Adam El-Abd

[TheJasperCo]

He's an Albion stalwart whom I remember well from previous seasons, and is never afraid of missing an opportunity of getting stuck in with a crunching tackle.

 

[brakespear]

Made Championship Team of the Day in the Sunday Mirror this week also (alongside Brez and Razzak).

 

[mrbigshot]

I love to Calde and Dunk to bits but I think yesterdays back 4 was definitely our strongest and isn't it about time Greer gets a call up for Scotland?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Do you know what? I wish he was there for the Palace game at the amex i really dont think it would have been that result.

Agreed, we missed him at the end of last season too although a lot of the team were already on holiday after Walsall.

 

[chucky1973]

What a superb performance yesterday. I don't think a thread has been dedicated to his brilliance yet, but he deserves one. Block after block in the first half, positionally he was spot on every time and was never troubled. And this is the guy who was replaced at 3-0 down at half time to Walsall a couple of years ago. Much as I like Lewis Dunk, I think he will have a bit of time to rest himself now because El-Abd and Greer's partnership is perfect for this team. Chopra is a dangerous striker and the only chance he had came from a slip, and we all know how that ended up.

A couple of years ago I was all for releasing El-Abd and didn't rate him at all. What a transformation, I have never seen a player improve as much as he has in the last couple of years.

What a man.

I tapped to talk.

very well said, has been immense since he returned and back 4 now looks solid. Long may his form last.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Different class.

Stunned by how much he has improved in the last few years.

Absolutely this.

?..back when people were crying out for him to be dropped. He was alone a lot of the time, or strung out by fellow players who weren't helping.

Virgo often played him late, or dangerous passes in bad areas. Elphick derelicted his duty to try and grab goals, and was less concerned (and incredibly slow, for a player of his build) at getting back from forays forward. The midfield would get sucked too far forward and make life more difficult if he had the ball or was back defending.

Yet HE is the one people tended (and occasionally still tend) to blame.

But totally NOT this. What a load of shit. A lot of people considered Adam poor back then, because he WAS poor. Pathetic to blame his very real shortcomings on others, to suit your own agenda The timing of his tackles was poor, his passing and composure were poor, and he was constantly guilty of backing off when people ran at him. The transformation to the player we see now is a massive testament to his hard work, and to the skills of Gus and Tano.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I've said all season that I think he's better than Dunk. Dunk is overrated, El Abd is underrated.

maybe ..but seeing as he wasn't fit..being much better isn't that useful...dunk has done incredibly well...having said that if u asked me who on current form i would want at the centre it would be EL ABD

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Absolutely this.

But totally NOT this. What a load of shit. A lot of people considered Adam poor back then, because he WAS poor. Pathetic to blame his very real shortcomings on others, to suit your own agenda The timing of his tackles was poor, his passing and composure were poor, and he was constantly guilty of backing off when people ran at him. The transformation to the player we see now is a massive testament to his hard work, and to the skills of Gus and Tano.

He was also played at right back rather than centre back.

 

[Richy_Seagull]

His performances since coming back in the team have been absolutely superb.

Happy to admit despite how brilliant he was last year wasn't sure he wouldn't be able to make the step up to Championship....couldn't have been more wrong!

 

[NMH]

Absolutely this.



But totally NOT this. What a load of shit. A lot of people considered Adam poor back then, because he WAS poor. Pathetic to blame his very real shortcomings on others, to suit your own agenda The timing of his tackles was poor, his passing and composure were poor, and he was constantly guilty of backing off when people ran at him. The transformation to the player we see now is a massive testament to his hard work, and to the skills of Gus and Tano.

Well I didn't expect you to admit you had no f***ing clue back then, just because the evidence and weight of opinion has finally drummed a clue into you now.
I told you to "get a clue" back then, and now you have you want to take all the credit for a realisation.
You really aren't much of a judge of a good player. I wasn't trumping on about any other of our players like they were the future of our team - and sure enough there is that one lad who I did extol the virtues for.

Now YOU quit talking shit - I was exactly right, and according to you that was a load of crap. Are you saying I took a lucky guess?

 

[The judge]

What a superb performance yesterday. I don't think a thread has been dedicated to his brilliance yet, but he deserves one. Block after block in the first half, positionally he was spot on every time and was never troubled. And this is the guy who was replaced at 3-0 down at half time to Walsall a couple of years ago. Much as I like Lewis Dunk, I think he will have a bit of time to rest himself now because El-Abd and Greer's partnership is perfect for this team. Chopra is a dangerous striker and the only chance he had came from a slip, and we all know how that ended up.

A couple of years ago I was all for releasing El-Abd and didn't rate him at all. What a transformation, I have never seen a player improve as much as he has in the last couple of years.

What a man.

I tapped to talk.

Good call puts himself on the line Warrior . And some of the kids in the east love the Muppets song !

 

[Thunder Bolt]

His performances since coming back in the team have been absolutely superb.

Happy to admit despite how brilliant he was last year wasn't sure he wouldn't be able to make the step up to Championship....couldn't have been more wrong!

Please see post 10. Adam is due a testimonial next year.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Overrated doesn't mean bad. It just means he's not as good as many people seem to have hyped him up to be. He's not a £5m Arsenal or Spurs player. He's a good player who can get better and maybe play in the EPL, probably with us. But for me, Dunk will never be a top-class player because he hasn't got pace. Just look at him closely the next time he plays, you'll see he really struggles in any 'race' situation. That alone will stop him succeeding for one of the top teams. El Abd, on the other hand, I think is largely thought of (certainly outside the Albion) as a bit of a thug and fairly unskilled. The truth is that he's actually very good on the ball, aggressive without being reckless and capable of goal-saving challenges, such as the block in the first half yesterday. I'm not sure I see Dunk doing that, although maybe I'm being harsh as he is about seven years younger.

i dont disagree with anything u hav sed there...but i would say that perhaps that last comment is the most relevant if we r comparing players

 

[Mutts Nuts]

What a superb performance yesterday. I don't think a thread has been dedicated to his brilliance yet, but he deserves one. Block after block in the first half, positionally he was spot on every time and was never troubled. And this is the guy who was replaced at 3-0 down at half time to Walsall a couple of years ago. Much as I like Lewis Dunk, I think he will have a bit of time to rest himself now because El-Abd and Greer's partnership is perfect for this team. Chopra is a dangerous striker and the only chance he had came from a slip, and we all know how that ended up.

A couple of years ago I was all for releasing El-Abd and didn't rate him at all. What a transformation, I have never seen a player improve as much as he has in the last couple of years.

What a man.

I tapped to talk.

he was also organising the defense which GG was not doing, El Bad should be our Captain

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Different class.

Stunned by how much he has improved in the last few years.

He is indeed a modest and quiet-spoken fellow, and one of our greatest assets.

In my opinion, yes of course he has been getting ever better and grown in stature and confidence expedentially - but to a great extent he DID already have all the right attributes to his game back when people were crying out for him to be dropped. He was alone a lot of the time, or strung out by fellow players who weren't helping.

Virgo often played him late, or dangerous passes in bad areas. Elphick derelicted his duty to try and grab goals, and was less concerned (and incredibly slow, for a player of his build) at getting back from forays forward. The midfield would get sucked too far forward and make life more difficult if he had the ball or was back defending.
Thus it was AeA and FDM back there facing down a charging attack and trying their best to delay/deflect it so men could get back and help out. Whing was the ONLY other defender in years who could be called a proper defensive team-mate, and maybe Richards because he moved into space and made himself available for a pass.
How easy is it for one player to dominate the whole goal area, when expected to take care of an opposing hotshot (like Carroll for instance last week)?
Yet HE is the one people tended (and occasionally still tend) to blame.
Not a big guy, but a hugely committed and brave professional who was always prepared to stick his cranium where boots were flying in. NEVER seen throwing tantrums but also was occasionally used as an someone to berate by Kuipers or Greer when they screw up.

The thorn in the side for almost every opposing 'star forward', who intend to run over and around this stocky upstart 'thug' defender they tend to see him as.
In this league, referees are recognizing his effort is not foul play, but counteracting a lot of that stuff from sly opposition players.

A player who likes to have it his way gets a bit of an awakening when they realise they are getting absolutely NOWHERE, and no change out of a solid, focused player who is on them for their every move.

I hope people realise, after MANY man of the match performances, why Gus saw and liked, and what it is he does for this team.
Even when he doesn't get MOM, he's often the very reason someone else is able to get nominated!

Well I didn't expect you to admit you had no f***ing clue back then, just because the evidence and weight of opinion has finally drummed a clue into you now.
I told you to "get a clue" back then, and now you have you want to take all the credit for a realisation.
You really aren't much of a judge of a good player. I wasn't trumping on about any other of our players like they were the future of our team - and sure enough there is that one lad who I did extol the virtues for.

Now YOU quit talking shit - I was exactly right, and according to you that was a load of crap. Are you saying I took a lucky guess?

You are a very strange old man, and I'm pretty sure you are confusing me with someone else. I am more than happy to credit you with some foresight on ElAbd - you did indeed champion him before many others. However, whilst he has now come (very) good, back then, he was at times very poor. I love the guy, as he's so damned whole-hearted, but I'm not going to lie and pretend, like you, that he was actually great back then, and it was just players around him making him look bad.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

he was also organising the defense which GG was not doing, El Bad should be our Captain

Bit harsh, no-one has called him El-Bad for years!

 

[LamieRobertson]

Bit harsh, no-one has called him El-Bad for years!

looool

 

[LamieRobertson]

he was also organising the defense which GG was not doing, El Bad should be our Captain

doh..u were doing so well...nah greer every time for me