Jo Again

[Blue in North London]

Jo is very irritating. He tries little flicks all the time that very rarely come off. Sometimes you just have to keep the ball or pass it to someone else. It's so frustrating when his flicks don't work and within seconds we are bing forced to defend our box. He has talent but not enough football intelligence.

[mr_nool]

That's a good question Mr. Nool for all those who are saying we need to sign another striker ala Dzeko or Ibra. That would really make Ade and Mario very happy !!

As for Jo, I think he did a decent job last night and was close to scoring on 2 ocassions. It was his first start of the season and will only improve, given the chance, as he seems to have the right attitude now.

It's not about making players happy though, as we've seen with Bellamy & Ireland & probably RSC & Robinho.

No it's not about making players happy, but it's about creating and retaining a good spirit within the team. You cannot seriously expect top world class players to be content with being bit-part players.

[Dubaimancityfan]

Jo is very irritating. He tries little flicks all the time that very rarely come off. Sometimes you just have to keep the ball or pass it to someone else. It's so frustrating when his flicks don't work and within seconds we are bing forced to defend our box. He has talent but not enough football intelligence.

I think he tried a flick once last night at the end of the match and it didn't work but he quickly won the ball back again. Remind me of any more he tried last night.

[Blue in North London]

Jo is very irritating. He tries little flicks all the time that very rarely come off. Sometimes you just have to keep the ball or pass it to someone else. It's so frustrating when his flicks don't work and within seconds we are bing forced to defend our box. He has talent but not enough football intelligence.

[Ted Hughes]

That's a good question Mr. Nool for all those who are saying we need to sign another striker ala Dzeko or Ibra. That would really make Ade and Mario very happy !!

As for Jo, I think he did a decent job last night and was close to scoring on 2 ocassions. It was his first start of the season and will only improve, given the chance, as he seems to have the right attitude now.

It's not about making players happy though, as we've seen with Bellamy & Ireland & probably RSC & Robinho.

No it's not about making players happy, but it's about creating and retaining a good spirit within the team. You cannot seriously expect top world class players to be content with being bit-part players.

If they're not playing well enough to be 1st choice then they either fight for a place & impress when they play in the cups etc or leave. Eventually, we end up with a squad, like the rags used to have, where almost all the players are fighting like fuck in every game because they want to play. Where Ferguson went wrong is that he started to give preferrential treatment to some players. Mancini has already dropped Ade & Silva so that's a good start & shows even handed behaviour.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Jo last night played like what he is and that's an average player. Granted he was given a wide left attacking role which might not suit him but I will be very confused if he is one of the 25. Silva didn't have a very good game but I think we saw a good touch player who was starting to show the undoubted quality he has.He has only been here for 5 minutes whereas Jo has has had considerably longer and still shows a limited talent.

[Ted Hughes]

Jo last night played like what he is and that's an average player. Granted he was given a wide left attacking role which might not suit him but I will be very confused if he is one of the 25. Silva didn't have a very good game but I think we saw a good touch player who was starting to show the undoubted quality he has.He has only been here for 5 minutes whereas Jo has has had considerably longer and still shows a limited talent.

If we leave Jo out of the 25 we'll most likely be left with several empty spaces in it though.

[mr_nool]

That's a good question Mr. Nool for all those who are saying we need to sign another striker ala Dzeko or Ibra. That would really make Ade and Mario very happy !!

As for Jo, I think he did a decent job last night and was close to scoring on 2 ocassions. It was his first start of the season and will only improve, given the chance, as he seems to have the right attitude now.

It's not about making players happy though, as we've seen with Bellamy & Ireland & probably RSC & Robinho.

No it's not about making players happy, but it's about creating and retaining a good spirit within the team. You cannot seriously expect top world class players to be content with being bit-part players.

If they're not playing well enough to be 1st choice then they either fight for a place & impress when they play in the cups etc or leave. Eventually, we end up with a squad, like the rags used to have, where almost all the players are fighting like fuck in every game because they want to play. Where Ferguson went wrong is that he started to give preferrential treatment to some players. Mancini has already dropped Ade & Silva so that's a good start & shows even handed behaviour.

I do agree with you that competition is very important and that we of course need the best players we can get. however, this is easier to impose on players you bring in - if you've been clear about it during the negotiations - than on players already here. Milner, for instance, will probably much more readily accept not to play all games than Ireland. He was aware of the situation when he signed on, while it was imposed on Ireland.

[Ted Hughes]

That's a good question Mr. Nool for all those who are saying we need to sign another striker ala Dzeko or Ibra. That would really make Ade and Mario very happy !!

As for Jo, I think he did a decent job last night and was close to scoring on 2 ocassions. It was his first start of the season and will only improve, given the chance, as he seems to have the right attitude now.

It's not about making players happy though, as we've seen with Bellamy & Ireland & probably RSC & Robinho.

No it's not about making players happy, but it's about creating and retaining a good spirit within the team. You cannot seriously expect top world class players to be content with being bit-part players.

If they're not playing well enough to be 1st choice then they either fight for a place & impress when they play in the cups etc or leave. Eventually, we end up with a squad, like the rags used to have, where almost all the players are fighting like fuck in every game because they want to play. Where Ferguson went wrong is that he started to give preferrential treatment to some players. Mancini has already dropped Ade & Silva so that's a good start & shows even handed behaviour.

I do agree with you that competition is very important and that we of course need the best players we can get. however, this is easier to impose on players you bring in - if you've been clear about it during the negotiations - than on players already here. Milner, for instance, will probably much more readily accept not to play all games than Ireland. He was aware of the situation when he signed on, while it was imposed on Ireland.

That's true but I think most of the players we have now, understand it apart from one or two, who are most likely going anyway. Barry for instance has said as much along with Micah & SWP (as did Bellamy). Ade & Shay are debateable but Ade in a very recent interview said he wants to stay & battle it out.

[saulman]

Jo is very irritating. He tries little flicks all the time that very rarely come off. Sometimes you just have to keep the ball or pass it to someone else. It's so frustrating when his flicks don't work and within seconds we are bing forced to defend our box. He has talent but not enough football intelligence.

I think he tried a flick once last night at the end of the match and it didn't work but he quickly won the ball back again. Remind me of any more he tried last night.

Was just thinking the same thing.

It's plain to see that Jo is trying his heart out and whilst he is, I have nothing but praise and encouragement for the lad. If Mancini thinks he's worth his place then who am I to argue?

Whether he makes it or not remains to be seen but there are people on here who would love to see him fail. It's very difficult to offer support to a player that you've spent the last couple of years calling shite. That would sort of mean you would be admitting you might be wrong.

[Ted Hughes]

Jo is very irritating. He tries little flicks all the time that very rarely come off. Sometimes you just have to keep the ball or pass it to someone else. It's so frustrating when his flicks don't work and within seconds we are bing forced to defend our box. He has talent but not enough football intelligence.

I think he tried a flick once last night at the end of the match and it didn't work but he quickly won the ball back again. Remind me of any more he tried last night.

Was just thinking the same thing.

It's plain to see that Jo is trying his heart out and whilst he is, I have nothing but praise and encouragement for the lad. If Mancini thinks he's worth his place then who am I to argue?

Whether he makes it or not remains to be seen but there are people on here who would love to see him fail. It's very difficult to offer support to a player that you've spent the last couple of years calling shite. That would sort of mean you would be admitting you might be wrong.

Jo was shite in the last couple of years, so nobody who called him that would be wrong. He may possibly get a lot better though. No harm in finding out.

[the_georgian_genius]

Jo wasn't playing as a striker last night.

He did fuck up badly on occasions but didn't give the ball away alf as much as Silva & had the odd good moment,like Silva. He improved a lot as the game went on though & ended up doing some nice touches, looking pretty good but still not quite good enough for the 1st 11, just like Silva.

I guess if your a famous Spanish bloke & you pass the ball to the oppo quite a lot it's much more acceptable than being a big daft looking Braziilan & doing it twice though.

Glad someone said it. While Jo wasn't exactly shining star last night, he was still better than Silva.

Was he balls man, i'm a defender of Jo but no way was he better than Silva last night, i thought Silva was excellent even if alot of his stuff didn't come off.

[Blue in North London]

I think he tried a flick once last night at the end of the match and it didn't work but he quickly won the ball back again. Remind me of any more he tried last night.

Did I say it was based on one game or did you translate the sentence as someting to suit your agenda?

He didn't try as many flicks last night because he was playing more on the LHS. Of course, his game will change when he is being played in a different position. He tries them on a regular basis (PLAYING AS A STRIKER) and they don't work.

[Dubaimancityfan]

I think he tried a flick once last night at the end of the match and it didn't work but he quickly won the ball back again. Remind me of any more he tried last night.

Did I say it was based on one game or did you translate the sentence as someting to suit your agenda?

He didn't try as many flicks last night

because he was playing more on the LHS. Of course, his game will change when he is being played in a different position. He tries them on a regular basis (PLAYING AS A STRIKER) and they don't work.

We were talking about the Timisoara match but apparently you were talking about history although you admit that he didn't try so many in this match. So that's improvement, isn't it ?

[Blue in North London]

Don't get me wrong, fella. I am not anti-Jo. You will see from my post history that I don't criticise players. I'd be more than happy to see him improve. If he stops the flicks when they are not on I will gladly acknowledge it :)

[petrov]

I thought he was our weakest player on the pitch in terms of quality but couldn't fault his workrate (almost the reverse of usual). He just didn't click. That said our front 3 in general Jo, Ade and Silva were definately our weakest players and of those 3 Jo applied himself much more. Silva got better as the game went on, as did Jo but you could see the difference in class and vision, that said one was in their favoured position and one was used in a new one. i hope he gets a chance up top at some stage and he can prove himself as I think while he'll never be a world beater he's not as useless as alot of us make out (myself among those). He's just frustrating.