Sandro !

[nasser95]

I like you Nas, but just recently you have been talking like a bloke who has no idea about the subject he is talking about. Be less stubborn and more open to change your opinions where it's clear you are wrong and you will get far more respect on here than you currently do.

I'll be honest with you mate, I don't come here looking for respect or anything like that. I disagree with the general opinion that Sandro is all that. That's my opinion and it's based on the fact that I've seen him play this season and for me, what I'd want my defensive midfielder doing, he doesn't do any more. Second half of last season at West Brom, he put in less than 1 tackle a game and 1.1 interceptions a game. For a defensive midfielder, that is nothing, especially for one who people say is as good as he is. He was solid first half of last season for us, but now he's back, watching him play in the cup, he didn't impress me at all. Didn't chase, didn't tackle much, especially considering the opposition. He scored a goal but I'd value him as a player more for doing that if he was a striker. I don't value a defensive midfielder on their goalscoring credentials in the same way I don't value a full back on that.

As for why I think he's a mercenary, he's on high wages, that are even higher when he plays because of the way his contract is seemingly based on appearance fees primarily. Additionally, he's past his prime (performance-wise), a player who wouldn't look out of place playing in China. He has all the credentials of all the cr ap we bought in back in the merc phase, the only difference is that he's younger and more poignantly, the most likely reason he's not content sitting on the bench is because his wages are dependent on how much he plays.

If I came here looking for respect and acceptance, I would have demanded JFH out, wanted Warnock back, TF Out, Les out, bring back the old QPR and get Taarabt back on the pitch for us just for the nostalgia of it because no one does it like him. I come here to express my opinion, just like you do yours and everyone else does theirs. If someone disagrees with me, I'll debate with them and if their point is solid enough, I'll take it on board. But the irony of being told that I'm too stubborn because I have a different opinion is seemingly lost on you here.

In summary, my opinion isn't that Sandro isn't our best midfielder at all, especially on current showing. Scoring goals doesn't make you a better defensive mid, defending does.

[bakes8]

Maybe we canīt fix it. Suppose a part of the transfer fee, say 2 million, would only go to Spurs, if he plays 30 QPR league matches? Would you still play him?

He is currently on 28 games, so something like that could be an explanation.

I'd play him. Always play your best side, 100%, all the time. Not my fault (if I were the manager) that some fool decided to put massive add-ons onto his contract when he signed.

Just play the bloke.

[bakes8]

I'll be honest with you mate, I don't come here looking for respect or anything like that. I disagree with the general opinion that Sandro is all that. That's my opinion and it's based on the fact that I've seen him play this season and for me, what I'd want my defensive midfielder doing, he doesn't do any more. Second half of last season at West Brom, he put in less than 1 tackle a game and 1.1 interceptions a game. For a defensive midfielder, that is nothing, especially for one who people say is as good as he is. He was solid first half of last season for us, but now he's back, watching him play in the cup, he didn't impress me at all. Didn't chase, didn't tackle much, especially considering the opposition. He scored a goal but I'd value him as a player more for doing that if he was a striker. I don't value a defensive midfielder on their goalscoring credentials in the same way I don't value a full back on that.

As for why I think he's a mercenary, he's on high wages, that are even higher when he plays because of the way his contract is seemingly based on appearance fees primarily. Additionally, he's past his prime (performance-wise), a player who wouldn't look out of place playing in China. He has all the credentials of all the cr ap we bought in back in the merc phase, the only difference is that he's younger and more poignantly, the most likely reason he's not content sitting on the bench is because his wages are dependent on how much he plays.

If I came here looking for respect and acceptance, I would have demanded JFH out, wanted Warnock back, TF Out, Les out, bring back the old QPR and get Taarabt back on the pitch for us just for the nostalgia of it because no one does it like him. I come here to express my opinion, just like you do yours and everyone else does theirs. If someone disagrees with me, I'll debate with them and if their point is solid enough, I'll take it on board. But the irony of being told that I'm too stubborn because I have a different opinion is seemingly lost on you here.

In summary, my opinion isn't that Sandro isn't our best midfielder at all, especially on current showing. Scoring goals doesn't make you a better defensive mid, defending does.

Pah! Fair points and all that mate. It's your opinion ans I respect it, just think you're royally wrong here, just like you were wrong on JFH as well. A little benevolance on your part here would go miles.

Anyway. Onwards and upwards mate, Ollies back (were you about 1st and 2nd time?) and we're in for a ride

[chremis]

I like Cousins, but Sandro is streets ahead of him. As he is of any of our current crop of midfielders.

Agree

[jmelanie]

If he is suddenly picked, it was because JFH didn't want to play him. He played frequently before JFH arrived.

[Hertford Hoop]

He played Jmel but not what you would call regularly

[Alanwycombe]

I don't get why he is still here. Whatever your opinion he is at least a half decent player who should be getting a game somewhere, so we've either bought a write-off who can't pass a medical or we've got a Winston Bogarde that no one else can afford.

[Northolt_Rs]

I don't get why he is still here. Whatever your opinion he is at least a half decent player who should be getting a game somewhere, so we've either bought a write-off who can't pass a medical or we've got a Winston Bogarde that no one else can afford.

He's still here because he failed the medical at Sporting Lisbon in the summer.

[knocker]

I'll be honest with you mate, I don't come here looking for respect or anything like that. I disagree with the general opinion that Sandro is all that. That's my opinion and it's based on the fact that I've seen him play this season and for me, what I'd want my defensive midfielder doing, he doesn't do any more. Second half of last season at West Brom, he put in less than 1 tackle a game and 1.1 interceptions a game. For a defensive midfielder, that is nothing, especially for one who people say is as good as he is. He was solid first half of last season for us, but now he's back, watching him play in the cup, he didn't impress me at all. Didn't chase, didn't tackle much, especially considering the opposition. He scored a goal but I'd value him as a player more for doing that if he was a striker. I don't value a defensive midfielder on their goalscoring credentials in the same way I don't value a full back on that.

As for why I think he's a mercenary, he's on high wages, that are even higher when he plays because of the way his contract is seemingly based on appearance fees primarily. Additionally, he's past his prime (performance-wise), a player who wouldn't look out of place playing in China. He has all the credentials of all the cr ap we bought in back in the merc phase, the only difference is that he's younger and more poignantly, the most likely reason he's not content sitting on the bench is because his wages are dependent on how much he plays.

If I came here looking for respect and acceptance, I would have demanded JFH out, wanted Warnock back, TF Out, Les out, bring back the old QPR and get Taarabt back on the pitch for us just for the nostalgia of it because no one does it like him. I come here to express my opinion, just like you do yours and everyone else does theirs. If someone disagrees with me, I'll debate with them and if their point is solid enough, I'll take it on board. But the irony of being told that I'm too stubborn because I have a different opinion is seemingly lost on you here.

In summary, my opinion isn't that Sandro isn't our best midfielder at all, especially on current showing. Scoring goals doesn't make you a better defensive mid, defending does.

Passed his prime? He's 27 for fu ck sake.

[nasser95]

Passed his prime? He's 27 for fu ck sake.

I had a feeling someone would say that, but you can't surely tell me he'll ever be as good as he was a few years back at Spurs. A career of injuries limits the potential of someone to grow and Sandro unfortunately left his prime maybe a year or so before joining us IMO.

[CroydonCaptainJack]

Sandro can't seem to play more than an hour though.

[Stanley]

A career of injuries

That's a bit of an exaggeration isn't it? It strike me his fitness levels aren't at their full due to lack of competitive game time, which he can only regain by being selected.
Catch22 - as he hasn't been selected because of this alleged clause in his contract. So it seems to me you've been unfairly judging him on his performances when he hasn't been fully fit for the above reasons - and he can't be blamed for those because he's been uninjured and available for selection the entire season. Let's see what Ollie makes of the situation before condemning him too hastily, eh?

[nasser95]

That's a bit of an exaggeration isn't it? It strike me his fitness levels aren't at their full due to lack of competitive game time, which he can only regain by being selected.
Catch22 - as he hasn't been selected because of this alleged clause in his contract. It therefore seems to me you've been unfairly judging him on his performances when he hasn't been fully fit for the above reasons - and he can't be blamed for those because he's been uninjured and available for selection the entire season. Let's see what Ollie makes of the situation before condemning him too hastily, eh?

Since 2010, there's only been one season where he's started more than half the games and in that season, he still only started 22 matches. That's not down to being replaced, that's down to never being available for selection, and it's unfortunate because he was really a great great footballer, good long shot on him, cruncher in the tackles and you could see it in him when he first came here. He lost it though, towards the end of his time here last season and then at West Brom, he totally lost what made him so good. Seeing him in the cups, he's not been good, seeing him get sent off twice now for the u23's isn't good either.
Him being available for selection this season is true, primarily because you know that if he did play enough, he'd get injured, as he usually does these days. But also him scoring 2 goals probably didn't cover up the very average cup performance and the fact that he's never gonna be playing more than 60 minutes without either running out of steam or risking injury.

[Stanley]

he's never gonna be playing more than 60 minutes without either running out of steam or risking injury.

I'm suggesting that the reason is he's running out of steam is because he lacks match fitness, and the only way you get match fitness is by being played in a run of games. It was a similar situation with Washington earlier in the season, until he got a run of games to get his fitness up to speed.

[knocker]

I'm suggesting that the reason is he's running out of steam is because he lacks match fitness, and the only way you get match fitness is by being played in a run of games. It was a similar situation with Washington earlier in the season, until he got a run of games to get his fitness up to speed.

Stop talking sense. You know Stato is never wrong.