Abdi

[NYCOWL]

1 hour ago, Mr. Tom said:

I still think he'll come good this year, as long as Carlos can keep him from freaking out before January. Statistically we're odds-on to lose one or two of either Fletch, Bannan, Forestieri, Reach or Wallace for a run of 3-4 games at some point over the next seven months; Abdi's chance will come and if he can keep his head and spirit up until then he'll be an absolute godsend, I'm sure of it.

Better than I put it. 

 

Long season.

[1867Heaven]

3 hours ago, vulva said:

Got obvious pedigree, but seems the kind of player you build a side around, or don't pick at all. I think he was bought in as an 'upgrade' on Keiron Lee, but he has taken his form to a whole new level. 

He seems to keep doing that old Kieron.

[LiamK2292]

He was being played out of position (again) so I guess it was a tactical change to have someone more used to playing wide left.

 

I feel a bit for Abdi but then again when he signed, I didn't see who he would come in for in his favoured position. You can't really drop Kieran Lee unless it's forced.

 

I thought tonight he's be played in position of attacking midfielder just behind Hooper but Carlos thought otherwise.

[RichieB]

1 hour ago, scram said:

 

He's ripped this division to shreds

 

Hardly indicative of a guy finding the division too physical and frenetic for him

 

He may have done so in the past but he's clearly not doing that now. And if he's a good player it should still show whatever position in midfield he plays, and I have to say he's been totally ineffective in the games I've seen of him, I don't care about his 'amazing' reputation either, only as good as your last game so to speak and I haven't seen him have one good game yet where he has affected things in a positive way. Plenty of sideways passing etc but we want more than that for £4m. 

 

Although I appreciate he has been out of position I don't totally buy this 'yeah but he played out of position' crap, if your a good player your a good player and it should be showing even if he is out wide, and he has done nothing so far, just excuses to me. 

 

I am not writing him off at all I hope he comes good sooner than later, I do feel sorry for him a little but I'm tired of excuses, plenty of good players get moved to positions they dont favour and still perform. 

 

Honestly i think the hype around him with comments like 'best midfielder in the league' when he arrived are looking a little daft at the moment, not even the best midfielder in our team never mind the league. I hope things change he needs a bit of luck, I really don't want us to give up on him and I don't want to come across like I'm slating him too much, but time for excuses for him are over, he needs to perform its as simple as that. 

[Paul Triplo]

I wasn't at the game and it is not really clear from reading this thread where he played tonight. When I saw the team line up I thought it was obvious swap for FF in a free roaming role behind Hooper. This would be his most suited position, would it not? At the front of a three man midfield. 

 

However, am I right in thinking Reach was played like a number 10 and Abdi shoved out left?

 

Carlos baffles me sometimes because he doesn't seem to learn from previous mistakes in team selection and positioning.

 

If we play players in the correct positions from minute 1 we tend to do well. When he tinkers we either play catch up or lose to teams at lower end of league.

[Roscoe P. Coltrane]

Abdi is a quality footballer who is getting ruined here at the moment.

[chizumgeorge]

7 hours ago, Owl_in_Oz said:

Now I love CC but I'm baffled by the way he's used Abdi.

 

He played 33 games in the Premier League last year.  How many of our outfield players are capable of that atm?  Only 3-4 you'd think at most.

 

And without placing too much stock in Watford fans opinions they revered Abdi and viewed him as the central figure in their rise. 

 

So clearly he's got the goods.  The annoying part is that we don't know if he can replicate that here because he hasn't been given a consistent run.  

 

Playing him for 45 min here and there or out wide, or both, where he's clearly not suited, just isn't beneficial to the team of Abdi.  

 

Play him in cenral mid for 2 or 3 full games in a row.  Given his proven quality it's worth a shot as he might be one of the cogs to take us from 6th and 15 points off automatic last year into a genuine top 2 contender.

 

Can we afford to loose them 2 or 3 games tho? Theres no way you can keep him on the pitch for 90 minutes and expect to dominate the midfield. Hes a weak link that would expose us, we would end up loosing 3 games on the bounce then all the half the people on here would be calling for CC to go!

[Holmowl]

If he is better than two of Jones, Lee and BB he will get into the team and stay there.

 

 

[bigdan2003]

"He's running out of chances"

 

I didn't realise we had this policy at S6. How many chances does he have? What happens when he uses them all? 

 

Quality player. He proved that at a team that now plays in the premier league. 

 

Need to be patient. Can't just write him off. 

 

 

[pazowl55]

The Abdi situation worries me a bit for the simple fact that he keeps getting taken off at half time. It's almost like Carlos saying well that half was a disaster and it's your fault Abdi. I know everyone is saying it's because he is played out of position. But if we can all see that don't you think a professional football manager would have amended that by now. No that's not it. Last night he had the perfect opportunity to play him in what we would say would be a more natural position but he put Reach there instead. You don't get many chances with Carlos before he decides you don't fit the system. Think McGugan, Bus, Lavery and even now Kean. Only thing that may save Abdi could be his price tag.

[beloved_aunt]

12 hours ago, WalthamOwl said:

Reminds me of when we signed Kenny Lunt, really excited when he signed, thought he would be great for us and was a massive let down. Please CC give Abdi 90 mins in his best position. 

 

Thing is, his "best position" doesn't exist in the formation we always plays.  He doesn't want to play wide and isn't disciplined to play in CM with just one partner.

 

The only way to fit him in the team would be to switch to 4-2-3-1 and play him as chief creater but CC doesn't want to do that, so why sign him.  Would have got a £4m CB or RB.

[Frank_Lucas]

12 hours ago, Manwithastick said:

 

You're. Moron.

Oh my the spelling and grammar police are here with nothing better to do.

 

 

[oh_weds_we_love_you]

Wonder if Abdi was seen as a back up/ alternative to Forestieri? Last season, when Forestieri wasn't firing or available to play, we looked well below the standard of when Forestieri was playing and playing well.

 

£4m for a back up/ alternative player is a lot of money, but having someone influential to cover Forestieri wasn't ever going to be cheap.

[debram]

Things are not working for him at the moment but you cant become a bad player overnight, competition in his preferred position is tough but he needs to knuckle down and earn his position, if not maybe he will be gone in January.

[soldierboyblue]

He needs a run of games sat in the hole behind the front 2. From his record it's pretty obvious that he's a proven talent all the way to international level. The problem is that we have more midfielders than we need and as has previously been stated Kieran Lee is on fire at the moment and CC likes to play a holding midfielder, which neither Lee or Abdi are so in essence the form man is getting picked and rightly so! I have always said as most have that form is temporary but class is permanent and Abdi will come good for us.

[Owl_in_Oz]

2 hours ago, chizumgeorge said:

Can we afford to loose them 2 or 3 games tho? Theres no way you can keep him on the pitch for 90 minutes and expect to dominate the midfield. Hes a weak link that would expose us, we would end up loosing 3 games on the bounce then all the half the people on here would be calling for CC to go!

Who's to say we'd lose those games?  

 

The situation isn't exactly akin to Souness given Ali Dia a run on the recommendation of Uncle George.

 

We're talking about a Premiership standard midfielder.

 

Personally I'd love to see Abdi in a 3-man midfield, with Jones holding and Abdi-Lee more advanced.  

 

But it's clear that CC doesn't want to go down that path so I have no idea how Abdi might get an extended run in the team.

[ViolaOwls]

I remember this last season Lopez was getting abuse, git a run after xmas and looked class. A player that should have played in the final v hull

[SiJ]

2 minutes ago, ViolaOwls said:

I remember this last season Lopez was getting abuse, git a run after xmas and looked class. A player that should have played in the final v hull

Was thinking similar with Abdi. 

 

Perhaps an opportunity might open up for him (an injury or suspension to someone in central mid or up top) and he gets the chance to play a few games and really show what he's capable of. 

 

I think (mentioned by a few others) that he was probably brought in as an upgrade on Lee...except Lee has upped his game once again and has been comfortably our MVP so far. 

[ViolaOwls]

Wasn't sure on lee/bannan earlier this season but lee really has stepped up!

Jones is looking class to now, bazza has to step up

[Blatter]

1 hour ago, beloved_aunt said:

 

Thing is, his "best position" doesn't exist in the formation we always plays.  He doesn't want to play wide and isn't disciplined to play in CM with just one partner.

 

The only way to fit him in the team would be to switch to 4-2-3-1 and play him as chief creater but CC doesn't want to do that, so why sign him.  Would have got a £4m CB or RB.

Did Carlos sign him. Did Carlos want him? Begins to look like the Bus or McGugan situation. Carlos has a way of playing that brings results. The only way I see him using Abdi is as a tactical option to load the midfield, but he hasn't really changed the basic shape of the team since early last season.