Zelalem

[Ryju84 3,170]

You missed out Zelalems biggest negative, that when the opposition has the ball he is an empty strip. He will have the odd 5 minute spell where he will pressure the opposition but that's it. Zelalem adds to the risk of a counter attack not reduces it as you haven't taken into account when other players lose the ball. He flat out out refuses to track runners even when he can see we are exposed and he is best placed to do it. The St Mirren away game was the most blatant example of this when they hit the post. He had a chance to tackle and didn't and then he just let the guy run away from him and ten seconds later St Mirren hit the post and were unlucky to score.

I agree.

My original post was almost double what I put, and I deleted a lot so I wouldn't bore everyone.

When Law loses the ball he is very good at tracking back and winning the ball, or attempting to win it while the opposition is in possession. Zelalem doesn't do this.

[BigBearButt 3,652]

My main problem with the guy is he thinks he has all the time in the world to shoot. Anytime he does manage to squeeze a shot away it is usually pathetic and straight at the keeper.

I just don't rate him very highly to be honest. There is no chance he will make the grade at arsenal. As bar his accurate passing he doesn't offer anything else. No goal threat whatsoever, rarely plays a 'killer' ball. Meh just doesn't offer enough considering his reputation in my opinion.

Law is the much better option as he offers more, gets stuck in and is much more positive in his general style of play.

[AGM_72 3,646]

Law also helps out defensively which is huge considering the attacking style we play. So now you have two players who are good at keeping possession but one of them can also take players on, shoot when he gets a chance and help out defensively. Hmm I wonder which one would be better for the team and add more balance.

This post seems to suggest Zelalem just lingers about up field and doesn't help out defensively which is absolute nonsense. It's easy to highlight an example or two of a player not tracking back because when you don't track back it sticks out. When you do track back, you're doing your job and nobody bats an eyelid.

Law isn't particularly good at keeping the ball either.

As a poster said above, taking on players doesn't always equal success. Just as ball retention and then looking for a killer pass/short-sharp passing isn't always effective.

Law isn't better, he's more direct. Sometimes this is beneficial, sometimes it isn't.

[theclothmonster 1,709]

This post seems to suggest Zelalem just lingers about up field and doesn't help out defensively which is absolute nonsense. It's easy to highlight an example or two of a player not tracking back because when you don't track back it sticks out. When you do track back, you're doing your job and nobody bats an eyelid.

Law isn't particularly good at keeping the ball either.

As a poster said above, taking on players doesn't always equal success. Just as ball retention and then looking for a killer pass/short-sharp passing isn't always effective.

Law isn't better, he's more direct. Sometimes this is beneficial, sometimes it isn't.

Lingering about is exactly what he does. Have you actually spent any time watching him off the ball? He will have a few 5 minute spells where he pressures people and thats it. When we lose the ball and the opposition counter attack he trots back he doesn't even break into a proper jog.. Contrast this to Jason Holt who is usually more advanced than Zelalem but always busts a nut to get back and defend.

[TomScott 40]

Lingering about is exactly what he does. Have you actually spent any time watching him off the ball? He will have a few 5 minute spells where he pressures people and thats it. When we lose the ball and the opposition counter attack he trots back he doesn't even break into a proper jog.. Contrast this to Jason Holt who is usually more advanced than Zelalem but always busts a nut to get back and defend.

Couldn't agree more.

Really frustrating player. Huge talent but looks like he lacks the fight at times. We all dream of a team of Jason Holts!!

[AGM_72 3,646]

Lingering about is exactly what he does. Have you actually spent any time watching him off the ball? He will have a few 5 minute spells where he pressures people and thats it. When we lose the ball and the opposition counter attack he trots back he doesn't even break into a proper jog.. Contrast this to Jason Holt who is usually more advanced than Zelalem but always busts a nut to get back and defend.

Obviously. Otherwise I wouldn't have posted it.

Just have to agree to disagree on that one.

[TheKingObv 10,647]

Decent on the ball, pretty good short passer.

Seems incapable of playing passes over 20 yards though, pretty strange.

[theclothmonster 1,709]

Just have to agree to disagree on that one.

[Boybluesy 3,722]

Cannae tackle - cannae score goals - cannae header a ball - cannae go past a man- Law is far better for the team.

[Bakbear 3,586]

Sorry but you can't put Zelalem, Ball and Oduwa in the same bracket as our youth. The loanees aren't signed for their future talent, Warburton brought them in to improve our squad and play a heavy part in the first team. Our youngsters are the future, the loanees are the present. Their place in the starting eleven should be judged on merit and not on their potential a few years down the line.

In a nutshell this is my prejudice toward Zelalem. I am more critical of him because he is not our player and we have better options in the present. Why should we be fielding poorer options today so that another club can benefit in the future.

That being said. I trust our manager.

[harlands plater 16,989]

I'm beginning to think Zelalem isn't offering us anything one of our own players couldn't give us. Taking the ball in space and moving it on is basically what Andy Murdoch was doing last season, for example.

I'm not saying Murdoch is better than Zelalem obviously, I'm just thinking out loud.

[Ross-Gazza genius 1,907]

I'm not convinced with zelalem, we have 3 playing in the centre of midfield all operating different jobs, a defensive midfielder,box to box midfielder and a no.10. Zelalem is not a defensive midfielder, hes too lazy and doesn't tackle to be a box to box midfielder and Holt is playing better in the no.10 role.

If you watch the lead up to their goal yesterday you will see what zelalems defensive awareness is all about, he let's his man play a 1-2 round him and makes no effort to follow the runner or attempt to tackle. Obviously he's not to blame directly for the goal but he could've made more of an effort to stop them.

For me he's backup to Holt and not good enough for the other positions.