Mendez Laing

[Marro]

I was a fan of NML.  Thought he was decent at this level and we need someone with his kind of pace.  IMO the criticism he received at times was excessive.

I know he turned down a new contract - not sure if the contract offer was decent but we just need to replace with better.

[Bluesteel.]

8 hours ago, Kelfin Platz said:

Now this is what I can't get my head around. Does anyone think that making someone a winger absolves them of tracking back and doing a bit of work?

Of course it doesn't. Gone are the days where you can say he's a winger ( because he's a lazy fool). NML showed that in the Semi, glad to be shut of the fool.

Not at all he’s just been a winger for

most of his career rather than a full back or striker. He should always track back but it doesn’t make him any better at defending 

[onlyonedavidhirst]

9 hours ago, Kelfin Platz said:

Ultimately he's lazy. Great attacking and pressing. He'll fall fall flat on his face when defending. That isn't wishful thinking, just a statement of fact.

On what basis do you think he's lazy. I watched every Wednesday match last season and NML seems to have been judged by many on one incident in the play off semi. I don't recall any fan saying before that match that he was lazy. Who knows at the time if he was given a shout from the technical area or another player to stay up for the counterattack, or if he just saw the situation differently, or he was given certain instructions when he was brought on. I've seen Palmer not track back more than any other current Wednesday player and that's often been him not tracking the a risk player he's marking, yet I don't call Palmer lazy. It's a flaw in his game, on of the reasons why he's only a L1 player.

Personally I saw NML work hard last year and he came to us after a break in football and was in and out of the side, he was played as a RWB, a LWB and a striker, 3 different positions and 3 positions he's barely played before. In some games he looked real quality and he may be a miss this season if we don't replace him. I suspect he'll play as a winger at Derby, but I'd argue if we played a full season with NML at RWB and the same season with Hunt at RWB then we'd get more goals and assists from NML and he may have been one of our game changers, which Hunt will never be (yes we'd have probably conceded more but regularly playing there would have improved his defensive traits, like Gooch at Sunderland). Not knocking Hunt there, but my opinion on what NML had the potential to be. 

[striker]

He's a decent player at this level, got some pace, but a bit of a one trick pony with his step overs and cutting inside. 

 

Positionally weak, needs others to compensate for what he offers going forward. Wasn't in our team towards the end of the season, doesn't really fit our system and assume our contract offer reflected that. 

 

Think he'll do ok at Derby if played in a wide attacking position, although I think he will pick up injuries and never totally convinced by his attitude. 

 

No 'sellers' remorse, wouldn't be in my starting 11 and his pace can be replaced. 

 

[Screen Door Slams]

I`ll be amazed if he plays more than 25 games..............all during his time with us you could virtually hear his hamstrings starting to ping every time he sprinted.

[SallyCinnamon]

Bit surprised by some of the comments on here.

 

Was fantastic Jan/Feb and then got injured. Came back and Moore started playing him out of position upfront. Should never be playing there.

 

A very good player at this level and if we are switching formation to play with wide forwards or wingers, we’d do well to get someone in who is better. 

[Snowyowl61]

On 02/07/2022 at 10:26, Beauchief Owl said:

Grammar police. New sentences start with a capital letter.

Fair point.

[Teddy Nickelarse]

Looked terrific for 2 or 3 games then faded a bit even before being tried unsuccessfully up front. Never got back on it really after his subsequent injury. For me not a player we should be pushing the boat out for so not overly concerned that we couldn't  agree terms.

[fudge27]

Not fussed. 

 

Given his main attribute is pace and his age, he was inconsistent at best.

 

Better out there out there and formation doesn't suit him 

[Dunkstar]

Good winger at this level. Questionable wing back/striker.

 

Not many teams at this level could handle him when he was fully fit and played in his preferred position.

 

If Derby play him as an out and out wide man and he can stay fit he'll be a good player for them.

 

A couple of big ifs in that statement though....

[DCFCOwls]

The funny thing is we have a tendancy to sign more central types and stick them out wide and ask them to cut inside... 

 

now weve actually signed a proper wide man who cuts inside so I guess we’ll stick him up top on his own... 

 

 

[Otley Owl]

1 hour ago, DCFCOwls said:

The funny thing is we have a tendancy to sign more central types and stick them out wide and ask them to cut inside... 

 

now weve actually signed a proper wide man who cuts inside so I guess we’ll stick him up top on his own... 

 

 

You should definitely play him in the middle. At no point did we try it and he looked clueless. Ignore all the stuff about him being an attacking winger too, go with wing back or leading the line. 

 

Anyway, all the best for the season.

[Kelfin Platz]

12 hours ago, onlyonedavidhirst said:

On what basis do you think he's lazy. I watched every Wednesday match last season and NML seems to have been judged by many on one incident in the play off semi. I don't recall any fan saying before that match that he was lazy. Who knows at the time if he was given a shout from the technical area or another player to stay up for the counterattack, or if he just saw the situation differently, or he was given certain instructions when he was brought on. I've seen Palmer not track back more than any other current Wednesday player and that's often been him not tracking the a risk player he's marking, yet I don't call Palmer lazy. It's a flaw in his game, on of the reasons why he's only a L1 player.

Personally I saw NML work hard last year and he came to us after a break in football and was in and out of the side, he was played as a RWB, a LWB and a striker, 3 different positions and 3 positions he's barely played before. In some games he looked real quality and he may be a miss this season if we don't replace him. I suspect he'll play as a winger at Derby, but I'd argue if we played a full season with NML at RWB and the same season with Hunt at RWB then we'd get more goals and assists from NML and he may have been one of our game changers, which Hunt will never be (yes we'd have probably conceded more but regularly playing there would have improved his defensive traits, like Gooch at Sunderland). Not knocking Hunt there, but my opinion on what NML had the potential to be. 

On the basis I can't remember him putting a tackle in. Just one of them players who'll lose the ball and expect someone else to win it back and pass it to him again.

[onlyonedavidhirst]

1 hour ago, Kelfin Platz said:

On the basis I can't remember him putting a tackle in. Just one of them players who'll lose the ball and expect someone else to win it back and pass it to him again.

I honestly have no idea how you have that opinion, though everyone is entitled to one. Just check on Who scored website. Last year NML averaged 0.9 tackles per league match. Jack Hunt averaged 0.8. Plus NML played up front some of the time. For clarity, Harley Dean averaged 0.7 and Patterson 0.5, who nobody questions regarding his effort. He won MOM twice and only started 12 games. He had some average games, but like I say I'd have kept him. 

[Kelfin Platz]

6 minutes ago, onlyonedavidhirst said:

I honestly have no idea how you have that opinion, though everyone is entitled to one. Just check on Who scored website. Last year NML averaged 0.9 tackles per league match. Jack Hunt averaged 0.8. Plus NML played up front some of the time. For clarity, Harley Dean averaged 0.7 and Patterson 0.5, who nobody questions regarding his effort. He won MOM twice and only started 12 games. He had some average games, but like I say I'd have kept him. 

I don't go for that tripe mate, I go on what I see. NML was lazy without the ball, it really is that simple. Don't get me wrong, he isn't the only one, but he's still guilty. Good riddance to him, that's what I think.

[Holmowl]

22 hours ago, onlyonedavidhirst said:

On what basis do you think he's lazy. I watched every Wednesday match last season and NML seems to have been judged by many on one incident in the play off semi. I don't recall any fan saying before that match that he was lazy. Who knows at the time if he was given a shout from the technical area or another player to stay up for the counterattack, or if he just saw the situation differently, or he was given certain instructions when he was brought on. I've seen Palmer not track back more than any other current Wednesday player and that's often been him not tracking the a risk player he's marking, yet I don't call Palmer lazy. It's a flaw in his game, on of the reasons why he's only a L1 player.

Personally I saw NML work hard last year and he came to us after a break in football and was in and out of the side, he was played as a RWB, a LWB and a striker, 3 different positions and 3 positions he's barely played before. In some games he looked real quality and he may be a miss this season if we don't replace him. I suspect he'll play as a winger at Derby, but I'd argue if we played a full season with NML at RWB and the same season with Hunt at RWB then we'd get more goals and assists from NML and he may have been one of our game changers, which Hunt will never be (yes we'd have probably conceded more but regularly playing there would have improved his defensive traits, like Gooch at Sunderland). Not knocking Hunt there, but my opinion on what NML had the potential to be. 

 

20 hours ago, SallyCinnamon said:

Bit surprised by some of the comments on here.

 

Was fantastic Jan/Feb and then got injured. Came back and Moore started playing him out of position upfront. Should never be playing there.

 

A very good player at this level and if we are switching formation to play with wide forwards or wingers, we’d do well to get someone in who is better. 

Totally agree.

 

Before his injury we were all creaming about him. At LWB or RWB he was causing havoc. Our most dangerous player.

 

Bizarrely, on his return, Moore benched a striker and put NML up the middle. He was awful and very quickly fans’ opinion changed.

 

Right now if we’d kept him we would have quality cover for Johnson and Hunt. 

[shezzas left peg]

I'm in thinking he's going to walk into the Derby side and be a key player in his best /preferred position, where as here he'd have ended up mainly being an impact sub or played out of position like last year.. We now have that big cf allowing us to actauly play with proper wingers and the most proficient one leaves typical

[nbupperthongowl]

2 hours ago, Holmowl said:

 

Totally agree.

 

Before his injury we were all creaming about him. At LWB or RWB he was causing havoc. Our most dangerous player.

 

Bizarrely, on his return, Moore benched a striker and put NML up the middle. He was awful and very quickly fans’ opinion changed.

 

Right now if we’d kept him we would have quality cover for Johnson and Hunt. 

Maybe he felt he only wants to play in certain positions....and wing back, or should I say reserve wing back wasn't one of them

 

Probably happier playing wide with fewer defensive responsibility.....or feels he can be the 'main man' amongst Derby's 7 players?

[Guest Jack the Hat]

He was lazy off the ball and froze in the big moments, like when he was put through against Rotherham and nearly fell over the ball. No composure. Goodbye.

[Pulcinella]

Mendez-Laing was quoted why he joined Derby and 'snubbed' us:
"I didn’t want to be part of something where they, as a club, aren’t playing for much or I’m just there to take part. I want to be part of the journey this club is about to go on."

Seriously? Doesn't think we're playing for much? If this is a true quote from him about us then he's gone down in my estimation.
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/nathaniel-mendezlaing-sheffield-wednesday-derby-24389672