Joao Carvalho

[woody]

Cavalho is a fine player in possession of the ball but I fear for him in this league. He is the Ozil of Nottingham Forest who splits opinion. There is a place for him in the squad but he has to earn his right to be in the team. O’Neill knows how to get out of this league and it isn’t by carrying passengers....Cavalho is a passenger for a lot of the time who is capable of a sublime piece of vision/skill. He is the one pinged golf shot that makes you go next time so you can feel it again. Sadly, that isn’t enough. Where does he go when we have our backs to the wall? That’s when you want to see a Yates tackle or a Colback clenched fist. Clearly, that will never be Cavalho’s game but then he must show himself more, influence the game more, be brave and take responsibility more. Brian Clough loved Gary Crosby and John McGovern. Not because they were amazingly skillfull players but because no matter how bad the game was going for them, they never shirked their team responsibility, always did their shift and never ever hid. I am convinced that this same message is what O’Neill is trying to get across to the young Portuguese. If Calvarho listens and learns, then he will improve 100%. But I must say that his previous club must be laughing all the way to the bank.