Don't realise what you had til it's not there

[the_georgian_genius]

and by this i mean a player like Robinho. I'm a big Robbie fan but the last few games has made me realise just how good he is, i know we have done well when he hasn't been playing but he just has that "x-factor" to use a better word that no one else has.

I personally cannot wait for his return and to see that smile of his and if Barca are reading this (unlikely i know :D) FUCK OFF!!

[Scatman]

and by this i mean a player like Robinho. I'm a big Robbie fan but the last few games has made me realise just how good he is, i know we have done well when he hasn't been playing but he just has that "x-factor" to use a better word that no one else has.

I personally cannot wait for his return and to see that smile of his and if Barca are reading this (unlikely i know :D) FUCK OFF!!

Can I just say that the quote from me at the bottom of your posts was meant in jest.

[Slim]

Name the world class players in our side, if you get to four you have gone too far and Robbie is still the star among them.

[the_georgian_genius]

and by this i mean a player like Robinho. I'm a big Robbie fan but the last few games has made me realise just how good he is, i know we have done well when he hasn't been playing but he just has that "x-factor" to use a better word that no one else has.

I personally cannot wait for his return and to see that smile of his and if Barca are reading this (unlikely i know :D) FUCK OFF!!

Can I just say that the quote from me at the bottom of your posts was meant in jest.

Jest or not mate it's a beauty ;-)

[sky_blue_stew]

He is exciting, and missed when he's not around, so I hope he can re-find some of the early form from last year. We need him to be focused and not thinking about a move away, that's the only way we'll get the best from him. It's just a shame that there has been so much press attention on this because it will inevitably cause unsettlement, and create ideas in his head that may have not been so prominent before. Who knows whether he wants to go or not. I hope not. But anyway, worst case scenario, he should be playing out of his skin to try and win that move away. Barca aren't going to be interested if he doesn't perform well for us!

[Wooders]

Name the world class players in our side, if you get to four you have gone too far and Robbie is still the star among them.

Shay, Toure, Robinho, Ade... maybe Barry as well?

you're right though.

[john@staustell]

We need his genius for home games.

Waste of space away quite frankly, in all but 1 match - Everton.

[Ted Hughes]

We need his genius for home games.

Waste of space away quite frankly, in all but 1 match - Everton.

Before he got injured, it was becoming the trend on here to be over critical of his early season performances but some of the points raised were fair enough including about his workrate. I studied him in particular away at Palace (a fully fledged 'wet Wednesday in.....' type scenario ) & although he still got some criticism on here, I thought he was superb. He did more work than I can ever remember & produced some great passes & movement.

That performance, like Petrov's, was exactly what Hughes wants from his creative players imo & would be good enough away from home v most teams. If he's genuinely still up for it & not been turned by Barca, I think he'll turn in some decent away performances in this team.

[the_georgian_genius]

We need his genius for home games.

Waste of space away quite frankly, in all but 1 match - Everton.

The whole side was a waste of space away from home, can't blame it all on Robinho plus the majority of players last year were'nt experiencing tough away grounds for the first time like Robi was.

[john@staustell]

I've never actually agreed with the criticism of Robbie's workrate. I often thought he was putting in the running but to very little effect on the defensive side.

However it's a good point that the whole lot were a waste of space, so it will be interesting to see how Robson does now with these new players away from home.

[Wooders]

Name the world class players in our side, if you get to four you have gone too far and Robbie is still the star among them.

Shay, Toure, Robinho, Ade... maybe Barry as well?

you're right though.

Oops.. forgot all about Tevez - so thats 6 world class stars

[GingeryBlue]

Just an aside, but love the topic title. I guess the classic 'don't know what you've got til its gone' just wouldn't do it.

[Dameerto]

Name the world class players in our side, if you get to four you have gone too far and Robbie is still the star among them.

Shay, Toure, Robinho, Ade... maybe Barry as well?

you're right though.

Oops.. forgot all about Tevez - so thats 6 world class stars

Dont forget Benjani

[Slim]

Name the world class players in our side, if you get to four you have gone too far and Robbie is still the star among them.

Shay, Toure, Robinho, Ade... maybe Barry as well?

you're right though.

Oops.. forgot all about Tevez - so thats 6 world class stars

Adebayor, Shay and Robinho is the right answer, you are fucking deluded if you think we have 6 world class stars in this team.

[Wooders]

no Tevez or Toure? I think that is overly harsh and I am sure most would disagree

[DoomMerchant]

Name the world class players in our side, if you get to four you have gone too far and Robbie is still the star among them.

Shay, Toure, Robinho, Ade... maybe Barry as well?

you're right though.

Oops.. forgot all about Tevez - so thats 6 world class stars

Adebayor, Shay and Robinho is the right answer, you are fucking deluded if you think we have 6 world class stars in this team.

that looks about right to me as well. Tevez, Barry are a notch below that for sure. As is Toure.

Compare that to Chelsea who have Essien, Lampard, Ballack, Drogba, Cech (perhaps, tho on form im not exactly sure i'd still class him there). Maybe at a stretch Terry and Anelka as well.

Compare that with Scouse who have Gerrard, Torres and Reina. Pretty even story.

Arsenal -- Fabregas, Van Persie, Clichy, Gallas. Rosicky if her weren't a sick note i'd say.

Scum -- Rooney, Vidic, Van der Sar (im being ultrakind here), ???? surely i have my blue-tinted glasses on here, but who the fucl else? Hargreaves but not in forever it seems. Fletcher, not quite yet. Carrick good on his day for sure, but not world class. Berba? not for 2 years imho. Mickey Owen. Laff. Wio is past it. who? running on fumes...

[Sister of fu]

Name the world class players in our side, if you get to four you have gone too far and Robbie is still the star among them.

Shay, Toure, Robinho, Ade... maybe Barry as well?

you're right though.

Oops.. forgot all about Tevez - so thats 6 world class stars

Adebayor, Shay and Robinho is the right answer, you are fucking deluded if you think we have 6 world class stars in this team.

that looks about right to me as well. Tevez, Barry are a notch below that for sure. As is Toure.

Compare that to Chelsea who have Essien, Lampard, Ballack, Drogba, Cech (perhaps, tho on form im not exactly sure i'd still class him there). Maybe at a stretch Terry and Anelka as well.

Compare that with Scouse who have Gerrard, Torres and Reina. Pretty even story.

Arsenal -- Fabregas, Van Persie, Clichy, Gallas. Rosicky if her weren't a sick note i'd say.

Scum -- Rooney, Vidic, Van der Sar (im being ultrakind here), ???? surely i have my blue-tinted glasses on here, but who the fucl else? Hargreaves but not in forever it seems. Fletcher, not quite yet. Carrick good on his day for sure, but not world class. Berba? not for 2 years imho. Mickey Owen. Laff. Wio is past it. who? running on fumes...

I would say Shay then im struggling. I think Shay could play in any team in the world which I would not say about Toure, Ade, Tevez and even Barry. Robbie does not do enough at the moment to be classed as world class. He has world class ability but just doesn't do enough.

We have some top quality players now who I feel can go on to be world class but to be classed this good you have to play at a sustained level for a long period of time ala Gerrard, Messi and god I hate to say it Tranny. The lad has been at it now for over three seasons and is at times unplayable. IMO the words world class can be banded around far to freely and far to often.....Ashley Young anyone???!!

[Slim]

Toure-replaced by a Belgium kid who is outshining pretty much every centrehalf in the league.
Tevez-replaced by a scouse crock and most filth fans think they came out the better on the deal.
Barry-replaced by Downing, who was injured till November when they bought him.

Hardly leaving massive gaping holes in their lineups are they? Given leaves, Newcastle get relegated...'world class' lets its absence speak for itself.

[bluej]

Toure-replaced by a Belgium kid who is outshining pretty much every centrehalf in the league.
Tevez-replaced by a scouse crock and most filth fans think they came out the better on the deal.
Barry-replaced by Downing, who was injured till November when they bought him.

Hardly leaving massive gaping holes in their lineups are they? Given leaves, Newcastle get relegated...'world class' lets its absence speak for itself.

Whilst I agree that Barry isn't world class and you've got the other two right in that list, to say Downing is a replacement for Barry is stretching it a bit. I think the villa midfield has been weakened because of the loss of Barry but they've probably played better as a team as I don't think his head was in the right place last season.

[ronk]

Toure-replaced by a Belgium kid who is outshining pretty much every centrehalf in the league.
Tevez-replaced by a scouse crock and most filth fans think they came out the better on the deal.
Barry-replaced by Downing, who was injured till November when they bought him.

Hardly leaving massive gaping holes in their lineups are they? Given leaves, Newcastle get relegated...'world class' lets its absence speak for itself.

They what-now?