Joao Carvalho

[Username]

Great post Zico

[Maltared]

Zico, I might seem that I am a half full glass, maybe because I dont accept that my team is ' avarage' . When we played well, I was one of the first that said so, but when we play badly or just average K dont justify it by mentioning the past or bad days...I even dont like people that make demi gods of average players because they ' flick' a ball nicely.
I want my team to be where Liverpool are at the moment nd by clapping at Carvalho when he is doing his warm up on the touchline we r not going to do it.
I m happy with alot of players this season, some even exceeding my expectations ( Cash for example), but we need more to even hold to a top six spot and the ' more' that is missing is at the final third.
I think the defence is sorted nd we cannot get much better if at some point in games r under the cosh, it's not their fault but mainly through letting the opposition arrive to them with ease.
With Samba I think we got the best keeper in years, not prone to mistakes nd more importantly he gets us moving quickly, on that aspect his contribution is underrated.
The midfield with so is good, not very good but good, shame hd had to get injured when he really started to impose himself. W dont know what Sow will come back after injury.
Watson also a nice surprise we must make the most of his probably last hurrah season.
For the rest, I think that we can do better. Lolley disappointing so far, definitely has been found out nd certain opposition know how to tackle him. Grabban he is giving his best, even more active, but not the answer, we need a Collymore type of striker that creates a goal from nowhere. Those r the players that win you promotions they tend to keep half the opposition team looking at them, thus letting the rest of our team excel.
Ameobi is ok ish , better then expected but he is just holding the fort for a much better winger that can dribble players nd score goals (Lolley last season)....
That is my half full glass

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

To me I see him as a player who might be worth the hype in a few years in the right league (for us the Prem obv). The problem is we've got to get there first, and the game time he gets could possibly be better channeled elsewhere with that goal in mind.

If we sign a quality winger in Jan, I'd probably sooner see Ameobi in Carva's role if Silva is having to cover Sow/Yates. I'm also wondering if we're building for the future, is it worth giving Johnson some of this game time too?

In the role he was tasked with Carvalho was undoubtedly our worst player IMO. Who would you say was worse Zicorice? Ameobi tired and looked poor towards the end of his spell, but first half he was one of our biggest threats. I can't think of any other player in the side who was as bad as Carva yesterday.

Just based on yesterday, Figs (who has been good lately) had a stinker. Ameobi, who I like, wasted really good possession and couldn't shoot. I thought Silva ran around alot, doing nothing and in Yates/Sows position created nil. Lolley struggled and was no better. Just a difficult day against a difficult side.

It's then chicken and egg isn't it? Was the number 10 off song because many of the players around him were too? Lolley and Grabs made nothing of his 2 excellent slide rule passes. He took up good positions in pockets of space, but the ball never came. The goal started when a failed cross field pass was intercepted, yet Carvalho had taken up a great position in middle of the pitch and wanted the ball. 

Or were we struggling to break down Cardiff because the number 10 couldnt open them up often enough and faded as the game wore on?

He didn't give the ball away much and but for handball would have got an equaliser. On the other hand he skied one early on after great control and faded after half time, mis controlling one out of the air that we know he can control in his sleep normally. 

It's the conundrum? Personally, I would back him and even build a team around him. Equally, I would can see the view that we need more championship style performers.  Obviously, I like him, but I am fence sitting a bit with regards to where we go. However, I do hold with his performance yesterday was not as bad-in his position- as you stated, but neither was it good enough. As Warbs might say, fine margins. He slams that early chance in different game. But the fact is, he didn't. Handball is given, or the ball flies into back of net later on, different  game. But it wasn't and it didn't, so the questions are still their.

Fair points Zic, don't agree with all of them but can see your POV and you make a good point regards chicken/egg. 

I'll back the lad, always have, I'm just disappointed in him and hope it doesn't take another 18 months for him to start performing consistently.

I think that's something we all agree on 100%.

Don't think he'll still be here in 18 months time.

[Jasper Scarrott]

It's easy to forget that he is still only 22 years old.

Also before he signed for us he had played just 22 first team games of football and scored 1 goal. (Not including Benfica B which is like our under 23's).

Very interesting is that.

It begs the question where did that 13m price tag come from.

[optimistic_red]

I think we need to forget the £13m. We have all watched him enough to know that it was too much money, but that's not his fault.
If we treated equally (ie not sing his name for doing up his boot laces, or expect him to win the match for us) he *may* improve.

Clearly has a lot of talent, and I hope Lamouchi can unlock it.

[Dog and Bear]

I think we need to forget the £13m. We have all watched him enough to know that it was too much money, but that's not his fault.
If we treated equally (ie not sing his name for doing up his boot laces, or expect him to win the match for us) he *may* improve.

Clearly has a lot of talent, and I hope Lamouchi can unlock it.

Difficult. It's our record tranfer fee ever paid and by some margin. It's down in history. We can't just pretend that it never happened.

[the jock]

It's always in the back of my mind that a benfica fan said we should have paid 5mill tops.

I mean look what we paid for lolley ameobi adomah and Silva combined .

[Maltared]

It's always in the back of my mind that a benfica fan said we should have paid 5mill tops.

I mean look what we paid for lolley ameobi adomah and Silva combined .

Starting to smell of rotten eggs and someone might have had a piece .....c### from what us fans pay yo watch the boys on saturdays ...

[Derby My Arse]

It's always in the back of my mind that a benfica fan said we should have paid 5mill tops.

I mean look what we paid for lolley ameobi adomah and Silva combined .

Starting to smell of rotten eggs and someone might have had a piece .....c### from what us fans pay yo watch the boys on saturdays ...

Not being rude but can someone kindly translate that for me please?

[Derby My Arse]

I think we need to forget the £13m. We have all watched him enough to know that it was too much money, but that's not his fault.
If we treated equally (ie not sing his name for doing up his boot laces, or expect him to win the match for us) he *may* improve.

Clearly has a lot of talent, and I hope Lamouchi can unlock it.

Difficult. It's our record tranfer fee ever paid and by some margin. It's down in history. We can't just pretend that it never happened.

Yes, we can't and we shouldn't just sweep the fee under the carpet.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

It's easy to forget that he is still only 22 years old.

Also before he signed for us he had played just 22 first team games of football and scored 1 goal. (Not including Benfica B which is like our under 23's).

Very interesting is that.

It begs the question where did that 13m price tag come from.

I have it on very good authority that we didn't pay 13m (allegedly) but even so we still paid a lot and broke our transfer record and I don't care how the accounts dress it up.

[wassy04]

Bit late to this debate but I must’ve been watching a different game to most. Thought Carv was solid but unspectacular looked our most likely player to crEate a goal but faded in 2nd half, should’ve had a pen but also miskicked a good chance in penalty area. Got into some good positions (was clean through in first half and ameobi under hit the pass). Was part of our best move which he started and got free in a great position, sadly his shot was rubbish.

Clearly not a standout game but also some positives. Certainly wouldn’t have singled him out as a standout weakness. Most of our best attacks were through robbo randomly and we struggled with crossing. (Silva’s corners a disappointment) tactically I would say we made mistakes similar to the 2nd half vs Hull really. We needed to bring Mir on earlier (or ideally a better striker) as we were getting nothing out of the centre backs.

Also were we not playing 4231 thus allowing Carv to play his natural position?