Chris O'Grady

[Finchley Seagull]

You've already seen what will happen this season, he'll be tightly marked and will be utterly ineffective, his touch and speed do not get him clear of good defenders. You have to take into account that those 10-15 mins at Fulham were Fulham players rushing into our half at every opportunity. Baldock might have got a hat-trick in those circumstances but it would have proved nothing.

I replied to this rubbish yesterday on another thread but will repeat myself. This is a completely fabrication of what actually happened. We were under the cosh and couldn't hold the ball up front when O'Grady came on but he held the ball up really well and the pressure on our defence reduced. He played a key part in the second goal and I was very impressed with him, especially having written him off before that.

Everyone knows strikers thrive on confidence. He's had none since being at the club and looked a different player. Based on your thoughts, he would never have got 15 goals for relegated Barnsley, which surely offers a greater insight into his ability than being played in a poor team under Hyypia where a number of players were used out of position or not played to their strengths.

 

[Rugrat]

How about this plea then

http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk...-his-loan-spell-at-sheffield-united-1-7015849

Accepted but he also says this:

"I would definitely be interested in staying,” O’Grady told The Star. “I just want to enjoy my football and that’s what I am doing right now. “To just feel wanted, be regarded, is important to me and that’s when I play my best stuff. I feel like that here. Everything is down to Brighton really. They’ll decide, I suppose, what is going to happen next"

It certainly looked to me like he was frozen out by SH ... hardly got any game time and when he did in a role/formation that didn't seem to suit him.

I could well be wrong but if he's given half a dozen games and is made to feel part of things and then asked again I suspect he will talk differently. I only base it on the fact that he did sign for us and assume he had thought through the implications (moving house) of that

Assume Hughton will give him a look over and we'll know by end of January for sure

 

[perseus]

But he won every header against their defence.He got 16 in this league last year against organised championship defences.He did everything you could have hoped for when he came on.

We have hardly seen anything of O'Grady so I can't tell. He does not run into space as much as Bent. Running around is not his strong point. A bit like Grant Holt in this respect.

 

[Trigger]

With Hughton likely to go 4-4-2, eventually... COG could have a very important part to play.

 

[London Irish]

I replied to this rubbish yesterday on another thread but will repeat myself. This is a completely fabrication of what actually happened. We were under the cosh and couldn't hold the ball up front when O'Grady came on but he held the ball up really well and the pressure on our defence reduced. He played a key part in the second goal and I was very impressed with him, especially having written him off before that.

Everyone knows strikers thrive on confidence. He's had none since being at the club and looked a different player. Based on your thoughts, he would never have got 15 goals for relegated Barnsley, which surely offers a greater insight into his ability than being played in a poor team under Hyypia where a number of players were used out of position or not played to their strengths.

Why so peevish and sour? You admit having written him off yourself for heaven's sake?

I won't dismiss your opinion as rubbish because I'm not 12, but you are simply overstating his impact on the game and I hope those who weren't at the Fulham game won't be too misled.

 

[8ace]

It's been said that COG is bit mentally fragile, maybe Hughton can get the best out of him?
Obviously Semi did a shite job of building up his confidence.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Why so peevish and sour? You admit having written him off yourself for heaven's sake?

I won't dismiss your opinion as rubbish because I'm not 12, but you are simply overstating his impact on the game and I hope those who weren't at the Fulham game won't be too misled.

If you look at other posts on this thread, and elsewhere, it's pretty clear that you're in a minority.

Surely, the fact that I admit to writing him off means my comments praising him are fairer. All I, and others, are saying is he deserves another chance with us playing to his strengths whereas you are slagging him off based on poor performances under a very poor previous manager.

You use his history here as proof but completely ignore his history in this division, especially last year when he got 15 goals in a poor Barnsley team who went down. This sort of attitude from fans annoys me, which is why I might have sounded slightly peeved in my reply, especially as you give a massively false impression of what happened at Fulham. We're not going to sign a striker immediately so we've got nothing to lose from giving him a chance and seeing if Fulham was a one off. If it is, then we will probably still be able to send him back to Sheffield United. If it isn't, we might have a decent Championship striker.

 

[London Irish]

If you look at other posts on this thread, and elsewhere, it's pretty clear that you're in a minority.

Surely, the fact that I admit to writing him off means my comments praising him are fairer. All I, and others, are saying is he deserves another chance with us playing to his strengths whereas you are slagging him off based on poor performances under a very poor previous manager.

You use his history here as proof but completely ignore his history in this division, especially last year when he got 15 goals in a poor Barnsley team who went down. This sort of attitude from fans annoys me, which is why I might have sounded slightly peeved in my reply, especially as you give a massively false impression of what happened at Fulham. We're not going to sign a striker immediately so we've got nothing to lose from giving him a chance and seeing if Fulham was a one off. If it is, then we will probably still be able to send him back to Sheffield United. If it isn't, we might have a decent Championship striker.

Nope, your response is a little childish and off-point, particularly the little crack that I'm in a minority.

I was actually making a quite legitimate footballing point about the game that you've entirely ignored - that Fulham players were committed up the pitch during the time he was on so the skills he showed then are not transferable to normal footballing conditions he has to play in during Championship games.

If you care to address that point we can have an intelligent exchange, if all you want to do is to take your inexplicable frustrations out on me, I'd prefer you pick on someone else.

The issue of how he got his goals at Barnsley isn't worth discussing because neither of us watched in detail his performances then - but we've seen his performances this season.

He is actually one of the signings who got Sami the sack from fans - if you have any care for how Chris Hughton will now get on, you should be wishing for much better players for him.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Nope, your response is a little childish and off-point, particularly the little crack that I'm in a minority.

I was actually making a quite legitimate footballing point about the game that you've entirely ignored - that Fulham players were committed up the pitch during the time he was on so the skills he showed then are not transferable to normal footballing conditions he has to play in during Championship games.

If you care to address that point we can have an intelligent exchange, if all you want to do is to take your inexplicable frustrations out on me, I'd prefer you pick on someone else.

The issue of how he got his goals at Barnsley isn't worth discussing because neither of us watched in detail his performances then - but we've seen his performances this season.

He is actually one of the signings who got Sami the sack from fans - if you have any care for how Chris Hughton will now get on, you should be wishing for much better players for him.

Brilliant. I'll take this as proof that you have no answers to my points. Thanks.

As for Fulham, they were attacking but they weren't throwing men forward as much as you say. As I said earlier, to me he stemmed the flow of Fulham attacks by competing for the ball up front, which we weren't doing before.

Posts like yours are exactly what is frustrating. You're just not listening to sense, and it's not just me saying the same thing on this thread. It is relevant that you are the only one saying this, as it shows that only you have seen what you're talking about.

The time at Barnsley is completely relevant. However he got the goals there, he did get them. This shows he has more potential than he showed here. He didn't "get Sami the sack", Sami got himself the sack by playing a number of players, including O'Grady, out of position and failing to use their strengths. Within two games, Jones showed him what this squad was capable of and O'Grady played his part in a good performance. I don't understand why you're so ungracious about it!

 

[London Irish]

As for Fulham, they were attacking but they weren't throwing men forward as much as you say

If you genuinely believe that, you can't read a game of football I'm afraid.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

If you genuinely believe that, you can't read a game of football I'm afraid.

Sorry, I take it all back. O'Grady was left completely isolated by Fulham with nobody anywhere near him and definitely didn't have anyone to compete with in the air.

I realise now you weren't at the game and don't have a clue what you're talking about.

 

[Easy 10]

Fulham players had not vacated their own half chasing madly for an equaliser [MENTION=1483]London Irish[/MENTION]

There were still defenders there marking tightly. CoG still had a player up his arse every time the ball was played up to him. He gave is EXACTLY what we needed in those closing stages - a physical presence who could receive the ball with his back to goal, helping us retain possession, relieving the growing pressure on our defence. The fact he won every header he went up for was also a plus.

Nobody is claiming he's the new van Basten, but he came on and did a terrific job. Maybe he's found a little bit of confidence there as well. Personally I'd like to see us starting with CMS and CoG up top, particularly at home. If Hughton can get a tune out of him he might go on and prove a lor of doubters, including me, totally wrong about him.

Here's hoping.

 

[Trigger]

Every header COG won on Monday night there was a defender right up his star bar so I think someone else needs to learn how to read a game of football...

 

[Codner's Wallop]

I can't fathom the use of any back-handed compliments against COG re: Fulham game. During his short time on the pitch, the guy was instrumental in helping us win the game. The fact so many have cast him off as a 'hopeless lump who played for Barnsley' merely exposes them as footballing numskulls. Danny Wilson was gutted to lose his services and Sheffield Utd are desperate to keep him. How many times do fans need to be reminded: HE'S NOT A FLEET-FOOTED WHIPPET WHO GHOSTS PAST DEFENDERS. He's a physical presence whom defenders find a real handful to control - and he also scores a decent number of goals. Most other clubs in the Championship would love to have him in their squad. Instead our lot just keep bashing him....and bashing him....**** sake.....

 

[Soulman]

Fulham players had not vacated their own half chasing madly for an equaliser [MENTION=1483]London Irish[/MENTION]

There were still defenders there marking tightly. CoG still had a player up his arse every time the ball was played up to him. He gave is EXACTLY what we needed in those closing stages - a physical presence who could receive the ball with his back to goal, helping us retain possession, relieving the growing pressure on our defence. The fact he won every header he went up for was also a plus.

Nobody is claiming he's the new van Basten, but he came on and did a terrific job. Maybe he's found a little bit of confidence there as well. Personally I'd like to see us starting with CMS and CoG up top, particularly at home. If Hughton can get a tune out of him he might go on and prove a lor of doubters, including me, totally wrong about him.

Here's hoping.

Yep, here's hoping. Just like to add that because O'Grady came on and won the ball and laid it off, in other words looked dangerous, is probably one of the reasons that Fulham did not go gun ho, which was proved when a counter attack brought the second goal.
Ulloa was a tough act to follow, O'Grady did not look fit when he started with the Albion, maybe playing in a lower league, starting and getting match fit, added to that a confidence builder in Clough, the good cup run......perhaps we might, just might see a decent O'Grady. Hope so.

 

[Turkey]

I don't tend to get too involved in debates on NSC these days as I simply can't be bothered to back up my opinions against the masses! I'll chip in now though, I think O'Grady has been harshly critiqued by Albion fans as he's been an easy target to use as an example of bad recruitment during a difficult period for the club. I'm not for one moment suggesting he's been good, I don't think he'd even claim that, but there's been plenty of players performing poorly for us this season and I don't think O'Grady has been head and shoulders worse than them.

I recall everyone being very frustrated after a game earlier this season when LuaLua smashed the ball across the box and O'Grady didn't gamble to get on the end of it. Loads of abuse directed at him in the North Stand and on Twitter/NSC etc after the game. I thought that was totally unjustified, he won himself some space by halting his run as the defender continued towards the goal. The issue was LuaLua (I think, or was it McCourt) not looking up for a pass and instead taking the lazy option of smashing it across the box and hoping it hits someone. Compare that to say Colunga's cut back for Calderon's goal against Reading. It was a simple pass, but for me, that's where the good players come into their own. Speaking of Colunga, he doesn't get the credit he deserves imo, he's had a number of assists and key passes recently. Superb cross for Bruno at Norwich springs to mind, plus the ball for Bent against Fulham.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

If you genuinely believe that, you can't read a game of football I'm afraid.

Looks like you're the only person on this thread who can read football. Must be difficult being the only truly enlightened person on here!

 

[T.G]

Every header COG won on Monday night there was a defender right up his star bar so I think someone else needs to learn how to read a game of football...

Yep COG gave the best cameo for a while. He relieved the pressure battling up front so the ball didn't come back straight away and won the ball and laid it off to start the move for the goal. In fact everything that could be reasonably expected he did and did very well. I hope he gets a run of games to show what he can do.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

His brief cameo role at Fulham was different to previous appearances in blue and white because Jonesy gave him proper instructions to follow which he duly carried out.

 

[Rugrat]

All I, and others, are saying is he deserves another chance with us playing to his strengths whereas you are slagging him off based on poor performances under a very poor previous manager.

Yes, and to be fair we haven't seen decent performances from very many this season so singling out COG doesn't seem right.

I've actually seen quite a lot that looks promising ... he's a strong fella, not easily pushed off a ball, his control isn't bad and he's got a fierce shot on him.

I don't know if he'll come good at all but there seems to be some that have been anti from the off and I can't fathom that. Maybe we should be spending £9M on our strikers