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Van Aaken


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Going to put it out there now, the lad has to start putting in performances or I fear for his career here. I don't like to single out players especially as of late when almost the whole team have been poor but our defence has terrible this season, even before we signed Van Aken, but I feel since he's come in we've gotten worse. 

 

Before you all start negging me for bashing a new signing hear me out. Van Aken isn't a kid, he's 23 and played almost 100 games overseas before coming to us, he's grown up. I haven't seen one performance from him this season where I though he's looked good. Even during the Leeds game he made two shocking errors that almost resulted in Leeds goals. He's shown flashes of talent and is good with the ball at his feet but aside from that I have seen absolutely nothing about him that makes me think he's an upgrade on Sasso. Infact, Sasso (only 26) was just as good with the ball if not better, he was certainly better in the air and also had the same weaknesses, struggled with the physical side to the league and guilty of the occasional howler. 

 

We're being far too nice to players who simply aren't cutting it, not just Van Aken I could use other examples... but now when we have other options why aren't we making changes? Why hasn't Venacio been an option?

 

I fully expect Loovens to come straight back into the side when fit, or at least Hutchinson to provide abit more guidance for the core of our team that we so desperately lack when they aren't there. 

Edited by Lionel Fessi
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First touch isn't good enough - I said that before we signed him and someone posted that highlights video.

 

Doesn't know how to use his body well enough

 

Can't turn and beeps when he goes backwards

 

Some raw ability there, but needs serious coaching to get to where we need him to.

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4 minutes ago, Lionel Fessi said:

 

We're being far too nice to players who simply aren't cutting it, not just Van Anken I could use other examples... but now when we have other options why aren't we making changes? Why hasn't Venacio been an option?

 

 

Probably for the same reason Van Anken hasn't been an option!

 

Not sure why Venancio hasn't played though.

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2 minutes ago, steveger said:

When did we sign him ? Never heard of him :wacko:

 

1 minute ago, theowlsman said:

You’ll be picking on Tim Lees next.

 

I feel as though Lees has gotten worse since they have played together...

 

Just now, hirstyboywonder said:

He's made nearly as many mistakes in that post as Van Aken has made in the last few games!

 

Can i blame it on spellcheck?

 

1 minute ago, McRightSide said:

First touch isn't good enough - I said that before we signed him and someone posted that highlights video.

 

Doesn't know how to use his body well enough

 

Can't turn and beeps when he goes backwards

 

Some raw ability there, but needs serious coaching to get to where we need him to.

 

Agree, but we don't have the time to coach him to get him at the level we need him to be.

Why would we just not sign an experienced proven CB instead?

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1 minute ago, Lionel Fessi said:

 

 

 

Can i blame it on spellcheck?

 

 

Once maybe but if you keep making the same mistakes over and over again perhaps it's time for a spell on the bench.

 

There you go, I've mixed you up with Van Aken now!

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4 minutes ago, steveger said:

 

Has anyone seen him hanging around the tram stops ? :ph34r:

 

That bloody supertram, the addiiction did for Melo, don't say this lad is going the same way. 

In fact, it's been downhill for us ever since the tram was introduced and phased out the football specials. Forget blaming Francis, Pleat or Richards for the beginning of our demise, it all stems back to the bloody supertram!

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He got chucked in the deep end,and hes done fairly well,it wasnt an easy baptism,Forest and brentford.then away to cardiff then the scrubbers.

I think in an ideal world hed have got a more gradual introduction,but injuries have forced us to chuck him in,hes got bags of potential,the more games he plays in english football the better hel get IMHO.Thing is he needs to find his feet pretty quick,cant see Loovens lasting another season in all honesty.

The portugese guy hasnt made the squad yet,so guessing his transition will be more gradual,not sure how good his english is,but he was the skipper at his former club,so must have something about him

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35 minutes ago, Lionel Fessi said:

Going to put it out there now, the lad has to start putting in performances or I fear for his career here. I don't like to single out players especially as of late when almost the whole team have been poor but our defence has terrible this season, even before we signed Van Aken, but I feel since he's come in we've gotten worse. 

 

Before you all start negging me for bashing a new signing hear me out. Van Aken isn't a kid, he's 23 and played almost 100 games overseas before coming to us, he's grown up. I haven't seen one performance from him this season where I though he's looked good. Even during the Leeds game he made two shocking errors that almost resulted in Leeds goals. He's shown flashes of talent and is good with the ball at his feet but aside from that I have seen absolutely nothing about him that makes me think he's an upgrade on Sasso. Infact, Sasso (only 26) was just as good with the ball if not better, he was certainly better in the air and also had the same weaknesses, struggled with the physical side to the league and guilty of the occasional howler. 

 

We're being far too nice to players who simply aren't cutting it, not just Van Aken I could use other examples... but now when we have other options why aren't we making changes? Why hasn't Venacio been an option?

 

I fully expect Loovens to come straight back into the side when fit, or at least Hutchinson to provide abit more guidance for the core of our team that we so desperately lack when they aren't there. 

 

Is he Van Aken `s brother ? 

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Have I had a stroke?

 

We seem to have signed two players, played, lost and blamed them defeat on one of these new players since we lost to Bolton.

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10 minutes ago, Lionel Fessi said:

Going to put it out there now, the lad has to start putting in performances or I fear for his career here. I don't like to single out players especially as of late when almost the whole team have been poor but our defence has terrible this season, even before we signed Van Aken, but I feel since he's come in we've gotten worse. 

 

Before you all start negging me for bashing a new signing hear me out. Van Aken isn't a kid, he's 23 and played almost 100 games overseas before coming to us, he's grown up. I haven't seen one performance from him this season where I though he's looked good. Even during the Leeds game he made two shocking errors that almost resulted in Leeds goals. He's shown flashes of talent and is good with the ball at his feet but aside from that I have seen absolutely nothing about him that makes me think he's an upgrade on Sasso. Infact, Sasso (only 26) was just as good with the ball if not better, he was certainly better in the air and also had the same weaknesses, struggled with the physical side to the league and guilty of the occasional howler. 

 

We're being far too nice to players who simply aren't cutting it, not just Van Aken I could use other examples... but now when we have other options why aren't we making changes? Why hasn't Venacio been an option?

 

I fully expect Loovens to come straight back into the side when fit, or at least Hutchinson to provide abit more guidance for the core of our team that we so desperately lack when they aren't there. 

 

You're completely missing the mark. Van Aken has played 7 times in this country, it is going to take the guy some time to acclimatise. Comparing dutch football to the Championship is like comparing FIFA18 with PES6, FIFA18 being sludge football and PES6 being arcade-like mentalness.

 

Ideally he wouldn't have been thrust straight into an inconsistent side but needs must. What's far more worrying for me is that our seasoned Championship players are not performing to the right standard, his partner Tom Lees has played 130 Championship games for this club and he, along with the other more established players have been far too inconsistent this season. It is these players that should be helping players like him get used to life in the Championship, what's more worrying is Lees consistently looks like he misses the stewardship of Loovens. These seasoned pros are under performing and most seem to be bulletproof from any sort of criticism, especially compared with more recent additions. At Bolton it was Van Aken (making his 7th appearance) and Reach (a winger being played at left back who put 3 chances on a plate that were missed in the second half) getting abuse but the old guard seem to get off far more lightly. 

 

I think you've also got a rose-tinted memory of Sasso too, the guy never had the confidence and quality on the ball that Van Aken has shown in glimpses already this season. Add to that that Sasso came into a side full of form and confidence in both seasons when needed. Defensively, as you said Sasso was guilty of the odd error, the main one that sticks in my mind was the one at Leeds which cost us the match, but Sasso was always a short term cover option, if Van Aken can get used to this league he's going to be a big asset. 

 

 

 

 

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9 minutes ago, legendaryswan said:

He got chucked in the deep end,and hes done fairly well,it wasnt an easy baptism,Forest and brentford.then away to cardiff then the scrubbers.

I think in an ideal world hed have got a more gradual introduction,but injuries have forced us to chuck him in,hes got bags of potential,the more games he plays in english football the better hel get IMHO.Thing is he needs to find his feet pretty quick,cant see Loovens lasting another season in all honesty.

The portugese guy hasnt made the squad yet,so guessing his transition will be more gradual,not sure how good his english is,but he was the skipper at his former club,so must have something about him

Spot on

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