Eliasson - Departure confirmed

[Unan]

15 hours ago, RedNachos said:

As someone mentioned above. We're running out of exciting players. No kid or non Bristol City fan would come to the Gate to watch Chris Martin or Brunt. 

HNM and Liam Walsh would be the exceptions. 

Boring players brought in to play an 'exciting and fresh' style of football, will blow up in our face and we'll end up lugging it to Fammy again. 

Disagree re kids, they can't appreciate flair. Run fast, hit hard & shoot, that's exciting for them.

[daored]

4 hours ago, Garland-sweden said:

Villa of all Clubs, really dislike them. Without Niclas we will be a poor team. Said last season everyone could see Niclas is a good player but not LJ. He is weak in defensive, he he. COD before Niclas most every game, should I laugh or cry. He is a winger that could do everything with a ball. It is, was, only a time when he leaves. To not use such a player last season is for me a big big ? Celtic, Lazio, Villa and other better Clubs than us wants him. He is not good enough for Bristol City, says it all. Vyner, Dasilva or who will now feed our forwards with intelligent passes, crossballs. The whole story of Eliasson in City is sad. Know we have to sell him but it is a bitter taste in mouth.

I think the saddest thing when a player leaves is when as a fan base we know we haven’t seen the best of the player. Eliasson is clearly talented and as you say look at the clubs interested in him. Johnson has mismanaged so many players, playing players out of form and Eliasson is one of those. 
 

The football pyramid means we will always be subject to our players being attracted by bigger clubs who can offer higher wages and better standard of football 

[Phileas Fogg]

5 minutes ago, Seneca the Younger said:

Disagree re kids, they can't appreciate flair. Run fast, hit hard & shoot, that's exciting for them.

If that was the case then Neymar wouldn’t be the most popular player on Ultimate Team!

[Unan]

2 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

If that was the case then Neymar wouldn’t be the most popular player on Ultimate Team!

That's a teen game isn't it

[Tears in rain]

58 minutes ago, Seneca the Younger said:

Disagree re kids, they can't appreciate flair. Run fast, hit hard & shoot, that's exciting for them.

 

52 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

If that was the case then Neymar wouldn’t be the most popular player on Ultimate Team!

I think this just highlights everyone has different things they enjoy watching or appreciate.
 

Your point about ultimate team my favourite player currently is Allan a CDM and when I was a teenager I used to think players like Cisse Or Hartley were great to watch.

[RedNachos]

22 hours ago, ziderheadarmy said:

You’ve played too much footy manager on your Xbox mate 

No, just feel that having good players in your squad helps you achieve promotion. 

[Will b11]

Hasn’t appeared in any of the kit release pictures yet , could be a sign that he’s off ? 

[Meh]

48 minutes ago, Will b11 said:

Hasn’t appeared in any of the kit release pictures yet , could be a sign that he’s off ? 

Nor has Palmer but then again if he is not leaving through our choice then if I was him I would be asking to leave - could be great if given a few games and not scared to death to make a mistake and visibly trying too hard.

[Meh]

25 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

Who's trying too hard? Palmer or Eliasson?

Palmer - trying the killer pass all the time as he knows he has to turn game after game to have a hope of a chance from the start. No other player is expected to perform in so few minutes  .

[Phileas Fogg]

5 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

I think some of those passes he tries are almost impossible. 

I like him having confidence to try passes, but sometimes I would like him to keep it simple and wait for a clear opening for him to deliver a through pass, rather than trying to pass it through a crowd of bodies.

I think his lack of game time is probably down to fitness levels not being the required standard for LJ's team. Holden might see things differently, but not so sure he will.

Will be interesting to see what we do. Assuming we're going to play 5-3-2, Palmer only really slots in as an attacking midfielder in the 3 or as a deep lying forward or advanced playmaker perhaps with a free role in the 2 which would essentially leave us playing a 5-3-1-1.

The second option would probably suit him and bring out the best in him - but we'd sacrifice a bit of the sides workrate and pressing from the forwards.

Over the course of the season that role would definitely be required however.

Freeman in the 3 under Cotterill worked because he was relatively hardworking for a creative player - and Pack/Smith/Elliot behind him gave him a bit of freedom with a solid base. 

[Phileas Fogg]

9 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

Agree.

I don't see us keeping him, unless he is a Plan B off the bench.

But then I don't see that either. If Holden wants to stick to a very hard working, pressing 532, but a sort of 5122 version, then Palmer is unlikely to start much.

And then that is another season with little game time. Coming off the bench, which doesn't seem to be what suits him going by many of those sub appearances when he was misplacing simple passes in our own half.

Charlton game he came on and changed it, but most often he came on he made us a lot worse imo.

People won't like to hear suggestions for who might need to go. But the reality is quite a few in midfield will need to be loaned out or sold. With Brunt maybe coming in too if we believe that rumour. I can't see how they will all be needed. 

We do have plenty of options in midfield. Despite our disagreement about O'Dowda - On reflection I think (with the personnel we have) that we might end up using a form of 5-3-2 that uses wingers at times. Maybe more a 5-2-2-1 formation with two floating players (O'Dowda/Weimann/Eliasson/Semenyo etc) playing wide and interchanging. Might be more applicable with Diedhiou or Martin as a lone striker. 

We will need lots of options with a congested season and, as we saw under Cotterill, a 5-3-2 can be stifled just the same as any other tactic.

Personally I hope both Walsh and Morrell get plenty of gametime. I think the pair have something about them.

 

[Davefevs]

57 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Will be interesting to see what we do. Assuming we're going to play 5-3-2, Palmer only really slots in as an attacking midfielder in the 3 or as a deep lying forward or advanced playmaker perhaps with a free role in the 2 which would essentially leave us playing a 5-3-1-1.

The second option would probably suit him and bring out the best in him - but we'd sacrifice a bit of the sides workrate and pressing from the forwards.

Over the course of the season that role would definitely be required however.

Freeman in the 3 under Cotterill worked because he was relatively hardworking for a creative player - and Pack/Smith/Elliot behind him gave him a bit of freedom with a solid base. 

Freeman in the 10 in 14/15 season with Smith and Wade / Smith and Pack behind was great.

Freeman in the 10 in 15/16 season with Smith and Pack was horrible.  He played at 100mph and ran into trouble.

48 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

Agree.

I don't see us keeping him, unless he is a Plan B off the bench.

But then I don't see that either. If Holden wants to stick to a very hard working, pressing 532, but a sort of 5122 version, then Palmer is unlikely to start much.

And then that is another season with little game time. Coming off the bench, which doesn't seem to be what suits him going by many of those sub appearances when he was misplacing simple passes in our own half.

Charlton game he came on and changed it, but most often he came on he made us a lot worse imo.

People won't like to hear suggestions for who might need to go. But the reality is quite a few in midfield will need to be loaned out or sold. With Brunt maybe coming in too if we believe that rumour. I can't see how they will all be needed. 

As much as I like Palmer, if we need do need to generate some funds, then I would support it.  However, until we see how Holden is gonna blend his forward 5 in his 352, we just don’t know.  The Palmer we saw in the 5212 early last season was pretty decent.  But without seeing pre-season, he appears to be at a bit of a crossroads!

[mozo]

22 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Freeman in the 10 in 14/15 season with Smith and Wade / Smith and Pack behind was great.

Freeman in the 10 in 15/16 season with Smith and Pack was horrible.  He played at 100mph and ran into trouble.

As much as I like Palmer, if we need do need to generate some funds, then I would support it.  However, until we see how Holden is gonna blend his forward 5 in his 352, we just don’t know.  The Palmer we saw in the 5212 early last season was pretty decent.  But without seeing pre-season, he appears to be at a bit of a crossroads!

Palmer's stock has surely decreased in the past 12 months? I expect us to make a loss on him, but hope to be proved wrong.

[Kid in the Riot]

8 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

 

Probably loan him out I reckon. Unless a team like QPR are interested in him permanently, who have sold Eze for big money.

We're trying to offload KP but wages are a big issue. For that reason a loan move could happen.

Horrible waste of money I'm sorry to say.

[Lew-T]

11 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

We're trying to offload KP but wages are a big issue. For that reason a loan move could happen.

Horrible waste of money I'm sorry to say.

Are we still looking to offload Szmodics? Can’t imagine both will be off.

[Wolf Island]

17 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

We're trying to offload KP but wages are a big issue. For that reason a loan move could happen.

Horrible waste of money I'm sorry to say.

So neither LJ or Holden fancies him? Wonder what the story is there. 

[Kid in the Riot]

10 minutes ago, Lew-T said:

Are we still looking to offload Szmodics? Can’t imagine both will be off.

Szmodics has loads of interest so I think we'll sell 

5 minutes ago, Hare Island said:

So neither LJ or Holden fancies him? Wonder what the story is there. 

He's not good enough. Performances before we signed him were average and bar that pass against Charlton he did nothing last season.

I watched him on the training ground clips the club published. Caught on the ball every time he received it. 

[Phileas Fogg]

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

Freeman in the 10 in 14/15 season with Smith and Wade / Smith and Pack behind was great.

Freeman in the 10 in 15/16 season with Smith and Pack was horrible.  He played at 100mph and ran into trouble.

As much as I like Palmer, if we need do need to generate some funds, then I would support it.  However, until we see how Holden is gonna blend his forward 5 in his 352, we just don’t know.  The Palmer we saw in the 5212 early last season was pretty decent.  But without seeing pre-season, he appears to be at a bit of a crossroads!

I think in 14/15 it helped that we were just so much better than all the other teams so the system was able to function at its optimum. In 15/16 we were playing lots of teams on a par and better so the system started to show weaknesses.

I think Elliot played a very important role in 14/15 and he was probably highly useful to Pack/Smith/Freeman who at the time were all relatively inexperienced.

[Major Isewater]

6 minutes ago, Hare Island said:

So neither LJ or Holden fancies him? Wonder what the story is there. 

I believe that KP is very much like JET but without the goals.

He doesn’t look like the sort of player who can run around like a headless chicken for 95minutes and therefore coaches don’t know what to do with him.

 He is undoubtedly talented and I believe he needs an arm around the shoulder and be shown that he is important to the team.

 I would love for him to ‘ click ‘ here because when he does he’s going to blow some minds .

 

[mozo]

6 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Szmodics has loads of interest so I think we'll sell 

He's not good enough. Performances before we signed him were average and bar that pass against Charlton he did nothing last season.

I watched him on the training ground clips the club published. Caught on the ball every time he received it. 

I'd like to see Palmer in the Scottish league. Reckon he could learn the game over there for a few years and come back to England when he's a more rounded player.

[chinapig]

7 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Szmodics has loads of interest so I think we'll sell 

He's not good enough. Performances before we signed him were average and bar that pass against Charlton he did nothing last season.

I watched him on the training ground clips the club published. Caught on the ball every time he received it. 

It's almost as if somebody signs players the coaches don't want. Can't imagine who though.

[steviestevieneville]

7 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Szmodics has loads of interest so I think we'll sell 

He's not good enough. Performances before we signed him were average and bar that pass against Charlton he did nothing last season.

I watched him on the training ground clips the club published. Caught on the ball every time he received it. 

Would be strange to get rid of szmodics and Palmer with only pato as that “type” of player in the squad . Would prefer to keep szmodics personally . Just can’t see it working for Palmer here. As you say though , wages 

[Wolf Island]

15 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

I believe that KP is very much like JET but without the goals.

He doesn’t look like the sort of player who can run around like a headless chicken for 95minutes and therefore coaches don’t know what to do with him.

 He is undoubtedly talented and I believe he needs an arm around the shoulder and be shown that he is important to the team.

 I would love for him to ‘ click ‘ here because when he does he’s going to blow some minds .

 

 

17 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Szmodics has loads of interest so I think we'll sell 

He's not good enough. Performances before we signed him were average and bar that pass against Charlton he did nothing last season.

I watched him on the training ground clips the club published. Caught on the ball every time he received it. 

One of those players that catch the fan’s eye but the gap between that and a Championship coach’s requirements is a yawning chasm.

[Dolman_Stand]

1 hour ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Szmodics has loads of interest so I think we'll sell 

He's not good enough. Performances before we signed him were average and bar that pass against Charlton he did nothing last season.

I watched him on the training ground clips the club published. Caught on the ball every time he received it. 

The pass at Birmingham for Tommy Rowe's goal was superb as well, there is definately a talent there and the formation we are going with should suit him this season. Its difficult to categorically say who fo all the midfielders we have should be moved on as you can probably make a case for all of them to stay, if it were me I would say Morrell, Pato and Eliasson (on the basis he's chosen to go) but everyone on this forum will probably have differing views on this.

[Chappers]

Palmer . Didn’t impress on loan, didn’t impress last season, doesn’t suit the way we play, no idea why we bought him.

[daored]

39 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

Agree. Even though I think we have got many good transfers in, that seems to have been a terrible one.

With that money we may have possibly have bought Pereira. What a waste.

It was a strange signing , Johnson clearly stated last summer he wanted a full preseason with Palmer if he was to join. It didn’t look likely and we made alternative arrangements with Szmodics. Somebody at the club should have questioned Johnson at the time of the signing of Palmer based on his previous comments. I get clubs purchase players and it doesn’t always work out but on this occasion based on Johnson’s comments alone we shouldn’t have purchased Palmer. 
 

I

[daored]

1 minute ago, Badger08 said:

I don't understand everyone staying he was an awful signing. I'm pretty sure all the fans were buzzing about having him back and were actually calling for the club to sign him. Would love to see the "Palmer signs" thread. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. 

For what it's worth, I actually think Palmer would be a regular in the side if it wasn't for Pato. Pato for me has been the best player at this club for the past 3 years! Big statement to make, I know. 

Personally I wasn’t either way he signed or didn’t - too old in the tooth to get excited about players signing for the club! I think my concern and admittedly with hindsight is taking in Johnson’s comments about a full preseason we didn’t get that yet still signed him 

[Davefevs]

Irrespective of Palmer’s ability it was confused recruitment.

On paper, most players we’ve signed have been fine, as individuals they are all good players.  It’s the fit to the system, or the plan behind it.

If LJ genuinely wanted Palmer (and I believe he did), then don’t go out and buy Szmodics.  Be patient.  But typical of LJ and MA (they are both at fault here), MA pondering to LJ’s whims, and MA needing to satisfy his ego of being able to do deals - whether that be selling for large sums, or dealing with the big Prem clubs.

The next issue was picking him v Leeds, having just arrived.  Szmodics had been good during pre-season.

The final issue was it forced Paterson out the door.

It was a messy end to the window.

From a playing point of view, Palmer found his feet in the 5212 early season, but even then LJ couldn’t resist pissing about, going with a back 4 v Boro (Palmer scored actually), then back to a 5 v Hull, but Palmer didn’t start.  After two credible (very credible?) away draws back to back at Brentford and PNE, Palmer barely featured after that.  Why?

Palmer has always struck me (in his time here) as a player who needed game time to stay sharp.

Fitness wise, his inefficient pressing wasted energy.  It wasn’t lack of effort or laziness, he just presses poorly.

£3.5m, probably £20k per week.  Who’s gonna pay that now?  Shame.

[ReggyRed]

I would love to see KP given another chance but if it’s true we want to get rid I can’t see him and SS going.

[tin]

8 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

If LJ genuinely wanted Palmer (and I believe he did), then don’t go out and buy Szmodics.  Be patient.  But typical of LJ and MA (they are both at fault here), MA pondering to LJ’s whims, and MA needing to satisfy his ego of being able to do deals - whether that be selling for large sums, or dealing with the big Prem clubs.

I heard slightly different to this version of events. Palmer was initially LJ’s first choice as long as he could have him in before the start of pre-season, the analysts came up with Szmodics as a standout player in the lower leagues. 

That initial interest in Palmer cooled after pre-season got under way and LJ got on board with the signing of Szmodics, only for Ashton to bring in Palmer a few days after. 

For what it’s worth, I like both KP and SS and see them as readymade replacements for Pato and Weimann, both of whom will be 30 when their contracts expire in June.