neither are settled and neither have really found their feet because both have had quite serious injuries since arriving. They will disappear in games and they will have better performances, but I suspect we won't see the best from either until post-Christmas.
Weiffer wasn't the problem in the team last night. Neither was O'Riley. We were set up all wrong from the start and put on the back foot by yet another gift from Verbruggen.
Wieffer was signed as one of the FH pivots. Whilst the itk football watchers here said O'Riley played just behind the striker.
kevo
Well-known member
- Mar 8, 2008
- 9,882
He just gets knocked off the ball so easily and struggles with the speed of the game. He always seems to need more time than he has. He made one great interception last night, but generally speaking he's a liability. I don't really know what was going through Fab's head starting with him. Maybe to give him the experience he needs to step up?
METALMICKY
Well-known member
- Jan 30, 2004
- 6,938
My thoughts entirely and I like the determination with which ORiley got back fit ahead of schedule. As other people have expressed the progress report on Wieffer is still distinctly ' Meh ' but ridiculously too early to write off.
Perry Milkins
Just a quiet guy.
It's far too early to write off either of them.
Last season we had the same assessment of Baleba and we now see the player he is but he was also off the pace yesterday.
Machiavelli
Well-known member
Yes, he is having a positive impact although I wouldn't go as far as saying it's noticeable, as he has qualities distinct to all our other CMs. I think your expectations of him are too high, and would say that physicality is fine and he's pretty good at receiving in tight spaces and creativity on a par for a DCM (see, for instance, our goals against Everton). The game really doesn't pass him by, that's never the case for any DCM.
I'm not saying that he'll turn in to a standout player, and the fact that he is slow has also shown up as being ponderous on occasions -- which is what he really needs to eliminate and might be what's informing your view on tight spaces/half turn. He just needs to get up to speed with the pace of the PL and, again, he'll never become a quick player, it's about adapting his skillset to its pace and intensity. There are plenty of PL players that don't have pace but thrive. Which is another way of saying: give him more time.
Tom Hark Preston Park
Will Post For Cash
- Jul 6, 2003
- 72,660
Underwhelming signing
Machiavelli
Well-known member
This was going so well until your very last point. Last night was as giftiest as they get, but share us some recent other examples.
Well, in 33 appearances for us he has 5 mistakes leading to goals for a start, 3 of which are this season. I'm assuming those aren't made up by Opta.
Don't get me wrong, I love him and he's a brilliant keeper, but I still think he needs to sort out that element of his game. If his name was Steele or Sanchez, this site would be a binfire.
Terry Butcher Tribute Act
Well-known member
- Aug 18, 2013
- 3,748
Made more passes than any other midfielder last night. Think his main issue is that he's not especially glamorous at anything
Spot on.
His strength is (Wolves apart) is that he sits and maintains shape, whist the Baleb’s and Ayari’s push on more when in possession.
We absolutely need this type of player, whether longer term Wieffer is that player who knows, but early days still.
Verbruggen wasn’t helped by Igor playing him on to his weaker foot, so he couldn’t play the pass first time. Down to Bart, but Igor has to do better.
Not sure about ‘yet another gift’, you’ll have to remind me….
Greg Bobkin
Silver Seagull
- May 22, 2012
- 16,281
These are a good points
Jimmy Grimble
Well-known member
We’ll have to agree to disagree as I’m surprised you think he’s good at receiving the ball in tight spaces. He never looks like he particularly wants to receive it on the half turn when we’re building up in our third. He also gets nudged off the ball too easily.
The game can certainly pass a DCM by if they’re not involved in build-up, setting the tempo of play, winning the majority of their duels or intercepting play (something which I think he has been decent at).
You’re right to point out that he is going to have to adapt his style to compensate for his lack of pace. A very hard task unfortunately. Not every slow midfielder can do what Pascal Gross did.
Until you see him dancing in a sequin dress.
sussex_guy2k2
Well-known member
- Jun 6, 2014
- 4,318
All 3 of the main midfield players were poor.
But only one of the scored the equaliser.
sussex_guy2k2
Well-known member
- Jun 6, 2014
- 4,318
It doesn’t help that it takes him 5 minutes to make each of those passes, and he struggles most to make them when under any pressure.
Honestly, I hope he improves. But people are kidding themselves if they think last night was some fantastic turning point. He was, at best, bang average (although that’s better than many of our players last night).