₦airaland Forum

Nihilist:
Messi and Neymar don't run in behind that much. I don't know if you've been watching barca this season, but on the Barca thread you will see many Barca fans saying Messi is playing in central midfield these days. That's how deep he's coming to collect the ball.

Neymar also stays posted wide and then runs with the ball at his full back. You don't often see neymar making off the ball runs in behind.

That's why Neymar, Messi, and Hazard have such high dribble per game numbers - 5.6.,3.7 and 4.8 respectively. Because they always have to beat the men in front of them before they can shoot.

Suarez that does most of the running off the ball at Barca makes only 1 dribble per game. 0.4 in the UCL.

The difference is that while Neymar takes 3.5 shots per game, and Messi takes 5.3 shots per game....Hazard only takes 2.1 shots per game.

That's what Fabregas is talking about.

Are you willing to bet that if we count Messis goals, we wont find 20 first time finishes? Yesterday was one, just by making the right run.

When Neymar is dribbling, Messi is making the run. When Messi is dribbling, Neymar will be making the run.

Dropping deep doesn't mean he doesn't make the run. It even helps him arrive late like yesterday, or like Alli has been doing all season.

LogoDWhiz:
As expected, twist like a snake..
This award is very important.

I believe you know about the Monthly awards and how important it is, but all of a sudden you don't want to regard the main one - the Player of the Year

I believe 20 years of living in UK puts me in a better position to know which award is top dog or not. I don't have any sporting interest except football or boxing, so I should know which is which after 20 years. If you like, you can ask Nihilist or Nateevs.

I don't know how EPL football is packaged for you abroad, maybe the sponsors put their name over the whole thing, but PFA is THE main award. Premier League award is only used for monthly award and is not referenced as anything of significance for the yearly award.

Nihilist:
You will hardly see the likes of Messi, Neymar, Robben et al, running off the ball and waiting for tapins.
These are players who like to get on the ball, collecting it in deeper areas and running at their opponents.

The difference between Messi, Neymar, Robben on one hand and Hazard on the other, is that the first group of players will dribble two players and shoot. Hazard will dribble two players and pass the ball.

CR7 and Suarez does not play the same game as Messi and Neymar. You hardly see Ororo running with the ball like Messi and Neymar. Ororo barely even attempts takeons these days.

If you count the number of first-time finishes for Messi, Ororo etc, I am sure you will find a 20 goal difference to Hazard.

Robben is a special case, but then Robben scores maybe 5 goals more than Hazard a season. Robben is more efficient at dribble and shoot, but the major difference between Ororo, Messi, even Alli and Griezman vs Hazard is that they also get the easy goals from running behind which Hazard doesn't.

airmark:
The emboldened is not true. Fabegas was not talking about final passes. There are moments hazard would pass balls to the person who gives the final assist to the goal scorer when he could have done it all alone and score. Also how did you expect hazard to have 40 asists with costa and others misfiring from all cylinders in a league most teams park buses? I can list more than 30 final passes from hazard, 15 of which stars in barca and real would have buried. Fab was trying to let him know he could do it alone. Ronaldo is one of the most selfish players in the game but people overlook this area because he has mastered it well as he put the selfishness into great use. This is what fab was telling hazard that with time he could reach such perfection. Ask most strikers, they would tell you their coaches had told them to be selfish in front of goals in training. The mentality made hazard to score that goal against arsenal not waiting for strikers to get into positions and pass. Fab is a professional footballer and i understand where he's coming from, i am not surprised you couldn't relate with his point of view. Trust me those who have played football at top level will tell you fab was right.

You are wrong mate. Fabregas said he would rather pass than score in a 2-on-1 situation. I expect 50% of 2-on-1 situations to lead to a goal, so unless you show me 20 assists that Hazard made from 2-on-1 situations, this is just pie-in-the-sky theory.

Where I do know Hazard is falling short is in scoring the easy goals - making the run beyond the defence for a first-time finish. Ororo, Messi etc are chopping 20 of these per season, and Hazard is chopping little or none. That is where the difference in goals lies for the most part, not cos he passed the ball in a 2-on-1 situation.

LogoDWhiz:
Nah, it's not.. it's actually very important..

The award cut across different sectors of the football world while PFA is just by fellow players

Maybe that's what the sponsors will sell to you abroad watching on Supersport or Fox Soccer so Barclays can get their reputation up.

In UK, only one award counts and that's PFA. I won't be surprised if UK media like BBC don't report on Premier League Awards sef, or it might barely get a mention.

Greatihex:
To be honest, I am yet to understand how hazard creates one of the highest number of chances in Europe and still have less number of assists.
This your ranking of players based on only stats alone has been found wanting a lot of times and the case of Iniesta is still one of them.

The Messis and CR7s, Neymar, Suarez and Bales are there based on stats, don't let that fool you. If CR7 or Messi score only 15 goals next season, they will lose their crown, it's that simple. That's who Hazard is competing with. What you call "stats" are actually game-winning goals and assists. Eunuch is the only special case whose case is different. He is blessed and highly favoured.

Hazard must improve his runs. Hardly will you see Hazard scoring tapins, or goals where he only needs one touch. Most of his goals involve dribbling a man or two before finishing. Until he starts making those runs he should forget comparison with the top dogs. Pedro is about to outscore him two seasons in a row without penalties.

airmark:
Fabregas said: “Ability wise, there is only one player above Eden, and we all know who that is: Messi. Eden is up there with the best.

“But I’ve told him many times, he needs to be selfish and have that killer instinct – then he will be whatever he wants to be.

“Eden is pushing to that level, and we have to help him. Sometimes when it’s two against two and he passes, I tell him ‘Score yourself. Do it’. He has to do it more often, be more selfish, as all the top players are. Then he will be unstoppable.

That's the bitter truth. This is the best time for him to put that into action, since costa has turned to a barren entity. I liked it when he dribbled costa to give matic that pass, to score. Hazard should start playing as if we have no striker.

Hazard doesn't make the runs to score 25 goals a season, much less 40 needed to start comparing yourself to such names.

Secondly if he is passing instead of shooting, his assist should be close to 40 if Fabregas argument is that he assists instead of scoring.

The above quote is pie in the sky. He is far far away, even if he became selfish and converted all his assists to goals, he wouldn't have much to compare himself with Messi and CR7.

I'm sorry, that's just the truth. Hardly will you see Hazard making the kind of run that Messi made for the winning goal yesterday, or that Alli made for the equaliser on Saturday. That's what gets you to 30 goals, not super stories that you should convert your paltry 10 assists into goals.

Hazard got a lot of improving to do on timing his runs and anticipation if he wants to hang with the big dogs.

airmark:
Hazard won it 2 seasons ago. That's the award from the organizers of the epl.

My nigga, I'm telling you that award is as irrelevant as the k in knife.

PFA is the only koko, followed by FWA.

You can ask anyone based in UK.

LogoDWhiz:
Wow. I'm surprised you haven't, you can google it. PFA is voted by fellow players while TPL awards is by the epl. They are also in charge of the monthly awards. Hazard won it last 2 seasons nd vardy won it last season.

airmark:
I should be thanking you.

Never heard of it till today. It's absolutely irrelevant, trust me.

airmark:
Premier league awards ofcourse.

Which one be Premier League awards?

There are only 3 major awards - PFA players award, PFA fans award, and Football Writers Award. . . . . . of which PFA Players Award is the Daddy.

Which one is Premier League Awards - Is that given out by Goal.com? We have never heard of that one here in Somalia.

Dembele and Kante is my wetdream midfield for the 3-4-3. Kai, that midfield would ragdoll every other. That Dembele is just unlucky to play for serial losers like Spurs.

Paul Pogba must be crying right now.

The jealous nigga gave interview screaming "I score more than Kante".

Do you play the same position? Keep making noise with your paltry 8 goals and suck this L from Kante.

MRTA7:
Hazard should have won it but fair play to Kante.

For me the best player is always the difference maker. Kante made the difference from last year to this year. Hazard with last year's midfield won't win a lick. Kante won with Albrighton, Vardy, Mahrez and Okazaki. Kante is the difference maker.

Griffon:
Casemiro is another name that would travel far. That dude's screening and shield no be here.

I don't know. Can he play football though? Kante can.

patrickmuf:
You should direct you question to Hazard.

That one no consign us. We have league title and FA Cup final to worry about.

Herrera who?

Kante more than deserves it.

Wey those Herrera fanboys?

Messi Oluwaniccur

Nice one Messi, nice one Rakitic.

Nice carryalong by Eunuch while his mates were providing the difference.

Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssiiiiii!!!!!

Jaaaaaaaaaaammmeeeeessss!!!

Marcelo - Leftback of life!

Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssiiiiii!!!!

Caseeeeeeeeeeemmmmiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrooooooooo!!!!

Pep the autistic manager took off Aguero to play strikerless formation at 1-1 in a semifinal and lost the game.

After the tikitaka, play the blues. . .

Perfect result for us.

We get the easier opponent in the final and Arsenal get some impetus going into their match with Spurs.

Man City simultaneously get deflated and tired going into their match with Manure. We need Manure to still be in the top 4 race in 2 weeks when they face Spurs.

Good day all round.

Monreeeeeeeaaaaaaalll!!!

I need to see extra time here.

Chelseafan1:
Cech sef....he was slow in his decision, Neuer would have rushed Aguero there.

I thought so too. He could have dived onto the ball there.

Nihilist:
Where is Raumdeuter?

30 goals for the season despite injuries, suspensions and sitting on the bench for almost a month. WTF is Raumdeuter talking about?

diggz:
Ibime this is why I want Cahill to fvck off Asap!!!!

I mean for the very first time, I can watch our backline (especially the left side) play without any fear of a cardiac arrest. Though Nathan has always being known to be calm, yet the calmness he showed yesterday was simply terrifying.

I just saw the replay of yesterday's game for the third time since it was played. I don't want to see brainfart pfa Cahill starting ahead of Nathan anymore please.....

Nna cut Cahill some slack please. He's had a good season and doesn't deserve this kinda condemnation just cos Ake played well. PFA team of the year says he has at least been decent.

How can someone try for you all year and play decent and you greet him with words like fvck off. If you must know one thing, at least know that Cahill trains like a beast and is a good example to our youngsters including Ake. Ake can compete with Cahill without us being disrespectful to Cahill.

Ipukulu in bid to bring Chelsea striker home


In keeping with the new FPL rules governing Homegrown quotas, Ipukulu Marines are reported to be scouting Ijaw players for their team for next season including a young Chelsea striker tearing up the Championship.

Rumours are that Ipukulu will be making a summer move for Kevin Oghenetega Tamaraebi Bakumo-Abraham otherwise known as Tammy Abraham.

Chelsea FC are reported to have set a £50m asking price which Ipukulu owner Tompolo Boyloaf is prepared to pay.


Ralph Honigstein

The Guardian

Spurs ain't beating us at Wembley, never!

Spurs fans already running out the stadium.